Chapter 24 Anonymous Delivery
Damian’s POV
I checked my watch for what had to be the fifth time in the last ten minutes. Courtney should have been done by now. The call with the office had run longer than expected—questions about Ardent, internal projections, damage control strategies—but even as I wrapped it up, my focus had already shifted back to her. Always back to her.
I ended the call and slipped my phone into my pocket, stepping out of the car park and into the late morning light. The air was warm, deceptively calm, like the world hadn’t taken notice of the tension steadily tightening around us. My eyes immediately scanned the surroundings. Entrances. Exits. People who were lingering too long. Nothing obvious. Still, I didn’t relax. Not anymore.
I started toward the clinic doors, my pace steady but purposeful, when—
Someone stepped directly into my path. I stopped short. Every instinct sharpened instantly. The figure was small. Hooded. Still. Too still. My body shifted subtly, weight adjusting, ready for anything.
“Move,” I said evenly.
The person didn’t. Instead, they lifted their head just enough for me to catch a glimpse of the face of a woman. Young. Early twenties, maybe. Pale. Nervous. Her eyes darted over my shoulder, then back to me. Not aggressive. Not threatening. But definitely afraid. Which didn’t make her any less dangerous.
I studied her closely. This wasn’t Hargrove. Not even close.
“Mr. McKay?” she asked quietly.
I didn’t answer. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached into her bag and pulled out a brown envelope.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” she said quickly.
That didn’t mean much. Everyone said that.
“I came to help you.”
I glanced down at the envelope. Then back at her.
“With the hope that you could help me, too." The woman never met my eyes. Just kept glancing at our surroundings and looking increasingly unsure that she wanted to be seen there with him any longer.
A dozen scenarios ran through my head in the span of a second. Trap. Diversion. Desperation. Or—
Something real. I took a small step back instead of forward. Her eyes widened slightly, like she expected that reaction. Smart.
“Why me?” I asked.
“Because you’re the only one who can stop her.”
Her. My mind clicked immediately.
“Felicia Ardent,” the woman whispered as she kept looking around. Her hand holding the envelope shook. “I don’t have time to explain.”
“Then you shouldn’t be here.”
“I know.” Her grip tightened on the envelope. “They’re watching.”
That got my attention.
“Who is they?”
But she didn’t answer. Instead, she shoved the envelope toward me. Instinctively, I caught it.
“Wait—” I said, trying to give her back the envelope, not trusting a total stranger. But she was already backing away.
“Just… be careful,” she said.
Then she turned and rushed off, disappearing into the flow of people on the sidewalk before I could stop her. I stood there for a moment, the envelope in my hand suddenly feeling heavier than it should. They’re watching. My gaze swept the area again. Nothing obvious. But that didn’t mean anything.
Slowly, I turned and walked into the clinic. The cool air hit me immediately, grounding me just enough to refocus. I spotted Courtney across the waiting area. She was standing with Peter and Detective Carter, her posture relaxed but alert, her expression animated as she spoke. For a split second, something in my chest eased. She was okay. Then she looked up. Her eyes locked onto mine instantly. And just like that—
The ease vanished. Because she saw it. Whatever was written on my face. Concern. Tension. Something had happened. She excused herself mid-conversation and walked toward me, her brows knitting slightly.
“What’s wrong?”
Peter and Detective Carter followed close behind.
I held up the envelope slightly.
“This just happened outside.”
Courtney’s gaze dropped to it immediately.
“What is that?”
“I’m not sure.”
Detective Carter’s expression sharpened.
“Explain.”
I gave them a quick rundown. The hooded woman. Her behavior. Her warning. Her mention of her. Peter frowned.
“That’s not creepy at all.”
Courtney looked back at me.
“You didn’t open it?”
“No.”
Detective Carter stepped forward.
“Let me see it.”
I handed it over carefully. She didn’t open it either. Instead, she turned it over in her hands, examining it with a trained eye.
“No markings,” she murmured. “No return address.”
“Could it be a trap?” Peter asked.
“It could be anything,” she replied.
Courtney crossed her arms.
“She said people were watching?”
I nodded.
“That’s what she claimed.”
Courtney glanced around the waiting area instinctively.
“So this could already be compromised.”
“Possibly.”
Detective Carter made a decision.
“We’re not opening this here.”
Peter nodded quickly.
“Yeah, that feels like a solid plan.”
Courtney looked at Detective Carter.
“What do you suggest?”
The detective met my gaze.
“We take it to the lab.”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Agreed.”
“Chain of custody stays clean, we check for contaminants, prints, anything suspicious before opening it,” Detective Carter cautioned.
Courtney exhaled slowly.
“Good call, Emily.”
I stopped for a second as I realized Courtney was now on a first-name basis with the detective. When she saw my expression, she winked at me.
"I'll tell you about it later," she smiled, just as Peter walked up to us and gestured towards the door, eyeing Courtney weirdly.
He then turned to Detective Carter and I didn't miss the way his hand went to the base of her back.
“Road trip?”
Carter shot him a look as she subtly shifted out of his hold.
“This isn’t a field trip.”
He shrugged.
“Still counts.”
I glanced at Courtney.
“You good to move?”
She nodded immediately.
“Let’s go.”
Detective Carter handed the envelope back to me, but her tone was firm.
“Handle it carefully.”
“I will.”
We moved as a group toward the exit. As we stepped outside, I felt it again. That subtle shift. That awareness. Like eyes were on us. Watching. Waiting. I didn’t say anything. Not yet. But my grip on the envelope tightened slightly. Because whatever was inside had just changed the game. And I had a feeling…
We were about to find out exactly how deep this situation really went