No Blessed ✓

Praise's Answer

Tyler stood up straight as Praise walked out of the police station, feeling a twinge of worry as he took in her form. Her face was tired, and her shoulders drooped as she walked towards his car.

It was the face of a person close to giving up but hanging on to the barest threads of hope. He was not sure she would hold on to her hope much longer.

“What did they say?” he asked as she stopped in front of him.

“They’re going to investigate,” she said. “But it will take some time.”

She moved past him and looked into the car, smiling wearily at the sleeping forms of Aaron and Zoe.

“They must have been so worried for me,” she said, as she turned back to Tyler. “I checked my phone while in the station and I had over forty missed calls from them. Aaron called me over ten times, and he’s normally so reserved. They must have called when we were in Creole’s place.”

“This was Nuroh, wasn’t it?” Tyler said, anger hardening his features. “I’ve thought about it and there’s no way someone else could have done this.”

Praise nodded, leaning against his car. “Yes. This is just an idea but it’s also possible that whoever was following us earlier was a hitman, and he would have killed us as well if you hadn’t lost him.”

“I thought our meeting had assured them that you were not betraying them,” Tyler said, a thoughtful look on his face as he spoke. “Why would they attack you out of the blue?”

Praise was silent for a few minutes, before she suddenly made a derisive clicking sound with her tongue, pressing her fingers to her forehead. “My phone.”

Tyler stared at her for a few seconds before realisation dawned on him. “They must have tapped it again, and seen my message to you.”

“They wanted to get rid of me immediately,” Praise concurred. “As well as Zoe and Aaron. If they tied up all loose ends, word wouldn't get out about the kidnappings.”

“They didn’t mind putting me down as well. That assassin would have killed us both,” Tyler added hauntingly. “What happens to Claire? She called you, didn’t she and your boss has access to your calls and texts.”

“Claire uses a burner phone when we talk,” Praise replied with a sigh. “They won’t know she even called.”

The implication of the events of that afternoon hung in between them like a heavy shroud. Praise pressed a hand to her forehead, swallowing hard.

“I can’t deal with this right now,” she said, and turned away from him. “Do you mind driving me to a hotel?”

“A hotel?” Tyler repeated, “Whatever for?”

“My house was gunned Tyler, Zoe and Aaron need a place to sleep. I do too.” Her tone was exasperated, enunciating each word to him.

“How is that safe? With the right connections, they will be able to get access to your hotel room. What happens when you’re at work and Zoe and Aaron are left there alone? Even if you were there, what would you be able to do against a gun?”

“What do you want me to do?” Praise said slowly, and anger made her tone low and smooth, as if she were a snake about to spring. “I’m doing the best I can.”

Her tone began to waver. “I’ve been in this long enough to know what they can do. You think I don’t know they could make a move at anytime?”

She burst into tears the next minute, squatting down as she wept. Her mask had broken and the stress of the day was finally getting to her. Her house was gone and the children Lana had entrusted into her care could have died – all because of her.