8. I- begged him

"I still don't believe you," Manchester's voice echoed off the walls after listening to Emma's seemingly made-up explanation.

"This is all nonsense especially after you said that you didn't hear anything and now you are saying that Atkinson was speaking with someone about a business deal ... we will settle all this at the station.

//Do you wish to arrest the suspects?//

"Yes."

// Sending in the team //

Within a minute, a knock was heard on the door and Manchester opened it to let the team of three cops into the room, and he pointed the suspects out to them. Emma continued to beg, and swear that she was saying the truth while Atkinson willingly offered himself to be taken away.

"Don't worry Mr. Langley I will get to the bottom of this before the end of the day...

"Please do," Mr. Richard Langley uttered before Manchester could finish speaking,

"In the meantime, I'd search for something similar in case I don't find it today."

"Very well," Manchester nodded before walking out of the room along with those who had been arrested. Along the way, the butler approached him with a worried look.

"Please help my master find his jewel, he will be so relieved and we can finally catch a break in the manor."

Manchester stared at the man before him, and something triggered a sense of sympathy within him but he quickly suppressed them and replied

"I'll do what I can."

..................

"Mr. Manchester!" A young lady approached Manchester as they arrived at the station. The young detective had visited numerous police units in the city but never this one, he didn't even know that this unit existed until now, but it appears that all the workers knew him.

"My name is Sophia Mason, one of the investigative analysts for this unit, we have been expecting you." She stretched out her hand for a handshake which Manchester received with a firm nod.

"Nice to meet you," he said, as they started walking towards the reception while the cops brought the suspects in from behind.

"Here is his phone," Manchester handed Atkinson's mobile phone over to Sophia who received them. She already knew what to do with it because Manchester had requested it before now without knowing that she was the one to handle it.

And while she was at it, Manchester was in the Interrogation room with Atkinson, the air was thick with tension as Manchester locked eyes with the man he believed stole the necklace or at least had something to do with it.

"Will you tell me the truth now Atkinson? Or would you rather be detained until you are willing to?" Manchester asked, slamming his palm on the desk,

"Where is it?"

"I do not know!" Atkinson answered in an even louder voice,

"I do not know where the necklace is at the moment, I do not know who stole it. And it didn't even go missing yesterday, the only reason why you were called today is because my master had requested to see it last night at 10pm but I had to tell him that it was gone. I noticed the necklace missing two days before now."

Manchester's jaws dropped in shock, he could sense the sincerity in Atkinson's voice, but he wanted to suppress that feeling to avoid being fooled.

"Does Emma know about this?" He asked, and Atkinson nodded his head in agreement.

"I threatened to... to make his life miserable if she says anything about it. "

Manchester sat down, the information was a lot to take in, and he needed to be more attentive because the twist was unexpected.

"Tell me about yesterday again, since you have decided to speak up."

"Please!" Atkinson fell on his knees before Manchester could finish speaking, taking the young detective by surprise,

"If I tell you anything sir, please don't tell my master, help me find the real thief and save my job. It's all I have to keep my family running I beg you. "

"Mr. Atkinsons can you stop pleading with me and just tell me what you know." Manchester's tone dripped with apathy, but still, it was a facade.

"I will tell you," he started,

"Two days ago, I went over to check on the necklace as usual. My task was to check in the morning, noon, and evening to keep an eye on Emma as she polished it per my master's instructions. But it wasn't there and I freaked out."

"My master has promised to pay me more if it's safe until he presents it to his wife. So I was doing my best until I noticed that it was gone. I panicked and started to look for it on my own without involving anyone. I think Emma suspected that something was wrong when I wouldn't let her go into the room to polish it."

"Go on," Manchester nodded with keen interest.

"So, I searched everywhere in the manor, I was too scared to ask anyone for fear that they might tell my master. But then toward the end of the day, I got a message from an anonymous phone number saying that he had the necklace and that I should kiss my job goodbye."

"I tried to beg him, I'm a mere servant and this job is all that I have to feed my family. I can't afford to lose it. When my master said that he would be coming to see it soon, I rushed to the garden since it was the only secluded place in the manor and I tried to contact the anonymous number."

"I begged him, I offered him some money, I offered him everything in my account but he said no and disconnected the call...

"And why didn't you just open up and tell Mr. Langley?" Manchester asked, his brows raised in curiosity.

"That would be a bad idea, sir." Atkinson exclaimed,

"Mr. Langley doesn't listen to anyone, he gets upset very quickly and would get every one of us arrested for stealing his necklace without investigating. I couldn't take that chance, my family would suffer dearly, my wife and my newborn. So when he came to see it, I lied that it just got missing and it was in the manor somewhere. I also suggested that he send for a detective immediately and that's why he called you and locked down the manor so that none of us servants leave."

"Please help me, detective, you are a very smart man and the only hope that I got...

"What about Emma?" Manchester interjected,

"How did she find out?"