The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 294
Leilani set down her phone, her expression unreadable. The clock hands slowly turned to 3:00 AM.
Leilani sat at her desk, fingers tapping on the keyboard, tracking the latest leads on the baseball cap man through the forum comments.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knocking at the door. Her movements paused, her eyes instantly sharpening.
At this hour? Who would come looking for her? Could it be that the attacker hadn’t given up?
Leilani moved silently to the door and checked the monitor.
On the screen, Callahan was clearly visible. He was in a sharp suit, though his tie was loosened. Exhaustion was evident on his brow, but his eyes remained as sharp as a hawk’s.
Leilani paused, surprised that Callahan was back so soon. Regaining her composure, she immediately opened the door.
“How are you back so quickly?”
As she spoke, Callahan’s gaze landed on her, his pupils constricting abruptly. Both of Leilani’s arms were wrapped in gauze, with visible scrapes stained purple with antiseptic scattered across her skin. Her face looked paler than usual.
Callahan had never seen her like this since the day they met. His eyes swept over her injuries, his voice low, filled with suppressed anger and distress. “This is what you call a ‘small injury’? You’re hurt like this, and you still lied to me? If it weren’t for Judie, did you plan on hiding this from me forever? What exactly happened?”
Leilani stepped aside helplessly to let him in. “Didn’t Judie tell you everything?”
Callahan walked inside, closed the door behind him, and locked his gaze on her. “I want to hear you say it.”
Leilani sighed and had to repeat the sequence of events. From the attack downtown to Mrs. Sherwood’s accusations, and finally the dark web bounty.
By the time she finished, Callahan’s eyes were terrifyingly dark. “So you suspect Tamara?”
Leilani nodded. “I don’t have direct evidence, but she’s the most likely suspect.”
Callahan fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, he reached out, his fingers lightly brushing the gauze on her arm. His voice was husky. “Does it hurt?”
Leilani blinked, then shook her head. “It really is just a minor injury. It looks scary, but it doesn’t actually hurt.”
She wasn’t just comforting him; compared to the injuries she had sustained during her four years in prison, these were nothing.
Callahan’s gaze deepened. “Leilani.”
“Hm?”
17:48
“Next time, tell me when something happens. Don’t carry it alone. It breaks my heart to see you like
this.”
His voice was soft. But it carried the weight of a solemn vow.
Leilani looked up at him, their eyes meeting. She realized that this time, she had truly scared him.
She smiled faintly. “I know. I’ll do better in the future.”
Although she wasn’t used to asking for help, but… she would try.
Callahan didn’t reply. Instead, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
A simple kiss, yet it made Leilani’s heart tremble. She turned her face away, her ears growing warm.
Callahan chuckled softly and rubbed the top of her head. “Go get some rest. It’s late. Leave the rest to
me.”
Leilani paused. “What are you going to do?”
Callahan’s eyes turned icy. “Someone hurt you. They need to pay the price. Don’t worry. I’ll get justice for you.”
פטופ
17:48
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