Page 40 of Fierce Hope
Chad reached slowly toward his pocket, freezing when Deke tensed. “Just getting the envelope, man.”
The plain white business envelope had no markings. No address. Just Jade’s first name scrawled across the front in block letters.
He took it with gloved fingers. The paper crinkled in the frigid air. “Who hired you?”
“Anonymous account.” Chad pulled out his phone with shaking hands, navigating to the gig site. “See? ‘Simple Delivery Task - $50.’ Just said leave it under the windshield wiper and take a photo for proof.”
The posting looked legit. Chad’s chat log showed minimal interaction, just an address, instructions, and payment details routed through an anonymous account.
Amateur hour. But effective.
Wind whipped between the parked cars, carrying a bite that cut through layers. Chad shivered, shoulders hunched.
Deke snapped photos of the chat details with his own phone, then handed the device back. “That all you were supposed to do? Just this one delivery? Or have you done this before?”
“Just this one, I swear.” Chad’s breath puffed white. “Thought it was like ... a surprise from a friend or something.”
The kid wasn’t lying. His posture, voice patterns, micro-expressions—all registered as genuine distress rather than deception.
A quick background check would confirm everything, but instinct said Chad was just a pawn. Wrong place, wrong job, wrong day.
Plus, even if Deke did call the police, they’d have no grounds to detain the kid.
“Here’s what happens.” He stepped even closer, making his height advantage felt. “You’re going to forget this job. Forget this car. Forget Jade’s name.”
“Absolutely, man. Done.” Relief flooded the kid’s face. “I don’t want trouble.”
He passed over a business card. “If whoever hired you makes contact again, you tell me. Instantly. Otherwise, I don’t want to see your face.”
Chad nodded vigorously, backing away. “Got it. Totally got it.”
“One more thing.” Fixing him with a hard stare. “If I find out you’ve been less than truthful ...”
The threat hung unfinished in the frigid air. It didn’t need completion.
Chad practically sprinted across the parking lot, slipping once on the fresh snow before disappearing around the corner.
The envelope felt oddly heavy in Deke’s hand. He ripped it open, needing to know what it said before he told Jade.
Last warning, Jade. The next message won’t be on paper.
He turned back toward the church, jaw tight. He wanted to shred the thing and burn the scraps. But Jade deserved to know the latest.
Whoever was behind this had resources. Planning capability. Patience.
And they were getting bolder.
Back in the bookkeeping office, Jade sat hunched over her desk, fingers worrying at the edge of an official-looking letter. Her face paled when he entered, eyes immediately searching his.
“What happened?”
“Kid named Chad Delgado was sniffing around your car.” He dropped into the chair across from her, the note dangling from his fingers. “Apparently he was hired anonymously to leave you another note.”
Her throat worked as she swallowed. “Chad? Sarah’s ex? Did he leave the other ones?”
“He denies that, but we’ve got enough intel to follow up.” No need to feed her fear before they knew what they were dealing with. “Either way, preliminary assessment—Delgado’s just a cash-strapped pawn. No direct threat himself. I had to let him walk. He didn’t do anything illegal. Yet.”
She pointed at the note. Waggled her fingers. “Hand it over.”
