The Misguided

Detective Trainee

Chapter 5- Detective Trainee

Lilian tried not to let out an audible gasp, hidden behind the walls of an underground casino, while Camila continuously shushed her. Daniel is someone with good senses and intuition, so this was a somewhat risky move.

If Lilian from 5 months ago knew she would be following him around for the prospect of receiving answers, she would scoff and dismiss every word she said. But here she was, sitting in the back of a cab with her best friend, Camila, asleep, lying her head by the window. She took out her phone and opened the tracking app of the microchip she slipped into his work jacket the day prior as they slowly approached the deserted Hillingdon by West London- an hour's drive from lilac dove. They live and see each other daily at home but are strangers who accompany under the same roof. She's determined to discover who he really is - behind the thick mask filled with veiled secrets.

The destination was located beside a deserted hill, filled with unattended weeds and grass half the tree's height; he questioned whether his jacket was thrown into a dump and ended up there or they were simply at the wrong location.

"Lilian, are you sure this is the right place?"

"our location is exactly where his red pin is," Lilian zoomed in on her map, "See?"

But knowing Daniel's mischievous instincts, he would manage to find things to do- even in this land of nothingness. After a swift scout around the area, they found nothing but defeat. Until this wise man strolled past on his ranch horse.

"What are you ladies doing here? Trying to find the casino?" A middle-aged man inquired; his voice was raspy like grinding against sandpaper.

"Actually, yeah," Camila responded, "it would be nice to use the washroom inside."

"You have to go behind the bushes," The man yelled, pointing at a row of greens in the figure of a bush, "You'll find a little entrance behind there, leading you to the underground- but be careful, that's where a lot of the gang affiliates hang out."

They thanked him and rushed over, leaping over the bushes.

He was right- there was a square entrance, with letters engraved around it of "Hillington Casino." They looked at each other for a swift second and descended their way down the flimsy, wooden stairs. The entrance is shielded by 2 walls, with stairs coming from both sides. Camila walked before Lilian but suddenly turned around, back into the walls and tugged on her best friend's shirt. "Lilian! Don't move; I see him talking to a man beside the pool table."

"Where?" Lilian tried to peek further but made a screech across the wall, causing him to turn around, gaze fixated on their miniature hiding spot. Camila nudged her, shushing her by the lips as Daniel swiftly made his way toward them but ended up turning away.

They felt the weight plummet from their shoulders. Camila directed Lilian to squat at the corner of the wall, where there was a tiny hole she could look through. And she saw him- wearing the plaid jacket while talking to another man, tall, muscular with a dark aura. She pressed her ears onto the walls and began to eavesdrop, trying to piece together his voice through the crowd filled with glass clanks and screaming.

"So, do you have a plan yet?" Daniel asked the mysterious man.

"No, not yet, sir, I'm sorry. Can you remind me of the deadline of when you want them dead?"

"I compensated you generously for you not doing your job!" Daniel exclaimed angrily; the casino went silent for a second and proceeded. "As soon as possible - by next week at the latest."

Lilian's heart sank to her stomach. What is this about? Her husband hired a hitman to kill someone? Is she dreaming?

"What did you hear?" Camila nudged her on the back, an expression filled with curiosity.

Lilian was silent; no word came out of her mouth, despite Camia's constant checkups on her stability as she walked to the exit.

"Lilian, why won't you speak to me? What's wrong?"

"It's bad," Lilian turned around, facing Camila, and abruptly stopped walking, "He hired a hitman to kill someone. "

Lilian saw the blood drain from her face and felt an assurance of someone going through the same grief as her- losing someone they know to someone they can't recognize.

"I couldn't hear who, but it could very much be anyone," Lilian laughed nervously,"Even me."