Chapter 9: The client

Elijah had always been a bit skeptical of Ryan. There was something about him that didn't quite add up. So, Elijah decided to do some digging and see if he could uncover any information about Ryan's past.

He started by asking around, talking to people who knew Ryan or had met him through mutual friends. But no one seemed to know much about him, and Elijah began to suspect that Ryan was hiding something.

Undeterred, Elijah decided to take his investigation to the next level. He started by searching online, looking for any mentions of Ryan's name or any connections to his past. But again, he came up empty-handed.

It wasn't until Elijah decided to pay a visit to Ryan's apartment that he finally stumbled upon something. He had been watching the building from across the street, waiting for Ryan to leave, when he noticed a strange symbol etched into the wall near the entrance.

Elijah's curiosity was piqued, and he decided to take a closer look. As he approached the symbol, he noticed that it was actually a small keyhole. Elijah's eyes widened as he realized that the symbol was actually a hidden keyhole, and he wondered what it might unlock.

Without hesitation, Elijah decided to investigate further. He searched the surrounding area and eventually found a small key hidden in a nearby planter. He inserted the key into the keyhole, and a small panel slid open, revealing a hidden compartment.

Inside, Elijah found a folder filled with documents and photographs. As he flipped through the pages, he realized that Ryan was not who he claimed to be. He was actually a private investigator, hired by a wealthy client to gather information on Ava and her friends.

Elijah's eyes narrowed as he read through the documents. He couldn't believe that Ryan had been deceiving them all along. He felt a surge of anger and betrayal, and he knew that he had to confront Ryan about his true intentions.

But as he closed the folder and turned to leave, Elijah couldn't shake the feeling that he was in over his head. He had stumbled upon something much bigger than he had ever imagined, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to take on the consequences.

Elijah's mind was racing as he walked back to his car, the folder filled with documents and photographs still clutched in his hand. He couldn't believe that Ryan had been deceiving them all along, and he was determined to confront him about it.

As he arrived at Ryan's apartment, Elijah could feel his anger and frustration building. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, before knocking on the door.

Ryan answered, a look of surprise on his face. "Elijah, what's going on?" he asked.

Elijah pushed his way into the apartment, the folder still clutched in his hand. "I know what you're doing, Ryan," he said, his voice firm. "I know you're a private investigator, hired to spy on Ava and her friends."

Ryan's expression changed, and for a moment, Elijah saw a flash of guilt in his eyes. But then, his face hardened, and he shrugged. "So what if I am?" he said. "I'm just doing my job."

Elijah's anger flared up again, and he took a step closer to Ryan. "Your job?" he repeated. "Your job is to deceive and manipulate people? To spy on them and gather information about their personal lives?"

Ryan sighed, rubbing his temples. "Look, Elijah, I know this isn't ideal, but I'm just trying to make a living. And my client is willing to pay top dollar for this information."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "Who is your client?" he demanded.

Ryan hesitated, and for a moment, Elijah thought he saw a flash of fear in his eyes. But then, he seemed to compose himself, and he shrugged. "I'm not at liberty to disclose that information," he said.

Elijah's anger boiled over, and he slammed his fist on the table. "You're going to tell me who your client is, Ryan," he said. "Or so help me, I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me."

Ryan's eyes widened, and for a moment, Elijah thought he saw a flash of fear in his eyes. But then, he seemed to compose himself, and he smiled. "You'll never find out who my client is, Elijah," he said. "But I'll give you a hint. It's someone close to Ava. Someone who wants to protect her, but is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe."

Elijah's eyes narrowed, and he felt a chill run down his spine. Who could Ryan's client

be? And what did they want with Ava?

Elijah's mind was racing as heleft Ryan's apartment. He couldn't believe that Ryan had been deceiving them all along, and he was determined to find out who was behind it.

As he walked back to his car, Elijah's phone buzzed with a text from Ava. "Hey, where are you?" she asked.

Elijah hesitated for a moment before responding. He didn't want to tell Ava about Ryan's true identity just yet, not until he had more information. "I'm just running some errands," he said. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ava responded with a thumbs up emoji, and Elijah felt a pang of guilt for not telling her the truth. But he knew he had to be careful, not just for Ava's sake, but for his own as well.

As he drove back to his apartment, Elijah's mind was racing with possibilities. Who could Ryan's client be? And what did they want with Ava?

He spent the rest of the day researching and making phone calls, trying to dig up any information he could find about Ryan's client. But every lead he pursued seemed to end in a dead end, and Elijah was starting to get frustrated.

Just as he was about to give up for the day, Elijah's phone buzzed with a call from an unknown number. "Hello?" he answered.

"Elijah, it's Ryan," the voice on the other end said. "I think we need to talk."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What do you want, Ryan?" he asked.

"I want to tell you more about my client," Ryan said. "But I need to see you in person. Can you meet me at the coffee shop on Main Street at 7pm?"

Elijah hesitated for a moment before responding. He wasn't sure if he could trust Ryan, but he was willing to take the risk if it meant finding out more about Ryan's client.

"Okay, I'll be there," Elijah said.

As he hung up the phone, Elijah felt a sense of trepidation. What was Ryan going to tell him? And who was behind it all?

Elijah arrived at the coffee shop at 7pm, looking around for Ryan. He spotted him sitting in the corner, nursing a cup of coffee.

As Elijah approached, Ryan looked up and nodded. "Thanks for coming," he said.

Elijah sat down across from Ryan, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want to tell me?" he asked.

Ryan took a deep breath before speaking. "My client is someone who cares deeply about Ava," he said. "They're worried about her safety, and they want to make sure she's protected."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Who is it?" he asked.

Ryan hesitated, looking around the coffee shop nervously. "I'm not supposed to say," he said. "But I will tell you that it's someone who has a lot of influence and power. They're willing to do whatever it takes to keep Ava safe."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'whatever it takes'?" he asked.

Ryan leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I mean that they're willing to use any means necessary to protect Ava. Even if it means hurting someone else."

Elijah's eyes widened in shock. "Who are they planning to hurt?" he asked.

Ryan shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "But I do know that they're not going to stop until they've achieved their goal. And I'm not sure if anyone can stop them."

As Ryan finished speaking, Elijah felt a chill run down his spine. Who was Ryan's client, and what did they want with Ava? And what did Ryan mean by "hurting someone else"?

Elijah knew he had to get to the bottom of this, and fast. He couldn't let anyone hurt Ava, or anyone else for that matter.

As he stood up to leave, Elijah turned to Ryan and said, "Thanks for telling me the truth. But I need to know more. Can you meet me again tomorrow and tell me everything you know?"

Ryan nodded, looking relieved. "I'll be there," he said.

As Elijah walked out of the coffee shop, he felt a sense of determination. He was going to find out who Ryan's client was, and he was going to stop them before they could hurt anyone.

But as he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Still, the feeling persisted. And Elijah knew that he had to be careful. He

was playing with fire, and he didn't want to get burned.

Elijah arrived at the coffee shop early the next day, eager to learn more about Ryan's client. Ryan was already there, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Thanks for meeting me again," Elijah said, sitting down across from Ryan.

Ryan nodded. "I want to help," he said. "I didn't sign up for this kind of work. I thought I was just doing some routine surveillance, but it's turned into something much bigger."

Elijah leaned in, his eyes locked on Ryan's. "Tell me everything," he said.

Ryan took a deep breath before speaking. "My client is a wealthy businessman," he said. "He's got connections all over the city, and he's not afraid to use them. He's been watching Ava for months, trying to gather information about her and her friends."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What does he want with Ava?" he asked.

Ryan hesitated, looking around the coffee shop nervously. "I don't know if I should be telling you this," he said. "But I think he's trying to use Ava to get to someone else. Someone who has something he wants."

Elijah's mind was racing. Who was Ryan's client, and what did he want with Ava? And who was the person he was trying to get to through Ava?

As he pressed Ryan for more information, Elijah's phone buzzed with a text from Ava. "Hey, where are you?" she asked.

Elijah hesitated, unsure of what to tell her. He didn't want to lie to her, but he also didn't want to worry her until he had more information.

"I'm just running some errands," he said finally. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ava responded with a thumbs up emoji, and Elijah felt a pang of guilt for not telling her the truth. But he knew he had to protect her, no matter what.

As he turned back to Ryan, Elijah's eyes locked on his. "I need to know more," he said. "Who is your client, and what does he want with Ava?"

Ryan hesitated, looking around the coffee shop nervously. "I'll tell you," he said finally. "But you have to promise to protect me. I don't want to end up like the others."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What others?" he asked.

Ryan leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "The others who have tried to cross my client," he said. "They're all dead."

Elijah's eyes widened in shock. Who was Ryan's client, and what kind of power did he have?

Elijah's eyes were wide with shock as he processed what Ryan had just told him. "Who is your client?" he demanded, his voice firm.

Ryan hesitated, looking around the coffee shop nervously. "I'll tell you," he said finally. "But you have to promise to protect me. I don't want to end up like the others."

Elijah nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. "I'll protect you," he said. "Now, tell me who your client is."

Ryan took a deep breath before speaking. "My client is Ava's father," he said.

Elijah's eyes widened in shock. "Ava's father?" he repeated. "But why would he hire someone to spy on Ava?"

Ryan shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "But I do know that he's been using me to gather information about Ava's friends and acquaintances. He's looking for something, but I don't know what it is."

Elijah's mind was racing with possibilities. Why would Ava's father hire someone to spy on her? And what was he looking for?

As he pressed Ryan for more information, Elijah's phone buzzed with a text from Ava. "Hey, where are you?" she asked.

Elijah hesitated, unsure of what to tell her. He didn't want to lie to her, but he also didn't want to worry her until he had more information.

"I'm just running some errands," he said finally. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ava responded with a thumbs up emoji, and Elijah felt a pang of guilt for not telling her the truth. But he knew he had to protect her, no matter what.

As he turned back to Ryan, Elijah's eyes locked on his. "I need to know more," he said. "What else can you tell me about Ava's father and his plans?"

Ryan hesitated, looking around the coffee shop nervously. "I don't know if I should be telling you this," he said. "But I think Ava's father is looking for something that could put Ava in danger. I don't know what it is, but I know it's big."

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'big'?" he asked.

Ryan leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "I mean that it could change everything," he said. "It could put Ava's life at risk, and it could also affect the people around her."

Elijah's mind was racing with possibilities. What could Ava's father be looking for that could put Ava's life at risk? And how could it affect the people around her?

As he pressed Ryan for more information, Elijah's phone buzzed with another text from Ava. "Hey, I'm starting to get worried," she said. "Where are you?"

Elijah hesitated, unsure of what to tell her. He didn't want to lie to her, but he also didn't want to worry her until he had more information.

"I'm on my way to see you," he said finally. "I'll be there soon, okay?"

Ava responded with a thumbs up emoji, and Elijah felt a pang of guilt for not telling her the truth. But he knew he had to protect her, no matter what.

As he turned back to Ryan, Elijah's eyes locked on his. "I need to know more," he said. "What else can you tell me about Ava's father and his plans?"