Chapter 187 One Hundred & Eighty Seven

Chapter 187 One Hundred & Eighty Seven
Giovanni and Gabriele moved quickly through the hospital parking lot. The night air was cold, but neither of them seemed to notice.

“This doesn’t feel right,” Gabriele said as they got into the car.

Giovanni started the engine, his jaw tight. “Nothing in the past few days feels right.”

“The police calling you out of nowhere?” Gabriele asked. “Right after Adrian got poisoned and had surgery?”

Giovanni gripped the wheel harder. “You think it’s connected?”

“I know it is,” Gabriele said calmly.

Giovanni stayed silent, but his eyes showed he was thinking the same thing.

The car sped out of the lot, tires squealing slightly as they drove fast into the night toward the police station.

The drive was tense. Giovanni’s hands gripped the wheel tightly, knuckles white. Gabriele sat beside him, scanning the road, eyes sharp. Neither spoke, the silence thick with worry and suspicion.

Finally, Gabriele broke it. “Whatever’s waiting for us at that station… it won’t be pleasing, I'm sure of it.”

Giovanni’s jaw tightened. “I don’t care. With all that has happened in the past few days. I'm prepared for whatever's worse.”

They pulled up to the police station. The lights of the building were harsh, casting long shadows over the empty lot. Giovanni killed the engine, and the car fell silent except for their shallow breaths.

Gabriele reached over and tapped his shoulder. “Remember… stay calm. We don’t know why you’re being summoned yet so be careful..”

Giovanni nodded once. “I know. Let’s go.”

They stepped out, the cold night hitting them like a wall. Every step toward the station made Giovanni’s chest tighten, every shadow making him more alert.

As they reached the front doors, he glanced at Gabriele. “Whatever happens in there… just so you know I haven’t said this in years, I'm sorry and thank you.”

Gabriele smirked grimly. “Hmm, the might Gio saying sorry… have got you, bro… Always.”

And together, they pushed inside, ready for whatever waited.

Giovanni and Gabriele stepped into the station, the fluorescent lights harsh overhead. A man standing behind a desk talking to a fellow police man looked up, eyes narrowing as he studied them.

“Welcome, Mr. Monti,” he said, glancing between them, clearly trying to figure out who was who.

“I’m Giovanni Monti, and this is Gabriele Monti,” Gabriele introduced sharply.

The man straightened. “Detective Reyes. Sorry for calling you in so late.”

Giovanni’s brow furrowed. “What’s the emergency?”

Detective Reyes paused, choosing his words carefully. “A body was found… washed up at a fishing lake, northwest of here. It was… in a bag.”

“A body?” Gabriele’s voice rose, shock clear.

“Yes,” Reyes confirmed, his tone serious.

Giovanni’s jaw tightened. “And how does this involve me?”

Reyes didn’t answer immediately. He motioned toward a side office. “Mr. Monti… please, follow me to my office. We need to talk.”

Giovanni exchanged a glance with Gabriele, his jaw tight. “Lead the way,” he said, his voice low.

They followed Detective Reyes through the narrow hallways of the station. The sound of phones ringing and officers moving about filled the air, but all Giovanni could focus on was the unease crawling in his chest.

Reyes opened the door to a small, cluttered office. He gestured for them to sit. “Please,” he said. “We need to be very clear here… this is serious.”

Giovanni sank into the chair, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “Start talking,” he said, his tone sharp.

Reyes pulled out a folder and set it on the desk. He opened it slowly, revealing a series of photographs. “The body was found early this morning. Identification is tricky, but we found something… personal that links it to someone connected to you, Mr. Monti.”

Gabriele’s eyes narrowed as he leaned in. “Connected how?”

Reyes exhaled slowly. “We believe this person may have been involved with your family… or at least had access to it. We need you to confirm certain details, and we may need your cooperation to figure out if this is just a coincidence… we suspect this person was murdered.”

Giovanni’s fists clenched on the desk. “So this… whatever this is… is my problem now?”

Reyes met his gaze evenly. “It could be, yes. And if we don’t move fast, someone else might be in danger.”

Gabriele muttered under his breath, “This just keeps getting worse…”

Giovanni’s eyes hardened. “Then let’s get to work. How do I help?”

Reyes nodded, flipping open another section of the folder. “Thank you, you need to do some identification.”

“So… how did you link me to this person?” Giovanni asked, his voice tight, heart starting to pound.

Detective Reyes looked serious. “Your number was the only emergency contact listed.”

Giovanni’s chest tightened. “Okay… I understand.”

“Do you have pictures of the person?” Gabriele asked, his voice low, already feeling the tension in the room.

“Yes, I was about to pull that out” Reyes said, pulling out a small folder. “Here.”

He handed it over. Giovanni and Gabriele took it and looked.

Their eyes widened. Both froze.

And there she was

Maeve.

Gabriele’s hand flew to his mouth. “What the fuck… Detective… you’re saying the body you found… is her?”

“Yes,” Reyes said quietly.

Giovanni sank back in the chair, rubbing his face with one hand, his voice breaking slightly. “No… this can’t be … Maeve is… dead?”

His heart felt like it had been ripped out. Anger, shock, and grief collided inside him, leaving him momentarily breathless.

Gabriele put a hand on his shoulder. “Gio… man.. this is .. crazy shit.”

Giovanni shook his head slowly, staring at the picture, numb. “I can’t… I can’t believe this…”

The room was quiet except for the distant hum of the station, but inside both men, a storm was raging.

“This can’t be…” Giovanni whispered, his voice barely audible. “She’s… dead? Maeve?

“How long has it been?” Giovanni asked in a barely audible voice

Detective Reyes nodded grimly. “According to forensics, it’s been about three months.”

“Fuck… fuck… fuck…” Gabriele muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

Detective Reyes looked between them. “Was she someone close to you, Mr. Monti?”

Giovanni’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching. “She… she was my ex-girlfriend.”