We started calling as many employees as we could, but most of their alibis checked out. What we really wanted was to find people with no alibi as that would make it easier to mark them as a suspect. However, so far we hadn't found anyone like that.
I started getting bored of saying the same things over and over again:
"Hi this is blah blah blah"
"Is this (insert name)?"
"Can you tell me where you were on this night?"
"Who were you with?"
"What time?"
...and so on.
After yet another call with someone, I decided I needed a short break. Just as I came to this decision, the detective hung up on a call.
"I've been meaning to ask you...how did it go with the news?" I questioned, crossing a name off my list.
She crossed a name off her list as well before she responded, "I told the public that we have a lead and are getting closer to an answer."
"That's good right? Even though our only lead is it might have been an inside job?"
"Well I'm not really concerned about that. I'm more concerned that I had to appear on live TV for everyone to see."
"Huh?" I asked, not quite sure why that would be a concern.
The detective set down her pen and sighed.
"Let's go somewhere else to talk," she stated, pushing her chair out and standing up.
I silently mimicked her actions and followed her down a few halls and eventually we made it to a room that seemed to be isolated from almost everyone else.
The detective opened the door and ushered me in before closing it behind her.
"(Y/N), this is a soundproof room. There are no microphones or cameras in here. Anything we say or do in this room will only be known between us," she began to explain.
If I'm honest, it gave me an eerie feeling and my first thought was that something bad was about to happen to me, but I shook off the anxiety and waited for her next words.
"I brought you here because I trust you but I don't trust any of the other officers. That's why they can't know what I'm about to tell you."
I nodded as I listened to her words.
"Whoever did this has probably been watching the news in order to monitor the progress of the investigation. They've likely been trying to dig for any information they can get on what we know and who knows it, which is why I am now a target."
My eyes widened, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Because I appeared on the news, I am now one of the faces of this operation and time will only tell before I become the next victim."
I gulped.
"Who knows, I might not become a victim, but I have a bad feeling that the closer we get to an answer, the closer I get to my death."
She said all of it so casually, yet the frown on her face and the intensity of her eyes told me this was anything but casual to her.
"Just in case, I've set up a plan. Any important files I have are stored on my phone, which is connected to a computer in (your/home/state). If my phone is destroyed, all of the files on it will be deleted and will only be able to be accessed from the computer."
I took deep breaths, trying to process everything she was telling me. I soaked up the information like a sponge, afraid of the consequences if I forgot so much as just one of her words to me.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by the motion of the detective pulling something out of her pocket: an envelope.
"In this envelope, there's a piece of paper with an address on it. That address is where the computer is located. There's also money and a key. If something happens to me (Y/N), I need you to use the money to get to the house and access the files on the computer."
She then handed the envelope to me.
"I- I don't know what to say...." I stammered. I didn't want to accept the envelope. I didn't want to agree to access the files. I didn't want to face the fact that she might die.
"Just promise me that if anything happens to me, you'll get on the first flight to (home/state) and look at those files," she responded.
"I- okay I promise," I sighed out.
"Don't worry too much, (Y/N)," she tried comforting me.
I nodded my head and tucked the envelope away.
"Now let's get back to work!" She exclaimed, a bright smile lighting up her face.
We exited the room and headed back to our workspace. There, an officer was waiting for us.
"Oh hi officer! I'm sorry if we kept you waiting for too long, I was just showing (Y/N) where the bathroom was," she told him.
I nodded along with her lie.
"The DNA results are in," he stated.
"What did they find?" I asked.
"All the DNA found on and around the victims were linked to either the victims themselves or their immediate family. We didn't find any outside DNA," he explained, handing a stack of papers to the detective.
"This is a list of everyone linked to the DNA we found and how they're related to the victims," he told us.
"Okay, thank you," the detective responded, flipping through some of the papers.
The officer walked away and we proceeded to sit down. However, the instant I sat down, my phone began ringing.
It was my mom.
"I'm sorry, it's my mom. I need to take this real quick," I explained to the detective.
She nodded as I stood up and moved to the corner of the room.
"Hello?" I answered, wondering if something was wrong.
"(Y/N), I'm just calling to let you know that everything has been set up for you to be homeschooled and your classes will be starting in a few weeks, okay?"
"Okay, thanks mom." I replied, wondering why she couldn't have just texted me.
"I'm going to send you a link with everything you'll need now. Love you!"
"Love you too mom, and thanks again," I responded, hanging up the phone just as I received a text notification.
A quick glance revealed it was just my mom sending me the information.
I sighed and went to go sit back down next to the detective.
"I start homeschooling in two weeks, so I might not be available as often, but I promise I will spend every second of my free time on this investigation," I stated.
"Okay, thank you (Y/N). Don't push yourself too hard though," she warned me.
"I won't I won't," I promised, a sliver of a smile creeping on my face.
"Okay good. I think you can head home for now. You should get some rest. Tomorrow we can finish up on getting alibis from employees and start calling anyone the DNA was linked to for alibis as well, okay?"
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then," I replied, gathering my things and waving goodbye.
I had a feeling I was in for a long day tomorrow.
•••••
1224 words
Thoughts? Comments? It's been a while since I've written anything for this story aha.
Unedited
