Page 39 of Reverence

His black attire made him seem menacing—like death hovering close to you before your final moments.

His facial expression remained stoic as he grabbed the chair and dragged it right next to where the suspect sat. The man looked visibly nervous and angsty.

Ares’ shirt clung to his muscular frame, his biceps flexing when he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the back of the chair before sitting down.

“Eric, was it?”

He asked calmly, almost too calmly. The kind of question that would leave you feeling unsettled even though it lacked any danger or malice.

The suspect nodded.

“How would you like this to go, Eric?” Ares tapped his thumb against the chair. “Either way, I’m leaving this room with answers.”

“I swear I don’t know anything man. Somebody hired me to do this.”

Five minutes hadn’t even passed by but this Eric character already sang like a canary.

Ares shook his head. “Who hired you?”

“I don’t know his name. I swear on my life.”

The menacing look on Ares’ face was bound to have anybody shaking in their boots. “Are you married, Eric?”

I couldn’t help but wonder where Valiente was going with this. “Y-yes.” The man stuttered. “I just got married last month.”

“Do you think Beverly would be thrilled to hear about your escapades?” Eric’s eyes widened and I knew by that look of sheer despair on his face that we hit the nail on the head.

“Essentially you’re putting her at risk by agreeing to do extracurricular activities of this nature. Surely you should know that.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“We always have a choice, Eric,” Ares said nonchalantly. “Sometimes life forces us into impossible situations, makes us choose between two things we never wanted to choose between. But no matter how difficult the decision is, it’s still ours to make.”

“He threatened to hurt her. You don’t understand!” Eric’s eyes widened, his breathing becoming heavier. He looked uneasy, scared, nervous.

“Who’s he?” Ares asked. “You might not have a name but you should have a description.”

The man trembled.

“I couldn’t see h-his face clearly.” Eric stuttered.

“He had a beard and moustache, dark curly hair, and his physique seemed muscular. When his SUV approached me I was walking to the bus stop.”

“You’re telling me,” Ares leaned closer. “That a random man pulled up next to you and you just willingly stopped to chat?”

“Of course not!” Eric exclaimed. “He mentioned Beverly’s name and that’s why I stopped. He was baiting me because he knew that would work. Told me to get in and I couldn’t decline because the man in the passenger seat had his gun pointed at me.”

That’s when Asher stepped into the room with me and I nodded. “Any breakthrough yet?”

“Almost,” I answered with a frown. “This doesn’t make sense, Asher. It seems more sinister than what meets the eye.”

Braun looked at me curiously. “When you watch the tape later and listen to the whole interrogation you’ll understand why I’m saying this.”

Our conversation ceased and our focus shifted when Eric spoke again.

“The man in the passenger seat told me not to look at the one in the back and I obeyed his command but I swear to you, that’s all I saw. The full thick beard and the curly hair.”

“Can you describe the person in the passenger seat to me?” Ares asked but Eric shook his head.