Chapter 34

Chapter 34 of We Solve Murders opens with Eddie Flood stepping off the plane into the humid, sweltering air of South Carolina, the weight of his mission already pressing heavily on his chest. His mission is simple yet deadly: he has been hired for thirty thousand pounds to eliminate a woman, but Eddie knows there is more lurking beneath the surface. While Rob Kenna, his associate, is aware of the deal, Eddie keeps the full extent of the job to himself, knowing that secrets are essential for survival in their line of work. His suitcase is carefully packed with an assortment of disguises—tourist clothes for blending in, business attire for professionalism, and military fatigues for a more aggressive approach, if necessary. Along with these, his laptop, loaded with information on bullet wounds and their aftermath, serves as both a tool for research and a grim reminder of what lies ahead.

Inside the airport terminal, Eddie moves swiftly, his eyes scanning the environment, alert for anything that seems out of place. Two customs officers stand at their posts—one is a wiry white man with a neatly trimmed mustache, and the other is a tall, robust black man named Carlos Moss, who stands with a confident air, clearly accustomed to authority. Eddie, smooth and confident as always, approaches the pair, handing over his passport and engaging in light conversation. He casually mentions that he is a fan of the local author Rosie D’Antonio, hoping to slip in some casual questions about her life in the area. However, beneath the pleasantries, Eddie is quietly probing Carlos for any useful information about Rosie, trying to gauge if she’s a potential lead or simply another distraction. Carlos, however, is more guarded than Eddie anticipated, offering only polite responses and refusing to be swayed by Eddie’s charm.

Despite Eddie’s attempts to bond over shared interests, Carlos remains unaffected. He informs Eddie that, due to routine protocol, a random security check is necessary. To Eddie, this feels like both an inconvenience and an opportunity. He knows that Carlos could prove useful if persuaded, so he decides to take the risk of offering money in exchange for information. The customs officer leads Eddie to a side room, which resembles an interrogation room more than a security checkpoint. The sterile, cold environment immediately puts Eddie on edge as he begins calculating his next move. As Carlos locks the door behind him and steps out, Eddie is left alone with his thoughts. He considers his next steps carefully, knowing that this could be a pivotal moment in his mission. Reaching into his pocket, Eddie pulls out a roll of cash, estimating that offering three hundred dollars to Carlos might be enough to coax him into sharing some useful details. If not, Eddie is prepared to up the ante—after all, he’s been in tight spots before and has learned the art of negotiating under pressure.

As the minutes tick by, Eddie’s mind races with the implications of his situation. The mission to kill the woman is becoming more complicated, and the unknown details surrounding her are starting to weigh on him. What was initially a straightforward assignment is now tangled in layers of mystery, and Eddie can’t afford to make any missteps. He pulls out his laptop again, scanning through research he compiled during the flight. The information on the blood samples, the mysterious figures involved, and the potential connections to bigger players start to intertwine, creating a more dangerous web than Eddie anticipated. His heart races as he contemplates the stakes, realizing that this mission could end up being far more perilous than originally thought. When Carlos finally returns to the room, Eddie knows the next few minutes will determine the outcome of his mission and whether he’ll walk away with the information he needs. Every word, every gesture, will have to be calculated perfectly—Eddie isn’t just trying to make a deal; he’s positioning himself to survive.