GREETINGS FROM W

Eight

When we left the meeting room, we found more than a dozen employees waiting for us in the lobby. They were from different departments, and I could recognise some of them as they were famous producers who worked with Wolfe and Luke before. 

“What's going on here?” Thomas asked, “Is something wrong?”

A blond-haired woman, probably in her thirties, approach us and greets Shadow. “I am sorry about your brother. He was an angel.”

I read her name on her badge; Emma Haden, from the A&R Department. 

“Thank you, Emma. Wolfe enjoyed working with you.” Shadow smiled. 

“We were wondering if we could organise a memorial service for Wolfe,” Emma added, looking at her coworkers, “It is the least we could do for him. After all, it is thanks to him that we are here.”

Shadow nodded and thanked them all for the kind thought. He looked at me, and I smiled, encouraging him to accept the idea. 

He ran his fingers in his raven hair and hesitated for a moment before he mumbled 'alright'. 

“That's great, then,” Emma beamed. “We'll take care of everything, Shadow. You don't have to worry about anything.” 

“Can I help?” I asked. 

Emma looked at me and raised an eyebrow before she looked at Shadow and Thomas as if she was asking them 'who the hell is she?'

“I shall introduce myself then,” I smiled as I watched the remaining frown on her pale face. “My name is Skylar Clarke, a friend of Wolfe.” 

Emma's glare intensified after hearing my name. She straightened her back and cleared her throat as she shared a look with her coworkers. “So you are the famous Skylar Wolfe has been talking about.”

I nodded with a smile, “We were close friends.”

“I didn't seem that way to me,” she crossed her arms, “Perhaps you were more than just friends.”

I frowned and felt my chest tighten as I couldn't believe she was arguing about my relationship with Wolfe when he has just left us.

Emma was still gazing at me, and her eyes were a sniper pointing at its target and ready to shoot. 

“Emma,” Shadow interrupted, “You were talking about the memorial service.”

“Oh, right,” the blue-eyed replaced her annoying frown with a grin, “As I said, you don't have to do anything. Just wear a suit and bring yourself to the agency.”

Shadow nodded, “When are you planning to organise it?”

Emma turned to her coworkers and said, “We thought about four of five days from now.”

“Alright, I'll see you then.” Shadow shook her hand and headed to the entrance door. Thomas and I followed him, and we made sure no one was watching nor listening to us to continue our subject.

“How about we meet here this evening?” Thomas suggested, “Most employees leave at six. The artists and producers stay in their studios or practice room, so we'll be alone.”

I nodded and looked at Shadow, “Should we tell the others?”

“Yes, I think they'd like to cooperate. Luke was a brother to all of us, so it's time for us to return his favour.”

Later in the evening, I left my parents' apartment and found Kaela waiting for me in the street corner. I got in the car and kissed her cheeks as I asked how she was doing. Of course, she wasn't well, as all of us, but Kaela was always one to keep a smile on her face no matter what. She is the happy virus of our little group. 

“So, what's the meeting about?” she asked. “I had to leave work earlier for this.” 

“I'm sure it's worth it,” I smiled, “It's about Luke. Even his coworkers believe he fell into a trap.”

“Do you think we can trust them?”

I looked away and sighed, “Good question,” I gulped and stayed silent for a moment. Kaela was one of the first people who taught me not to trust people. I used to think she was exaggerating, but I grew to understand her as I met new people, ones who hurt me, and who betrayed my trust. 

Sometimes, even the closest people to you become knights who stab you in the back with the sharpest sword. 

“Of course, we can't offer them our entire trust,” I said, “But we can only try, Kaela. If we think like that, then there's going to be no one to help us.”

Kaela nodded slowly and sighed, “What we're doing is dangerous, Skylar. What if we get hurt in the process?”

“We will,” I looked at her seriously, “We will get hurt. But don't you think it's worth it?” I asked, “Of course, we still don't know what happened exactly. But I have a feeling that something big is occurring right now, something Luke and Wolfe were aware of.”

We arrived at the Gems Entertainment building later, and we found the rest of our group waiting outside. Shadow and Jay were talking to Thomas Kelly, while Tyler was listening to them, and Aleyn was standing a little far from them, and reading something on his phone.

“Why is he alone?” Kaela mumbled to herself as we walked toward him. 

“Hey, girls,” Aleyn gave us a small smile and took us in his arms, “How are you?”

“Good,” both Kaela and I answered. 

“Let's get inside,” Thomas said before he entered the building. 

Kaela looked at me, and I knew she was scared. I was too. I took her hand, and Aleyn's as we followed Thomas. 

As my friend said earlier, what we were doing was dangerous. We had no idea if we could trust Thomas or anyone, and walking behind him now made me wonder if he was going to betray us. 

Rex was waiting for us in front of the meeting room. He greeted us with a smile and opened the door to welcome us inside. We walked in the cold room, and stood behind the chairs, looking at each other as we didn't know what to do.

“Please, take a seat,” Thomas said. 

I cleared my throat and pulled the wooden chair. Aleyn sat by my right, and Kaela by my left. Shadow was sitting between Tyler and Jay, and he was facing me. 

“I'm Thomas Kelly, head of the Marketing Department, for those who don't know me,” Thomas smiled before he took a seat. “Luke and I were friends before Gems. We went to high school together, so I know him well.”

“So, you also think he's innocent,” Jay said, and Thomas nodded.

“How are we going to prove his innocence, though?” Tyler chuckled, “It's not like we're investigators or anything.”

“We can become investigators,” I told him. “We just need good teamwork.”

“And loads of money,” Jay scoffed as he looked at me, “Why do you think the real culprits aren't behind bars? That's because they've got cash, Skylar. No matter what we do, they'll always be the winners.”

“Not if we expose their dirt,” Shadow said. 

“Come on, my friend,” Jay mocked, “They'll have our heads for this.”

“I'm ready to give my life for this,” Shadow added, surprising us all. We looked at him with wide eyes, and he kept his serious and indifferent facial expression. 

Tyler put his arm around him and laughed nervously, “What are you saying, man? Watch your words.”

“They took my brother,” Shadow raised an eyebrow. “They took the only family I had. They took a man with ambitions, a man who wanted to change the world with his music, one who lived to make people happy. Do you expect me to shut up about it?” 

I pressed my lips and lowered my head as a deafening silence haunted the meeting room. 

Thomas cleared his throat and took a breath before he spoke, “You are right Shadow. We must bring justice.”

“How?” Jay furrowed a brow. 

Thomas joined his hands on the table and leant closer to us, as he looked around to see if there was any employee outside. “We all know Luke got arrested in the Glass Entertainment building.” he started, “He worked there for more than five years before he started his own company. The artists there are his friends.”

“If they're friends, then why would they try to arrest him?” Jay crossed his arms. 

Thomas smiled and rested his back against the chair as he looked at us. “Kye Wright.” 

Shadow raised an eyebrow, “Kye was his best friend for years, Thomas.”

“Depends on what sort of friendship you're talking about,” Thomas chuckled, “Luke is a good man, and he's naive, unfortunately. Kye Wright was using him during all those years because of his talent. Glass Entertainment was like any other record label years ago. It's thanks to Luke that their artists succeeded in the music industry. He's a great producer, and that's a fact. Anyone would want him by their side.”

“So, you're suggesting Kye Wright had to with his arrest?” I asked, rubbing my chin.

“To be honest, I didn't like him since I saw him at Wolfe's funeral. Something about doesn't click.”

“You have a good eye, then,” Thomas winked, “Kye is a manipulator.”

“But we don't have proofs it's him,” Jay said, “The CCTV footage showed Luke entering the practice room where I-Luna was preparing her concert performance.” 

I crossed my arms, “What about the camera inside the practice room? Didn't they check it?”

“The camera was shut down, as they said,” Thomas scoffed, “What a coincidence!” 

I shook my head and nibbled on my bottom lip, “The police bought their story, or they turned a blind eye.”

“We'll need someone to find the footage,” Thomas looked at us.

“What if they deleted it?” Kaela asked, “And what if the camera was shut down for real?” 

“That's what we need to find out,” Thomas said. “If we don't do it like this, Luke will never leave jail.”

Tyler shook his head and laughed, “Do you think we're in a sort of movie or action book? It's easier said than done.”

“We need someone discreet,” Rex, who was silent during the entire time, finally spoke. “Someone who won't look suspicious.”

I kept thinking for a moment, and when I lifted my head, I saw my friends looking at me. I gulped and chuckled nervously, “What? Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“You're the most discreet among us,” Jay smirked, “You were always calm and kind. They won't suspect you.”

“Uh, I know, but still...” I pressed my lips, “I'm not brave enough to steal a footage.”

“Come on,” Jay rolled his eyes, “You're the most mature after Wolfe. You've always been.”

Another silence reigned around the room as they waited for me to give them an answer. I felt pressured at that moment, but then, I thought about Luke and Wolfe, and all the things they've done for us. I never got the chance to return the favour, so maybe it was time for me to thank them.

I took a deep breath and lifted my head to face them all, “I think I got an idea.”