Chapter 1 — Between Guns and Glances

Chapter 1 — Between Guns and Glances

Jenna's POV

The sharp wind rattled leaves across the empty parking lot as I stepped out, shutting off the clinic lights after a long, hectic day. I adjusted my purse strap, clutching my keys, and moved quickly toward the car, eyes sweeping the deserted space.

A sudden buzz from my phone made me flinch. I unzipped my purse and glanced at the screen. Dad’s name glinted back, not his usual time. I frowned, wondering why he was calling now. He called every night at ten to check on me. This felt different.

I answered and slid into the driver’s seat, tossing my bag onto the dash before starting the engine, when his voice came through. “Jenna, don’t go back to your apartment tonight. Come home.” 

The tone carried an edge, a hidden tension beneath the words. I gripped the steering wheel. “Dad… is everything okay?”

“I just can’t explain over the phone. Just come home tonight,” he said. The weight of his words pressed down on me.

“What’s going on, Dad? You’re scaring me…” He cut me off mid-sentence.

“Nothing to worry for now, Jenna. Just come home.”

The line went dead before I could say another word. No hello, no small talk, just a command. What was he hiding from me? I let the phone slip onto the passenger seat, jaw tight.

Streetlights glimmered on the wet pavement as I drove toward the main road, shadows twisting along curbs and branches swaying in the wind. Movement caught my eye: three men in black walking down a side street, scanning the parked cars with purpose. 

Headlights flared near the park. One man stepped into the road, hand raised. My foot hovered over the pedal as a glint of metal froze me, a gun.

I braked, tires whispering over the soaked asphalt. The man tapped the window with the barrel, the sharp sound cutting through the drizzle. I lowered the glass inch by inch, following his gesture.

He bent down, rain plastering his hood to his face, eyes cutting over me. “You’re Jenna Blake. From Dr. Patel’s clinic?”

I froze, then nodded, too scared to speak.

“We need you to step out. This won’t take long.”

“Why? What did I do?” I swallowed hard.

“Yesterday, you treated a woman who’s now missing. Traffic surveillance shows your face and your car. You were her last medical contact. That makes you… important.”

I pressed my palm flat against the wheel, trying to steady my racing thoughts. “I was just doing my job.”

He gave a single nod. “Step out of the car.”

I hesitated, but there was no choice. I guided the vehicle to the curb. The door swung open, and the rain lashed my face, soaking my clothes. I crossed my arms over my chest, clutching my phone, legs trembling as I ran toward the shelter.

The man stepped aside, flashlight loose in one hand, gun low in the other, shadow stretching across the road. He motioned behind him, and another figure approached, tablet in hand, screen flaring to life.

“Do you remember her? Her name?” the first man asked, angling the tablet toward me. The woman’s photo filled the screen. I strained to recall, but nothing came.

“I treat many patients every day,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t remember every face.”

“She was twenty-eight. Fever, tremors, cardiac irregularities. She must have told you.”

“That’s confidential,” I said, fumbling for words while keeping my legs steady.

He ignored me. “You will come with us.”

“Excuse me? I did nothing wrong! I have no connection to this! Please, let me go!”

I didn’t let my voice waver. Not here, not when I had backup for every patient, but this wasn’t the place to challenge them.

He took two slow steps closer, eyes cold. “She wasn’t just any patient. She’s our boss’s wife. The underworld doesn’t forgive mistakes. Because you treated her, you’re involved now.” His eyes swept the street. “You will answer questions in front of Boss Rossi.” He gestured toward the vehicle. “Follow us.”

Tears blurred my vision as I drew a shaky breath. This wasn’t why I had chosen cardiology. I had chosen it to save lives, not to be dragged into someone else’s mess.

I silently followed them halfway when a sleek vehicle appeared from the opposite lane, tinted window rolling down.

A gunshot cracked sharply through the air, freezing everyone. One man dropped, clutching his shoulder.

The others scrambled, panic flashing in their eyes. Another shot rang out, and the second man fell beside him.

A scream tore from my throat as chaos erupted. Blood spattered the wet asphalt. Without thinking, I bolted down a dark side street branching off the main road, rain splashing around my feet. The narrow lane led into an area of sprawling mansions, their high walls and gated driveways casting long shadows.

The path was quiet except for the patter of rain and my rapid breaths. The estates felt watchful, almost alive, but their authority made this place feel safer than the chaos I’d fled.

I didn’t notice the voice until it hit my ear, and I snapped around. A man stepped onto the porch of one of the mansions, sharply dressed in a tailored suit, scrolling through his phone.

“Hey! What are you doing out here at this hour? You look like you’ve been running,” he said, calm but firm.

“I… I had to get away,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Something happened back there… I just needed to leave.”

He nodded, stepping closer but keeping his distance. His almond-black eyes narrowed as he quickly peered behind my shoulder. “You’re alone, right? It’s okay. You can catch your breath here. It’s safe inside the gates. I can call someone to help if you need it.”

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, my phone buzzed sharply. An unknown number flashed on the screen. I paused, heart hammering. What if it was someone dangerous? Thoughts scrambled through my mind, but I forced myself to stay calm. The buzzing stopped. Instead, a message glinted on the screen:

“Get in your car. Leave this place. NOW.”

I went still, trying to process it. I looked at the man, who was watching me patiently.

“T..thank you,” I managed. “I need to leave.”

I turned, still aware of his gaze. The road was empty, with no trace of the men who had been shot, even though they could barely walk moments earlier. Their sudden disappearance twisted something deep in me.

The sleek vehicle ahead stayed still, engine idling as if it had been waiting. The stillness sent a chill through me.

I hurried back to my car when a voice called me again from behind. I spun around and saw the man from the mansion walking toward me, umbrella in hand to shield himself from the fading rain. My eyes met his, calm yet sharp.

“You work, don’t you?” His gaze held mine longer than necessary.

I gulped. “Yes… I’m a doctor. At Dr. Patel’s clinic.” I stopped, aware that saying more could only make things worse.

He stepped closer, eyes never leaving mine, adjusting the umbrella to cover us both. Slowly, he drew a small black card from his coat and held it out. “Take this,” his voice low, almost a whisper. “It’ll help if trouble finds you again.”

I brushed my fingers over the card, feeling the weight of whatever secrets it carried. His eyes lingered on mine a heartbeat longer before he stepped back, letting me process it on my own.

I glanced at the sleek vehicle, making sure it hadn’t seen the exchange. My hands still shook as I slid into the car and started the engine. I eased onto the main road. The vehicle lingered for a moment,

then rolled forward and vanished into the distance.

Somehow, I knew I hadn’t escaped. I’d been allowed to leave.