Danielle Hayes

"With Lara?" Leah asked, weeping.

"I know, this is a difficult time but do you-" but was rudely cut off by her.

"You cruel girl!!! Why are you telling me this?" She yelled.

"Listen to me Leah." I talked in a calm tone. "The police or the press will find out. They'll say it as the ultimate motive of the murder. Revenge because of the affair." I glanced at Mr. Prescott who nodded his head in agreement.

"You need to be ready."

"Ready? Oh I am!" She yelled, fumbling on the couch. Taking out a small display, she called Lara, on video call.

"Inn of Dreams?" She whispered. "How could you? I thought you are my friend. I trusted you."

Lara clicked her tongue before she spoke up. "It's not my fault that you can't hold on to your man. He told me everything you have done."

As the argument grew heated, Lara became less and less interested that she cut it off. Leah threw the controller across the room.

"I gave my life to him. I lived this tomb without family, friends or love. What more do you want from me?" She glared at me, wildly.

"Who do you think I am?" I grumbled.

Emotions rushed through her. She stood up but her hips bashed against the table, losing her balance. Mr. Prescott rushed to her only to get pushed away.

She stumbled on her way towards the bedroom. She went inside and locked herself in.

Mr. Prescott, lividly turned to me.

"Why?"

"She needed to know." I sighed. "Secrets kill."

Just then Leah's doctor arrived. She slipped into her room.

He slumped onto the chair, with a dog at his feet.

"Shall we check the room?" He didn't answer me.

I started checking her room meanwhile Mr. Prescott remained silent.

"If you are feeling problematic with this, just give me an advice. I am not a detective unlike you, Mr. Prescott. I am trying to give my maximum here. If you want me to leave, then I'll."

"We had a deal, didn't we?" He glanced, with his hands deep in pockets.

"Perhaps you forgot, Mr. Prescott." His stare hardened. "The deal was we, helping each other and you know what it's about. That didn't include me helping you other than that. Example, this case. Me helping you solve this case, isn't the deal but why am I doing it?"

"Why?" He stood face to face, just inches apart. "Tell me Danielle, why?"

I sped off.

•°•°•°•°• 💙

Not knowing where to go, I headed to the lounge. I didn't know what he wants nor will I care.

I was feeling disappointed. Devastated. I didn't know how to do this shit but then again, I was trying to do my best.

God! I definitely needed a drink.

I am sure, if I find Anastasia here, privately, she may able to answer some more questions of mine.

As I entered it, Anastasia wasn't there. Instead there was a new bartender.

"Hey there! I am friend of Anastasia. Where can I find her?"

"Are you the cop?" She asked hurriedly.

"Wha- no! I am not. I am here for the interview."

"Nice skirt by the way. I would prefer it still short. She's in the back room. Knock twice."

I went down by the dark corridor, all alone. At last I found the door that had a board "private". I knocked twice and the door swung open.

To the corner of the room stood supplies if some sort and in the middle, was Anastasia , sitting along with her chow mein box.

"Hey! Have a seat. Grab yourself one too."

I took a seat beside her.

"We heard, Noah and Oliver had a big fight, then."

"Doesn't surprise me." She shrugged, munching on her food. "They always fight. That kid is going to end up in jail someday."

"What does Oliver fight about?"

"You name it. Late supplies or even, less supplies and all."

"Sounds like you weren't satisfied."

"That doesn't matter now. Don't talk I'll of the dead. That's what my family says."

"So, you don't know anything about their fight?"

"Nope!" She continued eating.

Just then, the door flew open and in entered Mr. Prescott with his disheveled hair.

His eyes looked tormented but then second his gaze fell of me, they widened. He sighed, raking his messy hair.

"Hey Logan!!"

"Hey Anastasia!! It's good seeing you again but we're kinda in a hurry. So, we have to leave."

"Hurry? I don't-" I shook my head as he cut me off.

"Yeah! We need to meet someone else, Don't we?" He smiled tight-lipped, tugging my arm.

"Ah!" I glanced as he had his eyes narrowed up. "Yeah! See you later Anastasia."

"Don't be strangers. See ya."

As soon as we were out, he pulled me into the other side of the hallway I walked through.

He cornered me to the wall. His body pressed against mine, caging me between.

"What were you doing there alone, Danielle? Do you know how worried I was?"

"Lemme think. Oh! Right! I was talking to her." I rolled my eyes.

"Do I hear a note of sarcasm there?"

"Note? No!! Make it symphony Mr. Prescott." I threw his words back at him. "I don't know how worried you were, nor do I want to. I just don't care about what you think." I crossed my arms.

"You weren't saying that in the room earlier." He said smugly, leaning closer and closer until-

"Oh my god! I am sorry. I didn't know you guys were here. I'll leave you alone."

"No!! We were actually leaving." He straightened his suit and walked out.

•°•°•°•°• 💙

We were in the lobby again. I scrolled through Noah's social Media accounts as Mr. Prescott sat beside me.

Anastasia was right. Noah doesn't get out much. A girl was always there in some of his photos that were taken in the yoga class. She was lean, petite. She had glasses on and her hair was hurriedly put into a ponytail.

She was blurred. She was rolling the yoga mat by the window.

"There are only two photos of him with young women."

"Possibly the same girl."

"Yeah!" I sighed.

"Your girlfriend does yoga in the building Noah. I would like to meet her before the police do." I said right after we entered Noah's apartment.

Noah was repulsed.

"I TOLD you to leave her out of this. She doesn't need to know anything about me. She's innocent."

"Everyone knows about you Noah. You are the only son of Oliver Bennet."

"She doesn't. She isn't from here."

"If you can't give us all the facts then I'm afraid we can't catch the culprit."

"You know what? You are fired. You don't listen to me. Now, stay away." He threw his remote control away in anger.

Fired...

"Noah. C'mon man." Mr. Prescott trudged to him.

"You know what?! I am done. I am tired and I am leaving!! Do whatever the heck you want. Both of you." I yelled, slipping out of the room. "I am fucking done."

They both can go to hell, for all I care. God!!!

Taking long strides I walked down the lobby only to get bumped into something. Or maybe, someone.

"I am sorry!" I straightened the lady infront to me. "Leah? You alright?"

"I am fine, darling. I am fine." She smiled sadly.

"Where are you headed to?"

"Home."

"I'll come with you. C'mon." I said, leading the way.

"Where's Logan?" She asked, as we entered her humble abode.

"Ugh!!... I don't know Leah."

"You seem upset. Did you guys had a fight?"

"Kind of. Which reminds me... Noah has a girlfriend. Right?"

"Yes!" She smiled. "A mom knows. Even a step mum.

"Where does she live?"

"Oh! She's a lean, petite girl with glasses, long hair. Upstairs."

"Upstairs? By the pool?"

"Nah!" She waved it off. " Not the pool. Where?"

"Is there a gym?"

"A gym! That's it. The name's Crystal. That's it. It's Crystal."

"Thank you Leah!"

"First blush of the youth blossoms and dies." She said absent mindedly.

"What is it about?" I asked, touching her hand.

"Logan- nothing." She shrugged.

Something was going on between these two? I couldn't put my finger on it though.

This was not the time.

The yoga studio was warm and quiet. It was by the pool where Oliver was murdered.

A young woman in pink joggers and white tank top, slept on the cot that was in the shadows.

Wasn't that... My college rival?

Fuck no!!! I am doomed.

I was seriously doomed.

"Crystal Wagner?" I called her quietly.

She backed down, for her glasses. She looked scared.

She wasn't the Crystal I knew. I knew her for being a bitch but this... What had happened to her?

"Stay away." She glanced sideways at me. "Danielle? Danielle Stryker. God!! I remember, how I hated you."

"Shhh!" I hushed her. "I don't go by the name anymore and I know that pretty well too."

"What? Why?" She asked scooting away. I reluctantly sat beside her.

"That's a long story but Enough about me. How are you?"

"Honestly, I could have been better. Are you a cop? How are you? What are you doing here? How are August and... Devon? Did you come here to arrest me for all the things I had done to you?"

Wow! She really remembered us. Too much for someone who loathed us with every fibre of her being.

"I am good. I am a private detective, kind of. I work with Mr. Logan Prescott, August is no more, Devon is recovering and no, I am not here to arrest you. Oh god! I am not like your old self." She smiled sympathetically.

"I am sorry. I didn't know. August-"

"It's okay Crystal. It's okay." I calmed her down.

"So Logan huh? Logan as in... The sleuth of Washington. He's famous."

"That's not exactly good for a detective." We laughed.

"Are you here to talk about Mr. Bennet?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. Why were you sleeping here, in the shadows?"

"I couldn't go back to my apartment. The cops would be there."

"You were afraid I was a cop. Why?" She just shrugged, unconvincingly.

"I was afraid of them from the very start. Back at my place, Austria too. I was afraid of them."

"It's okay. Don't worry. We are hired by your boyfriend, Noah."

"Really? Then it's alright." She looked out of the window. "We are so much in love."

"That's good. You look happy and, he wants to protect you too."

"God!! I love him so much. I gave him the haircut. He's such a nerdy."

"Did you meet his parents? Or friends?" I asked, sounding serious.

"No! We thought to keep it a secret." She shrugged, pulling her scarf closer.

"Did you ever talk to his father?"

She turned silent, staring into the space. Her body tensed at up with the very name. Sweat dripped down her forehead. She spoke up.

"He black mailed me."

******

Hey guys!! Hope y'all are doing awesome. See you in the next chapter.

Favorite wild animal 😈

Mine's a Lion. (Don't ask me why)

Love 💕

Mikaelson