Chapter 104

*SCREECH!*

Parking the car, Kazimir bangs his fist against his landlord's office door and it opens.

"Can I help you?"

"Get me the camera footage from around 10:55 P.M. last night; apartment 3H." the detective says, holding up his badge.

"Sir, you can't just knock on the door with a badge and demand camera footage."

"That's why I have a warrant, too."

Nodding, the woman motions for Kazimir to follow her. The two enter a room and Kazimir sits down in front of a computer.

"This is ridiculous. You're the fifth person to ask for this footage. The police already said-

"Shut the hell up." Kazimir interrupts as he takes out his phone to transfer the footage.

After the security footage had been uploaded to his phone, the young man walks out of the room and runs back over to his car. Around 15 minutes later, he gets out and knocks on the all-too familiar door.

"Nia! It's Kazimir!"

The door opens and Nia sleepily rubs her eyes.

"Kazimir? I thought you were supposed to be in Canada?"

"I was, but someone shot up my apartment."

The young woman's eyes widen as she covers her mouth in disbelief.

"Is everyone else okay?!"

"Yeah, though Miracle fainted. I didn't get a chance to visit her yet."

"Well, I don't think the hospital is allowing visitors right now, anyway. Would you like a cup of tea? Or coffee?"

"No, no; I'm good. Can I use your computer to help blow these screenshots up? I have the footage of the person who shot my apartment up and since the department will most likely not do shit about it, I'm taking matters into my own hands."

"Yes, but you should at least let Captain Uzini know that this is one of your top priorities as of now." Nia replies, leaning against a wall. "I'm sure he'll let you use some of the equipment the department has to dust tracks and whatever else is needed."

"Thanks, but the only equipment I need is this computer and the gun that's in my trunk. I'm not letting this bastard terrorize those two little girls while I'm away."

Zooming into the screenshot and making it as clear as possible, the young man sighs.

"Whoever this is knows how to hide their face, dammit. All I can see is dark hair. Just like the person in the footage from back in Canada."

"And looking at the two figures closely, it does seem to be the same person. Well, bodily-wise at least."

Kazimir sighs and logs off of the young woman's computer before spinning the chair around.

"Thanks again for letting me use your computer, Nia. I'll see you later."

Stopping him from getting up, she shakes her head.

"You're not planning on going back to your apartment, are you? You and the girls will have to stay with me."

"I can't do that-

"I'm not giving you a choice, Kazimir. Not only are you putting the girls lives in danger but this person knows where you live and wants you dead. And he may even know what type of car you drive as well. Now, go and park your car in the garage. We'll find you a new one in the morning."

Chuckling, Kazimir stands up and tries to brush the young woman aside.

"If I go out to my car, I'm not putting it in the garage."

Pushing him back down with her knee, Nia cups his face.

"I told you; you're not going back to that apartment, Kazimir. If I have to burn your car along with your keys, I won't hesitate. Best believe that."

The young man sighs and shrugs.

"Okay, but I still need to get their stuff from out of the apartment."

"And I'll help you with that!" Nia says, squishing his cheeks. "We can start now so that we'll have more time to spend with the girls in the morning."

"I wonder if whoever shot at my apartment is waiting nearby. Kinda like scouting the place out and waiting for me to return."

"Sounds like this person may know you in real life. Think about how many people you may have pissed off."

Kazimir looks up at the starry sky and sighs.

"I mean, I have had a few small arguments here and there, but that's not really an excuse for murder."

"Some people don't know how to let small things like that go, Kazimir." Nia responds, handing Kazimir her car keys.

"Just wish this person would face me instead of being a bitch and hiding in the shadows."

"Then why don't we set up our own stakeout?"

"I'm not going to put your life in danger like that, Nia."

"I like thrills, though."

The young detective turns to his coworker and shrugs.

"If you think you can keep up, then be my guest."

—————

Running into Nia's bedroom, Khristina happily jumps on the bed where Kazimir sat.

"Mr. Kazimir! Can you help me hang up my Princess Tiana poster?!"

"Yeah, I'll be right there. While you're waiting, find some more things you'd like to hang up as well."

Watching as Khristina ran out of the room, Nia smiles down at the young man who scrolled through the laptop.

"I've never seen a little child be so happy around you as much as Khristina."

"Me neither, but as long as I can keep her happy, I'll be happy. What do you think about this house?"

Turning the laptop to Nia, Kazimir takes a bite of his sandwich and looks up at her.

"How far is it from the girls' school?"

"About 20 minutes."

Nia shrugs as Kazimir takes the laptop back.

"It's a nice house, but you seriously need to lay low for awhile. At least wait until after the trip to Dubai."

"Ms. Nia, Pierre's knocking at the door." Miracle says, leaning back and forth against the doorway.

"Thank you for telling me, Miracle."

Jumping off of the bed, Nia goes to answer the front door and not too long after, Kazimir begins to hear footsteps and an annoying voice from further down the hall.

"Well, well, well! Don't you look comfortable? The hell did I miss?"

"Nothing." Kazimir replies, finishing the last of his sandwich.

Pierre chuckles and shakes his head.

"Last time I checked, chilling like this on a fine woman's bed while eating sandwiches isn't nothing. You two got something goin' on? Nah, I'm kidding; she ain't going for you."

"Nia just wants me staying with her in case the person comes back to the apartment. Her bed just feels like a cloud."

"Yeah, okay."

"I wanna thank you for protecting Miracle and Khristina last night." Kazimir says, continuing to scroll through the real estate webpage. "But in a few days, I'll need you to watch them again."

"Going back to Vancouver?"

"Dubai with Alexei and Nia."

Pierre raises a brow.

"Y'all moving weapons over there, too?"

"You could say that. Did you manage to get a glimpse of the guy's face when you went after him?"

"Nope." Pierre replies, opening Kazimir's bag of chips. "All I saw was dark hair and he got away in a black car. Couldn't tell what brand it was."

"Thanks for the new detail."

Sitting up, Kazimir closes the laptop and gets off of the bed.

"Did you see which way he drove off towards?"

"He headed north. Don't know if he lives over there or what."

"Then I guess I'll just collect video footage from every camera located that way. Thanks again for your help."

Pierre follows the younger man out of the room and to Khristina's temporary room.

"I want these three hung up!"

"Damn, do you watch anything else other than princess movies?" Pierre asks, picking up one of the posters.

"No. Mr. Kazimir, guess what?!"

"You found a rare unicorn?"

"Nope! I thought you said unicorns didn't exist." Khristina says, placing a hand on her hip.

"Well, maybe they're hiding-

"That shit doesn't even exist, stop lying to the girl." Pierre interrupts, handing a picture hanging strip to Kazimir.

"Levon transferred to my school! I get to see him for 15 minutes everyday at recess! And you know what he told me?"

"What?"

"He told me that he wants to take me out for dinner and wrote his number in my planner when we were waiting outside for Mr. Pierre to pick us up!"

"You're not going out to dinner with that boy." Kazimir says, chuckling a little.

"Why not?!"

"Because you're not being around anyone who needs to learn some manners. If he feels comfortable treating people older than him disrespectfully, then imagine how much more comfortable he'll feel treating you once you two get older."

"But you said that when we get older, that I could date him!"

"Then forget what I said. The kid is clearly one of those snobby, rich kids who thinks he can treat everyone however he wants just because his parents do. Khristina, that's not a good trait for a potential husband."

"But he doesn't treat me like that!"

"It really goes in one ear and out the other, huh?" Pierre rhetorically asks. "Kazimir is basically saying Levon is a spoiled little boy and you shouldn't be with him 'cause then he'll expect to get his way every time in your future relationship."

"But then I'll say no!" Khristina says, looking up at Kazimir.

"And no means no, but sometimes some people don't understand that and will force something to go their way. I don't care if you get mad at me, you're not going out with that kid."

"You're being a meanie!"

The small girl puts two hands on the ladder and begins to try and shake it.

"Khristina; Miracle, Prince, and I are making macadamia nut cookies." Nia says, tying an apron around her waist. "Would you like to help?"

"I want cookies!"

Pierre watches as the small girl runs off alongside the young woman.

"She's so fine, man. I don't understand why you would wanna leave this woman's house so early?"

"I don't understand why Khristina wants to be around someone as rude as that little bastard."

"Does it bother you that much?" Pierre asks as he hands Kazimir another picture hanging strip.

"Yeah, it does. Khristina doesn't even know if the boy's being that flirty with other girls in his class. I just want what's best for her and I'm telling you right here and now, THAT is not what's best for her."

After hanging up the last poster, Kazimir steps down from the ladder and sits down on a small chair.

"Well maybe it's time for a son. For some reason, females don't like listening until it's too late. Give Khristina to Alexei and adopt a boy her age. Think about it, he can carry on your last name, he'll have enough-

"WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP?!"

Placing his head in his hands, the young man sighs and looks down at the floor.

"Whoever this guy is that's trying to kill me next is really getting on my nerves. I'm just mad at everyone and I don't mean to be, but it's hard."

Hearing his ringtone go off, Kazimir looks down at his phone and sighs.

"I'll be back."

Pierre watches as the younger man walks out of the room before going downstairs. Entering the kitchen, he looks over at his son who was currently placing a ball of cookie dough on the large cookie sheet.

"Looks good."

With his finger, Pierre attempts to scoop up a bit of cookie dough and Khristina quickly moves the bowl away.

"You didn't help so you don't get any!"

"Then what about Kazimir?"

"Kazimir can get some 'cause he helped hang up my posters!"

"But he didn't help with the baking, though."

"But he helped me!" Khristina replies, sticking her tongue out.

"Maybe Pierre can make up for it by putting the last of the cookie dough on the sheet." Nia says.

"And I will!"

Looking down from the staircase, Kazimir stares at the barely visible kitchen as he hung up the phone. It didn't seem fair to him that everyone around him got to live without any worries, but he has no choice but to be on guard for his and Khristina's sake.

Throwing his phone down, he ignores the sound of the crack and grabs his keys from the shelf near the front door.