Chapter Fifteen
Ethan was waiting for me in his apartment, pacing the floor like a caged tiger. The moment I walked through the door, his eyes locked onto mine, a mixture of concern and impatience etched across his face.
"What did he say?" Ethan asked, crossing the room in a few quick strides.
I dropped my bag onto the couch and ran a hand through my hair. My head was spinning, and the weight of what I'd just learned felt almost too much to carry.
"David admitted he argued with James," I began, my voice shaky. "He says James owed money to someone—a dangerous someone."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "Who?"
"Caleb Hart," I said, the name leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
Ethan frowned, the name clearly unfamiliar to him. "Who is Caleb Hart?"
"According to David, he's the kind of man you don't cross," I said, sinking onto the couch. "James owed him money. A lot of it. And when he couldn't pay, he went to the party looking for a way out. That's when he got into it with David."
Ethan sat down beside me, his hand resting on my knee. "And David swears James's death was an accident?"
I nodded. "He says James slipped, and there was no foul play. But if that's true, then why is someone digging into this now? Why involve a PI? What does Caleb want after all these years?"
Ethan's brow furrowed as he leaned back, his mind clearly racing. "If Caleb Hart is involved, this isn't about justice. It's about leverage—or revenge."
I looked at him, my chest tightening. "What do we do, Ethan? I don't even know where to start with someone like Caleb. And what if David's lying? What if there's more to this than he's letting on?"
Ethan took a deep breath, his expression hardening with resolve. "First, we figure out who Caleb Hart is and what he wants. If he's behind this, we need to know how far he's willing to go. And if David's lying, we'll find out soon enough."
I nodded, grateful for Ethan's steady presence. He had a way of making me feel like we could handle anything, even when the odds were stacked against us.
"Do you think we should tell Evelyn?" I asked hesitantly.
Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Not yet. She's already jumpy enough. If we tell her about Caleb, she might do something reckless. Let's get more information first."
I swallowed hard, the weight of the situation settling over me like a heavy blanket. "Ethan... what if we can't fix this? What if it all spirals out of control?"
He reached for my hand, threading his fingers through mine. "Then we face it together," he said softly. "Whatever happens, I'm not going anywhere."
I nodded, trying to draw strength from his words. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were in way over our heads.
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