Chapter 7

𝕌𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪

Eve's POV (ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕕𝕒𝕪)

I reclined on my office seat and watched from my laptop as Damien strode to my office door. The way he carried himself was extraordinary like he knew exactly what he wanted, and how he wanted it.

What sort of mess could he have gotten himself into?

The expected knock came and I muttered a simple, "Enter."

I watched as the knob turned and a serious-looking Damien walked in. "Hi, my name is-"

"Damien, I know. Sit down." I said and he walked to the seat opposite mine and settled in. I watched him closely as he made himself comfortable on my expensive leather seat, taking cognizance of the room. An impressed expression on his face.

"So, what compelled you to think I would be so easily accessible?" I asked, picking up my lighter as I drew out a stick of cigarette from under my drawer.

"You need help?" Damien brought out a lighter from his front pocket, ignoring my previous question.

"Answer the question, Damien." I rasped, dismissing his antics and protruding lighter. If he thought my attention could be bought by money or a few smart compliments, then he had another thing coming.

"I'm here now aren't I?" He corked his head to the side. "It sure counts for something."

I set my blazing eyes on him. "Interesting choice of words Damien," I sneered. "Since you are here, why don't you tell me what you want," I added, cutting to the chase. He was smart and intriguing, but I didn't like my time being wasted.

"You." He replied with a serious expression on his face.

"And?" I asked, corking my brows in apprehension and something akin to curiosity.

"My friend needs your help, Ms Eve, his life is in danger."

Hmm, his friend and not him. That got my mind thinking on why the hell he was doing the dirty job for his so-called friend. "And what kind of danger might this be?" I placed the stick of cigarette on my lips and lighted.

"That thing will kill you, Ms Eve." He replied, his eyes glued to my lips.

"What thing? Your friend?" I asked, finishing it off with a puzzled look. If he wanted to waste his time, then I would gladly indulge him. I had his money in my account nonetheless.

"No," He grunted with a chuckle. "The cigarette."

"Did you come here to talk about my smoking habit or your friend's impending death sentence?" He looked at me then, his eyes clashing with mine. I had no idea what his deal was, but I couldn't wait to figure him out.

"My friend did some really stupid things," He said after a few minutes. "Now he is being haunted by the woman he fucked over. We want this woman gone so he can be safe."

"When you say gone, do you mean dead?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. We want her dead and we want it done quietly." That took me aback. This was getting more interesting by the minute.

"Mr Damien, do you know what we do here?"

"Of course." He affirmed, his voice carrying certainty.

"Are you sure?" I inquired more strongly. I didn't take a life unless it was personal.

"Ms Eve, I know you might say you don't do that kind of cleanup, but I know what you are. You are a fixer, and fixers fix things. I wouldn't have come to you if I wasn't certain you were the perfect person for the job. Trust me on this Eve, You'll thank me later."

I took a moment to digest his words. I could easily reject this job, and refer him to cleaners I knew were skilled in murder and desperate for money. But there was more to the story than I was hearing, and curiosity had always been my weakness. After what seemed like hours, I finally spoke.

"If I decide to take this job, I'm going to need details. Being vague will not be accepted." He nodded in agreement, a slow smile crawling up his chin.

"I'm also gonna have to meet your mysterious friend. What's his name?" I asked and he chuckled darkly.

"I am going to let him tell you that himself. You will be very glad to meet him, I assure you." He rasped, a dangerous glint in his eyes. This Damien wasn't just mysterious, he seemed quite mischievous too.

"When will he be available?" I watched him closely, trying to gauge his reaction to confirm my notion.

"I'll talk to him and let you know. Probably tomorrow." He said then stood to his feet. "Thank you for your time, Ms Red, I'm sure we'll be of great help to one another." He turned to leave, and I sat there watching him as he made his way to my door, grabbed the handle, then turned.

"You owe me a thank you, and you'll find out why soon enough." With that, he twisted the nob, opened the door and disappeared.

The moment he was gone I dialled Rita's number. She picked. "Come in now, " I ordered and within minutes she was in my office.

I picked up the note I had drafted minutes before he had stepped in and handed it to her.

"Was there anyone in the car?" I had sent her to go snoop around Damien's car to find out who he came with.

"Yes, and I think it's our client. I swear to God Eve, he is even hotter than Damien. Where do all these men come from?" She whined, her eyes glazed over in awe.

"You can ask God after you have delivered that note to our client." I sneered, shooing her with my hands.

She winced like a child whose candy has just been taken and I smiled inwardly as I watched her flee the room. I reclined on my seat and took a deep breath. That had been intense. I had a feeling Mr Damien was up to no good. The way he kept promising me satisfaction on seeing his friend was fishy.

Maybe he was trying to matchmake.

It was possible, or not. I had a strong feeling I was going to find out pretty soon. Picking up my pause, I logged off from my server, picked up my phones and left the office. I had a date with my doctor and I didn't want to be late.

Stepping out of the parking lot elevator, I met Rita on her way back from the gate.

"Did you deliver it?" I asked. "Yeah, but gosh, he is hot."

"Yeah, I guess I'll find out soon enough. See you tomorrow. And I need those audits in my email tonight." I let out as I sauntered away from her and into my Mercedes.

I heard her frustrated sigh as I shut my car door and turned on the ignition. Well, naughty girls got punished.

The drive to the hospital was short. The moment I arrived, I made straight for my doctor's office. I hated hospitals. I couldn't stand the aseptic smell of catholic acid or the distracting smell of flowers everywhere. It was nauseating and annoying. The two common feelings I couldn't stand.

I got to his door and knocked, there was a sharp come in and I entered.

"Hello, doctor Jay."

"Eve, why are you hell-bent on tormenting yourself? It's been five years love, why not let it go?" Doctor jay mused. The man has been on my case since the moment he uncovered the true reason I've been coming to him for over five years.

"I'll let it go when I've seen his corpse, Jay. You know it's fruitless to try and convince me otherwise."

"I know, but I'll never stop trying." He asserted, sending me a warm smile. Although the man was barely forty, I still somewhat saw him as a father. He had been the one in charge of my parent's autopsy and had been there to handle my funeral. I would forever remain grateful for what he did.

"I know you won't, and I love you for that. Now, what do you have for me?" I asked, moving to sit on the arm of his chair so I could peer into his computer.

"Ah, ah, ah young lady, my laptop is confidential, just like yours is." He said even as he gently pushed me off his armchair and stood up. I mused, making a fake expression of hurt.

"Let's go down to the morgue and find out shall we?" He offered and I followed him. We got to the freshly scrubbed room with neatly arranged drawers. Jay went to one and drew it open. "Come see if he's your guy."

I walked towards the corpse and took a glance at it. The man on the slab was tall, with dark hair and a round face. My heart sank in both gratitude and disappointment. A part of me wished it was him and the other part, the one that was craving revenge was glad it wasn't. At least this way I knew he was still alive. And if he was alive, I could find him.

"It's not him," I said to Jay and he sighed. "You need a therapist Eve. Please consider that guy I-"

"Don't start Jay." I chipped in, "You know better than anyone that I'm fine. Moreover, trying to convince me is a fruitless venture." Jay shook his head disappointingly.

"One day you'll find what you are looking for. What are you going to do when it's all over?" He asked with concern plastered on his face and lines drawn over his brows.

"I'll let you know when I get there." I drawled and watched him push the slap back into the drawer with John Doe still lying in it.

As we walked out the morgue, Jay placed his hands on my shoulder, "Eve, no matter what you think, I know that-"

"Paging for doctor Fillip and doctor Jay immediately. There's an incoming patient. Proceed to the emergency unit right now! " A voice boomed from the speakers above us just as a man was rushed in on a stretcher accompanied by some nurses, some ambulance personal and-

My heart stopped at the sight before me. And when I said sight, I didn't mean the dying man or the nurses beside him. I didn't even mean Jay who immediately followed the patient into the emergency ward leaving me standing in the middle of the hall. I meant Lucas.

He was alive.