BXBX NOVEL Chapter 392: Not criminal
«And what are we?» Nate asked, just to be sure.
«I won\'t say anything out loud. I just want to be out of your feud. I was involved by mistake, and I don\'t want to be used as a mean to pay your debts.»
«Debts?» Nate murmured, surprised.
«Your bloody debts. I want nothing to do with it!»
«Oh,» Nate said, nodding. He was a little confused by her choice of words, but... What would she ever have to do with the debts between him and Polenta?
He turned to Lara and shrugged.
Lara shook her head, starting to realise what Abby Brown was thinking. Abby Brown knew there was something illegal going on, but she couldn\'t guess it involved werewolves. She would build another theory, one a human brain could fathom and understand. And, eventually, accept.
«I believe Miss Brown thinks you\'re a criminal,» she said to Nate. «Something like the mafia... Or similar.»
Abby Brown blinked.
«Aren\'t you?» she asked.
Nate shrugged.
«I don\'t do illegal stuff. Sometimes I am ruthless in business, but I don\'t break the law. I am not a criminal.»
Just a little, he thought. By human parameters, he was one. But the Government had allowed a certain degree of autonomy that would allow the packs to battle with each other. As long as humans weren\'t involved, they were good.
«But... I know you attacked Polenta through business. I\'ve followed the news. That\'s how I realised what was happening.»
«Is there anything going on?» Nate added. «You seem very concerned.»
«It\'s not just about the business attacks. What made me realise there was more to the story was that Polenta disappeared soon after you\'ve attacked his company.»
«How so? I didn\'t notice.»
«Why would he hide if there\'s nothing criminal between you two? You can\'t fool me. However, I won\'t make things difficult. All I ask is to be set free from that person.»
«What do you mean by free? You should be free now that he disappeared.»
«I am not,» Abby Brown said, her lips tightened in a straight line and her face pale. «I can tell you where Polenta is. All I ask in return is to let me go without consequences. And to free me from him.»
«Where is he?»
«Before telling you, I want you to promise!»
«Is it really okay?» Nate asked. «Do you feel safe with a promise alone?»
«People like you value your word very much. I\'ll accept it.»
«I see...»
Nate was dumbfounded. Abby really thought they were from the mafia. And she was as scared as to accept anything just to get rid of Polenta.
«A few days ago, he knocked at my door,» Abby said. «He said he needed a place for the night, and I agreed to help him. He slept on my couch and complained about the food the whole time. Literally, every second he was awake.»
«That\'s because he likes meat,» Lara guessed. «You\'re vegetarian, aren\'t you?»
«I\'m vegan!»
«Oh, I see... I\'m behind with gossip, sorry. Well, your fridge has no meat which is unacceptable for someone like Polenta.»
«You also know him very well...»
«I just know what people say. Also, he\'s the same kind of person as Nate, as you said. They all eat a lot of meat.»
Nate widened his eyes. Why was Lara giving away so much information about them? Abby Brown could guess their true nature like that!
However, the woman didn\'t seem to think too much about it. She just nodded and continued with her talk.
«The second day, I understood he was planning to stay longer than just a night or two. He was settling on my couch, and I could hear about the enmity between LY Corp and Blue Moon on TV. So, I understood. I decided to leave him alone and let you people settle your things. I spent two days with my friends without returning home. I thought Luciano Polenta was gone by then.»
«And? Was he?»
Experience tales with M V L
«Yes, he was. When I went home, he wasn\'t there. I thought I was free and could continue with my life, but... In the morning, things were back to before. He was sleeping on the sofa and smelt like... Like mud?
I don\'t know. His shoes also were dirty, as if he had run in a park. I don\'t understand what\'s wrong with him. He stays in my place to hide but then goes running just like that. I understand jogging is important, but Polenta has serious problems with finding the right priority for his tasks.»
«Don\'t tell me,» Nate murmured. «So, now he\'s at your place.»
«He was there when I left this morning. I pretended nothing is happening, but I can\'t stand him anymore. Please, free me from him!»
«But... Why are you here to ask us for help?» Lara inquired, suddenly curious. «Aren\'t you afraid of what Polenta could do if he knew?»
«I know, I know. But you people are stronger, right? You\'re winning! I just want my peace.»
Lara nodded, getting closer to Nate.
«She can\'t go back now,» she whispered. «He\'ll know she was here.»
«Hmm?» Nate hummed, surprised.
But then, he realised. Abby Brown would carry a little of his scent... It wasn\'t sure, but there was a high probability. She couldn\'t hide her whereabouts that easily.
«We have to solve it before you go back home, Miss Brown,» he said. «But you are lucky. Not because we\'re criminals, but because we know someone from the police. We will make them take Polenta away.»
He would pretend to ask for help. It was the easiest way to make Abby Brown accept his version. He wasn\'t a criminal, after all.