An Unforgiving Love

Chapter 11- Death through Food

Leo, Lucas, and the team entered the restaurant, but it was immediately clear that the patrons and staff were on edge. Everyone seemed tight-lipped, avoiding eye contact and offering vague, unhelpful responses to their questions. It was clear that no one was willing to talk. The tension in the air was thick, and Lucas could feel that they were hitting a wall.

But as they were about to leave, Leo noticed the janitor—a quiet, older man—give a subtle signal, a small tilt of his head toward the back door, making sure no one else noticed. Leo and Lucas exchanged a glance, understanding the silent communication. Without drawing attention, they followed the janitor outside, slipping around to the back of the restaurant where it was quieter.

In the shadow of the alley, the janitor looked around cautiously before speaking in a low voice. "I don’t know how much you already know, but the major... he wasn’t clean. He was in some deep, shady deals with the wrong people."

Leo raised an eyebrow, encouraging him to continue. "What kind of deals are we talking about?"

The janitor shifted uneasily. "Drugs, mostly. He was working with some powerful figures, supplying them in exchange for protection. But something must’ve gone wrong. I overheard him talking on the phone a few days before his death. Sounded like someone was threatening to expose him or take him out if he didn’t deliver on something."

Lucas frowned, feeling the gravity of the revelation. "Who was he dealing with?"

The janitor shook his head. "I don’t know names, but I do know he used to meet someone here regularly. Always came alone, kept things low-key. Whatever happened, it got messy. That poison wasn’t an accident—it was a warning."

Leo sighed, realizing they were in deeper than they had anticipated. "Did you see the person he met with? Any description you can give us?"

The janitor thought for a moment. "Tall guy, always wore a suit. Looked like he didn’t belong in this place—like someone with a lot of money. I’d guess he was military, but the type that operates in the shadows."

Lucas nodded. "That’s helpful. Anything else you can tell us?"

The janitor glanced around nervously. "That’s all I got. But watch your backs. These people don’t play fair."

Leo placed a hand on the janitor’s shoulder. "Thanks. You’ve been a big help. We’ll take it from here."

As the janitor disappeared back into the shadows of the alley, Leo and Lucas stood there, processing the new information. It was becoming clear that the major’s death wasn’t just about betrayal; it was about survival in a dirty game of power and crime. Now, they had to figure out who the major’s contacts were and how deep this conspiracy went.

"We need to dig deeper into this," Lucas said, already planning their next steps. "Whoever the major was working with might be connected to his murder. And if the poison was a message, there’s a lot more at stake than just his death."

Leo nodded, his expression grim. "Let’s get back to the team. We’ve got more work to do."

Back at the office, Leo, Lucas, and the team gathered to debrief. They went over the details the janitor had provided, discussing the shady deals the major had been involved in and the mystery man he had met at the restaurant. The tension in the room grew as they realized just how dangerous the situation had become.

Just as they were piecing together their next move, Bella appeared at the doorway, holding something in her hand. "I’ve got one more clue," she announced, stepping into the room. The team turned to listen.

Bella held up a crumpled, wet piece of paper. "When I was examining the major's clothes earlier, I found a lot of crumpled-up paper shoved into the pockets. At first, it didn’t seem like anything important, but after I cleaned and organized it, I managed to pull this out." She straightened the paper, revealing faint writing—a name and a phone number, along with an address.