I wasn’t sure of how to proceed. Everything was running out of control and no one knew what was going on. The station was busy enough without having to worry about the mystery person that had slipped into the station and managed to escape. There was already speculation that the stranger had something to do with the strange cases that I was already dealing with.
I didn’t consider it likely. I already knew what I was dealing with when it came to the other cases; this intruder was something new--something unexpected. I was uneasy. The uncertainty and lack of straightforward, definite answers was causing me to stall. Mrs. Jacobs was waiting for me in my office, but I wasn’t moving. I was standing by the front desk, facing the hallway that would lead me to my own office, but I wasn’t moving. I was hesitating.
“Check everything,” Roy was ordering. “I want to know every little thing that is out of place. Check the files, reread all of the files, check for prints. Check the whole station!”
“Y-yes sir,” a woman was stuttering. Her quiet voice barely scratched its way through my own thoughts.
I knew that Roy was directing the wrong woman. I couldn’t blame him; it was a complicated and unprecedented situation for us in Hollowville. Not only was the situation new to us, but it was also sudden. Roy had just learned that we had an intruder; It hadn’t even been five minutes since I told him. He had immediately slammed his desk and stood up. I tried to tell him more; I tried to discuss things and consider possibilities or solutions, but he hadn’t given me the chance. He just stood up and stormed out of his office. He didn’t even pause for a breath before barking orders at any and every employee that was in his line of sight.
“Chief,” I interrupted, sternly but respectfully. “I don’t mean to give you orders, but you may want to consider talking to someone else. That young woman you are speaking to is just a secretary. She wouldn’t know how to handle this, or who to go to for that matter.”
Roy took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” he said to the woman.
Roy might overreact or take things too far, but he always knew when to step back once he realized it. He knew better than to continue on a useless spurt, even if it was one that he started.
“Would you like some help, sir?” I asked. “I could assist in getting everyone together as well as investigate a few things myself.”
“No, Lily, that is quite alright.” Roy took in another deep breath and let it out slowly. “Go speak with Mrs. Jacobs. She has been waiting long enough.” I barely heard him continue to say. “Celestia knows that we need her out of our hair today as quickly as possible.” Roy raised his voice again, so that he could clearly ask, “Could you send Jaden over?”
I gave him a nod and walked down the hall. My office door was left open just a crack, so I just tapped the door with the back of my hand, and it swung open. Seeing the back of Mrs. Jacobs’s tall red hairdo had me wanting to walk right back out, but that wasn’t an option. Jaden, who was sitting in my own chair, looked up at me and gave me a cheesy smile, one that he seemed to be forcing. His eyes were begging that I get him out of there.
Mrs. Jacobs took notice of Jaden’s averted gaze and turned her head to look at me. She met my gaze and gave me a sweet but mostly sour smile. I smiled back, doing my best to hide my growing frustration with the client. I then looked away from her to direct Jaden.
“Roy needs you,” I told him.
“Oh?” He hopped out of my chair and mouthed a “thank you” as he passed Mrs. Jacobs.
I stopped him before he left with my hand on his shoulder.
“Really,” I said. “He is asking for you.”
