The End of the Littlest One [Completed]

48. To keep a long story short

'All three of you want to share that room?'

There was a different man at the reception this time. Perhaps that was for the better.

'Exactly,' Dante said.

Benjamin and Olivia stood behind him. They let him do the talking after he insisted on doing so.

'But,' the man continued. 'There's only one bed, and one couch.'

'Someone can sleep on the ground on a blanket.'

The man seemed to want to say something against that. He didn't.

'Alright,' he said. 'That will be ten coins for one night or sixteen for two.'

Dante turned around to the people waiting behind him.

'One night is enough, right?' he asked.

'Sure,' Benjamin answered. 'We can always rent for another night. The money doesn't matter.'

'Well, it does matter. Doesn't it?'

'Just do one night.'

Dante turned back to the man behind the desk. He grabbed a handful of coins out of the pocket of his jacket. He counted ten and laid them on the man's desk.

'One night, please,' he said.

The man nodded and took the coins. He then took a key from the wall behind him.

'Room 2.08. The stairs are there, on your right,' he said, extending his arm to point to the stairs.

'Thank you,' Dante said, taking the key from the man's hand. 'Have a good evening.'

'You too.'

Olivia and Benjamin smiled at the man, and the three of them went on their way to the second floor. Olivia walked behind the men waking next to each other.

'Why couldn't we rent two rooms?' she heard Benjamin ask Dante.

'Safety.'

'We could've rented two adjacent rooms.'

'I think we should stay in the same room. The three of us.'

They arrived at the first floor and kept walking.

'Don't you think you're being a little much?'

'Haven't we had this conversation already?' Dante sighed.

Olivia followed them quietly until the three of them reached 2.08.

All bags were put in the same corner. Olivia sat down on the couch while Benjamin and Dante sat down next to each other on the only bed in the room.

'I'm not quite sure how to do an introduction to this,' Benjamin started. 'So here we go.'

He let out and uncomfortable chuckle and looked to his side. Dante didn't respond, so he continued.

'My name is Benjamin Laurier. The guy who the guy from this afternoon was looking for.'

'Right,' Olivia said.

'This,' Benjamin pointed at Dante, 'is Dante Simmons. To keep a long story short, he was asked to kill me.'

Upon seeing Olivia's eyebrows rise, Benjamin let out another awkward laugh.

'Yeah,' he said. 'It's a thing.'

'Do you know why?' Olivia asked.

'Unfortunately not.'

'We don't know who asked for it either,' Dante added.

'Not even a single hunch?'

'No,' Benjamin said.

'Speak for yourself.'

Benjamin turned to look at Dante.

'What?' he said.

'I said speak for yourself.'

'You think you know who it is?'

Dante shook his head.

'I don't have an idea of who it could be. I do have an idea of how you might be connected.'

'What do you think?' Olivia asked.

'Benjamin had told me before that he doesn't have any enemies. That would mean someone wants to harm his family, and not necessarily him.'

Benjamin hummed.

'But who would want to hurt my family?'

'I hoped you would know.'

'That doesn't explain why me and possibly my mother are involved,' Olivia said. 'If you're supposed to kill him, why are other people looking for him too?'

'Maybe Dante didn't kill me soon enough.'

Benjamin laughed at his own remark, but it seemed he wasn't completely joking.

'If there is someone looking for Benjamin, whether they belong to the group that ordered me or not,' Dante said. 'Then anyone who came in contact with him could help them to get to him.'

'Of course,' Olivia said. 'And since I have talked to you multiple times, they would think I know you two well.'

'Exactly.'

'Maybe that is why your mother is gone,' Benjamin sighed. 'I'm so sorry, by the way. We didn't mean for you to get involved at all.'

'It isn't your fault,' Dante said. 'Don't apologize for something you didn't do.'

Benjamin looked at Dante. Still, after a short silence he spoke again.

'Well,' he said. 'I'm sorry this happened to you then.'

'Well, I'm not going to say it's okay,' Olivia chuckled. 'For obvious reasons. I do hope you could help me find her?'

'Of course.'

'Do you have any clues?' Dante asked. 'We possibly have the 'why' answered. How about the when, to where and who?'

'I don't know a lot,' Olivia said. 'I haven't been able to think straight since it happened.'

Then, a memory came back to her.

'I do have a note,' she said.

She stood up from the couch and retrieved her bag.

'It might lead to something.'

Olivia Ellis

Reunite the Laurier with the rest of them, together with the traitor. I'm sure you'd like the reward.

'So,' Olivia said. 'You're the Laurier they're speaking of, I assume?'

'I think so,' Benjamin responded.

He handed over the note to Dante.

'Seems like they know I have no intention of killing you,' he chuckled. 'I wonder how.'

'That's not really important now, though, is it?'

'No. It's just noteworthy.'

Dante handed the note back to Olivia. She folded it up and held it in her hands.

'With what I know now, I think it's pretty clear what they want from me,' she said.

'I think so too,' Dante added.

'Shall we leave tomorrow? I know how to reach my house from here. We'll just need some horses to be able to get there as soon as possible,' Benjamin said.

'That's okay with me. Dante?'

'I agree. It'd be best to get over with this entire situation as soon as possible.'