Chapter 45 - Detective's fatigue

― Are you telling me there's no one looking for her?

― Yes, sir. I've searched the entire board of missing persons of the police station in the region, and even of the neighbouring neighbourhoods.

Giovanni massaged his temple, feeling his head about to explode. It was the second case of someone without family that would disappear inside the park, unfortunately being this one that he couldn't save in time as he had done with the little boy.

The only positive point of the situation was that pattern.

No identity, probable post traumatic stress disorder that prevents the detective from finding out what happened. That girl was like a chained treasure chest, making him anxious to find out what was inside.

Yet he had to wait. Not even her fingerprint had been of any help. Lifting his eyes he had noticed the presence of the park administrator, who was smiling and waving elegantly in his direction.

To his terror.

― Right, keep an eye out if you find anything and let me know immediately.

Turning off his mobile phone, the detective took a deep breath forcing himself to swallow his own headache to endure more of that maze. Stopping in front of the door of the room where the girl was hospitalised, Giovani crossed his arms.

― Good afternoon, Mr. Monteccello. It's been a while since we've seen each other.

― Administrator ― He greeted the detective briefly ― The problem is getting bigger.

Vicente stood beside Giovani, watching the girl sleeping in the hospital bed and with apparatus connected to her body. No sign of instability, just as the colour was returning to her skin. For someone who was making the doctors run around that very morning, it was an absurd improvement.

― Our young master reported that he found the girl before any of the other staff did. This prevents them from being even more alarmed by the situation.

Giovani arched his eyebrow, not liking the situation one bit. He had barely digested the information that that cheap brat had a property like that park. A boy about ten years younger than him...

Ah...

His head hurt.

― You know that with this we confirm that the suspect is in the park ― Murmured the detective, without taking his eyes off the figure of the administrator, who promptly reciprocated ― And that he may be among the staff, choosing his next victim at this very moment.

― I can assure you that our security team is receiving new instructions, according to your request. In addition, we have hired more people to work on the weekends, which is when we have the largest flow of customers.

Gritting his teeth, Giovani sighed at that impeccable perfection. Vicente always had answers, always polite and ready to solve problems. Usually it would be a divine help when it comes to a police investigation, but the detective's intuition was not comfortable with such politeness.

It was as if it masked something.

― I will ask for some police officers to spread out in disguise around the park. I hope you don't mind, since you've agreed to cooperate.

― Ah, but of course. Our young master wishes this to be resolved as soon as possible.

― Young master... That boy... Is he all right?

Vincent blinked dazedly for a few moments until he opened a gentle smile for Giovani.

― I must say that our young master is worried about this problem, but otherwise everything is fine. There is nothing to worry about, Monsieur Monteccello.

A beautiful lie.

If there was one thing that worried him it was a certain fellow with a scar over his eye, who seemed close to that trainee. Nothing could take Giovani's mind off the fact that this guy, who seemed to work for the circus, was a suspect in the kidnappings.

So, worrying was the most natural thing to do.

And it would be a blow if he knew that the trainee was involved in that case. The kid was kind and a good talker. He had always helped him and even directed the circus management to cooperate in the investigations.

He should keep his eyes on that guy...

― Mr Monteccello, I would like to know if you have been able to contact the girl's family.

Waking from his thoughts, Giovani denied with his head.

― Not yet, why?

― Well, she seems stabilised and the time will come when she will need to leave the hospital. It worries me that a girl so young would be alone, especially if she survived something like this.

― That makes sense. But the police can find a safe place for her.

Vincent smiled beautifully at the detective.

― My young master would be happy to be your refuge for a second time.

― A second time? ― Blinking a few times, he soon recalled the mansion where he had stayed with Lucas. Which meant the suspect would be there too... ― It's not at all ideal to keep the victim near the place where she suffered a trauma.

― Really, but since you intend to place police officers all over the park during the day, that would be enough to guarantee her safety, wouldn't it?

― Not at all. Only if I were around to guarantee her safety at night.

Vicente had smiled at the detective. A genuine smile as if he had got what he wanted. Giovani had swallowed in seeing those amber eyes shine with such satisfaction.

― Well, you are welcome to take care of it yourself, sir.

The surprise was so great that Giovani gasped. All right, he was anxious to keep his eyes on this suspicious boy, but he didn't think it would be a golden opportunity like this one. Much less that he could stay in that mansion and investigate everything he hadn't been able to before.

It was a tempting offer.

Too good to be true.

Even if he himself had suggested staying at the mansion in the park, something in Vincent made him believe that he had been induced to such an offer. Which left a bitter taste in his mouth.

― Right.

Vincent had broadened his smile, shaking his head in silent agreement before looking back into the room.

For the rest of the afternoon the two of them remained in that secluded corridor, watching the surviving girl. Even when she had opened her eyes, Giovani had not been able to hear her voice. She even avoided looking at him as if he were the kidnapper himself.

His doctor friend entered and left the room from time to time, taking the girl for tests. It was only at sunset that Mathias had finally called the detective to a corner of the corridor, taking advantage of the fact that Vicente was inside the room keeping the girl company.

― So, how is she?

― I can do any test, she doesn't have anything out of the ordinary. Her bones are whole, her organs work well, so far she has been eating without vomiting. There is nothing wrong.

Crossing his arms, Giovani was disbelieving.

― But she was hurt and fainted as soon as she met that boy. Have you tried talking to the psychiatric staff?

― They believe the post-traumatic stress has been strong enough to keep her from talking, but that is something that can be solved with time and treatment.

Giovani scratched the back of his head as he thought of some way out. It bothered him that a fainting survivor was leaving the hospital without any serious injuries. I mean... What the hell happened to her?

― This isn't going to be easy to solve.

― I know you want to fill the girl with questions, but for now it's better to observe ― The doctor advised, looking over his shoulder as the girl ate her dinner ― Psychological problems can lead to huge problems.

― I know that, of course. But if she talked we could avoid another victim to appear.

Next to the girl was Vicente drinking his tea with a smile on his face. Giovani was really beginning to hate that smile. Noticing being the target of a fuming glare, the administrator had reciprocated the exchange of glances, seeming to shine like the sun for the detective.

― Argh...

― Their secretary seems to be quite helpful ― Receiving a grimace from his friend, the doctor laughed afterwards ― What's up? You can't deny that she's comfortable with him around, or with that boy from this morning.

― Ah... He came to ask me to take this girl to the mansion.

― Really? But as far as I know you have to follow protocol...

― I know. We're looking for any of her family members, but we haven't found anything so far. We don't even know her name.

― At least she wouldn't have to sleep on those hard mattresses at the police station. What's the plan then?

This was a question that resounded in Giovani's thoughts even after the conversation was over. In the early evening he went to the administrator, who was drinking his tea in front of a window watching the hospital car park.

When Vincent had noticed from the reflection of the window that the detective was back there, he immediately turned to face him.

― You look tired, Mr. Monteccello. Would you like a cup of tea?

― No, thank you, sir. I just wanted to say something before I left.

Curious, Vincent nodded.

― Very well, what do you want?

― I will go with the girl to the mansion. But know that everyone in that park is still a suspect.

Vincent lowered his head, stifling a laugh. He left his cup of tea on a low table before crossing his arms again to the detective. Although his voice was low from whispering, he was still crisp and graceful.

― 'You are making very clear your thirst to catch the culprit, Mr Monteccello. You sound desperate, to be honest.

― We are talking about someone who is playing with the lives of innocent people. I think my desperation is justified.

― Oh, yes, of course it is. I don't disparage your work, detective. I'm just concerned that your anxiety is preventing you from doing your job properly.

Giovani peered from his brown eyes to those amber ones. Not only was he anxious to get leads and catch the bastard who was kidnapping people, he was also tired. Tired of going around in circles with no one knowing anything at all.

Nobody saw or heard anything.

The security cameras didn't pick up anything. Especially at night when there was a fog that seemed to come up just to help the damned.

Giovani was tired. That's all.

― And that's why I consider it the best choice to remain on my enemy's side ― Giovani cracked a wicked smile ― Why should I be the only one suffering from anxiety in this game of hide and seek?