Chapter Nine: Stephan
Ididn’t think I’d feel so close to her this quickly, nor did I think she’d be the kind to enjoy what we just experienced, but I have to say that she surprised me. It’s not often that I meet a girl with her skill, knowing that she’s never done anything like this in her entire life. It was a refreshing experience, but I’m starting to think that there’s going to be quite a bit of trouble once she figures out what I’m keeping from her.
I can already tell that the guys are starting to get a bit suspicious, but I have to keep them in check for now, because I can’t face them ruining my plans.
I was sitting at my desk in our shared office, counting cash while they sat there smoking a few cigars, glancing over at me, while I heard Annika and Natalia rustling upstairs. They tried to keep their doubts discreet, but I was waiting for the moment they’d start grilling me about what I was really doing yesterday. Eduard was the first to stand up, taking the cigar between his fingers, letting out a puff of smoke before he spoke.
“Stephan, I don’t mean to pry, seeing as we’ve been at this a very long time together, but Feliks and I have begun to feel like you’ve been keeping secrets from us,” he said, and I started to think of all the possible ways I was going to get out of this one.
“We’ve noticed that you’ve begun spending a lot of time with Annika, and I can tell that you have a thing for her, but you can’t let that get in the way of the work we’re trying to do,” Feliks chimed in, and I shook my head at them both.
“So, you’re telling me that I’m not allowed to spend time with a girl I’m interested in but we can spend every night going out drinking and bringing home a woman on each arm? Where’s the sense in that? My feelings for Annika aren’t going to get in the way of anything,” I said, sounding much more defensive than I would’ve liked.
“Whatever you say, Stephan. I just have to warn you, because we’ve been going by your rules for such a long time, it would be a shame to see us all have to part ways,” Eduard said, and I was starting to get a bad feeling like they knew more than they were letting on.
“Why would we have to part ways? We’re a great team, and we’re not greedy with each other’s cuts, so what’s the problem?” I asked, trying to figure out why they were acting so strangely.
“I just have a hunch that you’re not being entirely honest, but if it turns out that this really is all about your fascination with that girl, then I promise I will be the first to apologize,” said Eduard, and I could only hope that he had no idea about the painting and possible fortune I was hiding from them.
“You both have nothing to worry about, okay? Annika and I have gotten close, and I’m starting to think that there may be a place for her in my life, is all. I know that’s not what you want to hear because you like the way things are, but I have a right to explore the possibility of a relationship with her,” I said, and they both nodded at me.
“We’re not going to come between you and Annika, we just want to make sure you still have your head in the game. I can’t afford to have one of our jobs going south because you’re caught up thinking about her, okay?”
“That’s not going to happen, Eduard. I can promise you that,” I replied.
“We’ll see, Stephan. We’ll see.”
A few hours had passed, and I started to think that it was rather strange that Annika and Natalia hadn’t come down to eat. Looking over at the clock hanging on the wall I saw that it was well after three o’clock.
I know Annika had a long night, but I didn’t think she’d sleep in this long.
I walked out into the living room to see Eduard and Feliks going over a few papers on the couch, not taking a second look to acknowledge me while I went upstairs to check on them. I started calling out to Annika softly in case they were both still asleep, but once I got to their door and knocked, there was no answer.
I waited a moment, knocking again before I entered to find that the guest room they were sharing was empty. I looked around at the unmade bed, the scattered toiletries and clothes on the floor, wondering what happened. I didn’t think anything of the noises I heard earlier, thinking they were just getting ready, or dropping things, but it never occurred to me that something could’ve been happening right under my nose. I rushed through the house, nearly tearing it apart looking for the two of them, but they were nowhere to be found.
“Annika? Annika! Natalia?” I called out, hoping that they were on the other side of the house or out in the garden, but I couldn’t find them. Eduard and Feliks both caught on to what was happening, rushing upstairs while I frantically continued my search.
“What happened?” Eduard asked, his eyes wide.
“They’re gone. Annika wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye,” I said, and Eduard pushed past me into their room, genuinely believing that they must’ve stepped out for some air, but I knew something bad must’ve happened. He went off into their ensuite bathroom, calling out for me to come look at what he found.
“Stephan? I think you need to see this,” he said, and I rushed in seeing that the bathroom floor was covered in blood, so much that it started to soak into the grooves of the tile.
“We really do have a problem,” Eduard said.
Where are you, Annika? Where the hell did you go?
The three ofus searched the entire property, running through the security camera footage to see that one of them had been disconnected a few hours prior. I didn’t understand what happened or who could’ve taken them, but it just didn’t make any sense. There were no other signs of an altercation other than in the bathroom, and that told me that there must’ve been a fight that occurred between the two of them.
Neither of them would hurt each other, so what really happened here?
She was just starting to get accustomed to this lifestyle, and now she was possibly being thrown into the thick of the parts that made it so dark. I didn’t want her to be introduced to this side of the crime world so quickly, if something indeed happened, but I tried to calm myself down.
Maybe there was an accident, and they thought it best not to tell any of us.
I pulled out my phone, calling Annika only to hear a distinct ringing coming from their bedroom. Both of their phones were tucked under their pillows, as though they were taken abruptly, and it left me even more confused. I didn’t know where to go about looking for her, or how this could’ve even happened without one of us noticing, but I wasn’t going to rest until I figured it out.
Eduard and Feliks came to find me, and I was hoping that they were going to help me find out what happened, but they just stared at me blankly.
