23. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Daniel
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Daniel’s shots echo through the firing range, each bullet striking the human silhouette in the distance with a sharp thud.
Andreas’s voice cuts through the rhythmic gunfire. “At least your skills aren’t getting rusty.” He takes off his earmuffs, letting them hang around his neck.
“They’ll always be better than yours,” Daniel retorts, doing the same. He presses the button to bring the paper target closer. The pungent stench of gunpowder is thick in the air.
Andreas steps up beside him. “What’s eating at you?” He catches Daniel’s glance that says, “Seriously?”
“I mean, other than the usual.”
“Every time I think I’m getting closer,” Daniel admits, frustration evident, “it doesn’t pan out.”
“I probably shouldn’t say this while you’re holding a gun,” Andreas starts, his tone turning more serious, “but have you considered that maybe… you might be wrong?”
“I’m tired of trying to prove to my people that I’m right,” Daniel replies, rubbing a hand over his beard.
“If you wanted people who’d agree with you all the time, you picked the wrong people. I reviewed the case again. Even with Pavel leaving the party, there’s not enough evidence to reopen it.”
“What about the large withdrawals?” Daniel presses.
“Sergei is a businessman. He deals with money. Maybe some of his associates just like to feel dough in their hands every now and then.” Andreas shrugs. “In any case, do I want to know how you got those financials?”
“I have an inside source.”
“No shit, man. I figured you didn’t Tom Cruise your way into his penthouse,” Andreas quips. “But should I pretend to be my wife for a moment and ask about the legality of how you obtained access to Sergei Chernov’s financials?”
Daniel doesn’t respond immediately, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “How are you feeling?” he asks, deciding to change the topic.
Andreas sighs. “I’m fine.”
“There’s a reason you’re always the good cop. You’re a horrible liar. Is your stomach still bothering you?”
“Yeah.” Andreas touches his lower abdomen, likely recalling the persistent pain that’s been nagging at him for the past couple of months.
“Sounds like your heart misses being my partner,” Daniel teases, trying to lighten the mood.
“It’s my stomach, not my heart.”
“Didn’t you know? The way to every man’s heart is through his stomach,” Daniel jokes.
“I thought it was through his—” Andreas whistles, cutting himself off.
“Is that how Sof got to you?” Daniel winks. He’d been an unwilling front-row spectator to the start of Andreas and Sofia’s relationship.
“Don’t be crass,” Andreas says, glancing around to ensure they’re alone. He pulls out a small black plastic case containing the GPS patch. “I’m so going to lose my job over this.”
Daniel reaches for the case, but Andreas pulls it back before their hands touch. “This is the last favor, man. I’m sorry. I have a family to think about. If a UFED goes missing, or a GPS tracker gets mislabeled, or anything else goes wrong, IA will start sniffing around. I can’t risk it.”
Daniel takes a deep breath, accepting the case. “I swear. This is the last favor.” He hopes to God he can keep that promise.
Later that week, after not hearing from Aurora for several days, Daniel grows increasingly impatient.
He’s worried that she’s really done helping him, or worse, that she told Sergei about them working together.
But since none of his previous coworkers showed up to arrest him for violating the restraining order, he figures she kept quiet.
Turning to alcohol to numb the bottomless pain of his sister’s case, Daniel spirals through whiskey-fueled nights. During one of them—still simmering with frustration over Aurora’s silence—he finds himself outside Sergei’s apartment, waiting.
He knows her schedule—when she takes her evening walk or heads to the corner store for essentials. Despite his intoxicated state, his detective instincts remain sharp, clinging to details like his life depends on it. In Daniel’s case, solving this mystery is a matter of life and death.
When he finally spots her walking down the street, he doesn’t hesitate. He grabs her and yanks her into the alley.
Aurora startles, eyes widening as she tries to pull away. But as soon as she recognizes him, she relaxes. “Oh. It’s you,” she says, retracting her arm and stepping back. “What do you want?”
“Why haven’t you been answering my messages? You need to place the GPS tracker.” Daniel takes out a rectangular patch from his pocket. It’s smaller than his palm and resembles a sticker.
“Because I told you I’m out.” She rubs her elbow.
Daniel exhales in frustration, pressing his lips tightly together. “I need you to do this and then be done.” He tries to hand her the patch, but she steps back again.
“No. He didn’t do it, and I don’t want any part in this anymore.” Her voice is clipped. “I’m done with this.” She gestures between them, then turns to walk out of the alley.
Like hell she is.
“You can’t just say you’re out,” Daniel says, his voice edged with anger, betraying that he’s been drinking.
“Watch me,” Aurora says over her shoulder.
Daniel’s eyes narrow as a troubling realization dawns on him. “Are you sleeping with him?” he calls out after her. “Is that why you changed your mind?”
Aurora stops abruptly and marches back toward him, pointing an accusing finger at his chest. “No. I changed my mind because, after ‘investigating,’” she says, using air quotes, “I don’t think he did it.”
The flush on her cheeks makes Daniel wonder if he hit the bullseye with his accusation. Why in hell are all the women in his life unable to resist Sergei?
“You don’t have the qualifications or evidence to draw that conclusion,” Daniel begins to argue, but then his expression shifts in an instant, as if something just clicked.
“Unless…” He pauses, his eyes narrowing.
“Did you find something new?” A glimmer of hope sparkles in his eyes, a fleeting light betraying his desperate need for any new lead, any shred of evidence that might validate his pursuit.
Aurora opens her mouth but then closes it again.
Her chin trembles before she says, “Interesting how my knowledge, however limited or amateurish, was sufficient when it suited you, but the moment my conclusions don’t line up with your preconceived notions, I’m suddenly unqualified?
You can’t have it both ways.” She turns away again.
“Well, you can’t stop,” he says, curling his arms over his head. As she continues walking, he blurts out the only thing he can think of to make her stop, “I’ll tell him.”
She freezes, slowly craning to face him. The disgust tightening her features mirrors his own self-loathing, but he can’t afford to care about anything other than proving Sergei killed his sister.
He’d never reveal Aurora’s involvement to Sergei because if he fires her, Daniel will lose his last connection to him. No, he’d never do that.
But Aurora doesn’t know that.
“I doubt he’ll want anything to do with you after that,” Daniel says, the words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He hates himself for saying them, but for Alessia, he’s willing to do anything, even if it means tearing down everything and everyone in his path.
Aurora glares at him with a burning intensity before snatching the patch from his hand. “I hate you,” she says, grinding her teeth, before walking away.