Another late update! Too much going on right now, but I'll try to update faster :) Hope you enjoy the chapter!
"Where is he?" Nick fiercely walked into Spencer's room, only to find it empty. "...What the hell? Where's Spencer?"
"That doesn't make him look too good..." Russell hurried outside to ask a doctor. He explained that Spencer checked himself out of the hospital half an hour ago. He could barely walk and the doctors tried everything to keep him from doing this, but he didn't let them persuade him.
"God dammit!" Nick yelled as he punched a wall. "He did this!"
Russell could barely keep up with Nick as they were hurrying to the car.
"We've suspected him of being a dirty cop before and he turned out to be innocent, Nick. Don't forget that," Russell tried to calm Nick down. He was the one driving, and he was going really fast. The sirens were blaring and the blue light was on, but still, Nick was going a little too fast for Russell's taste.
When they arrived at Spencer's place, Nick kicked the door in.
"Jesus!" Spencer exclaimed, jumping off his couch. "What the hell, man?"
"...You're home?" Russell said a little surprised.
"Where is he?" Nick stormed towards Spencer, grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him against a wall.
Spencer released a painful scream. He had just been operated on his shoulder, after all.
"Easy, Nick!" Russell pulled him away from the officer.
Spencer got on the ground, growling in pain. "What the hell is your problem, man? What are you doing here?"
"We know! Stop the act, we know you're working for Novak!" Nick couldn't keep his voice down.
"I... What? Are you insane? Why would you think that?"
"We know you attended police academy together with the prison guard that worked for Novak and you checked yourself out of the hospital against your doctor's orders!"
"...So?" Spencer rubbed his wounded shoulder. "I hate hospitals. Besides, I couldn't stay there useless while Greg was missing."
Russell helped Spencer get up and sit down on the couch. "What about Albert Corbett, the prison guard who worked for Novak? You know him, right?"
"Well... Yeah, we met at the academy... We kept in touch over the years and... I visited him a few times in prison when he was arrested for... you know." Spencer looked angrily at Nick. "But had you done your homework you'd know he only worked with Novak because he was in debt and needed some money."
"So what?" Nick asked annoyed.
"Well you can check out my finances, I don't need any money, you jerk! Besides, Al was a good guy that made a few very bad choices in his life."
"You're kidding, right? A good guy would never work for a lunatic like Novak, no matter what situation he's in. He's a horrible person."
"Was. He died a few weeks ago... Brain aneurysm."
"You want me to feel bad for him now?" Nick was very confrontational right now. He wasn't so sure about Spencer playing any part in this, but he couldn't help change his attitude towards him.
"I don't care if you think he deserved to die in prison or not, Nick. I'm just stating a fact. You can't go talk to him. He's dead and I don't want to believe he was a bad person. Besides, don't forget he wasn't the only guard helping Novak. What about the other guy?"
Just now, both Russell and Nick remembered. Corbett was the guard inside, helping Novak overpower Greg. But there was another one keeping watch outside of the visiting room.
"Don't look at me like that, I don't know him and never did."
Nick looked Spencer up and down. "I'm gonna search your apartment."
"...For what?"
"For anything that could link you to Novak."
"I told you already, I don't work for him! You're only wasting your time!"
After a while, Greg managed to reach the cell phone. He kicked it near to his hands to pick it up. He pressed the button to turn it on, praying to god that it still had some battery left. His heart beated like crazy. Mere seconds could decide his fate. But of course, this old, dusty cell phone he had in his hands didn't turn on. Desperation was taking over again. He found a phone he couldn't use. He shook his head over the irony when the door opened once again. His heart started racing. But again it wasn't Neil Novak, it was the texan. "Hey, how're ya holdin' up?"
Greg sighed. "Please let me go."
The man looked a bit confused. "What were you doing? Why did you scoot the table over to the couch? You're not comfortable on the ground, heh?"
"I'm losing my mind in here! Please, just untie me and let me go..."
"No can do, my dear. Sorry."
"Then.. then answer my questions... I need to know why and how this is happening."
The texan thought about this for a moment. "Alright. Shoot."
"Did you murder Matthew Willis?"
The man looked at Greg rather questioning, as if he's never heard the name before.
"Matthew Willis. His body was found with a note that said 'You're welcome, Greg'. Did you do this?"
"Ah, now I know what you're talking about. Sure, I did it."
"Why?" Greg's voice cracked as he said that. Willis was a dangerous man, but he didn't deserve to be killed.
" 'Cause I was asked to. He was becoming a threat for Neil's plan and he wouldn't let anyone destroy his plan."
"A threat...? How?"
The texan sighed. "Well, we were pretty sure he might be going after you and hurt you. Either ruin your pretty face or even kill you. Neil wouldn't let either happen."
"That's insane! There was no sign. Willis wanted to leave me alone."
"Then why did he keep following you?"
"...He did?"
The texan nodded. He was straight out lying. Willis had no intention of harrassing Greg anymore.
Greg looked thoughtful for a moment. He thought it was ironic that this man was probably the reason he was still alive. At least that's what he thought. "Okay... Then tell me, how did you get in my apartment?"
"Remember when I said you're too trustful?"
Greg nodded. "...Who was it?"
"Everyone, when you have enough money, I guess." The texan laughed. He looked at his watch a bit nervously. "What else you wanna know?"
"Give me the name. Who gave you access to my home?"
"That would be taking the fun out of it, wouldn't it?"
"...Just tell me!" Greg said angrily. His desperation started to change into frustration and anger. He couldn't think of anyone else who had a key to his apartment except for Nick, and he just couldn't believe that he would have something to do with it. It had to be someone else.
Just now, the texan noticed Greg's wrists. From pulling the table around they were quite sore and even bleeding. "That gotta hurt, man."
"Yeah but that's the least of my problems... Just leave me alone."
"What, come on! You wanted some company."
Greg sobbed. "I don't. Leave."
The texan hesitated for a moment. Then, he walked out. "Alright, try to find something else to do."