The Devil's Justice ( 🔞 )

| C H A P T E R - 11 |

LARA

In the stealth of darkness, I moved through the men's locker room, my heart pounding in my hand. There was something I needed to find out—something I had been searching for a long time.

Heath.

Seven months, nine weeks, and thirteen days.

Heath had been missing.

And I couldn't blame myself enough. If I hadn't involved her in all this, she wouldn't have come to light, and none of this would have taken place. Despite my attempts to keep her safe, I had failed.

Seven months ago, after the incident, we found only a letter from her, stating she wanted to leave the city for a better future. Even though my mother wasn't worried, I was. I still felt she hadn't left willingly. Family meant everything to her.

So I suspected Oliver might have a hand in this.

With the boys occupied in a basketball match, I seized the opportunity for a little investigation for myself. If Oliver was involved in Heath's disappearance, I needed proof to put him behind bars. The police would demand evidence, and I couldn't afford to lack it.

Fortunately, Ana revealed the truth about Preston to Detective David. I thought David was more than just a friend. But Ana told me otherwise. Nonetheless, I am sure they both are going to help me in this. But without proof, I can't ask her to do so.

Maybe if I find something against Oliver here, perhaps she could help me out in this case if I could present some evidence.

The men's room was a stark contrast to the girls'—filled with the smell of sweat, showers, and manly cologne.

But I was here for a purpose.

After five painstaking minutes of searching, I stood before the locker I was looking for—Oliver's.

I had been keeping a close eye on him since Heath's disappearance. Every chance to delve into his belongings was a chance for me to find something—anything—to prove he was the culprit.

I recalled the night before Heath disappeared when she called me, sharing that someone from Preston had contacted her, threatening her to help me out.

As I stood before Oliver's locker, the atmosphere shifted, and a sense of anticipation hung in the air. My gaze lingered on the cold, empty metal door, wondering if the answers I sought might be concealed within.

What if...?

I sighed. Maybe the information I sought lay concealed behind the metal door of Oliver's locker, potentially holding the key to the truth. I stretched my hands to open the locker, my heart beating loudly in response.

This was nothing less than a soldier on a mission. Anticipation and frustration grew with each passing second.

However, my hopes plummeted when I discovered that it was securely locked.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. What secrets was Oliver guarding? Could anything in there aid me in unravelling the mystery? The uncertainty gnawed at me, leaving me at a crossroads.

I did not have the key or the knowledge of where he would have hidden it. I tried to find it through a few of the others' belongings, but it was no use.

Finally, with a heavy heart, I sighed in defeat.

Perhaps today wasn't my lucky day. I decided to retreat, planning to return another day to crack the mystery hidden within Oliver's locker.

As I turned away, my attention was unexpectedly drawn to the adjacent locker. In bold letters, "Mark Jonas" adorned the door, a stark warning beneath it – "Stay away."