A single bullet // M.C ✔️

08

"Another murder, Morgan?" I stood next to Morgan as he looked at the scene through his dark spectacles. "Who was it?"

"Dave Williams." He flicked through his notebook.

"I'm sorry, come again?" My head snapped over to him as soon as the two names left his mouth. "Did you say Dave Williams?"

"I did, yes. Murdered in his office, a few security guards also killed moments before."

"He was my boss!" I couldn't believe it.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean, stupid? He was my boss," I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "He's the reason I'm doing these stupid articles."

"Makes sense, that's why he was killed. Case closed." Morgan slams his notebook shut, waving a finger around to his team, making them wrap it up.

"Are you not going to investigate?" I was gobsmacked, watching the officers start to pack up, leaving any evidence marks.

"It's the person who ran the articles, Nic. Case closed. He also put you in harm's way. I couldn't fully care for the guy."

"You can't say that, Morgan. Are you kidding?" I couldn't believe what was reaching my ears. "Holy shit! I was here a few hours ago. It could have been me." I breathed out in disbelief, placing my hand over my heart that had now shot up to seemingly a million miles an hour.

"You're quite lucky then, Nic. I would have murdered him myself if he caused you to die." Morgan shrugged, making me gasp.

"You can't say that you're a fucking police officer, Morg!" Couldn't believe what I was hearing again.

"We will run some fingerprints on the door." He sighed. "They must have entered that way, and we'll try and match them to someone. Maybe it'll tell us a member of the gang it was clearly their doing." He spun around and started walking to the petrol car, only stopping when my voice hit his ears.

"How was he killed?"

"Double-teamed. Bullet hole in the right side with a single X carved underneath it."

Staring at my ceiling with a black blanket over my legs, my thoughts went wild. We had cleaned up the blood from the night before, bleaching and throwing away most of my things that had blood on, getting new sheets and bedding. It was a very brisk walk back to my home, not wanting to spend a single second out in the open, even with the tall building surrounding me.

It felt like a single-shot gun was aimed at my chest, waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger. Everywhere I've gone the last few days, the feeling hasn't drained, and I've only just noticed it, making me feel sick.

Two people around me have now been killed and died at the scene, both with an X. C is now targeting me, and it's clear why I have no clue, and I wish I did. Oh my - Calum.

I shot up, throwing the blanket off my legs and standing up, practically running to my door, grabbing a jacket along the way. I hope he's okay. Margaret, the only way I'll know.

"Margaret!" I pushed open the door, ignoring the ding, watching as the frail woman rushed out the back.

"Oh, Nicky dear," she pulled me into a hug, making me wrap my arms around her, half in shock, half in need. "Calum said you were near the office before Dave was killed. I thought they got you to." There was a small teeny bit of anger buried deep within her words, confusing me slightly but not bothering me.

"Calum actually told me to go, said it was about to get messy. Is he okay? Did he escape?"

"Oh, dear, he's fine. He's actually out the back if you want to see him." A single nod was sent her way. As much as I hate this man for being creepy towards me, I needed to know he was okay.

"You requested me."

"Calum," I locked eyes with the matching shade of mine, just a few shades darker, making me sigh, feeling relaxed. "You escaped."

"That I did, Nicola."

"Nicky-"

"That's what I said. I got out quite quick. As soon as a member ran down that alley we were nearby. We were lucky, Nicky." My eyes scanned his body and features on show.

"How did you know?" It was a question that had also been running through my mind. There was no calling or any hint that anyone was on their way down the alley or nearby.

"Had a feeling." He shrugged, running a hand through his slightly shaggy hair, messing up his curls.

"Calum!" I explained, launching towards him as I saw a bit of blood on his forehead that was previously covered. "You said you got out fine."

"I never said fine, Nicky. I said quick. Knocked the guy out as he ran past me, not before his friend got a few punches on me. That's the result of it. Don't you dare tell Gran."

"You threatening me, Calum?" Couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was he threatening me?

"That wasn't a threat. Trust me, my threats are a lot more sinister than that. It was more a don't tell Gran, as she'll tell my mom, who will then yell at me. I cannot deal with that right now."

"Margaret probably wouldn't believe me. You may want to go wash any dried blood off, though. It's looking gnarly."

He pulled his phone out of his pocket as it beeped, making him grimace.

"I have to go anyway. Something happened with my friend, and I have to check up on him. Hopefully, I'll see you when I'm next grabbing a snack from here in passing."

"Hopefully." And with that, he was darting out the door as if he was an arrow a crossbow had just shot, or a bullet that had left its chamber in a gun. He was gone with no trace before another single word left my perched lips, halting anything else I was going to say.

God, New York's driving me mental.

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