Chapter 07: Beneath the Surface
Victor’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sped down the rain-soaked streets. Ava’s words echoed in his mind—”They’re after everything.” He wasn’t sure what that meant, but the unease crawling along his spine told him that he didn’t want to find out. It wasn’t just about Julia anymore. It was bigger than that. Much bigger.
The city outside seemed to blur in a haze of water and lights, the darkened alleyways and flickering streetlamps offering no comfort. He had spent years as a detective, chasing down leads, facing down criminals, but nothing had ever felt this personal. Nothing had ever felt this dangerous.
Ava had promised him information, something about Greg’s connections—how far they went, who else was involved. He had hoped it would give him answers, a way to dismantle the mess he had stumbled into. But when Ava had handed him the folder at the warehouse, it had only deepened the questions. Greg’s ties to the mysterious man were clear, but it still didn’t explain why someone like Greg would be involved in something so sinister. Greg had always been the model cop—serious, dedicated, never a hint of corruption in his work. But the photographs painted a different picture. And the more Victor thought about it, the more he realized the only way to get to the truth was to confront Greg directly.
But Greg wasn’t the only problem. The man in the photographs—the one who had been following him, who had been watching his every move—was still out there. That man had been waiting for the right moment to strike, and the longer Victor delayed, the more he risked losing any chance of stopping him.
Victor pulled up to the small café on the corner of Fifth and Main, the one where he and Greg had shared many quiet conversations over the years. It was the place Greg had always chosen when they needed to talk about the harder cases. Victor needed to meet him. To see what Greg would say. To understand what had changed.
He stepped out of the car, his coat pulled tight against the wind and rain, and headed inside. The bell above the door jingled as he entered, the warmth of the café a stark contrast to the chill outside. He scanned the room quickly, his eyes landing on the back booth where Greg sat. As always, Greg looked calm, collected. He was reading something, his coffee half-finished, his brow furrowed in thought. He hadn’t noticed Victor yet.
Victor approached the table, his steps slow, deliberate. He wasn’t sure what he would say to Greg. What words could explain what had been happening? What could he say to the man he had trusted for years, the man he had considered a friend, when that trust was now in tatters?
Greg looked up as Victor reached the booth, his face betraying nothing, his eyes cold and calculating. “Victor,” he greeted, his voice calm. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
Victor didn’t sit down. He didn’t trust himself to sit down just yet. His hand tightened around the folder he had brought with him, and he placed it on the table, pushing it toward Greg. “You should take a look at this.”
Greg’s eyes flicked to the folder, then back up to Victor, his expression unreadable. “You think you can just waltz in here, throw some papers on the table, and expect me to explain everything?”
Victor leaned in, his voice low. “I think you owe me an explanation. For everything. The murders. Julia. The man following me. Your role in all of this.”
Greg’s face didn’t change. He didn’t flinch or react the way Victor had expected. Instead, he simply folded his hands in front of him and stared at Victor, his expression hardening. “You’re in over your head, Victor. You have no idea what’s really going on.”
Victor’s pulse quickened. This was it. The moment of truth. “Then tell me. What’s really going on? Why are you involved in this? What’s your part in it all?”
Greg sighed, leaning back in his seat. “You don’t want to know, Victor. Some things are better left in the dark. You’re asking questions that should never be asked.”
“I’m asking because I have to know,” Victor snapped, slamming his hand on the table. “I have to know where Julia is. I have to know what this is all about.”
Greg looked down at his hands, his fingers tapping idly on the table as though he was weighing something, considering his next move. Finally, he spoke, his voice soft. “You think this is about Julia? You think this is about one woman? You’ve been looking in the wrong places.”
Victor’s frustration boiled over. “Then tell me where to look, Greg! Tell me what I’m missing!”
For a moment, Greg didn’t answer. Then, with a bitter laugh, he spoke again. “It’s not just about Julia. It’s about power. Control. You’ve been chasing ghosts, Victor. The truth is much darker than you can imagine. And if you keep pushing, if you keep digging, you’re going to lose everything—just like I did.”
Victor felt a chill run down his spine. Something about Greg’s words felt final. As if this conversation was a warning, not a plea for understanding. He clenched his fists. “I don’t care about the risks, Greg. I need to find Julia. Now.”
Greg’s eyes flickered with something—regret, perhaps, or something darker—but before he could say anything more, the door to the café swung open. Victor’s heart skipped a beat as he turned to see who had entered. His eyes locked with a familiar face. A face that didn’t belong here.
It was the man from the surveillance footage—the same one who had been watching him. He wasn’t supposed to be here. This wasn’t supposed to happen now. Victor’s hand instinctively reached for the gun at his side, but the man had already spotted him.
The stranger’s smile was cold, calculated. “I knew we’d meet again, Victor.”
Victor’s mind raced as he stood up. “What do you want?”
The man’s smile deepened. “I want everything you’ve been looking for. And I’m going to make sure you never get the answers you’re after.”
Before Victor could respond, the man pulled a gun from under his jacket and aimed it directly at Greg. The café went silent, the air thick with tension.
Greg’s face was stone, but his eyes betrayed him. He knew what was coming. And Victor realized, with horror, that the last piece of the puzzle was finally falling into place.
The man wasn’t just after Victor. He was after them all.
