The Black Raven's Heart

#09- An Acquaintance

"Who are you, and why are you here?" Hyde uttered while grasping the intruder's hands tightly on his back.

"Ouch! Hey, be gentle. I mean no harm." A young man winced as he gave up resisting the detective's grip.

"Can you just release me, mister, so I could properly introduce myself?"

Hyde heaved out a deep sigh and released the captive. Their eyes widened as they both realized each other's identity.

"You?! " They said in unison. Both were filled with confusion.

"Who let you in? Don't you know that you can be charged for trespassing?" Hyde authoritatively said which was only responded to by an eye roll from the guy.

"Look, 'mister-whoever-you-are', before you can say something, allow me to introduce myself first, 'kay? "

Hyde remained cautious when the guy rummaged something in his bag. No one knows there might be something dangerous there, so he must stay alert.

"Ah here, see this? " Asked the young man as he presented his ID card in front of Hyde's face.

"What's a nosy journalist doing here?" Hyde asked with crossed brows and his usual stern face.

"Hmm, just doing my job. I'm working as a crime mystery writer in 'New Times Magazine'. " Aries explained, but the other party didn't show a pinch of interest at all. Hyde's head has been occupied with a lot of stuff, plus this murder case. He doesn't have time to entertain such nosy people, they could only interrupt his focus.

"I'm not interested in your background, kiddo. This is a crime scene, not a playground. Now, I would like you to leave." Hyde said with a warning tone and continued roaming around the place. He'd better make sure not a single corner in this place will pass his eyes.

"Just a little bit of a detail, then." Hyde couldn't help but sigh deeply upon noticing the confidence in Aries' voice. He couldn't believe this young man was uttering those words as if he'd been to a lot of crime scenes before, or he was just pretending to be confident due to his nosiness.

"I told you this isn't a playground. " Hyde repeated and went towards the vanity table upon noticing something behind the mirror. With his brows crumpled in curiosity, Hyde just touched the edge of the mirror when the sticking piece of paper fell on the table. He picked it up and checked what was written on it. 

"Mirriam Strauss- July 24, 2019?" Hyde looked closely at the mirror and examined the golden frame of it. He stroked his hand at the side of the frame when it moved slightly, and another piece of paper fell.

"Peter Weasley- July 24, 2021." Another name, the same month and day but a different year. Hyde didn't waste any more time and lifted the mirror. And that's when he saw something. 

"What in the world was she up to?" He murmured as he kept his eyes focused on the photos and notes connected by pieces of yarn as if the victim was investigating something. He moved further from the table and captured everything with his phone including the pieces of paper on the vanity.

"What's that?" He heard the journalist's voice behind him.

"One move and I'll take you to the station for trespassing here in the crime scene." He uttered in a firm authoritative tone.

The young detective closed back the mirror to avoid such information from leaking, especially since someone who was not supposed to be present was there. Hyde grabbed his phone and dialed Terrence's number.

"Are the analysis for the victim's mobile phone done?..... Good, I'll be there in a moment. " There, Hyde hung up the call and left the room. The journalist examined the room again but wasn't totally sure since Hyde called him out of the place. Pouting, Aries also left the room and followed the detective.