An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 51: Apologies

AHVI TAKEDA

Six hours. It took us six hours to clean the whole damned living room and the bathroom, the only two rooms we would be occupying during the stakeout. All the while, we also had to keep an eye out of the window, in case there was any significant movement at the base.

So far, there was nothing. No one had gone in or out of the house across from the haunted one. I was tired, splayed on the couch as I tried to get rid of the ache in my limbs.

Hailey had just walked into the living room again after spending a good two hours cleaning the bathroom. She insisted on being the one who cleaned it since she believed my rich snob ass to do it. Now, she was sitting on the floor, grimacing every time she looked down at herself.

"What is up with you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. My voice was lower than I expected it to be. The exhaustion was creeping in and from the way my stomach grumbled, so was the hunger.

"I am wiped." Hailey groaned as she leaned her hands back and shifted her weight on them. "And I feel disgusting." She added.

"You were the one who wanted to clean the place before we settled in as if we aren't on a stakeout and are planning to spend the rest of our lives here." I rolled my eyes at her but even the movement drained me. Lord, I wanted to sleep for a year and a half now.

"I was not sitting on a dirty ass couch." She made a face. "Sheriff did say that we could rest alternatively." She pointed out.

I nodded as I turned to my side, tucking my hands under my chin. "Yes, he did. And therefore, I am going to take a little nap while you are on lookout duty." I smiled as I closed my eyes.

"Hey! I am tired too. Why do you get to take a nap first?" My eyes flew open at her exclamation.

"Because you are the reason we've spent the last six hours cleaning." I stated. "If it was up to me, we wouldn't have been tired and could be on the lookout together."

From the way Hailey's face fell, I knew I had struck a nerve but she didn't say anything. "Alright." Sighing, she hauled herself up from the floor and pulling a small chair to the window, sat down in it. "But be quick. I can't guarantee for how long I can have your back," She said, shooting me a glance over her shoulder.

I narrowed my gaze on her but then decided to not waste time fighting with her. Instead, I closed my eyes once again and got cozy. Or as cozy as one could be on an old couch which had been covered in dust and spiderwebs only a few hours ago.

Sleep came to me hard and fast, like when it did when you were exhausted. I didn't know when I slipped under its spell but soon, the world blurred and lost its edges. I fell into my dreams and I could have sworn my soul heaved a sigh of relief.

>.<

The chips had gone stale. The sun had disappeared from the sky hours ago and I could almost feel its rays peeking over the horizon again. But we still had nothing. No movement at the base. No one had gone in or out of the house. We couldn't even see any movement inside.

I didn't know if Polo had already been informed of my arrival in town and had evacuated the base altogether. But I had a feeling I would know if he found out I was back. He would have reached out. It was the first time in the past five years that I was back.

Hailey and I were bored out of our minds. We didn't have our phones or it would have remotely better. There was nothing to do but stare out of the window all day and talk to each other. We had run out of things to talk about at this point.