Chapter Thirty: Men in Black*
Several days later, Marie navigated the narrow aisles of the grocery store, tossing a few essentials into her cart. She'd been too busy the last few weeks to think about restocking her fridge and with the way her and the Eds had fallen into the routine of eating together, she desperately needed to restock. It was a strange sense of comfort in the middle of the chaos, but she knew she had to get back to something resembling normal, at least for a moment.
She glanced at the shelves absentmindedly, grabbing a box of cereal that Ed liked and picking up more oatmeal for Edd, when she felt a presence beside her. Glancing up, she saw a man standing there—tall, dressed in a crisp, dark suit, his eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses. He was completely out of place among the busy suburban shoppers, and Marie's instincts immediately went on high alert. Another man looking like a clone stood at the end of the aisle, keeping other shoppers away.
"Marie Kanker?" His voice was smooth, too smooth, almost rehearsed.
Marie paused, narrowing her eyes as she looked him over. "Who's asking?"
The man smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes—or whatever was behind those glasses. "I'd like to have a word with you. Would you mind stepping outside for a moment?"
"Depends," Marie replied coolly, leaning on her cart. "What do you want to talk about?"
The man's smile faltered, just a bit. "About your involvement with Kevin and the investigation you're conducting."
Her pulse quickened at the mention of Kevin, but she kept her expression neutral. "If you want to talk, we're staying right here. In public. I'm not going anywhere with you."
The man didn't argue. He seemed to weigh his options for a second before nodding. "Fair enough."
Marie crossed her arms, waiting for him to speak. The aisle was unnaturally quiet, though the normal sounds of the grocery store could be heard just on the other side of the shelves.
"What exactly is your relationship with Kevin?" the man asked, his tone casual but probing.
Marie smirked. "Why do you want to know?"
The man didn't flinch, his expression still cool and unreadable. "It's just a matter of interest. You've been seen with him recently, and there are questions about where your loyalties lie."
"Loyalties?" she echoed, her smirk fading. "I don't know who you are, and why you're interested in my love life, but my loyalties are in finding the truth."
"I'm merely asking," the man said, his voice tight. "What's your involvement in the investigation? What have you uncovered so far?"
Marie raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell me why you're really asking?"
The man's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's not important. But what is important is that you're dealing with something far more complex than you realize. I'd suggest you tread carefully."
There it was. A veiled threat. Marie's mind raced, but she kept her cool. "I've been walking on thin ice for a while now. You'll have to be more specific."
The man didn't answer. He glanced over his shoulder, checking his watch before abruptly ending the conversation. "That'll be all for now."
He turned on his heel and strode toward the exit without another word, his clone falling into step beside him.
Marie watched them leave, her stomach twisting with unease. This wasn't some random encounter—whoever these guys were, they were clearly working for someone higher up the chain than Kevin. As they pushed through the automatic doors, she dropped her cart and followed, keeping a few paces behind, just close enough to catch sight of their car.
A sleek, black sedan. Unmarked. The kind that screamed "official business" but wasn't clearly identifiable. Marie squinted, mentally cataloging every detail she could as they got in and started the engine. She quickly grabbed her phone, snapping a picture of the license plate just before they drove off.
Marie stood there in the parking lot for a moment, heart racing as she watched the car disappear down the road. Something about the whole interaction felt wrong—this wasn't just someone checking in on Kevin's little social life. This was bigger, and it made her feel like a piece on a chessboard she hadn't fully seen yet.
She shook off the feeling, reminding herself of the plan. Taking a deep breath, she turned back into the store, finishing her shopping like nothing had happened. She didn't want to tip anyone off that she was rattled.
As she loaded her groceries into the trunk of her car, she pulled out her phone again and dialed Officer Green.
"Hey," Green's voice came through the speaker, sounding as tired as she felt. "What's up?"
"I need a favor," Marie said, glancing around the parking lot just to make sure she wasn't being watched. "Can you run a plate for me? I think I just had a run-in with someone who's got eyes on our case."
Green didn't ask questions, his tone shifting to something more serious. "You get the number?"
Marie read off the plate number, committing it to memory in case she needed it again. "Whoever this guy is, he's connected. He knew about Kevin, about the case, and he wasn't alone, either. This could be our lead on the masked men."
"I'll look into it," Green promised. "But be careful, Marie. If this guy is who you think he is, you might be stirring up more trouble than we're ready for."
"I'll be careful," she said, though the adrenaline still buzzed through her veins. "Just let me know what you find."
She hung up, sliding her phone back into her pocket. The men in the suits had made it clear: she wasn't just dealing with Kevin anymore. There were more players in the game, and she needed to figure out who they were before it was too late.
