The Devil's Sweetheart

A while ago, when Leena withdrew the file from the safe, she spotted a sketch of a picture. An open mouth at the front and a twisted zebra tail to the end. Long back, she remembered Devin telling her about a fun activity in the office. He got a puzzle to solve, and he asked her if she can identify it. ''But why did he keep this in a safe?'' She wondered. When Leena pulled out, beneath it, there were pictures of hers. 

''What the!'' Every part of her went into a pause seeing those pictures. 

''Why did he keep my pictures in a safe?'' Every image seems to be captured secretly. When she was in a shopping arena with her friends or went on a trip with her friends, everything was shot secretly. Who the hell is this stalker?

There were also letters addressed in her name. Each passing second, a sickening thought was engulfing Leena the more she read the letters. A while later, Leena heard the quickening footsteps and looked at the person, demanding an answer. ''What are all these? Why do you have all these creepy things in your locker?''

''Leena...calm down..'' Leena stepped back in fear when Devin took a step forward.

''Don't panic, Sweetheart. I will explain everything.'' Coaxing her, he carefully approached her. Watching all those pictures and reading the letters, Leena was in a state of agitation to perceive the surroundings. When she felt a pair of warm hands embracing her, her ragged breath calmed down, and slowly she welcomed him into her.

Until Leena felt better, Devin patiently held her in his arms, helping her catch her thoughts properly. ''Wait here. I will get some water.'' He whispered.

''No. Don't leave, Devin. Please..'' Leena pleaded. The handwritten letters were too much to handle for her poor heart. Who is this creepy stalker?

''Don't panic. I will stay with you. I will stay with you.'' He whispered, c.a.r.e.s.sing her head gently. No matter how strong she is, she also has a weak point, and all Leena needed was the person she wanted to be with. A little later, when Leena calmed down, Devin carried her to the bedroom. 

Kneeling in front of her, Devin raised her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. ''Don't get scared. I am here for you, always. Nothing can harm you.''

Jerking his hands off, Leena hugged him tightly. ''I know that, idiot. I was scared when I saw the pictures, especially after reading the letters.'' She complained. It was so disgusting to read the letters even. Goosebumps crawled across her body when she read the letters written in blood.

''I know, Sweetheart.'' He muttered. He expected such a reaction from Leena, and the sole reason he didnot show these creepy pictures and letters to Leena. Instead of directly answering her question, Devin started from where it began. He explained when the stalker started sending the pictures and Reese delivering them secretly to Francis without Leena's knowledge.

''Since four years, the person is stalking me without my knowledge?'' Leena shuddered at the feeling. That stupid Reese also backstabbed? She will take care of that snoring tractor tomorrow for hiding such a big truth from her. ''Do you know who it is?''

''First, tell me, do you suspect anyone?'' Devin questioned instead. There is a very chance that Leena will suspect Enger. Even if he tells her that it is Enger, he doubts Leena will believe in him. That man had calculated everything that would happen in the future before he introduced herself to Leena as her friend. He remembered how she supported him, and then it led to their fights.

''Suspect?'' Looking at the pictures on her hand, Leena mocked herself for having such a blood-curdling stalker. She studied in an all-girls school, and there is no chance of having a stalker. Coming to the university, she rarely talks with the boys except for Ethan. No, it can't be. He is not such a kind of person. She has fans across, but how can she suspect one person without any clue. ''I_I am not sure, Devin.''

Without answering Leena's question, he picked the sketch and held it in front of her. ''I lied about this when I told you it's a part of a fun activity in the office. This is one of the packages I received from the stalker.''

When he sensed Leena was listening, he continued. ''This is a wildstyle graffiti sketch the stalker gave to find a clue about him. I didnot know what it was until I cracked the puzzle and 'then came to the conclusion that it's an alphabet.''

''What's the alphabet?'' She snatched the picture from Devin's hands and carefully studied it. Now when she deeply looked through Devin's point of view, the puzzle dawned on her. ''It looks like C..C.. C?'' Leena's eyes widened at the realization. Enger Cassius Lennox. ''Is it...Is it Enger?'' She lifted her head to see Devin's expression, and the calm look on Devin's face confirmed her suspicion. The name wouldn't have hit her brain if not she had caught Enger in the act.

''He is the one. Everything happening in our lives is_''

''Your accident...'' Leena covered her mouth when she connected all the dots. Her eyes were bleeding with pain when she realized Enger's obsession with her.

''Leena.'' He gently called her as he wiped her tears. The guilty look on her face was evident to his eyes. ''Don't ever blame yourself. It's not your mistake. We will solve this together. Your battle is my battle.''

Devin's heartfelt words would coax her if it were some other time. Every nerve in her body aroused like lava. Phsyco! He showed all the kindness and wished Devin's speedy recovery when he was the one behind everything?. ''I will not spare his life today.'' Before Leena got up, Devin hugged her tightly.

''It's not the time, Leena.'' His hands were itching to bring that man's downfall, but he will wait and see what kind of game he has up to his sleeves.

''I know he saved your life, and it's hard to believe he is the one...'' Leena seized his words from further speaking by placing a finger on his lips. She now understood why Devin couldn't handle the sight of Enger. 

''He is not the one who saved my life.'' Leena finally revealed. She wanted to investigate further before sharing with Devin, but Devin gave a bigger surprise today.

''What?'' 

Taking a deep breath, Leena explained everything that happened between Enger and her. She can sense he is trying to hold back the anger. Never she thought, her friend would be her stalker. Speaking of a friend, is he my friend for real?

''I will talk_''

''Eeena..'' A crying voice of a kid broke their thoughts.

When Cutie woke up from sleep and came running to Leena, she went to feed her dinner, breaking the conversation to discuss the matter later in the night.

Devin also made his way to the living room to talk with Nick. ''Nick,'' Devin called him loudly to bring him out of the cartoon world. 

''What?'' He asked, without breaking his eye contact over the TV. Every night, the creature he encountered in Russia would torture him in his nightmares. After the dreadful encounter with the electronic device, he bade goodbye to those horror movies temporarily. 

''Did you find about Winter's information?''

''Her full name is Winter Brown. Her father died six years back. She was working in Leius pharma labs until three years and then resigned from the job due to her health condition. Recently she died when her health condition worsened.'' Nick continued. ''Poor girl. She died at an early age. But why do you want to know about this girl?''

''That's all you got?''

''Yeap.''

Died? Something is wrong here. He remembered Kurt digging on the case of that Pharma company. He texted Kurt's number and asked him to check on a person named Winter brown, who worked in Leius pharma labs.

''I will be back in a while,'' Devin told Nick. ''Take care of Leena.''

''Where are you going?'' He shouted.

Devin left, bored to answer Nick's questions. He straight away drove to a place and knocked on the door. He was welcomed by a shocking look on the man's face as the door opened. 

''Dr. Walter. Close your mouth. Flies might roam in the nights.''

He immediately closed his mouth shut, and opened the door wide open to let him in. ''You booked an appointment. I waited for the whole day in the hospital, yet you didnot come. Suddenly you appeared in front of my house unannounced to joke around? What do you think of me?''

Initially it was Devin's plan to meet him to explain his bizzare amnesia, but Leena wanted to go to an amus.e.m.e.nt park, and he can't say no to his Sweetheart. ''Let's talk about that later, but right now, I need your help.''

''The great Devin wants my help?'' Walter chuckled, amused. ''What is it?''

''I want you to secretly investigate the person who brought Leena to your hospital.'' Right now, he can't trust anyone except Walter. He will see if Enger's name will pop out, or some other man will come out of the shadows.