Midnight Vigilante, Leonor Bass [top business books of all time .TXT] 📗

for years, and that feeling had resurfaced when he saw her again.

“None of your fucking business,” Adrian said.

“Well, either way, tell your little friend I don’t know where her sister is. Now can you leave? I’m tired, and you just interrupted the hottest dream ever, so get out.”

Before Adrian could reach the door knob, Julius called his name one more time.

“On second thought, now that you’re here, I want to file a complaint. Two of my men are missing. I need you to find them for me,” Julius said, as if he were ordering one of his minions.

Adrian eyed him with a blank expression, absolutely unaffected by his request or the information.

“You’re a cop, do your job. Remember that you’re there because of me, bro. You owe me.”

Adrian knew he would get reminders of his brother’s help for the rest of his life, and he didn’t know how to stop it. Julius had been a great support financially, back when he was in trouble for his wrongdoings, but that had been a long time ago.

“Well, maybe they’re home. Who knows?” Adrian replied as he left.

Chapter Twelve

Adrian usually loved his job, even though some would say he was trying to redeem himself for all the troubles his alcohol abuse had caused in his life and career. That was partially true, but there was also the satisfaction of seeing criminals fall.

But when Adrian got a phone call from a colleague conveying the information of a female body found between the bushes of an abandoned paddock, he hated his job. He knew he was walking into a gruesome scene and plenty of heartache was about to unfold in his life, as well as the lives of people he held dearly.

What he didn’t imagine, though, was the state in which Lydia was found, and how her body had been discarded like a piece of trash.

She had signs of being struck, several times, on her face. Broken lip, bruises on each side of her cheeks, and someone had cruelly cut her long brown hair. Although what shocked him the most was the stab wound to her stomach, indicating a slow, personal, painful death.

Adrian had seen dead bodies before, and he usually tried to ignore the pang of sadness it provoked, but he couldn’t ignore it this time.

“Are you okay man?” his coworker, Jonah, asked.

“Yeah. I just, I knew her. She was a friend,” Adrian replied.

Jonah patted his back, nodding. “Do you know who might have done this? If she had any enemies?”

“No. Not that I know of,” Adrian lied.

“It’s a pity. She was beautiful,” Jonah sighed. Adrian only nodded. “We have to contact the family, if she had any.”

“She has a sister. I can talk to her,” Adrian offered, dreading the cruelest conversation he would ever have with Riley.

Riley was rearranging the morning’s drink shipment when she felt someone looking at her. When she turned around, Adrian was at the same spot she had seen him on their first encounter, although this time there was no smile on his handsome face. His was the same expression she had seen before, two years ago, worn by a different cop.

“Detective.” Riley spoke softly.

Adrian faked a smile. “Ms. Spencer.”

“Is something wrong? Is it about Lydia?”

“There’s no easy way of saying this,” Adrian spoke softly.

She shook her head as he spoke. “No. I’m gonna stop you right there,” she said, raising her voice enough to get the attention of Paige, who approached.

“I’m sorry. I really am–” Adrian didn’t get to finish his sentence when Riley stormed out, pain overwhelming her.

Riley stood outside, breathing the cold autumn wind and letting tears run freely down her cheeks. Adrian hadn’t said a word, but she knew Lydia was dead, and it grieved her soul.

“I’m very sorry for your loss.” Adrian spoke from a distance, trying to give her the space she needed to grieve and cry.

She took a few seconds to wipe away her tears and breathe deeply before she turned around to look at him, feeling the hate building inside her body.

“How did it happen?” Riley asked. She watched him as he looked down at his feet, a soft frown on his forehead. Riley could see he was hesitating to answer. She was sure he had heard that question before, since many mourning families demanded explanations. She had done the same when her husband died.

“I can’t tell you, I’m sorry. There’s an ongoing investigation–”

“Don’t bullshit me!” Riley snapped. “I told you my sister was missing and you did nothing! You stood there like nothing ever happened and now she’s dead.”

“Listen, I know this might not be the right moment, but I promise I’ll do whatever–”

“No, I don’t want your promises! I don’t want anything from you!” She wanted to believe there was something he could have done, but she was having a hard time trusting him at all. “I will do whatever it takes to find out who did this. I’m gonna do the job you couldn’t, and I swear whoever killed my sister will not get away with it.”

Perhaps making threats wasn’t the way things were supposed to go, but Riley was heartbroken. When she’d lost someone she loved before, she followed a plan that eased her pain and stained her hands with blood. Now, there was a high chance Riley would have to do it all over again.

Chapter Thirteen

Preparing a funeral was never easy. Riley figured it couldn’t be easy for anyone, but perhaps it was twice as difficult for someone who had lost two important people in their life, like she had. Despite how long it had been, Riley still felt Santino’s death heavily in her heart. Now she guessed it would be the same with Lydia. They were sisters, after all.

There was never an easy way, not even when people said nice things intended to ease the pain. The fact that her sister was confined in a wooden box broke Riley the most. She imagined Lydia was trapped, desperate to get out, and