Thirty Six

CHAPTER 36

New York City Police Department (NYPD) Headquarters, 1:00 pm

The young detective named Nicholas Gray looked up quickly when his coworker Hendrick Mckenzie--or Hendrick as he was more commonly known--tapped him on the shoulder. The hazel-eyed detective sat down in his chair--which was next to Nicholas' desk--and immediately handed Nicholas a dark brown folder. They had been in the same division (serious crimes division) for the past five years and their relationship had been very good. So it was natural for Nicholas to think of Hendrick as his own brother.

Nicholas then enthusiastically accepted the folder Hendrick had given him. He had obviously been waiting for a lot of information from his colleague. "How is it?" and began to examine the sheets of paper inside carefully.

Hendrick closed his mouth briefly. His eyes scanned the situation as he searched for the most appropriate words to explain everything to Nic at that moment. "This is very strange, Nic," he murmured hesitantly. "I... can't find that girl's name in any of the civil registration records. The girl named Alicia has no criminal record and is not on the missing persons list." It might sound absurd, but that was what Hendrick had found.

Nicholas snorted in amusement while his eyes were still busy reading every word written on James Portman's death case report and the hospital autopsy results Hendrick had obtained. "You're joking, hm?" Nicholas then turned around, looking at Hendrick with a mocking gaze. "Where is there such a thing here? Stop playing around and tell me!"

Hendrick rolled his eyes lazily and huffed. "I'm being serious, Nic. You can check it out for yourself if you want, that girl is masking her identity as if she never existed in this world," he snapped in an annoyed tone.

Yes, Hendrick had predicted all the reactions Nicholas would have after getting that information. Indeed, it all sounded absurd, if in this sophisticated age, one's identity could not be traced or known easily. But that was the reality. There was something about that girl that neither Hendrick nor Nicholas knew.

Nicholas placed the sheets of paper on his desk and turned to Hendrick with a serious expression. "How do you explain all this?"

"I think the girl was trying to hide her identity and someone helped her," Hendrick guessed.

"Did you check her old dorm? Why she moved out and her profile back then?"

Hendrick shook his head. "This is going to sound even crazier to you, but the head officer of her old dorm claimed to have never had a student named Alicia Perth," he said as he rubbed his temples lightly. "I really don't understand any of this. Who exactly is that girl, Nic?" Nicholas and Hendrick were silent after that. They were both lost in their own thoughts, until Hendrick remembered something and snapped his fingers. "Ah, yes, Nic, I've rechecked the autopsy results of the victims named James and Doc. Drew confirmed that he found other DNA under the victims' fingernails."

Nicholas widened his eyes in disbelief. "They were actually fighting back then?!"

"I think James was trying to defend his life desperately at the time," Hendrick said in a compassionate tone. "I'm still wondering, why didn't anyone pass through the main hallway that was so public at the time of the incident?" Nicholas nodded slowly, agreeing with Hendrick's point. "Ah, by the way, have you heard from the investigating team at the dormitory?"

Nicholas shook his head quickly. "What is it?"

"The girl left the dormitory during the investigation," he paused his sentence and raised one eyebrow. "And do you know who she left with?"

"Who?"

"Golden High's CEO's son, Ace Blake."

Nicholas suddenly stood up and grabbed his jacket that had been draped over the top of his chair. Curious, Hendrick interjected. "Hey, where are you going?" Nicholas was busy putting the reports away in his desk drawer and that got Hendrick moving. "What's so sudden?"

"I have to meet them," Nicholas said simply. "Tell the chief I'll be here less often so I can solve the dormitory case as soon as possible."

"But--"

"Thanks, buddy! See you later," Nicholas cut in. He even left Hendrick behind who was still stunned in his place.

***

Nicholas immediately parked his car and headed towards the main entrance of the dormitory. The greetings from some of the investigating team - who were also his juniors - were immediately ignored by him, as if they were not an urgent matter to respond to. Those brown eyes looked straight at the street in front of him and were not bothered at all by the few female students who became his impromptu fans. Nicholas felt that he should see the person in charge of the investigation as soon as possible--who had let Alicia and Ace out of the dormitory just like that.

"Detective?!" Noel, the head of the investigation that day, gasped when his superior suddenly came and stood in front of him with a serious look. "Did something happen that you had to come here?"

"You still dare to ask?!" Nicholas scolded.

Noel immediately looked down in fear, as did the two female students who were near them-because they were being interrogated by Noel. Nicholas let out a short breath and ruffled his waist. "Do you know what you did wrong today?!"

"s-sorry, I'm sorry detective."

"How could you let those two kids out of the dormitory?!" snapped Nicholas. He really looked very upset and angry at his junior. "Didn't I tell you, no one is allowed to leave the dormitory during the investigation! Didn't you hear me?!"

"Sorry, detective," Noel squeaked in a trembling tone. "But that kid forced me."

"And you let him force you?! You look like a fool, you know?!" snapped Nicholas in a huff.

"HEY!" someone exclaimed from the other direction. Which of course made Nicholas and Noel immediately turn their heads at almost the same time.

The loud voice that echoed in the main hallway of Golden High turned out to come from a young man standing one meter behind him, that person was Ace Blake. He stood there with a sardonic look with Alicia standing beside him. It seemed that they had just arrived at the dormitory at that moment.

"What are you doing here?!" Ace raised his chin haughtily and crossed his arms over his chest. While Alicia stood beside him with a flat face--as if she didn't want to get involved with the commotion in front of her.

Likewise, when the blue bead (because Alicia was not using her ash softlens) met Nicholas' brown eyes, Alicia only showed a flat look as usual. Cold and mysterious. Even as the young detective began to inch closer to her and probe Alicia and Ace's body movements with his eyes.

"You're making a lot of noise in this dormitory. What do you think you're doing?!" added Ace who felt his question was being ignored by Nic.

Nicholas stood before Alicia and sighed heavily. "Who let you out of the dormitory?"

Alicia closed her mouth tightly, while their eyes met there. Nicholas leaned back again so that the vanilla scent of Alicia's body immediately burst into his sense of smell at that moment. He continued his questioning, but this time in an intimidating tone. He said,

.

.

.

"Who are you, Alicia?"