The Devil's Sweetheart

Leena thought of visiting her mom in the afternoon or after office hours since she has to complete three days of pending work. Although her headache subdued, it suddenly comes back and hits her as if a thousand volts of electricity ran into her body to burn her when she begins to work. Anger, frustration, worry, all negative emotions took a toll on her heart and body, trying to rob her into darkness. 

Leena texted Nick, and she received a reply that he went to bring ice cream for Merl. \'\'Lovesick fool.\'\' In her anger, she threw the file on the desk and trudged out of the room. 

\'\'Are you busy, Reese?\'\' Leena coldly asked, going into Reese\'s office room.

\'\'Very busy.\'\' Reese put down the file and looked up. \'\'What\'s up?\'\'

\'\'Let\'s go and visit my mom.\'\' She dragged her friend out, though Reese complained about her hectic work. Nick was busy courting Merl, and he is not available at the moment to drive her. She knew with the headache, and anger; if she drives the car, it will do no good for the city. So, she pulled Reese.

As they both were leaving, Merl called Leena coming out of the office room. Leena could sense the urgency in both her voice and her steps.

\'\'A_re you going somewhere, Leena?\'\'

\'\'Yes..and you don\'t look quite well..Any issue?\'\' 

\'\'Nothing..\'\' Merl rubbed her palms to clear off her sweaty hands. \'\'If you don\'t mind, can I join you? I don\'t have class until the afternoon.\'\'

Leena hesitated. She wanted to take Merl, but she is going to meet her mom for a checkup. Obviously, she doesn\'t want to take a stranger. \'\'It\'s little personal.\'\'

\'\'Oh! I am sorry. Please carry on.\'\' She rendered a smile and went back, her fists clenched.

Leena felt Merl\'s behavior was a little strange today, but she is in no state to consider anyone\'s feelings when she has lots on the plate. Reese and Leena went to the hospital, and when Heather started asking questions, Leena has no choice left except to explain the food poisoning incident. 

\'\'Food poisoning?\'\' Heather screamed. \'\'You didnot plan to tell me? Not even your Francy?\'\' Heather sobbed; tears filled her eyes. 

\'\'Sorry, Ma..\'\' Leena felt more guilty now. She tightly hugged her mom and explained patiently \'\'I didnot want you to panic. Please don\'t get mad at me.\'\'

\'\'Only if you promise me you will not repeat this.\'\'

\'\'Yes, my dear sweet Mommy.\'\' She beamed. Heather asked further questions, and later she made Leena undergo a CT scan of her head. To further avoid any complications, Heather suggested a body checkup as well. \'\'The CT scan reports will come by tomorrow. As for body checkup, come back tomorrow. Do not eat or drink 8 to hours before the checkup.

\'\'Roger that, Mom!\'\' 

\'\'Take care of yourself, baby. Don\'t fall sick.\'\' Heather hugged, to which Leena happily nodded her head.

\'\'Aren\'t you telling Devin?\'\' Reese asked as they were heading to the office. 

\'\'No, Reese. He has lots on his plate already. There is e_\'\' Leena stopped, controlling her mouth. Reese doesn\'t know that Enger is her stalker. She doesn\'t want to talk about that psychopath and ruin her already bad mood.

They reached the office. Merl didnot come to bother Leena. Surprisingly the pills prescribed by her mom worked on Leena, freeing her from her headache.

Meanwhile, Nick received a call from one of the trusted forms about Morvena\'s father\'s whereabouts. He made an immediate call to Devin to deliver the message. \'\'Morvena\'s father is in Mexico. Two days back, she visited him as well.\'\'

\'\'Are you sure?\'\'

\'\'Pretty sure,\'\' Nick said. \'\'He is living in a small house, alone, away from the city. I have also received a recent picture of him sneaking into a convenience store. \'\'

\'\'Let\'s leave before dawn then. Let our trip be confidential.\'\' Replied Devin over the call. Her dad must be knowing about the person who gave her the contract. 

\'\'Are you sure he will know the truth?\'\'\' Nick asked.

\'\'Then we have no choice. We will use him as bait and let her daughter chose between him and the contractor.\'\' Replied Devin before ending the call.

...

The following day, the light of dawn seeped into the room. All the more, Leena stirred from sleep hearing the light footsteps. Dazed, she opened her eyes and watched Devin adjusting the cufflinks. \'\'It\'s Saturday. Where are you going this early?\'\'

\'\'Did I wake you up?\'\' He softly asked, approached Leena. \'\'I am going to Mexico. I will explain when I come back.\'\'

\'\'Hmmm...stay safe.\'\' Leena groggily said. \'\'Call me when you reach there.\'\'

\'\'I will..\'\' He whispered and kissed her forehead lovingly. \'\'Go back to sleep now.\'\'

Devin watched Leena going back to sleep with a smile on her face. Looking at her for one last time, he made his way out.

When Devin and Nick landed in Mexico, the roads shimmered in the sun, and the city was bustling with the crowd. 

\'\'I read Jalapenos are native to Mexico.\'\' Nick suddenly said.

\'\'So, you think Aunt Jalapeno chose the nosey peppers as her nickname?\'\' Devin countered.

\'\'Exactly.\'\' Nick grinned, texting his love, Merl, that he safely reached Mexico.

The car reached the location and slowed down from a hundred meter\'s distance as the public and cops gathered. 

\'\'What\'s going on here?\'\' Nick muttered, peeking out of the window,

Devin ordered the driver to park the car. He was ready to get down when Nick said. \'\'Don\'t..You will be exposed. I will go and see.\'\'

Nick got down, and a few minutes later, Nick arrived back, his face contoured with no expression.

\'\'What happened?\'\' Devin questioned.

Wordlessly, Nick passed his mobile for Devin to read the news.

Devin read it aloud; his mind blew open. [Enzo Brown, the Ex-Military officer who has been escaping from the police clutches for seven years, was found dead in his house.]

[Enzo Brown, the prime suspect of his wife, Scientist Ekaterina\'s disappearance, died of a fire accident early in the morning]

For seven years, the man lived in exile and died the day he planned to meet him?