THE INVESTIGATION
As I continued to question Ava, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The gifts and messages were getting more and more personal, and I knew that the person behind them was getting bolder.
"Ava, I need to ask you something," I said, my voice soft.
Ava nodded, her eyes locked on mine. "What is it, Ethan?"
I hesitated before speaking. "Do you have any idea who might be behind these gifts and messages?"
Ava shook her head. "No, I have no idea," she said. "I've been racking my brain, trying to think of anyone who might be doing this, but I just can't think of anyone."
I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. "Okay, well, let's think about this," I said. "Who are some people in your life who might have a grudge against you?"
Ava thought for a moment before speaking. "Well, there's my ex-boyfriend, Alex," she said. "We had a pretty messy breakup, and he's been trying to get back together with me ever since."
I raised an eyebrow. "And do you think he's capable of doing something like this?" I asked.
Ava hesitated before speaking. "I don't know," she said. "I never thought he was capable of something like this, but now I'm not so sure."
I nodded, making a mental note to look into Alex further. "Okay, well, let's keep looking into this," I said. "In the meantime, I want you to be careful, okay? Don't go anywhere alone, and don't talk to anyone you don't trust."
Ava nodded, her eyes wide with fear. "Okay," she said.
As I looked at her, I knew that I had to do everything in my power to keep her safe. I would investigate Alex, and I would look into anyone else who might have a grudge against Ava.
As I sat in the safe house, sipping on a cup of coffee, I couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. We had been here for hours, and I still had no idea who was behind the threats.
Ava was sleeping in the next room, exhausted from the events of the day. I had promised to keep her safe, and I intended to do just that.
But first, I needed to figure out who was behind the threats. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, Jack," I said, when my boss answered. "I need some help."
"What do you need?" Jack asked.
"I need you to dig up some information on Ava's past," I said. "See if there's anyone who might have a grudge against her."
"Already on it," Jack said. "But I have to warn you, Ethan. This case is getting weirder by the minute."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I mean that Ava's past is not what it seems," Jack said. "There are some inconsistencies in her story."
I frowned, my mind racing with possibilities. What was Ava hiding?
"I'll look into it," I said.
As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. What was Ava hiding? And who was behind the threats?
I decided to do some digging of my own. I pulled out my laptop and started searching for any information I could find on Ava.
As I scrolled through the results, I found something that made my blood run cold.
Ava's father was not who he seemed to be. He was involved in some shady dealings, and there were rumors of connections to organized crime.
I felt a surge of anger. Why hadn't Ava told me about this?
As I continued to dig, I found more and more inconsistencies in Ava's story. It seemed that she was hiding something, but I had no idea what.
I decided to confront her. I walked into the next room, where Ava was still sleeping.
"Ava," I said, shaking her awake. "We need to talk."
Ava sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I've been doing some digging," I said. "And I found some inconsistencies in your story."
Ava's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
"I'm talking about your father," I said. "He's not who he seems to be."
Ava's face paled, and she looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.
But I knew she was lying. And I was determined to find out the truth.
Ava's eyes darted around the room, avoiding mine. "I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated.
I sighed, frustration building inside me. "Ava, I know your father is involved in some shady dealings," I said. "And I know you're hiding something. What is it?"
Ava's face paled further, and she looked like she was about to pass out. "I...I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered.
But I knew she was lying. And I was determined to get the truth out of her.
"Ava, listen to me," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "I'm trying to protect you. But I need you to be honest with me. What's going on?"
Ava looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. "I...I don't know if I can trust you," she said.
My heart went out to her. She was scared, and she didn't know who to trust.
"Ava, I promise you, I'm here to help," I said. "I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe. But you need to trust me."
Ava looked at me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Okay," she said. "I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell anyone else."
I nodded, my heart racing with anticipation. "I promise," I said.
Ava took a deep breath, then began to speak. "My father...he's not just a businessman," she said. "He's involved in some...some bad things."
I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of bad things?" I asked.
Ava hesitated, then spoke in a barely audible whisper. "He's involved in organized crime."
My eyes widened in shock. I had suspected that Ava's father was involved in some shady dealings, but I had no idea it was this serious.
"Ava, why didn't you tell me?" I asked.
Ava shook her head. "I was scared," she said. "I didn't know who to trust."
I nodded, my mind racing with the implications. Ava's father was involved in organized crime, and she was in danger.
But I was determined to keep her safe. No matter what.