The air was thick with tension as Raven and Dante stepped into the dimly lit ice cream parlor. The tension between their two personalities was almost palpable—Raven, still coiled tight from the phone call, and Dante, attempting to quell the mood with his usual bravado. But even as they joshed, both of them understood that the conversation they'd just had with Javi was only the beginning of a storm.
Raven's thoughts always came back to the woman in the photograph—the one whose face appeared to haunt every inch of this case. Valerie's aunt, a woman who had been killed under uncertain circumstances ten years ago, but whose specter still hung over everything. If there was anything Raven knew, it was that unresolved questions were the most hazardous.
"Two scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough," Raven said as she walked up to the counter, her tone softer and more reflective now.
"Are you going to share what you're thinking, or should I just guess?" Dante's voice broke into her reverie, playfully but with a tinge of concern.
Raven stared at him for a slow beat, trying to determine if she could confide in him the burden of her thoughts. Despite the incessant quarreling and tension that was always palpable between them, she could not help but admit the palpable chemistry that had begun brewing in the air. There existed a bond—a virtually magnetic pull between them. One that left their fights slightly less antagonistic and more. inevitable. She couldn't help but catch him looking at her that fraction of an extra moment when they quarreled. The manner in which his eyes gentled when he saw she was overexerting herself. But she couldn't let herself get sidetracked by it. Not now.
"It's about Valerie's aunt," she said at last, her voice low and serious. "I don't think she just. died. I think she was murdered."
Dante hesitated, obviously taken aback by her directness. "You think her death wasn't an accident?"
"No," she replied resolutely. "I believe it was connected to something larger—something Valerie is unaware of. And that implies her aunt's work with the FBI wasn't as black and white as it appears. Whoever was pursuing Valerie may have had a personal grudge against her aunt. And if that's the case, it's no coincidence Valerie's been targeted now."
Dante's face became stern, his previous taunting forgotten. The tension between them changed, and for a moment, Raven could see the gears whirling in his brain. "You may be correct. But we need more information to proceed. Something to hold it all together."
Before they were able to go on, the ice cream shop door creaked open and a familiar but surprising figure entered. Raven instinctively tensed. The man entering was one of confidence, and something about him instantly put Raven on alert. His step was easy but it was with intent. Raven's gaze narrowed slightly as he moved toward the counter.
He stood taller than Dante, with dark, nearly black hair that was a bit too unkempt for its own sake. His pale green eyes flicked between Dante and Raven before he approached the counter, not glancing at Raven but his entire attention focused on Dante.
"Well, look who it is," the man said, his voice smooth and casual, with a tone of recognition. "I was wondering when I'd run into you."
Dante stiffened beside Raven, clearly not expecting him. "Lucas," he said, his tone flat.
Raven blinked, attempting to comprehend what was going on. This was Dante's little brother? She'd never heard of him before, and from the tensing of Dante's body, it was obvious there was some history between the two of them.
Lucas's eyes flickered in her direction for a moment, as if sizing her up, before he swung back to Dante. "I knew you'd be here. You never miss an ice cream opportunity." His tone was dripping with sarcasm, but there was something beneath it that made Raven uncomfortable.
Dante let out a hard breath, his jaw clenching. "What do you want, Lucas?" he demanded, not happy to see his brother.
Lucas smiled, resting against the counter with one shoulder, watching Dante. "What's the point of appearing if I'm not going to make an entrance?" he quipped, a half-smirk on his lips. "Aren't, actually. Here for business. Thought I'd give you the heads-up."
Raven's instincts took over, and she subtly rested a hand on the gun in the waistband of her jacket. She had no idea who this dude was or why he seemed so familiar, but something about him made her tense up. She said nothing, waiting for either Dante or Lucas to say more.
Lucas did eventually glance at her, his stare held a fraction of a beat longer than it should have been. "You're with him, I assume?" he stated, a flash of interest in his eyes. "Guess you've been pulled into the mess as well."
Raven shot a look at Dante, but he didn't seem surprised by his brother's comment. "This isn't the time, Lucas," Dante said sharply. "Whatever business you've got, it better stay out of my way."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, not bothered in the least. "Oh, it's not about you, Dante," he replied, his grin widening. "It's about Valerie's aunt."
Raven stood stock-still, her mind racing instantly. Valerie's aunt? She'd hardly had time to get her head around everything that had transpired, and now this woman was discussing the exact thing they'd been researching.
"How do you know about Valerie's aunt?" Raven demanded, her tone harder than she meant it to be.
Lucas gazed back at her with a disturbing quiet. "I know more than you realize. You're trying to find out, aren't you? What happened to her. What happened really. Well, let's just say that I have details that might set you on your way to understanding what really transpired." He turned to Dante. "Of course, at a cost, though."
Raven's eyes never left him, suspicion growing in their depths. She didn't believe him. Something in his being caused the hairs on the back of her neck to prickle. She looked at Dante, who also seemed hesitant to work with his brother, but she could tell Lucas had something Dante required.
"What price?" Raven demanded, her voice cold.
Lucas smiled, pulling out a small envelope from within his jacket. He pushed it across the counter in her direction. "In here is everything you need to know about Valerie's aunt's last case. What she was working on before she died. You'll want to read it."
Raven accepted the envelope at her own speed, yet her focus was all on Lucas. "Why are you doing this?" she asked softly.
Lucas shrugged carelessly, but there was a look in his eyes that implied a greater investment. "Let's just say I have my reasons," he replied with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "I don't do anything for nothing. But, don't worry—when the time arrives, I'll collect."
Dante exhaled through his nose, clearly frustrated but also resigned. "You're a pain in the ass," he muttered, but Raven could tell he was intrigued by what Lucas had provided.
Raven didn't look at the envelope immediately. Instead, her eyes stayed on Lucas as he turned to leave. "You've got five minutes, Lucas," Dante called after him, his tone still harsh.
Lucas stopped at the door, shooting them one final look. "I'm not waiting around," he told them, still sporting a smile. "But keep in mind. the clock's ticking."
And then Lucas was gone, melting into the street, leaving Raven and Dante back in the ice cream shop, the weight of his words lingering.
Raven held the envelope between her fingers. "What do you think?" she asked, trying to keep her voice down.
Dante stared at her, his face torn. "I don't like it," he told her, shaking his head. "But we have to know what's in there."
Raven nodded, her thoughts already racing ahead. "We're not out of this yet," she whispered. "But this could be the break we need."
As they walked out of the ice cream parlor, the evening air was filled with the uncertainty. The mystery of Valerie's aunt was deeper than they knew, and now they had to make a choice as to whether they could trust what Lucas told them—or whether they were headed straight into a trap.
The future road was blacker than ever, but one thing was for sure: they were doing it together. No risks, however great. No cost, however high.