The day seemed to be going smoothly, but there was an undercurrent of unease. With the recordings of that fateful night now retrieved, Joseph's real identity was precariously close to exposure. On the other hand, David felt an unsettling sense of doubt growing stronger. His mind churned with thoughts. "Did she just forget about the manager? Or the recordings? Something feels off..."
As they drove away from the building with the recordings in hand, the silence in the car was thick with tension. Joseph, who was driving, glanced at the two in the car.
"You guys are awfully quiet today. Everything okay?" His voice carried a mix of concern and curiosity.
David, sitting in the backseat, leaned forward slightly and quipped in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, I'm fine. But I can't speak for others." His pointed glance at Lopez didn't go unnoticed.
Lopez, unfazed, smiled and replied, "I'm fabulous, actually. But I'm touched by your concern." Her tone was playful, but David caught a glimmer of something else—a hint of calculation, perhaps?
Before Joseph could respond, David cut in, addressing Lopez,
"Come on, Miss Lopez, if we're not considerate, then who will be? By the way, when we dropped you off the other evening, everything went smoothly, right?"
Lopez turned her head slightly, giving him a brief side-eye, her smile barely faltering. After a pause, she said,
"Oh, nothing happened. What could possibly happen when I have Sir Joseph and you protecting me?"
Her words were smooth, but to David, her usual warmth now felt... artificial.
Joseph, however, seemed oblivious. Her words about feeling safe next to him brought a small, shy smile to his face. David stared at Joseph, his thoughts screaming, "This guy is officially an idiot in love. He's completely blind to how weird she's acting!"
David's train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the ringing of his phone.
"RING RING!"
He frowned, pulling it out of his pocket. The screen lit up with the word "Dad."
Joseph glanced at the phone briefly before shifting his focus back to the road.
"Go ahead, take it. I know what this is about," he said softly, his tone almost apologetic.
David answered the call, but before he could say a word, his father's booming voice echoed through the line.
"ARE YOU WITH THAT VAMPIRE'S SON?"
David sighed, lowering his head slightly. "Yes, Dad," he replied, his tone subdued.
"YOU KNOW HE BRINGS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE!" his father barked.
David tried to defend his friend. "Dad, it's not like tha—"
But his father interrupted, his voice rising,
"DON'T YOU DARE TAKE HIS SIDE! HAVE YOU ALREADY FORGOTTEN WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU BECAUSE OF HIM?"
David's patience wore thin as he countered, "Dad, it was no one's fault. It was just a misunderstanding—"
"MISUNDERSTANDING?!" his father thundered.
"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SUFFERED IN THE END! AND THEY'LL USE YOU AGAIN. THEY'LL TARGET US WEREWOLVES AND BLAME YOU FOR THINGS YOU HAVEN'T DONE!"
David's voice sharpened as he responded,
"I wasn't the only one who suffered! I saw how broken he was after that! This isn't about the past. You're just clinging to your wounded pride, chasing some warped sense of family honour!"
His father's tone turned pleading, almost desperate.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, DAVID. THEY'LL DRAG YOU INTO THEIR MESS AGAIN. YOU'LL BE BLAMED, AND OUR KIND WILL PAY THE PRICE."
David clenched his jaw, his voice cold.
"If all you care about is family pride, then I'm done talking. Goodbye."
He ended the call abruptly, shoving the phone back into his pocket.
Joseph glanced at him through the rearview mirror, his expression sombre.
"I'm sorry... for everything. It's all because of me—"
David cut him off, shaking his head.
"It's not about that. It's my dad's narrow-minded thinking that worries me more."
Lopez, who had been silently observing the exchange, raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. The tension between the two men seemed to stem from something deeper—a history she wasn't fully privy to.
The car ride continued in silence until they reached Joseph's office. Once inside, Joseph placed the recordings on the desk and said,
"Alright, let's go through these recordings and see what we can find from that apartment."
David stepped forward, eager to take charge.
"I'll handle it—"
But Lopez interrupted, her tone firm.
"I'll do it. You both have more important things to focus on. This is the least I can do."
David narrowed his eyes at her, his suspicion growing.
"I can help too, you know," he offered, his voice laced with concern.
"You've been pushing yourself too hard. Your health isn't exactly top-notch right now."
David looked towards Joseph, signaling him to pursue her. Joseph caught the hint and chimed in,
"He's right, Lopez. You've been working non-stop. It wouldn't hurt to have someone assist you."
Lopez, however, bristled at their concern.
"I'm perfectly fine! Do you think I'm not capable of handling this?"
Joseph, caught off guard by her sudden defensiveness, raised his hands in surrender.
"No one's doubting you, Lopez. We're just worried about your well-being."
Her tone softened slightly, but there was still a hint of irritation.
"I told you, I'm fine. I can handle this on my own."
Joseph hesitated, then nodded.
"Alright. If you're sure, I trust you."
David, however, wasn't convinced. He opened his mouth to argue, but Joseph stopped him with a firm look.
"Let her be, David."
David threw his hands up in frustration, muttering under his breath,
"This guy is dumber than I thought. Love really does make people blind."
An hour later, the room buzzed with activity. Joseph was engrossed in his laptop, Lopez was meticulously sorting through the recordings, and David was... deep in thought. He sat at his desk, chewing on the end of a pen, his leg bouncing anxiously.
Lopez stood from her chair, smoothing the creases in her shirt before addressing Joseph.
"Sir, I'll be out for an hour. There's some work related to another case that needs my attention."
Joseph, engrossed in his laptop, gave a distracted nod without looking up.
"Alright, just keep me updated."
David, who had been leaning back in his chair, listening intently to every word and sound in the room, perked up the moment he heard the door creak open.
"CREAK..."
His bouncing leg stopped abruptly, his body straightening like he'd been caught red-handed. His eyes followed Lopez as she stepped out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.
"CLICK!"
The instant the door clicked shut, David sprang to his feet with the speed of someone hit by a jolt of electricity. He marched over to Joseph's desk, clearing his throat with a dramatic,
"AHEM, AHEM."
Joseph, still glued to the screen, barely reacted.
David's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. He cleared his throat again, this time louder and exaggerated.
"AHEM!"
Finally, Joseph sighed, his eyes never leaving the laptop.
"What is it, David? Just say it."
David hesitated for a second, running a hand through his hair as he tried to phrase his thoughts carefully. He couldn't afford to sound too suspicious.
"Uh... don't you think Lopez is acting a little... off today?"
Joseph's fingers paused on the keyboard for a brief moment before resuming their frantic pace. Without looking up, he muttered,
"Yeah, you're right."
On the other side, Lopez stepped into a dimly lit office room. The space was shrouded in shadows, with only a faint sliver of light creeping in through a gap in the heavy curtains. Dust danced in the air, illuminated by the soft beam of sunlight that barely reached the floor. The faint hum of an air conditioner broke the silence, adding an eerie ambiance to the otherwise quiet room.
Lopez stood still for a moment, her eyes scanning the room cautiously. Her posture was tense, her fingers tapping lightly against her side. Then, a voice emerged from the shadows, calm yet carrying a chilling undertone.
"Did you get any leads?" the voice asked, smooth but weighted with authority.
Lopez turned her head toward the direction of the voice, her expression unreadable.
"The recordings from that night are with me," she replied, her voice steady but subdued.
"And as expected, there's tension between their families. The werewolf and the vampire's son—neither of them fully trusts each other."
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, his footsteps slow and deliberate. He moved closer to the window, the faint light cutting through the darkness to reveal part of his face. It was Adam—or at least, it looked like him. His face bore a faint smirk, his eyes glinting with a strange intensity that seemed almost... unnatural.
Adam gazed out the window, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Now that is interesting," he said.
Why is Lopez working with Adam? Is she under his influence, or is she driven by her own motives? Is this truly Adam, or is the demon manipulating him as a vessel for its dark plans? How will David and Joseph uncover the truth before it's too late?
To be continued...