4. I Cut Fruits In An investigation Room

{Ashley's perspective}

As I whispered how I heard spooky noises in the men's bathroom to Jack, Rick or whatever this fellow's name is stared at my stupidity when he returned from the bathroom. She's gonna be killed, he probably thought.

"Who told you could enter?" Alfren defiantly stared at me. Who is this dictator to boss around? Though he's scary just like all the other strangers here. I better not verbalize anything brainless.

"Uh, well....I." I gripped the bowl tighter. I swallowed a bit. What can I say? Shall I tell the truth? But won't it feel like I'm trying to be a bother?

"I got an inkling...to this case that must be looked into immediately." Jack winked at me and addressing the man being questioned saying, "I'm sorry as there isn't anyone around...detectives, I mean. We had a day-off so... but don't worry this kid isn't any less of an intellect." The man nodded smilingly.

"Ok, you may leave please." Alfren insisted tapping his feet on the floor.

"Ashley, please cut the fruits and serve us...we'll continue the interrogation." Jack said, not taking no for an answer. He tapped his feet a couple of times as Alfren rebelliously stared at him then asked the old man, very calmly as I began slicing an apple.

Why fruits?

"So, where can Sylvia now be according to you?"

"Um, actually I believe she's dead." The old man wheezed and looking at a kind Alfren continued, "...I had gotten a call from her where she said some man was chasing after her inside the BPRO building." He said, trying to keep himself from crying. I strained my ears and carefully peeling off the skin of the apple as per Alfren's wish, sat at the corner of the room. The guy called Rick yawned and seemed totally impassive about this conversation. Marigold was probably with Jane or watching some anime, reading comics or writing in some room. Why did I have to be yanked into this? I've lots of work to do now that Kevin has gone...I'm a free bird.

Now, back to the interrogating part, Ashley. Ain't I smart? Just concentrate on this. Marigold already accepts my smartness. Just prove it again.

"Do any of your family members know?" Alfren asked eagerly, looking at him with a deep look. Why is a kid working in this agency, even? Does he think he's from the spy kids?

"They must've figured that it's one of Linda's people. I swear she's the one who plotted to kill Sylvie 'cause she knew she wouldn't get the custody. I...I...I want to see her body. Detective, have you found it? Or Is she alive? Please tell me she is." He wept, blowing on his handkerchief. I swabbed away my sweat and a few tears that might've been due to the emotions displayed by the poor old man.

"Please calm down. We are first gonna focus on this interrogation. So, according to you...Linda is the culprit, right?" Jack asked, as the old man jiggled his head. Jack stood up and asked to personally escort the old man to another room. He did so and after about five minutes or so, he returned, smiling. Why?

And with the permission of the next suspect to come, he went away. He wasn't even in the suspect list. Better say subject. Else Marigold will kill you next time you make a grammatical error. And your English teacher would make you repeat your mistake before the whole class.

Mrs. Camilla walked in. Ok, she was a woman who liked to show-off her wealth or maybe beauty...I don't know what she was trying to show off but I was more interested in knowing about the heartless murderer. That's right. I too assumed Sylvia was killed. She was missing for a long time, no calls, no messages, no friends who knew of her whereabouts and at a time like this when it's nearly Halloween. The city would be too busy preparing for the day. All of Sylvia's relatives, the closest ones come together to report it to the detectives on their day-off. Note well: they didn't approach the police but an agency that secretly is a psychic organization. Isn't this questionable?

The same questions were asked to Camilla but she had different answers. She said it wasn't Linda's fault the divorce happened, it was Brown's. He had never fulfilled the house loans and it had burdened Linda leading to disputes which were always started by Linda leading their 6 yr old to think her mother is the one at fault so she ended up liking her father more. Continuous disputes eventually lead to divorce and child custody was in process. While Sylvia worked for getting a job, she was once called by Linda. This, Camilla came to know through her husband who was helping her find a job. And it was after two days she went missing.

"According to you, is she dead by now?" Jack asked, as Camilla looked in the mirror to her left and straightened her dress. At a time as this, you are worried of creases in your dress? Ashley, this woman is the culprit. Grab her and put her to death. Wow, I am being demonized by Marigold's antics.

"Uh, Dad mustn't come to know of this but I doubt she was killed by Linda's men or just kidnapped." She said, looking at her fingernails. They were painted...I liked the color.

"A personal question if you don't mind but ma'am usually if someone's loved ones die, they cry so...why aren't you sad?" Alfren said, sipping his coffee and asking courteously to Camilla to share to which she very carefully refused. How did a monster convert into a gentleman? I rubbed my head yet no sense or light came out. My head doesn't produce a bulb I realized.

"I don't want to believe she's dead. Not until I see the body. Even though I didn't like her getting what I always wanted, but I would have liked her to live how I couldn't." she concluded, sniffing a bit. She's all into an act, huh? Or I don't know.

Her husband was up next but he was so simple there was almost nothing to doubt him for. Oh well, I did understand the case even though half the time the eerie sounds and the memory of the dead body distracted me. The fear of something being inside the room was the only thing that made Marigold lose focus on stuff she could be a genius in but no she chose to be a dumb gorilla. Now why am I thinking up a biography of Marigold Angeline McKenzie? Even though I had nothing to do with the case, I was curious. I mean someday I might become Sherlock. The files that Marigold had given to them were from a bag which had actually been kept in the office and I was sure it didn't belong to Jack or Jane nor could it be Alfren's judging from his reaction. So...from where did you get them, Marigold? Did you ask them yourself?

"Were you the one helping Sylvia find a job?" Jack asked and he nodded with a grim expression and said,

"I'm sure everybody knows this secretly but since she started her deal with Linda, she's been in constant danger. Everybody warned her to not get involved with Linda even her brother persuaded her to just give up since he wouldn't win anyway but Sylvia persisted and ended up dead." He looked down and miserable.

"You have confirmed she's dead?" Alfren questioned, scanning through him. I feel like a spectator simply. Jack probably just wanted me to not disturb him again and again about ghosts in bathrooms hence he told me to shut your trap up and get to being a slave and cut the fruits for him. Well no, he merely wanted me to be safe since the agency was empty and maybe haunted.

"I haven't but I'm sure she is." He replied feeling unsure, maybe. The next up was the brother. I dunno why I doubted this guy. Why was he in the kitchen when I was bringing the fruits because I had felt hungry? He just said he wanted to eat fruits too. And so I had to cut them nice and cleanly since there was this client and his friend involved so I sought Alfren's help but this Patrick Adams assisted me instead even though it was unbelievable how guys can be sometimes supportive, esp. Rick. Really... This all had to happen when Kevin, Marigold's crush and my parents had gone away for a talent show. Ah, can't they even message me?

"Mr. Brown Flaming, please enter." Rick called out as he smirked at me as I placed a few fruits on the table proceeding to cut few more.

I'm going to catch him...well, that's what everyone thinks. But I don't think I can, although I figured out know Jane possesses a secret identity, no, not some FBI agent...but a doctor. She was extremely kind to the point where it'll make no person question it. She spoke when necessary too and seemed to have an upper hand in terms of work experience. Oh well, this is all rambling. I just knew it when Sylvia's body was found and Matt came wheeling the stretcher to the lab when he clearly wasn't the doctor. Jane was with the knowledge of the forensics that too. I know Sylvia is the victim and she's dead. Matt is keeping a watch on that room where Jane is probably running a surgery. Correction: autopsy...

I heard Brown say, "My sister! I had warned her to not associate with Linda but she did! Why?"

"Who killed her according to you?" Alfren asked, looking at the wall-clock.

"Who else? Linda, of course." He said, moving his eye balls all around as if trying to empty his eyes of water.

"Personally, I feel that the custody must go to the mother. Don't you think?" Alfren asked, casually flipping his pen between his thumb and index finger.

He's a double-edged sword, God. What answer does he expect from this person who definitely wants to keep his daughter?

"By law, mostly moms get the custody. But if I lose, I won't fight. I don't want to take responsibility anyway. My daughter is enough for me. She'd come meet me, I know. Linda was such a nuisance. I wish I could get my sister back." He briefly answered.

"Did you know Sylvia had an appointment with us here at the BPRO?"

"Uh...Not clearly...but I did know she was gonna be giving an interview for some police stuff..."

"Were you all close?"

"Um, yeah."

Jack bit his lip, lay back in his chair stretching and then gesturing me to give him something to eat. I quickly rushed and handed him a saucer with sliced fruits. Brown retired. Simon, his friend was called in.

"How do you feel about the death of your friend's sister, Mister?" Jack asked, sipping on tea. Where did it come from, anyway?

"Not as sad as Brown is but I am sure she must be peaceful in the heaven." He replied with a mournful face throwing a casual look at the painting on the walls.

"What relation did you have with the Flamings?" Jack peered through Simon who looked towards the door and back at Jack.

"Well, we were simply friends of friends. Meeting up casually. Helping each other out. The usual. We trusted each other."

"Did you know Sylvia wanted to join us here at the BPRO?"

"Not exactly. But yeah, I had a clue. We all knew she loved fighting crime..."

I yawned. Jack gave me a smile. Yeah, I am bored. Rescue me. Where's my Marigold? Jack offered a slice of apple to Simon and asked him to leave. He bowed and got up.

Jack got up, straightened himself and yawned. Alfren stared at him and Rick was dozing, while standing.

"Hey, Simon...guys. I must offer my apology that you people had to come so far to our agency and you find we're short-staffed. Really...our working procedure was slow too, so..." Jack hissed and Simon nodded sideways.

"No. No. No. Thanks. You have tried to help. Besides, The BPRO is the only agency which would solve cases of the paranormal too." He thanked and left. Jack smiled, proudly.

At last, the interrogation session was over and the door opened.

Now, looking at all these scenarios Rick and almost everyone in the room went to the forensics lab where Jane was already there with a mask on. Sylvia's body was shown to the family members. Almost everyone broke down with the exception of the little girl-Samantha who was left outside with Henry. Where did he come from? I wasn't any detective but I could tell from their faces how sad they were.

Jane said from Sylvia's autopsy she came to know that she was killed simply by a stab wound. Mainly due to loss of blood. At this, Alfren broke in and asked her if she has tested all the blood samples, from the drops on the floor, the carpet and the ladder to which Jane seemed oblivious about. She said no one ever collected those samples and brought it to her. Alfren slapped his forehead.

"Rick, can you fetch it...? Do you know how to?" He asked pleadingly looking at us. He is such a con artist. Knows well how to play with people's emotions. Rick sighed and looked at Jack. I noticed Samantha was in the next room with Henry as the watch guard. Ah, why were there so less people around?

As Rick argued how he was unfamiliar with this all and yet has to still do what he doesn't know how to, Jack called me and murmured, "So, you think they are somewhat of the spiritual belief since they didn't contact the police but us-a psychic organization, huh?"

I gulped but didn't make it obvious. "What do you mean? I don't get you."

Jack bit his lip trying to stop a smile from breaking out. "Al, Rick, Jane and Matt...I have a question to ask." Alfren left the pen he was holding and Rick sighed as Jane and Matt took their masks off, "Does anyone of you know where Marigold is? I need her for some menial work..."

"Must be sleeping." Alfren snapped, continuing to scribble his notes.

"Maybe the bathroom. You can call her." Rick suggestively said, taking a torch from the shelf.

"She was with Ashle- or maybe not." Matt shrugged as Jane said it could be that she was in the room where they had last brought the body from.

All at once, my fears began unfurling. After sighting the haunted room, Marigold had run away feeling scared, maybe and...hadn't returned since then. "Goodness" I puffed. And the cat that I thought had a staring problem since she stayed by my side staring all the time and had followed me all the way from the forest to the BPRO had been declared dead by these psychics though I'm sure it was alive. If all this while, it wasn't following me...into the kitchen, into the interrogation room and now to the forensic lab; where did it go? Why didn't anyone notice it being present or absent? She always seemed to be fixated on my face.

I recapped everything that happened. From the time Marigold went missing from the camp, Miss Olivia's mourning, being alone in the forest after the girls abandoned me, finding the baby as the cat purred and it going missing every now and then. And the time when she had actually disappeared completely from my view.... I now realize she was never staring at me but right behind me.

"H-hey Jack... if you know about my thought processing then you must also know where Marigold is now..." I hesitantly said as my hands turned sweaty.

"I am not some super genius. Even I need to investigate before figuring it out not just blaming and also-" Jack reasoned, lighting a cigarette as Henry just then shouted from outside the door. His voice was unclear, but it sounded screechy. There were a number of knocks and loud bangs. Then there was a complete silence.

"Al, please check." Jack initiated poking his cigarette into an ashtray as Jane glared at him. Alfren went outside and we heard him shout. There were the sound of footsteps picked up by my observant ears. The lights in the lab flickered. I instinctively grabbed Jack's arm, gulping slowly. Jack looked at me and addressed the clients to stay close and not make a sound. Mrs. Camilla frowned, seeming laid-back about the situation as she plugged her earphones into her ears. While her husband kept pestering Jane with queries. Mr. Brown Flaming walked up to the door but a sudden noise of metal objects clattering made us all turn to its source. It was the men's bathroom. Why do all spooky events seem to start from the men's bathroom?

Rick drew back from the table as though he's been short-circuited. Jane anxiously surveyed the surroundings by moving around, feeling items on the shelves to check if any of those were the source of the noise. Jack calmed everyone down noticing Mrs. Camilla trying to make Simon go look for the source.

"Listen guys, I...I'll go try to check the generator and make sure it'll function properly." Jane said tensing her eyebrows up and fidgeting as she removed her mask.

"Yeah, but better return soon." Jack winked as Jane nodded with a dull smile and left.

"Hey Jack, where's Mr. Brown?" I hissed, holding his sleeve tight. Jack stroked my head, pointing at Mr. Brown Flaming.

"He's right there, Ashley. Near the door. Al has probably gone to see if Henry is alright and maybe look for Marigold as well." He replied, gesturing Jane to take care of the clients. Oh, now is he gonna leave us all here and go check on others which would mean divide and hunt? Then you're sure to be doomed. Either be eaten by some creature in the dark or be kidnapped never to be found again.

"Where is Samantha's grandfather..., I meant." I sat on a chair, fumbling through my handbag for my phone.

"Oh he has just gone to the bathroom..." Simon answered as Mrs. Camilla's glare didn't leave him. Jack rushed to the bathroom and I slithered behind the troop of these people. Always stay in a group, is what Marigold says i.e. if faced by a scary setting.

"T-th-there's n-no one here." Rick stuttered, limping out of the bathroom.

"What do you mean he's not there? Where is my father?!" Mrs. Camilla roared, slamming her purse on the table. She stamped toward Rick and started screaming at him. "You bunch o' fake psychics have kidnapped my father! I knew you people were responsible both for Sylvia's disappearance, her death and now my father's disappearance too! Brown convinced me you hypocrite psychics!"

"He-ey, listen ma'am. We're all missing some people currently. My friend and two kids from this agency are missing so-" I intervened unwillingly, as Jack sighed locking the bathroom door from the outside.

"Samantha is missing too, little Miss." She snapped as Mr. Brown and Simon came toward us with confusion written on their faces. "And Brown, how could you be totally unaffected by her disappearance? I had told you we would go to the police and not to some agency that is rumored to be shady and not to mention haunted...in your words that is..." Mrs. Camilla heaved a sigh as Simon shook his head from side to side as though he was used to these fights. Although typically the nature of this dispute wasn't between a couple, but siblings.

"I trust these people, Camilla. John...why don't you try to tell her the facts? Does she not believe you? Sylvia lived in a flat while she researched for Samantha's custody and that apartment was haunted. She was never in the BPRO headquarters! Who even told you about all this?" He reasoned, wiping his head due to sweat. The lights had gone off but there were a few emergency tube lights that automatically turned on. Simon casually looked through a thick book of murder analysis while talking to Jane about the cause of Sylvia's death.

Rick seemed equally shaken by the sudden uncanny events or maybe he was more frightened of the lady Mrs. Camilla. He crept close to the dead body and found comfort in staying close to it as he avoided the woman who scared him.

That was the dumbest thing to do. I would stay at least about 10 meters away from the corpse. Currently, only a few meters was possible as the lab wasn't colossal. Jack's gaze was fixed on the dead body. Wow. Just why....

"...Sylvia wasn't cursed! I told you so but..." she turned to Brown, overcome by frantic behavior "...you never listened! You always insisted she was late to come home on weekends for family dinners 'cause she was living in the BPRO headquarters till late night! She was never possessed by any spirit!"

My phone's ringtone broke the tension. I smiled awkwardly like I've had to receive this call during my class. I gasped at the caller ID's name. "Marigold!" I breathed in the phone's speaker. Rick rushed to me. Jane hurried toward me while the clients looked on curiously. Jack toddled at a slow pace, as though driven by hypnotism.

"Where's she?" Rick panted, leaning heavily onto me.

"Hey, you there? Marigold, where are you?'" I breathed but there was no response. Was she trying to prank call me, at this hour?

Camilla threw her arms up in the air. "You know what, I give up. I don't understand why we aren't moving from this lab and searching for the lost people instead?! I mean I sound the sanest here!"

"My wife's right, I feel. Mr. Sprout, I want to find Samantha and Mr. Robert first. Even if it means postponing the investigation of Sylvia's death or maybe...murder." Mr. John coaxed, springing up from behind his wife and grabbing his wife's handbag firmly. Just then the door unbolted and we saw Alfren come in rather serenely. The couple stiffened as they saw Alfren zoom in towards them.

"Where do you think are Miss. Sylvia's belongings, Ma'am?" he inquired, dusting himself with a look of disgust.

Mrs. Camilla folded her arms, tapping her foot on the floor, stared like a hawk at Alfren. "Brown, Sylvia is dead and now your daughter and our father are missing. You still think these fakes will help us in anyway?" She ridiculed as I got up from my place and started strolling in an uncomfortable pattern. Everything is too conspicuous and abnormal. Many people have gone missing including my bestie, Samantha, Mr. Robert, Henry and a dead body of a rumored BPRO worker.

"What? What do you mean? Where's my daughter?" Mr. Brown threw his coat aside and rushed over to us. Hell has broken lose.

Jack casually stared at the stab wound at Sylvia's body. Has he finally gone mad? I mean, at a crucial time like now he's examining....a dead body that's been already checked by Jane. Not to mention the thudding of my heartbeats as no knowledge about Marigold's whereabouts are known. Moreover, this is a psychic agency so why will there be any solid evidence of the missing. And with so many people around, I had no option but to stay quiet. They were just too many. If I speak they might glare at me and ask me questions or accuse me. So better say nothing. However I have no mood to speak now in such a dire situation.

"Henry is with her. You don't need to worry. First please answer my question. If Sylvia came to work here...then she must have come with some documents as most certainly no agency would accept her without her bio-data at least." Alfren scratched his arm with his gloved hand, looking over at a desperate Rick who was trying to find a way out, probably.

"I don't know about that! I just want my daughter. If you kid are trying to appease me then you are doing it the wrong way. Sylvia is dead and I don't need your help. I don't want to know who killed her or she is taken by some spirits or if it was a suicide. I only want my daughter back..and you better tell where my father is too, you kid." He spat as Simon patted him, combing his hair away with his bruised finger . Mrs. Camilla tried calling her father through her husband's phone but it seemed to be switched off. Naturally, if anything bad or unnatural must happen...there must be the presence of these conditions, right? Wrong. Mrs. Camilla had got connected to her father's phone but there was no response from the other end. You probably didn't notice but Mr. John was trying hard to not look shocked, Ashley. While there was Rick who immediately got magnetized to Alfren as soon as he had entered. He doubtlessly wants to stay away from the corpse as far as possible.

"I'm not trying to placate you. You can trust us. I had gone to check up on Henry and even though I didn't find them, I got hold of some important clues that leads to Sylvia's murder. Yes. It was a murder. Why, weren't you jealous of your father's excessive love for Sylvia? Weren't you the one who was refusing to pay the house loans and your disputes with Linda, your wife worsened leading to your separation? And wasn't helping your wife with the custody as she felt it was rightful of her to get it? All of your frustrations piled up into one huge punch of anger that made you... maybe... target your sister-" Alfren said coolly, throwing a look at Simon and the confused couple as Mr. Brown grasped Alfren's collars and shook him. Everyone gasped and Alfren merely frowned.

"You think she'll be safe in this place where Sylvia died?! How can a newbie, good-for-nothing brat do in a grown-ups murder case? And you're accusing me without any proven facts! " He bellowed, as an ever-supporting Simon pulled him away limping slightly.

"Chill man. Kids do wonders you know so don't you be fierce with him. He's a detective even though he's a damn kid in all probability trying to boost your emotions up just to get some baseless hint. " Simon exhaled noisily as Jack walked up to them and pushed a protesting Alfren away.

"Now you're exceeding your limits, sir. I've been trying not to bother and stay still simply. And although you think Al is a kid and solving cases isn't the job of a kid, you adopt violence to suppress a child. Isn't that like fighting a person whose thoughts are strong enough to make you raise your hand at him?" Jack chuckled and Rick blinked about five times at him. I snailed my way to the forming crowd as Jack went back to the body and stitched his eyebrows together. Alfren straightened his collars and bent to tie his shoelaces as though nothing had happened. Rick slouched over and whispered something. Maybe asking if he was alright.

"Amongst all of you, who has a watch?" Jack piped up even holding his hand out to show he doesn't have.

Everyone, including Alfren, Rick and I held out our hands. Jack asked us to take the wrist watches off and place them on the table. Mrs. Camilla nodded her head and Brown sighed as everyone took their watches off. There were five watches. I and Rick were the ones without a watch. Jack inspected each watch carefully and held out Mr. Brown's watch.

"The crown is missing on this watch. Whose is this? Mr. Simon?" He questioned showing it to everyone.

"No, it's...it's mine. I don't know where I lost it but..." Mr. Brown hesitantly answered as Mrs. Camilla looked daggers at him. Jack nodded as Mr. Brown trailed off clueless.

"I found it just now in the blood-soaked dress of Sylvia. And from her bag, which was in the men's bathroom...there were the documents of Samantha's custody, a 9mm gun and a lipstick and her phone was tracking someone to the BPRO on Google Maps." Jack stated glumly as Mrs. Camilla seemed puzzled. Mr. Brown looked at everyone around.

When did Jack do this investigation? I never noticed him. This is too professional. He is sorta cool.

"Marigold. Not me." He whispered to me as my mouth went agape.

"And, what did you deduce?" Mr. John asked, rubbing on his fingers impatiently as the lights switched back on. I breathed finally. It was so hot. My hands were all sweaty.

Jack produced Sylvia's handbag from under the stretcher and emptied its contents on the desk. Indeed, there were the items he had mentioned. He put on plastic gloves and looked through the papers. He checked the 9mm or whatever to look if there were any bullets and it was full. It had only Sylvia's fingerprints, according to Jack. He showed the route to BPRO on Sylvia's phone which showed she was either tracking someone down or just going in as a client to seek help. But law-related which was entirely the official sort of work? I noticed Mr. Brown tensing up as he looked at the documents which clearly showed he was on the losing side.

"What about the lipstick?" I asked curiously, inching closer to the desk.

"You want it?" He asked sweetly as I puffed at him. "Unfortunately you can't as you see it has some traces of a crime."

He unfastened the lipstick and the brown shade of lipstick was coated with a red fluid. Like a topping but more gruesome. That was blood.

"It was checked aforehand. Be calm. There were total three samples of blood found from this case. One, Sylvia of course. Two, from the carpet and ladder and three, from this lipstick. Number two and three matched. We hadn't taken you people's samples but from your bio-data, I came to know the blood group. So, I ask the culprit...why had you killed Sylvia?" Jack bombarded, glaring at Mr. Brown as Mrs. Camilla flinched and Mr. John stumbled a little. Simon frowned a bit as Rick held his head, twitching an eye.

"You are only trying to twist everything up! Just because a few clues made me seem the culprit, you can't label me as one! I want my daught-" Mr. Brown shouted, backing off as Simon held him in place, still trying to get hold of the situation ...I guess.

I saw the door open and Henry along with Samantha and Mr. Robert marched in. Henry sighed, wiping his forehead. "Mr. Robert had gone to the men's bathroom and got out the other way. When I was trying to talk to Samantha, she heard a sound and we followed it as I shouted for that person to appear. Only when we found him had the lights gone off. It was really frustrating to lead a little girl and an old man to safety rather than going back. Seriously...I wish tomorrow were a holiday."

Henry dropped himself on a chair as everyone's attention was fixed on him. What an awkward timing. Mrs. Camilla twisted her mouth. It was finally free of fake accusations and insults. And Mr. Brown twitched his eyebrow, stealing from Al's gaze his look. But wait, where was Marigold? And Jane?

Jack beckoned Henry to leave as he nodded dully leaving the lab with the girl. Alfren knocked on the table to bring Jack to attention. Jack cleared his throat as Mrs. Camilla hugged her father.

"Mr. Brown, Linda-your wife got the child custody and you can't do anything about it. But..."he tilted his head at Simon "...why was Sylvia murdered?" Jack asked, gazing lovingly at Simon. Lovingly? Why?

Simon blinked, "What? Why me now?" He said, scratching his neck.

"What happened to your foot? Why are you limping?" Jack questioned, yawning a bit.

"Uh, sprained ankle." He replied, looking at the white walls .

"Show me your foot please. We'll treat it for you." Jack said holding on a file.

"No. I'm fine. Thankyou." Simon replied and tapped his feet to show he's fine.

Mrs. Camilla frowned and stepped 'accidentally' on his shoe as he gave a moan. His feet are bruised and that's why he was limping...see." She said as Simon removed his foot from the shoe and it was puffy but a sock was on. Still, undoubtedly he was bleeding.

"The culprit was benefitted from this situation. He knew there were fights in the family, a divorce and a child custody that involved a sister on bad terms with her brother. So, the culprit thought why not frame him for Sylvia's murder, right? Simon...?" Jack said, two copies of documents. One showing his blood group i.e. AB+ and the blood found on the carpet and on the lipstick matching with his. Jack held out Mr. Brown's report that said his blood group was B- and almost everyone in his family had the same blood group except Mr. Robert which was A+.

"B-but, it wasn't me, I swear! I would never kill Sylvie!" Simon screamed as Jack sighed, almost feeling like to give up.

"You sure love her a lot to call her that." Alfren but his lower lip and played a voice message from Sylvia's phone. A hoarse voice said,

"Sylvie, I love you really very much. Please I want you to come to me. No matter how but I'll accept you anyway. I won't judge you and-" The voice message was paused by Alfren.

"You say a lot of bullcrap about love and promises and what not...Next, Sylvia messages you to tell you not to pester her. And this continues until the day she went missing when you were angered by her arrogance and decided to kill her. So, you decide to kill her and make it seem like her brother who didn't have a reason to like her seem the culprit." Alfren breathed in, as if trying to relax, "Then you suggest Brown that maybe she has gone to BPRO to seek help from the people since they're unpopular and also it'll be a nice place to commit a murder and blame it on others. Anyone. In all of this, Brown was almost sure it was due to him. Wow. Well done, genius." Alfren applauded, smiled and frowned, sighing and turning to Jack. They discussed something and everything was reported to Mr. Robert.

"I may love her. I may stalk her. What's that got to do with her murder? What would I even benefit from this? I loved her!" Simon bellowed angrily stamping his foot.

"Everything's fair in love and war. Dude, you need evidence? More evidence?" Alfren sneered, moving his head crossways like a villain whose scheme has gone successful.

"Simon, look. I'm not blaming you all of a sudden. I have got proof, evidence, observational results and a witness. Though she's more like a source of evidence." Jack stifled a yawn as he loaded an audio file from his smart phone. A call which was recorded. The speaker is Jack with a woman...

"...yes, Mr. Sprout. Your department head will receive the info. About the new comer."

"Alright, ma'am. Do you have anything more to say?"

"Uh...well. It's not a big deal but there's a mutual friend, who I and Sylvia know and he's been pestering her a lot through messages and calls. She changed her number twice but somehow he manages to track her down."

"Hmm. Harrassment? Does he threaten you people? Does he know your whereabouts?"

"No. At least not directly. Ah... I don't know. Sylvia doesn't say much. Just says she ignores him. So, please look into him. He's called Simon. I'll send you his info."

And the call got disconnected. Jack briefly closed his eyes and Simon looked debased.

"Why did you kill her?"

"I...I...I didn't..." he began looking at his friend who looked taken into submission by shock.

"Oh please. The truth now."

Jack demanded nearly angry. Simon hesitated. I couldn't even think Simon would have the wretch. That jerk. How ruthless.

"I didn't intend to kill her. When I came to know she came back to her hometown. I was happy so I went to visit her but she wasn't home so I tracked her down and found her going to the BPRO. There I asked her to accept me just once and I'll make her happy but she was stubborn. I... I even begged her that I'm ready to give her my support in her case but she said she wasn't interested in me. To stop her from leaving, I had grabbed her and... and accidentally stabbed her with a glass shard nearby. I was completely out of it and did it purely on an impulse but I was angry too."

"How could she do that to me? I was with her in all times! After that, I knew I had made a mistake. So I tried to hide her body in the leaves but that wasn't good enough I thought. So I went inside the BPRO agency. In here...and hid her body in an attic-like hole in the ceiling and the room was under repair. And to make this case complicated, I hid her handbag and some things in the men's bathroom after we all came here to report her missing. I knew things will be investigated so... But I don't know which scoundrel of a person discovered that in a building which is almost void of people and on a Halloween too-!"

He roared as Jack thumped his fist on the table.

"Enough!" He gritted his teeth as Alfren threw his head back in irritation.

Mr. Brown couldn't believe his eyes. Mrs. Camilla and Mr. John said a simple sorry to Jack and a thank you as the police arrived, at the last moment to arrest Simon. Everything got wrapped up so fast. I almost forgot about Marigold and Jane.

"Jack, if you knew about everything then why did you have to make it all dramatic? Why not straight off tell it all?" I asked as we went back inside the building- Bureau of Psychic Research.

"People like drama. Say, if I give you to choose between two types of chocolates. One which is a minute one and the other with a few layers and wafer; which would you take?" He asked as Rick yawned, slouching on Alfren as he shooed him away.

"The latter, of course."

"Yes. Hope you get it. If you don't...then...I give up." He sighed, removing his shirt as I entered the men's locker room. I shut my eyes tight, cringing a little.

Rick guffawed and Alfren beckoned me to go outside and I threw the guys a disgusted look before leaving.

"You all lack respect!!" I paused and pondered about the cat I saw. Has Jane got stuck in the basement or what? Marigold...where are you? As Alfren came out in his night clothes, I walked to him saying, "How did you know about the story Simon made up and etc?"

He looked at me before thinking if it was alright to give this suspicious sweet-looking girl the confidential information. No, that look was just a confirmation of trust issues. "Psychics that we are." He said and left.

Ok. I got to know a whole deal of information now. I can even become a secret agent for the enemy and work for them. Seriously, he was so the opposite of helpful.

"Hey, do you know where is Marigold?" I piped as Rick whistled at me and I ignored the flirt.

"That Macaw...is .... Just search yourself. Why shall I bother?" He replied, clicking his tongue a bit. Macaw? Some breed of parrot? Why? I wonder.

____________________________________________________________________