Chapter 112 - HOTLINE BLING

''Bob is dead.''

There I said it.

''Excuse me?"' he says, flabbergasted. ''Did you say he's dead?''

''He is.'' I confirm.

His back straightens on the chair and his eyes become rigid. ''And you'd know this because?''

''Because whoever has been fucking with me last year decided it be best to bring the shenanigans into the new year.'' He looks confused and I sigh. ''The head of a skunk and the fake notes weren't enough. I got a note saying that ''the one whom you seek is dead''. The message couldn't be any more clear.''

''Is that why you were…?''

''Crying last month? Yes.''

''Shit.'' He runs his hand through his hair. ''Now, I feel like a dick for getting into it with you. I'm sorry.''

''All is forgiven.''

''Are you okay?'' His eyes are laced with concern. ''Like really okay?''

''I don't know.'' My back leans on a nearby desk. ''Things aren't adding up.''

He nods. ''When did you get note?''

''February 14th.''

''The day of the dance.'' I nod nervously.

''Yes, that day.''

He folds his hands. ''How did you get it then?''

By going to an illegal street racing event with Jason and finding out shit about the Tollidos.

''As you know, I was home. Later that night, my sister and I went to see a movie and we were waiting in line.'' Making it up as I go. ''Then there was a guy who bumped into me and then he dropped the note. When I tried to give it to him, it was gone.'' At least, that wasn't a lie.

He raises a brow. ''Really?''

''Really.''

He drops it and gives me a single nod. I don't know if he believes me but it looks like he does. ''So instead of going to the dance, you went to the movies with Sophie and a man bumped into you and dropped the note?'' I nod again. ''You tried to give him the note but he was gone. You opened the note and it said  that the one whom you seek is dead?''

''That's it.''

''Noted. I'd be forwarding that story to Detective Anderson.''

My lying rack sheet is so full right now.

''But, a note means nothing though,'' his hand touches his chin. ''What if it's a prank?'

I considered that too. But, it's unlikely.

''Honestly, with the way things have been going, do you really thinks it's a prank?'' He doesn't respond for a second but then he shakes his head with a frown. ''You're probably right. We haven't heard from Mr Stewart in months. His trail ran cold and the arrest warrant we put out yielded no results. No one knew where he was. We had tips and leads and we followed every single one of them, but they all hit a dead end. We even tried contacting family members, but we couldn't trace them anywhere. It's like they never existed.''

''I never knew his family either,'' I shrug. ''He never told me about them. Everytime I'd ask, he'd shut down. The only information he divulged was they didn't live in the US.''

''Did he say where they lived?''

''No. He never really discussed his personal life with me.'' If he did, I would have known he was in the mafia.

A minute passes between us as we sit opposite each other. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all these clues and how they add up. Someone is doing this. Someone killed Bob. Someone in Bridgewood knows something and is probably sipping wine and laughing at my misfortune.

''The guy that bumped into you,'' Theo starts. ''Describe him.''

My mind reverts back to that night. It was dark outside and I wasn't really paying attention to the guy because I was focused on the race and making sure that Jason actually beats Gerald Tollido.

''I wasn't really paying attention to him, but what stood out for me was he wore a red ball cap that was covering his entire face and-''

''Did you say red ball cap?''

''Yes,'' I say hesitantly. ''Is there a problem?''

''Continue.''

''Okay,'' I say sceptically. ''He was in a dark hoodie. White. Tall. A little lanky.''

Theo slams his hand on the desk. ''That's our guy.''

Huh?

''Remember I told you that surveillance cameras from nearby areas caught sight of a man during your accident on September 7?'' I nod slowly. ''The man in the videos had a red cap on and your description matches the man I saw on the tapes.''

Of course! 

''That's the shooter,'' he declares.

Holy shit!

''I came face to face with the guy who wanted to kill me and I couldn't put the pieces together?!'' My jaw slacks. ''Now I feel stupid! I let him run away.''

Apart from that, I'm still being watched. That alone sends a shiver down my spine. Whoever this person is is watching me and tailing me. They no doubt followed Jason and I to the Jaguar.

Theo becomes excited. ''This is big. Actually the biggest break we've gotten thus far. The only snag is you couldn't see his face and the tapes I watched were a bit blurry. What I do know is that's our guy from the surveillance footage.''

''But there are still so many things I don't understand, '' I pout. ''First of all, if that's ''our guy'' and he's the shooter, why didn't he just kill me then?'' He had the perfect opportunity to. I was unprotected and unarmed. Plus, no one was really paying attention to me, well except for Pearson. They were all focused on the race.

''Maybe he's working for someone,'' he suggests. That's a possibility. ''And whoever he's working for loves to play mind games. There are psychopaths like that out there. Killing someone with a single bullet is too easy. Though not my speciality, I've worked on murder cases before. They love the chase, it's like a drug and they won't stop until they're caught or they achieve their aim.''

I swallow a lump in my throat. ''Of finally killing me.''

''That wouldn't happen,'' he says sharply. ''Not on my watch.'' His eyes lock with mine and I fold my hands together nervously. Why? Because this gaze is different from the one he normally gives. I've been around him long enough to know that and it may sound assuming and crazy but it's…softer? Delicate?

He looks like he wants to say something but is holding back. Instead, he's staring like he….

No, I will never entertain that possibility. It has been suggested by a lot of people, but it will never happen. Besides, I'm known for reading too much into things. He said it himself. I'm jailbait. I'm way too young for him and I don't see him as anything besides a…well brother. Plus, my ''daddy issues'' phase died along with Bob.

I clear my throat awkwardly. ''Theo?''

He blinks rapidly, like my voice has pulled him out of his daydream. ''Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought.'' My brow raises slightly but he gives me a small smile. ''It's nothing. Back on topic, what vendetta could he have against you?''

I guess he's taking the route of not talking about it.

''The vendetta isn't against me, Theo. It's against Bob.'' Detective Anderson and Officer Louis revealed that Bob was in some way connected to one of the biggest mafia's in the US. Maybe he pissed off some people and they wanted revenge against him, and by extension, against me.

''You said it yourself, Bob is somehow connected to the mafia so who knows who he pissed off,'' I sigh. ''At least I know that I've had a glimpse of the shooter.''

''You're probably right.'' 

''Another thing,'' I say. ''What if he and this Avanla Maxwell person are connected somehow? I've thought about it for a while. One sent a fake note saying Bob is not dead and the other said he is. Maybe these two are working together.''

''That may be so,'' he agrees. ''But up until this point, everything is circumstantial. We need solid proof and the only thing that's close to solid is we know the shooter. We just need a name, an I.D and an address.''

That's the detectives' expertise. I'll leave that up to them.

He looks at me with concern again and I narrow my eyes. ''I'm fine, seriously. I just want to solve this mystery with you and be done with it.''

He looks amused. ''I didn't even say anything.''

''You didn't have to,'' I deadpan. ''I think I know your mannerisms quite well.''

He props his hands on his desk, his head in between them and gives me a smirk. ''Really? Enlighten me then, Melody Jones, what are my mannerisms?''

''Well, '' I drag. ''For one thing-''

We hear a click of the door and in walks Paris. I almost forgot she was outside.

''Have you two made up yet?'' Her voice holds a sliver of hope and I know her mind is probably plotting a new strategy if this one were to go left.

''We did.'' I answer for the two of us.

''We weren't even fighting in the first place,'' Theo adds. I look at him and he wiggles his eyebrows. ''Where we?''

''Definitely not. It was just a sibling misunderstanding. Nothing more.''

She looks between the two of us, confused. ''Bottom line, you two are good, right?''

''More than good.'' Theo answers.

Time for Music Club.