Chapter Four

Suddenly Noah bursts out of the room he had been sleeping in.

Noah: What did you just say?!

Liam: Go back to your room, reporter boy. This doesn't concern you.

Ryan: Actually, it does. Apparently, this reporter was the boyfriend.

Liam's head snaps up.

Liam: What?! You mean you were the boyfriend? I knew she had one, but I hadn't figured out the guys identity yet. I was too focused on James over here. Alright, reporter boy, where's your alibi?

Noah: Whoa, woah, relax! I was already interrogated by another cop before I got involved with you, okay? Check the reports. I have a solid alibi. I was working overtime that day. But what I'm really shocked about is that news... It can't be true. There's no way Mia was pregnant.

Liam: How can you be so sure? I mean if you don't use protection...

He shrugs casually. Ryan coughs.

Noah: No! That's not what I mean! What I mean is, Mia and I... Well, we never, um... She said she wanted to wait until we were married.

Noah's face turns slightly red as he looks away.

Liam: Are you serious?!

James: ?!

Noah: So it can't be true. But Mia... Is that what you were hiding?

He looks off into the distance.

Ryan: So the father is unknown...

Liam: An affair? Now where getting somewhere.

He cracks his knuckles and delves into the files.

Liam: Looks like we have another motive for the suspect.

He looks at me.

Liam: And this time, I'm sure you couldn't have been responsible for that.

James: Uh, not likely...

Noah: No, I can't beleive this! I know she was acting strange lately, but I can't beleive she was actually cheating on me! When I find him, I swear I'll kill him!

He storms toward the door.

James: Wait, Noah! Where are you going?!

Noah: I'll go to her house myself! I'll look through her phone, pictures, whatever it takes! I swear, I'll found out who the dirty cheat is and make him pay!

I run to the door to stop him, but Liam interrupts.

Liam: Actually, that's a great idea. You can investigate for me. That'll give us more time for other things.

James: What? What kind of detective are you?! You can't let him go by himself!

Liam: You're right. You go with him.

James: What?! Me?! But I'm the one who's wanted! Do you know what they'll do to me if they find me at the victims house? That's like asking for a sentence!

Liam: Relaaax. Trust me, the police have already been to her place. They won't be back. They probably got what evidence they needed, but you never know. You might find something to put your friend's mind at ease. Oh, but wear these. Just in case.

He tosses some rubber gloves at us.

James: Then what are you going to do?!

Liam: Ryan and I are gonna head back to the station to check what new evidence has come in from their last investigation. Secretly, of course.

Ryan: I'm on it, boss! Already contacted Charlotte. It's a good thing the head officers' son is in love with her. Otherwise they wouldn't trust her so much.

(So Charlotte is on this too. I suspected as much. But after our awkward conversation before, something tells me she's not my biggest fan.)

When I turn around, Noah is already out the door.

James: Wait! Noah! Don't forget your gloves!

Noah: Well, we're here.

He solemnly announces as he pushes the door open softly. The mail that was lodged in the door slot falls to the floor.

Noah: I guess we should start looking around.

It's a compact studio apartment that's otherwise well-kept. It looks as if she lived quite frugally. Noah immediately runs to her computer.

Noah: Dammit! it's all gone! All the data on her hard drive has been wiped clean!

He begins tearing apart her desk, drawers, pulling out all sort of things. Cameras, folders, old phones, notebooks. But anything that could've contained any evidence is gone. Noah pound a fist on the desk.

Noah: What am I supposed to do now?! How am I suppose to find anything on this guy. Not a photo, not a number, a single email, text, or letter. Nothing!

He sits on her bed and stares coldly at the wall, deep in thought. The floor is cluttered with her clothes, purses, and other items Noah threw down in his rage. Suddenly, I have an idea.

James: Hey, looks like she's gotten some mail in the last couple of days. Why don't we look at that? Whoever cleared out her stuff probably did it immediately after the murder... But the mail that's just arrived today couldn't have been tampered with!

Noah: Wow... James, you're a genius! Not sure what we might learn from her mail, but you never know, right?

Nodding proudly at my own idea, I grab her mail. Sitting together, we open the envelopes one by one.

James: Bills, more bills... Typical mail if you ask me. Credit card bill, magazine subscription, medical bill...

Noah: Wait... Let me see that!

He grabs the bill from my hands.

Noah: Oh no... This can't be...

The bill drops to the floor as he stares down at it. His body slouches to the floor, and he buries his face in his arms.

James: What is it?

I pick up the paper and gasp. It's not a bill. It's a receipt for a full payment made to an ob-gyn. I glance at Noah, who's now silently weeping into his arms.

(Poor Noah...)

I feel bad for Noah, but what can I do? It must be a shock to see that bill. If that isn't proof that another man paid for her doctors visit, I don't know what is. I glance again at Noah as he silently weeps.

(There's nothing I can say in a situation like this...)

I sit in the bed and give him space to grieve. After a short while, Noah regains his composure.

(Right, were here to get evidence. We should hurry and rejoin the others soon.)

James: In any case, all we can do is take this evidence back to the hideout. I'm sure Liam can figure out something from it.

Noah: Right. Let's go back.

We grab the mail and leave. As we make our way back to the hideout, something seems off. The lights are all on, and all the windows are open.

James: Why does something seem weird?

Noah: The lights are all on and the door is wide open.

James: Liam? Ryan? You here?

I call as I approach the door. What I see paralyzes me in shock.

James: Oh my God. The door isn't just open... It's busted down! Someone's broke Into the hideout!

Noah: What the hell?! Where are the detectives?!

James: I don't hear them. I don't think they're back from the police department yet!

Noah: Oh no. We should run. Now!

James: Wait, calm down. We need to be level-headed. It's too quiet, so the intruders are probably gone.

Noah: What are you talking about? We need to get you out of here! Call the detectives!

James: I will. But while we wait, is there a security camera we can check?

Noah: There was...

He points up. My eyes follow to what used to be a surveillance camera above the doorway. It's smashed into pieces and completely destroyed.

James: Damn. They made sure to cover their tracks. But maybe the camera caught something before they broke it.

Ignoring him, I run inside.

Noah: Now isn't the time to play detective! That's their job, not yours! You're the wanted one! Look, James, I know you want to find the culprit, but it's too dangerous! Please, can we just leave and meet them later? I'm worried about you.

James: No, Noah. Look, you never know. The camera may have recorded something before they destroyed it. I'll at least grab the tape before we go.

I run inside and begin looking around for where the monitors could be. Just then, I hear a car pull up.

Liam: James?! James?! Are you alright?!

James: It's Liam! They're here!

Liam and Ryan rush out of their car and into the house. They practically bowl Noah together.

Liam: Quick! We need to grab security footage before we go! Ryan! Get the videos and download it to my hard drive!

Ryan: Roger!

I turn and grin at Noah.

James: See? Told you!

Noah: But how? The cameras all busted up, Sherlock! There's probably no footage at all!

Liam turns and smirks at Noah.

Liam: You really think I'd have my security camera out there in such an obvious spot? That's a dummy camera, you dummy. The real camera is in the mailbox across the street!

Noah's jaws drops open in surprise and embarrassment.

James: Wow. Detectives are so smart...

After a while, Ryan returns with the downloaded footage on a USB connected to his laptop.

Ryan: You're not going to like this, but... Liam, I think you were right.

He plays a clip from the computer. It shows two masked men breaking in... Wearing police uniforms.

Liam: Damn them! I knew there was something suspicious going on at the department!

He slams his fist against the wall.

Ryan: But how the hell did they find this place? We've covered are tracks perfectly all this time!

Liam: I don't know, and I'm not hanging around to find out! Grab your things. We need to move out of here before they decide to comeback. Hey, reporter boy, I have a job for you!

Noah: Me?!

Liam: Take photos of the entire building, inside out! We don't have time to investigate piece by piece now... But we can at least take photos and anything else we can grab To investigate in the office.

Noah: Oh, uh... Yes sir!

Noah runs outside, more eager than expected, to follow his orders. Liam disappears into his room. I hear loud shuffling as he gather his things.

Ryan: I just can't understand... How did this happen?

I look at Ryan and remember what happened before. Charlotte really seemed to like him alot. To the point that she threatened me.

James: No way... It can't be!

(Would she really rat us out because of my friendship with Ryan? But Charlotte would never hurt Ryan. If she really did rat us out, how did she know he was safe? Could it be that... Ryan might be in on it too?)

Ryan: What? Did you think of something?

Uneasy, I turn towards him.

(Wait, what am I thinking? Ryan would never do anything to hurt me! Even if I don't trust his assistant much, I at least trust him.)

I look up at him.

James: Oh, nothing! I was just wondering who else knew about the hideout.

Ryan: Nobody besides us and my assistant Charlotte. And she would never do a thing like this. Besides, she was at the office all day today. Just in case you might be suspecting her.

He eyes me suspiciously.

James: Huh? Oh no, not all. Hahaha...

(Well maybe I was suspecting her... Though it seems he just gave her a solid alibi. But I'm sure if she really wanted to rat me out, she would find a way. I can't let her off the hook just yet.)

Ryan: In any case, the two figures in the clip are obviously male. Still, there are alot of people in this department.

It's the biggest branch in the city. How will we ever know who's who?

Liam: By investigating every last bit of evidence. Leaving no stone unturned.

Liam emerges from his room. Just in time, Noah also returns from photographing the outside.

Liam: Are we ready to head out of here? Don't worry. I already have a backup place we can go.

Ryan: Great planning as always, boss!

James: Well, I don't even have any belongings besides my bag, so I'm good.

I reach to grab my bag from the table when I notice something strange.

James: Huh? Why is there dirt on my bag?

Soil covers the surface of the table. It looks like it came from the potted plant. I must have placed my bag right on top of it. Looking down, I see that some dirt has spilled into the floor too.

James: Ugh, why is it so dirty? This was an expensive bag!

I look at the plant and notice that it's somewhat lopsided.

James: That's weird. Hey, are there any mice in this house?

Liam: There better not be. Why?

I take the potted plant in my hands.

James: It looks like something was digging in the dirt here.

Liam: Digging? Oh no. Oh my God...

He lunges towards me and grabs the potted plant from my hands.

Liam: The plant is bugged! Those bastards can hear us!

He shoved his hand in the dirt and pulls out a small device.

James: *gasp* What the hell is that?!

Without hesitation he throws it in the floor and stomps on it.

Liam: Grab your bag. We need to go, now.