Perfume and Box

"So where are you going now?" Lily questioned me out of nowhere. I shook my head.

"I have few places to visit before I go home-" a ding of my phone interrupted me. I looked down and saw that Fred is moving. A smile came to my face, hope of finding something got stronger.

"I have to leave right now. Take care see you!" I flied from cafe, got in car and started to drive towards my apartment. Tracking Fred's location, I followed the map. Soon I found his car infront of me, I slowed my car's speed and slowly started to follow him. I took a glance in my rearview mirror, my eyebrow rising.

Fred took a turn towards the police station, I parked a little away from his eyesight. He got out of car with a bunch of files, going inside the station. I sighed and rested my head against the headrest.

Fred got out of station and started driving towards his house. Still just to make sure, I followed him to his house, he parked his car and went inside, I sighed and bite my lip. Tapping my fingers on steering, looking around I found a perfume shop. I got out of the car and went inside the shop.

The shopkeeper greeted me, I took the box out of my bag and kept it infront of her, "Can you smell this box and detect what kind of perfume this is?"

She nodded and smelled the box few times, "There is very light smell of perfume and I guess it is sprayed on oak wood." I regretted spraying it with vinegar.

"Can you detect what kind of perfume is that?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Sorry Ma'am." I sighed and nodded, giving her a smile, I exited the shop and got into car again.

I looked at the direction of Fred's house, his car was still parked there. I smiled and drove off. Heading towards Bristol

Gears of thoughts were going to turn, but I was interrupted by my phone ring. I looked at the screen, Fred was calling me. I sighed again, counting it as the 8th sigh of the day.

"Hello"

"Hello, where are you?" Fred asked me.

"I'm going for some work today, why?" I answered while putting phone on speaker. I saw his location near his house, I sighed in mind, slapping back of my head for doubting him. But again can't take a chance, can't trust anyone at all.

"Hello? You there Loveena?" I shook my head, my haze breaking.

"Yes I am, where are you right now?"

"I'm in my apartment why?"

"Nothing. I'll call you later I've to look into few things. Take Care."

"Take Care." I ended the phone before Fred could say something.

True he is there, and no chance that he could find that device. Then who was that mysterious caller? Lily was behaving odd too, she didn't even said a word about that call. Did that killer threatened her? maybe, I'll get the full answer from her only.

I didn't even realised when I reached Bristol. I drove to the market where Ethan, Grace and Nora came. Getting out of car I took a glace on every shop, it was silent in the day time. Only few people were there, few were shopping, few were talking with owners, few were just exploring. I took a deep breathe and went in first shop.

I got one information from that perfume shop was that, the box was made of oak wood. The owner of first shop was talking with someone, he greeted me with a smile and I showed him the box.

"Can I know where I can find same box?" I asked him, I knew he will say everyone in this area make this type of box.

"Everyone make this type of boxes here, can I take a close look at it?" I nodded and handed the box to him. He inspected and smelled it, I felt a wave of hope washing over me, still with a little doubt and fear of going back empty handed

"It is made of oak wood, I can't smell the wood clearly, but the design and making of this wood is made very delicately. Only 7 people make this type of boxes with oak wood in this whole market." My eyebrows raised nodding a little.

I took out my notepad, licking my lips. "Can you tell me shop numbers or name of owners?"

The shop owner nodded and told me the shop numbers. "7, 13, 19, 22, 27, 30 and 39, all shops are in same lane, go down and take the third right, there are numbers written on the shops so it'll be easy for you to find them." I thanked him and got out of the shop.

Inhaling the fresh and cold air. The smell of various types of wood and the freshly cutted wood was dancing in the air. I started counting the turns while walking, I took the third turn and saw the line of shop. The way was very small, I was squeezing myself when anyone passed me, I found the first shop on my left side. I paused there, it was 7 number shop, I looked up at the shop name. "Venganza. Wow sounds interesting." I murmured to myself.

I pushed the door it opened with a ting, announcing my arrival. An old lady got up from her chair, greeting me with smile, I smiled back at her and showed her the box amd my ID, "Madam, I'm a detective and I want some information about this box, have you sold any box like this very recently?"

She picked the box and examined very closely. By her posture I braced myself for denial, by my experience many times when we search for something important we always find it very late. I sighed in my mind.

"Yes, it is made by us, but I can't remember many people, because many people take this type of boxes from here. Our register might help, if you want take a look."

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