Page 52 of Unraveling an Enigma
The stranger’s groan sounds through my ears when I escape through the barn-style wooden door. The brisk coolness of the night gives calming relief to my overheated flushed cheeks. My panicked eyes dart up and down the deserted street, trying to find a secure location to hide.
Out of the blue, I’m grabbed from behind by a vast and well-defined arm. Their rigid hold of my torso is so powerful, my feet lift from the ground and my satchel drops onto the concrete path. My frightened screams are muffled by a hand covering my mouth. My legs kick out wildly so the heels on my boots connect with the shins of my assailant, and I dig my French-tipped nails into his exposed arms.
My furious battle only simmers when the deep voice of Hugo whispers into my ear. “It’s me, Izzy; it’s okay. Don’t scream.”
My lungs hunt for air when Hugo removes his hand from my mouth. I stiffen when my eyes lock in on the bearded stranger briskly pacing toward us. He has a trail of blood dribbling from his right nostril from where I struck him. Sensing my panicked expression, Hugo pivots around while discreetly removing his gun from the back of his jeans.
The worry straining Hugo’s face slackens the instant he spots the bearded stranger. He returns his gun to the waist of his jeans before greeting the gentleman with a nod of his head and a quick pat on his back.
“What happened to your nose, Hunter?” Hugo questions with a slight chuckle.
Hunter’s heavily shadowed eyes shift to glare at me. Even though his gaze is angry, his dark eyes still have a sparkle of amusement in them. “I had the pleasure of meeting Isabelle without a formal introduction.”
Cringing with embarrassment, I mumble, “Sorry.”
Hugo muffles a hearty chuckle with an impromptu cough. Hunter leans over and snatches my satchel off the concrete sidewalk.
“Hey!” My loud voice echoes in the eerily silent night.
Hunter’s eyes snap to mine. His vehement gaze cuts right through me, rendering me speechless. Without seeking permission, he digs his tattoo-covered hand into my satchel and pulls out my phone. My breath snags in my throat when he throws my sleek black iPhone onto the ground with so much force, it shatters on impact. In anger, I step toward him, ready to unleash an unsympathetic attack on his nose. Hugo seizes the crook of my elbow, halting my angry strides.
My furious eyes watch every meager movement Hunter makes. He bends down to gather portions of my now ruined phone off the ground. My brows furrow when he lifts a small, flat square device into the streetlight to properly inspect it. After a vigorous assessment, he strides over and drops it into a half empty glass of beer discarded on a table outside the pub.
“How did you know she had a listening device in her phone?” Hugo asks, his head inclined at Hunter.
“The scanner in my pocket was picking up a signal,” Hunter replies.So, that’s why he is obsessed with checking his phone.
“That looks like the one I removed from Izzy’s phone yesterday morning,” Hugo says, his gaze planted on Hunter.
My eyes snap to Hugo. “You what?”
Hugo turns to look at me while coughing to clear his throat. “You had a bug in your cell phone. I don’t know how long it has been there, but we believe it may have been the way the FBI found out about Isaac’s private residence.”
I lick my parched lips. “We?”
A puff of air escapes Hugo’s nose. “Yes, we. Isaac was the one who suggested I scan your apartment for bugs, but Blondie didn’t distract you long enough for me to do a thorough search.”
My heart rate quickens.Does that mean Isaac believes I didn’t divulge any of his private life to the FBI? I wonder why his opinion on the matter altered so quickly?
Hunter digs his fingers into the glass of beer to remove the bug. He places it into a plastic bag he pulls out of his jean pocket. Once he has the device secured in the top pocket of his plaid shirt, he moves to stand in front of me. “Who’s been in your apartment since yesterday morning?” he questions, his tone firm but jam-packed with concern.
My brain is too blurred with the fact Isaac may finally believe I didn’t deceive him to formulate an appropriate response.
“Only one person,” Hugo’s tone is low and dangerous. “Blondie,” he murmurs under his breath before he strides down the street. His lengthened steps are quick and precise.
Oh, shit!After snatching my satchel out of Hunter’s grasp, I take off after Hugo.
“Hugo, wait,” I request, my voice riddled with panic.
Because Hugo’s strides are so long and efficient, I have to sprint to catch up with him. Hugo ignores my request and continues at a rapid pace. My eyes dart back to Hunter, seeking his assistance. He is following with a broad smirk etched on his face but doesn’t offer any support.
A panicked gasp escapes my lips when Hugo suddenly draws his gun from the back of his jeans and kicks open Brandon’s hotel room door. He raises his weapon in front of his body and points the barrel at Brandon, who is sitting on the hideous green floral bedspread talking on his cell phone. Brandon swallows bleakly when he notices the fury clouded in Hugo’s eyes.
“I-I-I’ll call you back,” Brandon stammers into the phone before disconnecting the call.
I barge past Hugo’s stern shoulder to place myself between him and Brandon. When I step into the direct line of fire, Hugo adjusts the position of his gun so it no longer faces me, but it could still inflict harm to Brandon.
“Hugo, I trust Brandon; he wouldn’t do this,” I state, staring into his barren eyes. “He is my friend. He has been helping me.”
