Laced with lies

The Stranger's Eyes

“Of course, you don't know,” he said. “He always kept it a secret from his family. He never wanted you to find out.”

“You must be really dumb if you think I'm going to trust you just like that,” I shot back.

“Come. Let me show you something.”

“You expect me to trust you?”

He let out a slow sigh before turning around.

To my surprise, I followed him.

He led me underground into a massive room filled with strange machines, glowing monitors, and tangled cables. It looked more like a secret headquarters than anything I had ever seen. The air smelled of metal and electricity.

Without saying a word, he played a video on one of the large screens.

A man was handing over a thick file of documents to a potbellied Russian surrounded by men dressed in black. Every one of them looked dangerous.

“I don't understand what this has to do with me,” I said.

“Look closer,” he replied calmly.

I replayed the footage.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then my heart stopped.

“No...” I whispered.

I leaned closer to the screen, hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me.

It was my dad.

“This doesn't prove anything,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “Videos can be edited.”

“You're a computer guru, aren't you?” he replied. “Suit yourself.”

My thoughts spiralled out of control.

“My father couldn't even hurt a fly,” I said, my voice trembling. “He tucked me into bed every night, laughed at all my terrible jokes, packed my lunch... You're telling me that man worked with criminals?”

I shook my head.

“No. Someone must have forced him.”

“Your father wasn't the man you thought he was.”

“Huh?”

“Did he ever leave you a code? A password? Anything unusual?”

“Why does this feel like an interrogation?” I folded my arms. “Who are you?”

For a moment, he said nothing.

He walked to the monitor and switched it off.

The room fell silent.

“You've been asking questions about my father since I woke up,” I continued. “You kidnapped me, dragged me here, and now you're acting like I should trust you. At least tell me who you are.”

He stood there for a few seconds before letting out another sigh.

“Fair enough.”

He turned to face me.

“My name is Gavin Hearts.”

I waited for more.

“I'm a detective.”

What?

For a second, I thought I'd imagined hearing it.

“A... detective?” I repeated, staring at him.

The word didn't match the man standing in front of me. He looked more like someone who belonged on the cover of a magazine than someone who solved crimes.

I looked around the underground room again, trying to make sense of everything.

“You can call me Gavin,” he said.

I studied his face.

He wasn't joking.

“So, is the kidnapping also part of your job?” I asked.

“Call it whatever you want,” he replied. “I was saving you. Thank your lucky stars I got to you first.”

“The real question is... what's in it for you?”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Let's just say I owed your old man a favour.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

I frowned as I watched him leave.

Something wasn't adding up.

He looked too young to have been friends with my father, who was in his late forties. Nothing about his story made sense.

“Are you alright?” he asked, glancing back at me.

I quickly nodded, forcing a smile.

“Are you coming?”

I blinked.

“I'd love to stand here all day and admire you,” he said dryly, “but we're running out of time.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

Was he teasing me?

I hated that my face betrayed me so easily.

Without another word, I followed him.

The drive was painfully quiet. Neither of us spoke.

After what felt like forever, we pulled up in front of a deserted house hidden deep in the woods.

A tall iron fence surrounded the property, its rusted bars disappearing behind thick hedges and overgrown flowers. The place looked abandoned.

“This place gives me the creeps,” I muttered.

As we walked toward the entrance, something long and green darted across the ground.

“Oh my God! A snake!” I shouted, stumbling backwards.

Gavin barely looked at it.

“That's not a snake. It's a lizard.”

“Whatever it is, I don't like this place.”

The moment the gate opened, I saw my chance.

Gavin's attention was on the lock.

Mine was on the road beyond him.

Freedom.

Without thinking twice, I ran.

I didn't look back.

I would rather die trying than follow him around like a lost puppy.

Freedom, here I come.

Except... freedom was apparently a lot more exhausting than I imagined.

After a few minutes, my legs started burning. I bent over, holding my knees as I tried to catch my breath.

Running had never been my greatest talent, but when it came to saving myself, I had no choice.

Then I looked up.

And froze.

Gavin was standing right in front of me.

The hell?

“Tired?” he asked calmly.

I swallowed, my dry throat making it difficult to speak.

I tried walking past him, but he grabbed my arm and turned me to face him.

I hated eye contact.

Especially his.

There was something about those cold, unreadable eyes that made me feel like he could see every thought hiding inside my head.

“If you pull this stunt again, there won't be a second chance,” he said.

I pulled my arm away.

“What if I don't want your help?”

His expression hardened.

“Then you'll have to deal with the consequences.”

A chill ran down my spine.

For the first time since I'd met him...

I believed he wasn't someone I could underestimate.