Chapter 28
Raymond stood tense, his back stiff as he listened to the woman’s voice from behind the curtain. "Has he gone?" she asked, her face hidden, separated from him by just the thin fabric.
"Yes, ma’am, he’s been released," Raymond, a young man in his early twenties, replied, his voice soft and filled with respect.
"Good. Did you get the footage? And is there anything of importance in it?" she asked, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the sofa beside her.
"It’s right here with me, ma’am. I watched it, but there’s nothing in the clip that stands out," he answered quickly.
"Alright, you may go," she dismissed him with a flick of her hand.
Raymond wasted no time, stepping out of the room. As he exited, he spotted Julie, his childhood friend, standing nearby, smiling and waving at him. "Hey, Raymond!"
"Shh!" Raymond hissed, raising a hand to his lips, his eyes darting around nervously. Julie understood immediately and went quiet, stepping closer.
He grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a nearby corner where no one could see them. "Julie, when are you going to start listening to me?" he whispered urgently, glancing around as if expecting someone to appear at any moment.
Julie kept silent, knowing exactly what he was upset about. Her head lowered, she looked sad, still adjusting to their new life.
"I’ve told you a hundred times, you can’t act like we’re friends, even though we are!" Raymond’s frustration leaked into his voice. "The boss can never know, or we’re dead. Is that what you want?"
"No! I don’t want that!" Julie’s voice trembled with both frustration and sadness. "But it’s hard, Raymond. We’ve known each other since we were six. How can I pretend we’re strangers after everything?"