Fatal Obsession

Chapter 26

  Aaron released his neck, taking a deep breath before taking a step back.

  He had promised not to harm him, so he would keep his promise. He sat down and folded his arms, watching Lyle silently. Minutes passed by but Aaron just sat completely composed, staring at him.

  When an hour had passed, Lyle started fidgeting. But Aaron still stared at him, unblinking. Two hours passed by and Lyle was tapping his foot, sweating dripping down the side of his face.

  Aaron had turned off the air-conditioning unit so it would get hot in the room.

"Can I get some water to drink?"

"Why should I waste my time to get you water? You haven't been cooperative at all." Aaron stared at him.

  Lyle tore his eyes away, swallowing hard. He clasped his hands tightly together, rocking back and forth.

  The rocking motion told indicated a sign of stress. Aaron was unfazed by the sight. He reached a hand under the table to press another switch.

  This would make the room extra hot.

  He pretended to be busy reading the papers in the folder, but he was actually watching to see what he would do. Lyle started clearing his throat as though he was parched.

"I think in here is too hot."

"Are you sure. I think the temperature is normal."

"Can I have some water to drink, please?" Lyle asked clearing his throat again.

  Aaron shrugged his shoulders without replying. He was making this easy for him.

  As the minutes passed, Lyle was sweating profusely, fingers scratching at his left arm.

  Although Aaron's face remained stoic, inside he was elated.

"Can I have some water? My throat is too dry."

"What would you do for that glass of water?" Aaron leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "It would be better for you if you just tell me everything right now. The heat is just gonna get worse."

"Isn't the heat affecting you?"

  Aaron had gone through this torture already, his body was already use to the heat. This particular heat was like being out in the desert.

"Do you know what heat does to a body? As the body gets hotter, blood vessels open up. This leads to lower blood pressure and the heart is working harder to push the blood around the body. More heat, the brain tells the muscles to slow down, causing fatigue. Your nerve cells misfire, leading to headache, nausea or vomiting. Extreme sweating messes with your electrolytes and causes cramping. Between heat rash, cramps or heat stroke. Heat stroke is the worst." Aaron said holding up three fingers.

"Confusion, slurred speech, sweating which you're already doing. Followed by seizures then unconsciousness."

"We're in the same room. Doesn't that mean the same thing will happen to you?"

"It could..." Aaron shrugged his shoulders. "But I don't care."

  Lyle shook his head when his eyes began to droop. "My throat is dry."

"Then just answer me and all this will be over."

"I...I...I don't..." Lyle cleared his throat, as though it was clogged.

"Heat stroke is fatal if not treated right away. Do you really want to die for this person?"

"You're a cop. You won't let me die."

"Hmm...maybe I will. Do you want to test that theory?"

  Aaron turned up the heat in the room and stared at him. He wouldn't let him die. He looked at his watch to count how long it will take before he confessed.

"Wait...no more. I can't take it anymore. It's too hot in here." Lyle looked at him. "I'll talk bit you have to promise to protect me."

  Aaron had already asked his boss to place Lyle in a safe house for his protection.

"Don't worry I'll have someone to protect you."

  Lyle took a deep breath. "I don't know how many people he has working for him. He approached me at the park."

"Why did he approached you? Have you ever seen him before?"

"I don't know. He said that a friend asked him about me."

"Do you know what friend he was talking about?"

"No." Lyle cleared his throat. "Can I have some water to drink? I promise I'll answer your questions."

  Aaron turned off the switch just as the door opened and Kyle walked in carrying a bottled water in his hand.

"Drink the water first."

  Kyle handed the water to Lyle and he quickly opened the bottle to gulp down the water. Lyle let out a satisfied sigh and placed the empty bottle on the table.

"I wasn't going to kill him. I just wanted to scare him."

"Why?"

"Dirk still has no idea that we found Logan. There was another guy working with me. He told me to kill him but I couldn't so I just tried to scare him."

"How did you find him?"

"The secretary's daughter has a crush on me. So I just spewed nonsense about him being my adopted brother. She sneaked the information when her mom wasn't looking."

"Where is this other guy? Can you describe him?"

"He usually wears this oversized hoodie. I've never actually seen his face."

So he had been right. The person wearing the hoodie was a guy.

"Do you know Phil Campbell?"

  Lyle frowned at the name. "No, I don't that person."

  What exactly was Phil doing with Dirk?

"Do you where Dirk is hiding?"

"No, he usually leaves cryptic messages with the other guy."

"What is his name?"

"I don't know his real name. He told me to call him gecko."

"I'm an excellent shot." Aaron told Lyle standing up. He walked to the door but he still could hear their conversation.

  Lyle looked at Kyle with a confused expression. "What does that mean?"

"It means don't cross him."

  Aaron left the room to find Kaia leaning against the desk. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What?"

"You're really cold-blooded. What if he had kept quiet?"

"Not my problem." Aaron took the folder she held out to him. "What's this?"

"Tech found something important."

  Aaron looked at the folder again then opened it. Inside was a picture of the a hooded person entering a hotel in Falmouth. He held the picture up and zeroed in on the design on the back of the hoodie.

  It was a design of a purple gecko.

"Where did they get this picture?"

"Undercover cop doing a sting took this picture."

  What was this guy doing there?

"We need to go to this hotel."