Even after Her Death by Rita Bond

Chapter 310 The Shop's Secret

Behind Carter, police officers were setting up a perimeter, indicating something serious had occurred ar the shop:

I couldn't help but feel uneasy as I glanced at him. "Is it okay for me to be here?"

"Don't worry. All the cameras have been turned off."

That reassured me. He wouldn't put me at risk.

"You should've been inside. It's freezing out here."

I just wanted to see you sooner. He offered a soft smile.

For a brief moment, almost forgot how he used to be Why had I once thought of him as so frightening?

I gently pushed him toward the door. "What happened today?"

"I had some people stir up trouble at the shop. As soon as they heard we might call the police, they tried to pay to make it go away. But when money didn't work, one of them shut the place down."

I stopped in my tracks. "They were planning to force their way in?"

"Yes. A bunch of thugs, really. They didn't expect us to be prepared. We had backup waiting outside, and when the scuffle started, they ran into the underground tunnel."

I'd figured out where the tunnel was, but now I worried. With so many people around, I feared the decoy might have gotten into trouble.

100

"Did anyone get hurt?" I asked, anxiety rising. I had only wanted to cause a bit of a stir, not out of hand.

Carter's face grew dark. My stomach twisted. "What happened?"

things get

"They're badly injured. They meant to scare them, but the situation escalated. They broke into a secret underground base. If that secret leaks, the whole shop is done for. That's why they never planned to let anyone leave today. "Do you remember the guy who used to fix our cars? He stepped in to protect them. He got hurt, but at least he's alive."

I remembered him well. I'd added him on WhatsApp, chatted with him a few times.

He hadn't been at the shop long, so he likely didn't know anything too important.

I'd gone through his posts. He was a cheerful guy, came from a small town in the mountains to support his family. He had a younger sister who was excelling in school.

He was kind too. When he couldn't afford to buy food for stray cats, he'd give them half-of his lunch.

1had always liked him. The first time I met him, his bright personality reminded me of a little sun. 1/4

210 The Shop's

tim, he was caught up in something

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I could imagine how dangerous it must have been. Once inside

were barricades everywhere, and the floor was

and Netion reached an agreement, giving us

made me nauseous.

were werely injured, the fight had

"Where's Captain Turker? tasked.

in the basement,

down there? What's the

explain in just a few words. You'll get it

Just as I expected, the entrance was right in

tunnel was unfinished. The walls had only been roughly coated with cement, and the air was thick with a musty, rotten scent, mixed with the overpowering smell of blood. The last time I was here, I was a spirit. I

looked at me, his expression

replied, though my

the place you've

one of the paths. "Yes, the room I went to was down

as I

heart beat. My palms were slick

Carter said gently, patting the back of my

was already open. As I stepped inside, I was hit by the

own body lying here," I said. "This is

with

spoke, Damian, wearing gloves, opened a nearby cabinet. It was

2/4

09:16 Fri, Dec 13

310 The Shop's

made my

in this room. Skinning

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studied the assortment of tools.

stood motionless beside him, his gaze

said, Trying to steady my voice, "it might hold some answers about the

and this was only one. I wiped away

out soon enough," Carter

next room, and the

rooms had been bare and unfinished. But this one was something entirely

sizes, an operating table, and tools that looked more advanced than any I had