Endeverafter: The Series Presents The Cursed One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Hoss and Foy were waiting in the lobby of Carlyle Industries when Foy's phone rang. "Okay, okay, we'll be right there," she said, standing up.

"What's up?" Hoss asked.

"We have to go. There's been some kind of attack at the Church of Saint Gerald. Someone reported several gunshots."

Hoss stood up. "Okay, but what about Harrison–"

"Jonah, we are still officers of the law. We can't ignore our jobs," Foy said. She noticed the deflated look on Hoss' face and took a deep breath. "Look, if it's really important to you, I'll go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, just make sure you actually get something out of this."

"I will." Hoss reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys. He tossed them to Foy and said, "Take my car."

"What about you?"

"I'll take the train."

Foy nodded and raced out of the lobby. Hoss was watching Foy run across the parking lot when a man in a bowtie appeared behind him. "Detective Hoss, Ms. Carlyle will see you now."

Upstairs, Hoss was looking out of the window in JR's office when the door opened. A brown-haired woman dressed in a pair of high-waisted green tailored pants and a v-neck long-sleeved white shirt walked in. "Detective Hoss, hi, I'm JR Carlyle," she said, holding her hand out.

Narrowing his eyes, Hoss hesitantly shook her hand. "JR as in–"

"Formerly, it's Jamison Carlyle, but you can call me JR. Please have a seat." She walked around her desk and took a seat. "Now, how may I help you, Detective?"

"I'd like to ask you some questions about one of your former employees, Solomon Shade," Hoss replied, sitting down. "My partner and I spoke with him earlier today and there are some loose ends we'd like to put to rest."

"Is this a part of an ongoing investigation?"

"Officially, no but I'm sure you know that I wouldn't be able to tell you if it was."

JR smiled. "Okay, well since you've already spoken to Mr. Shade, I'm not sure what more information I can give you."

"Fair enough, but maybe you can tell me if Mr. Shade and your father, Harrison Carlyle, still have an ongoing relationship?"

"Not that I'm aware of. It's no secret that Mr. Shade's release from Carlyle Industries was not under the best of terms."

"But you can't say for certain that the two of them aren't friends?" Hoss asked.

"No, I cannot."

"Okay, no problem. Ah, one last thing, if you don't mind. Just so I have my information correct, you currently have an intern here by the name of Drue Cordova, yes?"

JR shifted in her seat. "Yes."

"And how would you rate her performance so far?"

"Detective, I'm not really comfortable with your line of questioning--"

"Oh, my apologies, Ms. Carlyle. I didn't mean to disrespect you or--"

"It's not so much disrespect, as it is unprofessional," JR said, sitting forward. "You're a Detective from Camden Hills, so I don't see the correlation between Mr. Shade and an intern of mine."

"The correlation is your father, Ms. Carlyle," Hoss replied. "Aside from Mr. Shade's unpleasant release from this company, your father has taken quite an interest in Ms. Cordova."