Chapter 21: XXI

Levi POV

I still couldn’t believe I was hearing Isabell’s voice. Meanwhile, Zoe’s voice was suddenly barely audible, as she murmured to whoever it was she was talking to. I believed it would be Isabell.

The distance in their tone, the sheer effort it seemed to take them to form their sentences, only heightened the gnawing ache in my chest.

I tried to focus on what they were saying, but my mind refused to stay still. My grip on the phone tightened as my emotions surged up like the sea; a relief that Isabell was well, guilt that I wasn’t there when she needed me most, and an anger that I couldn’t place where it was coming from.

The conversation was unraveling before me, the murmurs on the other end were unintelligible, yet the heaviness of the moment weighed on me like a boulder. I nearly screamed into the phone that they should tell me what was going on.

The next moment, I pressed the red button, ending the call abruptly. The silence that followed was deafening. I stared at the phone, my reflection faint on the black screen watching me with a questioning look.

The guilt was immediate, sharp, and relentless. What kind of person ends a call like that? Isabell needed me, and I’d hung up. The thought made my stomach churn as I stood outside there right underneath the stars.

I clenched my fists, trying to push the guilt away. It wasn’t working. The knot in my chest only grew tighter. What was I supposed to say to her? Sorry for not being there? At least it would be better than saying sorry I couldn’t protect you. Words felt meaningless now.

When the cold finally seeped through my coat, I forced myself to stop pacing. With a deep breath, I shoved my phone into my pocket and turned toward the door of the bar. The muffled sounds of laughter and clinking glasses greeted me as I stepped inside. The warmth hit me immediately, but it didn’t soothe the chill that lingered in my bones.

Jack was waiting for me at our corner table, his broad shoulders hunched over his drink. His hair was messy, and his stubbled jaw rested on one hand as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass. He glanced up when I approached, his sharp blue eyes narrowing slightly.

“You alright?” he asked.

I nodded, though the throbbing in my chest said otherwise. “Yeah,” I lied, sliding into the seat across from him.

Jack studied me for a moment, then shrugged. He wasn’t the type to push unless it was absolutely necessary, and for that, I was grateful. He raised his glass and took a slow sip, his gaze drifting to the bustling bar around us.

We sat in silence for a while, then after what felt like an eternity, Jack leaned back in his chair, his glass now empty.

“We should find a place for the night,” he said, his voice cutting through my thoughts which were at the time all concerning Isabell.

I nodded again, setting my glass down, “Yeah. Let’s go.”

That night, I barely slept. My thoughts were consumed with questions. Who wanted to hurt Isabell, and why? And most importantly, how could I stop it from happening again?

The next morning, the first rays of pale sunlight filtered through the thin curtains. I rubbed the sleep away from my eyes and sat up, my body still ached from a restless night. Jack was already awake, standing by the window with his arms crossed. He turned when he heard me stirring, his expression grim.

“Ready to get moving?” he asked, calmly.

"Did you get any more clues?"

"Yes."

Although there was no way to be sure if this new clue of his was not going to lead to a dead end as usual, I found myself feeling quite positively about it.

"Yesterday I got a lead from a contact who claimed to know something about an attack on Isabell," Jack said, the words bringing my heart to life, beating sharply and faster than before.

"Are you serious?" I asked, jumping off the bed, "Let's go now."

"It's a long shot, man," he said, "But we really have to grasp it with all we got."

I agreed. We left the motel and hit the road, the cold morning air and the news from Jack, waking me up better than any coffee could.

By the time we arrived at our destination, a bar on the outskirts of a run-down town, the sun was beginning to set.

The place reeked of stale beer and cigarette smoke, and the patrons looked like they hadn’t seen a shower in weeks. Jack and I exchanged a glance before stepping inside.

Our contact was a wiry man named Edward, with a thin face and eyes that darted around like he was constantly expecting trouble. He sat in the far corner of the bar, nursing a drink and tapping his fingers on the table.

“You Jack?” he asked as we approached, his voice sharp and nasal.

Jack nodded, “And this is Levi”

Edward's gaze shifted to me briefly before he gestured for us to sit. We did, the wooden chairs creaking under our weight.

“What do you know about the attack on Isabell?” Jack asked, cutting straight to the point.

Edward raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair, “Isabell, huh? That’s the girl who your man is trying to knock up?”

Jack was irked, but he kept his voice calm, “Yes.”

I was amused, I found it hard being angry at him.

The man smirked, swirling his drink, “You’re not gonna like what I have to say.”

I leaned forward, my patience wearing thin, “Just spit it out.”

Edward’s smirk faded, and his gaze hardened. “Fine. It wasn’t a random attack, if that’s what you’re hoping. Those rogues? They’re contract killers. Someone paid them to take her out.”

Jack’s expression darkened, “Who hired them?”

Edward shrugged, “Don’t know. They don’t exactly leave business cards, you know?”

I clenched my fists under the table, my nails digging into my palms. I had gotten really angry.

“You’re sure about this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Positive,” Edward said, draining the rest of his drink.

The room felt like it was closing in on me. A contract killing. This wasn’t some random robbery gone wrong or a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone wanted Isabell dead. The thought of it sent my head to hell and back.

Jack thanked Edward curtly and stood, signaling for me to follow. I got up slowly, my legs feeling like lead. As we stepped back into the cold night air, the weight of what we’d just learned settled heavily on my shoulders.

Jack glanced at me, his expression unreadable.

“This isn’t what we were expecting,” he said quietly.

“No,” I said, my voice hollow. “It’s worse.”

We walked back to the car in silence, the only sound was the crunch of gravel under our boots. My mind was racing again, but this time, the questions were sharper, more urgent.

Who would want Isabell dead? Why? And how far were they willing to go to get what they wanted?

I leaned against the car, staring out at the blue sky. The stars were faint, barely visible against the glow of distant city lights. My chest ached with a mixture of anger, fear, and helplessness.

“I wish it was a simple rogue attack,” I muttered, more to myself than to Jack.

He didn’t respond, but I knew he felt the same.