𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 ❦ (𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝)

Chapter 14

After my encounter with D'Avanzo at the factory, I am sure that he knows something about Emily. In order to discover the truth, I meet with Leo.

Without wasting time, I tell him that I want to know more about D'Avanzo's life before the factory. After negotiating our prices, Leo scurries out of the café. As I watch him, I notice that a man wearing a fedora is looking at me. Staring. It seems a s though he is not only peering at a stranger...but that he is looking at me with a purpose in mind.

I look at him, puzzled. He gets a little bit agitated when our gaze meet. He quickly looks away and gets interested in his dessert.

It might have been involuntary. I'm thinking too much. I leave the café.

______

The elections are getting closer. Everybody at work is busier and busier. Trohman tells me that Mr. Weeks wants to talk to me. I head for his office and knock on the door. "Mr. Weekes? It's Gerard..."

"Here you are," Mr. Weekes greets with his usual emotionless face once I step in. "As you know, the election is in full swinging. All journals are publishing articles on the candidates, and I managed to obtain an interview with Mr. Williams. You will be in charge of the interview. Please start preparing the questions and material you may need."

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Mr. Weekes, but I started investigating something else..."

"I don't remember giving you another task. What are you currently investigating?" he asks as he walks around his desk to stand behind it and sort out some sheets mindlessly.

"A patient of the Metropolitan Hospital. There seem to be a mystery about her death."

"That is something personal to you, Gerard. What does that have to do with your work?"

His reaction takes me aback a little. I was used to Mr. Weekes being a bit more understanding. "Um, yes, it is somewhat personal but I believe that it's worth some interest."

My boss sighs. "Way. I understand that you are upset about your friend's death. But you can't decide of the topics you will work on because of that."

"Please, Mr. Weekes. Let me investigate. I have the feeling that there is a major story hiding behind this!"

Mr. Weekes shakes his head; he obviously already made his decision. "I don't see anything interesting in this case."

"Wait, you see, Mr. Weekes, Emily's father was a police officer who died on the job. But his file mysteriously disappeared from his police station... After Emily's death, her stuff were taken away by a stranger. There are just so many suspicious elements about this story, it's the proof that there might be a big conspiracy behind all this!" I speak quickly, fearing to be interrupted.

"You are only speculating. You have no evidence," Mr. Weekes states, unyielding. "We can't possibly publish articles based on intuitions."

"I-I do have evidence! I discovered that the person who took Emily's stuff was part of the mafia. Add to this the fact that her father was a police officer, and things are definitely not as simple as they seem."

Something switches in Mr. Weekes' attitude at those words. It's barely perceptible and I couldn't explain it if I was asked to, but I sensed something. A tension, perhaps.

Mr. Weekes rans a hand in his hair. "I admire your courage, Way. But you are facing something dangerous here. Although lots of journals have published reports on the mafia in the past, they almost never went into details. It's not that no one is trying to investigate the mafia. But all have stopped their investigation for one reason or another. Even if you did manage to dig up something, I would never allow you to publish it, for the safety of the journal and its workers."