The Fall of East: Book 3 in the Hear No Evil Trilogy, Malone, Nana [inspiring books for teens txt] 📗

I shrugged. "Nah, I have my good days and my bad days. But don't we all?"

My phone pinged and I scowled down at it. "Geez, even when I leave the office, I can't leave the office.”

I sent texts to the people calling me that I'd get back to them.

"Your phone is going crazy."

"Yeah, it is. I'm sorry. I might have to get back."

Even Amelia texted me.

Amelia: Hey, finally got the fingerprints for the murder scene. And we got a match to a Krista Wilson. Her brother ran the Wilson crew and is currently serving six years for robbery. Looking for a last known address now."

Hazel glanced at my phone. "Sorry, I couldn't help but see some of that. Was that Amelia?"

I nodded. "Oh God, sorry Hazel, but I think I have to go back. We finally got a break in our case."

She sighed. "Oh, come on, the store is right there. Five minutes, then I'll let you go right back to work, okay?"

"Okay, but I really need to get back."

She nodded then took my hand. Her hands were cold and a little bit clammy. I had to resist the urge to yank my hand back. This was Hazel. She was harmless. Maybe a little different for a friend, but I had to learn to let my walls down. I couldn't be alone my whole life. She said, "Okay fine. But you know, since you're going back to the office right away, please just turn off your phone. If you keep hearing it, you will just be stressed out."

"I never turn off my phone."

"Yeah, how good can that be for you?"

I sighed. She had a point. Even my father turned off his phone. He always said it was good to sit with his thoughts every now and again. I rolled my eyes as I turned my phone off. "Happy?"

Her smile was sweet. "Yeah, I'm happy. Come on."

I had no choice but to follow her, even though I knew what waited at the office for me. Maybe that's where half of my life had gone wrong. My inability to unplug. I could unplug for a few minutes. It wouldn't kill me. Besides, Hazel had gone out of her way to try. I needed to put in some effort too. "All right, let's do this. Did you at least get any hints from Denning as to what his mother might want?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, you know Denning better than that."

I laughed, because for the first time in a long time, it didn't actually hurt or irritate me to talk about him.

I tamped down all my internal warning sensors that were pinging. I was glad Hazel had been trying hard. She wasn't so bad. And I had to let new people in sooner or later.

* * *

East

I finally saw her along the shops about half a mile from work.

I’d never moved so quickly in my life.

As I left, I grabbed my jumper and called out, "Belinda, cancel all my appointments. There's something I need to do."

I didn't even wait for her to answer. I was already running. I wondered when this feeling would pass. The one where I lived in terror of something happening to Nyla. The one where I worried all the time about her safety, her well-being. The one where I felt like I was going to die if she was in danger. I wanted that to stop. I wanted it to go away. But it was too late. I knew it was too late because, God, fucking hell, I loved her so much. And I’d never loved anyone else like this.

I used a car service because I need someone who would know backroads. When I jumped in the car that was waiting for me at the curb, I leaned forward. "Max, as fast as you can, this address." I gave it to him and then sat back, texting the lads. Hazel… All those times Nyla thought she was being followed, all those times she was uncomfortable, had it been Hazel, stalking her?

Ben's response was immediate.

Ben: Hazel? Who the hell is Hazel?

I gave him a brief rundown again.

East: She has her right now.

I gave up and just called. Turned out he was with Drew and Bridge, so it saved a lot of typing. "We're not going to text back and forth. I'm on my way to get her now. I found her on CCTV. Hazel is actually Krista Wilson, the one behind the case that Nyla has been working on. And if I'm right, she killed that bloke Ryder Stone. He'd been trying to go straight."

"Jesus. Do you think she's the one who shot at us at Grimwald Square?"

"Considering she killed a man in cold blood, has a connection to Sinclair, is always a step ahead of Interpol, and she made it a point to worm her way into Nyla's life, I'd say yeah. She's a threat to her right now."

Bridge whistled low. "What do you need?"

"Nothing yet, but I want all resources on finding whatever she has to hide. Everything we have. We might not be able to stop her right now."

The lads hung up with me just as the car arrived at the shops.

I told the driver to wait as I jumped out of the car, barely waiting for it to come to a full stop, nearly being run over by a lorry as I sprinted across the pavement.

The little shopping area was a maze of boutiques and restaurants with little alleys and cobblestone walkways between them, allowing patrons to go in any formation they liked. I found them in the center of the courtyard, and Hazel saw me first. When her gaze turned to me, she narrowed her eyes imperceptibly, and then her brows lifted as if she was surprised that I'd been able to track her down.

She said something to Nyla then turned to leave. Nyla looked around, and when she saw me, she gave me that winning