Chapter 32

**Alex**
I arrived at my destination a little bit late and I was sure the participants would be sleeping already but I still rang the bell anyways but I got no response, I rang again a couple more times till I heard footsteps from inside the house. I hid a few meters away behind a small bush to see who is coming, if it's Ari then I will remain hidden and ring the bell again till Liam comes out.
As fate would have it it was Liam who came to get the door instead so I rushed out of my bush and dived him into a bear hug before he could process what was happening.
"Alex you're alive!!" Words cannot explain the happiness that was all over Liam's face but I told him to keep quiet.
"Shooshh!! I know you are happy to see me but can we go inside and talk now?" I said letting myself in, after a long while of walking like a vagabond I needed one thing more than anything in this world, Food.
"I'm so hungry!!" I groaned alongside my stomach but my stomach made the louder grumble.
"I'll wake Ari to whip you something just now" He said about going upstairs for her but I stopped him.
"No need for that, just microwave anything from the fridge that I can eat, it's best no one knows I'm alive... at least for now".
"Okay I will start doing that now, come to the kitchen we have a lot to talk about" We certainly do, it was over a plate of Arianna's delicious apple pie and a glass of warm milk that I told Liam everything that had happened that day from the hospital visit in the morning, the sight of Skyler as I was driving out from work and the hot pursuit that led to the accident.
"It was a fucking sabotage! But who would allow Skyler into the staff's garage like that?" Liam finally said at the end of my tale, he had been listening without uttering a single word.
"That's what I want to find out but I think she had someone else do the job for her... Like a mechanic or something" It is in Skyler's nature to plan such a sabotage but she is not going to do the dirty work herself.
"I think your receptionist or security guard would know something about that, if an external personnel enters the building the security guard or the receptionist is their lighthouse for guidance or directions".
"Or at least they can provide information if they had seen anything suspicious, you're right and since Skyler didn't do it herself then surely the handy man might need some help locating the parking lot. Where's your phone? I need to call someone" Detective Thomas needed this kind of information.
"Who do you wanna call?".
"The detective he's the only one I can trust and I promised to contact him if I see anything suspicious".
"Okay here you go" Liam handed me his phone, I brought out the card and dialed the detective's number.
"Hello Detective Thomas speaking" He answered quite quickly.
"Hello Thomas it's Alex Montero speaking".
"Okay I see this is your friend's number?".
"Yes it is, I've got a lead on the Skyler case".
"Spill".
"Skyler couldn't have cut my brakes herself because for starters she can't get close to my company building without raising an alarm even though she had an inside person that person wouldn't have the knowledge of to cut a car's brake line neither would she" I felt out of breath because my heart was beating so fast anticipating his next reaction.
"Hmmmm go on" His nerves of steel attitude is pissing me off but I went on anyway.
"I want you to question my receptionist first before anybody else because if anyone new or unfamiliar comes into the building she surely would have come in contact with or at least noticed" Liam was all ears running waiting for the detective to reply but he kept quiet still.
"Okay I will do that tomorrow and I will fill you in whenever you can call" Thomas finally said.
"Gee thanks detective, I'll give you the details if I see anything".
"Thanks for your cooperation" He hung up, Liam was bursting with excitement.
"So what do you plan on doing on this recon mission?".
"Well I plan to discover where Skyler is hiding and end this terror myself or I'll let Thomas do it".
"Where do you want to even start? Even the police couldn't pinpoint her location. How much luck do you think you'll have?" As soon as he asked that question I started to doubt my ability to find Skyler but I couldn't let the detective have all the fun.
"I'll start at the scene of the crime, the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime" Not my best lead but it's a start.
"isn't that too cliché? She might be expecting that you know".
"You could be right but I know Skyler, she would want to confirm if I made it out or not right now I'm sure she's burning with anxiety about it." Liam processed this before replying it seemed to me he was making a plan.
"What are you thinking about buddy?" I asked.
"It's just that what if she had already gone there before you set out tomorrow".
"The police won't leave there until dusk tomorrow, I would tell the detective to make them stay there for that long just to spook her from coming close until it's free which is by night time" The cops won't leave the crime scene unprotected until I get there giving me enough time to find a good spot to hide.
"Okay bro, so is there anything I can do to help? Liam asked with his eyes shining like a toddler who had seen candy.
"Yeah you will be the person driving me to the crime scene and also my getaway driver who will tail Skyler after she had found the little clue I left her".
"What clue is that?".
"Oh it's one of my shoe that I left on the beach, I already lost one pair as I was swimming and I decided it would look less crazy if I walked around barefooted instead of one-shoe-a-feet" Liam laughed at the thought of me walking around like that and after some seconds I too started laughing at my predicament.
"It's good to have you back Alex, I thought I had lost you....... I'm sure Petra would be devastated at the news by the way when do you plan to reveal yourself to her?".
"I can't do that just yet not until I've taken down Skyler, only then Petra can truly be safe" Liam gave a yawn I could see he was tired.
"Well I'm off to bed you can sleep in the guest room but I'll have to lock you in so Arianna won't be suspicious" Liam's eyes were already closing and he had started to nod off into sleep if I hadn't woken him up.
"Thanks for the help buddy, let me head to the guest room now so you can go back to sleep" I helped him up and we went to the guest room, as the lock clicked into place I suddenly felt all the tiredness I had battled with today and my body felt limp on the bed. Even as my mind slipped into the dream world I still thought about Petra and my espionage mission tomorrow.
**Skyler **
I woke up with a banging headache knowing it was from the last night drinking spree with David which had ended again in sex, he had started developing touchy feelings for me and I could see it in his eyes, feel it in his touch and even the way he talks about Alex. David again had tried to talk me out of conducting the search.
"Babe just forget about this guy he's dead already" He had said.
"I have to see proof that he's dead otherwise my mind won't be at peace".
"But what about the police? They will still be there by tomorrow".
"But not at night, they would have been gone by then".
"And they would have searched the whole place down by then..." His eyes twinkled in such a way that I couldn't resist kissing him, I just can't wait for all this to be over so we can run away and I can spoil this hunk of hot chocolate with sex, money and some alcohol too.
"So can you shut up now?" I asked after we finally pulled apart.
"I'm just worried about you pumpkin, I don't want you to get caught".
"And I won't, trust me Davey" We resumed kissing again.
I was roused from my thoughts by a knock on my door. I checked the time and saw that it was 12:34 pm!! I slept for more than 12 hours. The knock came again, this time more aggressive than the first one. I got up, wore my panties which were dangling on the side of the bed and put on my robe before getting to the door.
"You were still knocked out? I knew you had too many drinks last night" Dave scolded me as he entered, he scanned me up and down but it was my eyes that got his attention.
"I didn't know when I passed out but how are you doing Dave?" it wasn't my best look but I've been worse.
"I'm okay I just came here to check if you've changed your mind" He said, eyeing me cautiously watching my reaction.
"I haven't changed my mind and if you're still thinking I will then you're wrong. Look if you don't want to come with me that's fine by me I can go alone anyways".
"As if I'd let you do that!! I've got your back till the end Skyler don't forget that".
"Clearly I didn't, so why the reluctance? You suddenly have somewhere else to be at that time?" He had been acting creepy since we got back from the pursuit yesterday and now it's getting worse with the obvious reluctance.
"I just wanted to be sure that you made up your mind....... I see you are" He said, raising his hands in a sign of defeat.
"Good so if you're with me then stop asking questions like that".
"I should be on my way now," David said about taking his leave.
"Why are your visits so short darling? I want you to stay longer".
"It's my schedule, it has gotten tighter due to customer flow so I'm working round the clock nowadays".
"I didn't ask for your sob story anyways just be here by 7 o'clock sharp, don't be late" I shut the door on him just before he could ask for a kiss, I can't kiss him when my mouth reeks of overnight alcohol. As I started freshening up I started to think of the possible places Petra could be but I came up with nothing. I was so confused but I told myself my revenge can come whenever I pleased so why rush it? I needed to get rid of Alex so that Petra would be left unprotected and that's when I would strike her where it hurts most, strike her where she had struck me....... THE HEART!!.
Dave arrived 15 minutes earlier than usual looking stunning and muscular in his bodice V neck he had chosen to wear for the occasion, his cologne was exceptional tonight. Skylie Likey.
"You came earlier than usual now that's a pleasant surprise" I said, ushering him in.
"Well I want us to be done with this real quick and besides I haven't been with you all day" He pulled me into a surprise kiss which he instantly dominated me by forcing his tongue through my lips, he grabbed my ass and lifted me towards the bed. I knew how this was going to end but that's not what I want right now (as much as I want it) there's a job that needs to be done, I pushed him away from my body much to his surprise.
"We don't have time for any make out session right now so better save it for later" I said trying to catch my breath, he's such a good kisser.
"You take this way too seriously!! Try easing up a bit sheesh" He was obviously annoyed which made him look two times hotter but I could not rape his brains right now because of time.
"Yeah whatever, you'll get your kissy kissy time when we get back. Grab the keys you're the one driving" That eased his anger a little bit, he had been wanting to drive my car ever since the first day I came to this hotel.
Dave still wasn't speaking to me when we stopped at a gas station for a refuel, this didn't bother me because I could satisfy his urges when we got back but he isn't patient enough to satisfy my curiosity first.
"Any reasons why you are not speaking to me?" I broke the long spell of silence at last.
"I'm just feeling a bit reserved tonight" He answered coolly almost as if he had been planning to give me that answer all along.
"You've never been reserved around me so why the sudden change?".
"Look can we just focus on getting to the location where you can start your fruitless search" He replied so cooly as he drove at a high speed but it doesn't matter now because we were now on the freeway, I left him alone for the rest of the ride and focused my mind more on what to expect when I got there, more police maybe? Not so sure.
We parked a few meters away from the river bank, there was still some police yellow tape around that area and a lot of footprints which looked recent. I told Dave to watch the car while I walked around the accident scene looking for clues and any possible way he could have escaped.
I got an ominous feeling and It felt like someone was watching me from the shadows. I turned around and scanned the area for any hiding spots but there wasn't much to see in this darkness. I brought out my torch and walked along the river bank away from the accident scene. I was sure that my new behavior would puzzle David but I didn't care. I wanted proof.
Then I found it, the proof I had been looking for finally surfaced. Lying on the ground close to some river bank bushes was Alex's shoe!! I was sure it was his because he loves Ferragamo and it has the initials A.M on the side of the heel. I looked round for any more clues but it seemed that the waves had washed any footprint left by Alex but what happened was already clear to me now.
'So this is where you swam out from your sly dog'.
I thought I was being watched again so I spun around quickly but this time it was Dave who was waving at me from a distance, I checked my time and saw that it was getting late so I took a picture of the shoe for proof and headed towards the car, I just can't wait to see the look on his face when I tell him Alex wasn't dead as he had hoped him to be.