Joe’s heart pounded in his chest. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. John was on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. His face was pale, and his body motionless. “John!” Joe shouted, his voice breaking as he rushed to his side. He laid Hannah gently on the ground, whispering a promise that he’d be right back, and sprinted to John’s side. John was still conscious, but his breathing was shallow, each intake of air rattling in his chest. Joe dropped to his knees beside him, pressing his hands over the wound in an attempt to stem the bleeding. Blood seeped through his fingers, painting them crimson. “John, stay with me,” Joe said urgently, his voice trembling. “You’re going to be okay. Just hang on.” John coughed, a weak smile playing on his lips. “Joe... you always were a terrible liar,” he murmured. “Don’t you dare talk like that,” Joe snapped. “I mean every word I say; I’m also going to get help.” Behind him, the man who had fired the shot stood with the gun still i

Joe sighed as he shut the front door behind him, his keys jingling faintly as they slipped into his pocket. He was about to leave for the office when John’s voice came from behind him. “Why can’t I come with you?” John asked, frustration clear in his tone. He was leaning against the staircase, his arm in a sling. Despite his condition, there was a fire in his eyes, a determination to be involved. Joe turned, giving him a firm but understanding look. “You need to recover, John,” he said. “I can handle the office work myself.” John shook his head, stepping forward. “I’m fine. You’re overreacting. I’ve already spent enough time lying around. I can help—” Joe raised a hand, cutting him off. “John, no. I appreciate everything you’ve done, but this isn’t up for debate. You’ve been through too much already, and I need you to focus on getting better.” He placed a hand on John’s shoulder. “I’ve got this. Trust me.” John hesitated, his jaw tightening, but eventually stepped aside. “Fine.

“You know,” Joe continued, “since Aaron’s in jail, his parents are probably going to want to meet with me—see if we can discuss terms on how to drop the charges. They’ve got to be feeling the pressure of their son being locked up.” He glanced over at Hannah. “What if we make it look like we’re going there to discuss terms, give them a reason to let us in?” Joe glanced at Hannah beside him. Her expression was focused, but there was a flicker of excitement in her eyes.“That’s a brilliant angle, Joe. It gives us a reason to be there and won’t raise any suspicion.”Joe nodded, his mind already formulating the next part of the plan. “Exactly. While we’re discussing terms, I can excuse myself and wander into the house, looking around for anything suspicious. If we’re lucky, I’ll find something we can use.”Hannah grinned, obviously pleased with the idea. “I like the way you think.”Joe looked at her, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I know. I’m pretty good at this.”She playfully rolled her

“What do you think of the offer?” Hannah asked, her gaze not leaving Mr White.Mr White was quiet, and at first, Joe was scared. He thought he wasn’t going to agree to their demands, and he was going to change his mind.Joe tried not to think of things heading in that direction. He hasn’t even gotten the chance to do what he came for.“Mr. White?” He heard Hannah call out and, at that moment, placed his gaze on Mr. White.“It’s a nice offer, " Mr. White finally said. But I need a guarantee, at least something that would make me trust you.”Hannah, who was two steps ahead, leaned forward. “I knew you would say this. I will have a signed document sent to you to back up our words.”Mr. White, whose face has been expressionless for a while, flashed a smile their way.“That can work.” He said. Joe saw this as an opportunity to flee and do what he came for. He stood up and turned toward Mr. White. "Mr. White, I’ll be right back. Just need to use the bathroom.""Down the hall to the left. I

Joe held his phone loosely in his hands. His eyes were still fixed on the screen, but the words in front of him refused to make sense. No matter how many times he read it. His mind was filled with confusion, frustration, and disbelief. How could Aaron have been released? The article didn’t provide enough details, and every scenario racing through Joe’s mind left him with more questions than answers. “Joe?” Hannah’s voice on the phone brought him out of his trance. Joe blinked, refocusing on the conversation. “Yeah?” “You need to get to the police station,” she said. Joe’s fingers tightened on the phone. “I can’t just leave Timothy there.” “I’m not saying you should,” Hannah replied quickly. “But you need to figure this out. Something’s not right.” Joe ran a hand through his hair, exhaling deeply. “I’ll head to the station as soon as Timothy gets back.” “Okay,” Hannah said after a pause. “I’ll talk to you later. Be careful.” Joe ended the call and leaned back in his s