>>Clio
Most of the people left for the hospital to accompany Chris and make sure she was alright, while the rest went back home.
I didn't know what to do, I could have gone home but there was something that kept bothering me and I found myself outside the office building, sitting on the roadside bench waiting for the people who were working on the case to come out.
It was such an odd sensation, I wanted to cry but I had cried a lot the past two days and it felt like my tears were dry but even then, when Rameen's bodiless head came to my mind, the shivers ran down my spine again and again, also forcing out a tear or two, but that was it.
My mind felt heavy, my heart felt odd and my forehead was sweaty, as if the confusion and shock just couldn't find its way around and focus on one thing.
I blankly stared at the busy street in front of me, cars and bikes sped by, unaware of the tragedy that was in the office building. I glanced to the side, the reporters were there but the police wouldn't let them go in. The TV stations were making their reports and I saw a reporter from NLN as well but it was someone I didn't know. Of course, I wouldn't know them, they were from the branch in City A after all.
But looking at their cameras and mikes made me wonder if I would have been standing there if I wasn't undercover here. Not that I've been on TV, I've only written articles so far.
"The head hunter has claimed yet another innocent life, like the rest of his victims, the girl was seventeen years of age, one of the youngest in the age group the heinous villain targets."
"So far the head hunter's victims have all been girls, ranging from age sixteen to twenty-two. All of the girls were good people trying their best in life."
"The police have yet to give an official statement about what the relationship is between the victims, the only thing we know so far is the girls had single parents who were doing their best for their children."
"No one can comprehend the emotions of the parents who suddenly lost the child they had spent their whole life for."
It was heart-wrenching indeed, why would someone do that to families that were already struggling?
My phone rang, averting my attention away from the different reporters making their statements on camera. I had the device in my hand and looked down to see who it was.
Nolan
A worm of anxiety and despair crept up my chest. Rameen's case made me completely forget about the heartache he had caused me and I frowned. My head hurt, not just from seeing Nolan's call but it certainly added to making the headache worse.
The phone kept ringing and the world around me seemed to fade away as I wondered.
Do I pick it up? What do I say? Do I have to say anything? He has no idea I saw them…
I gulped.
He has no idea he has caused me pain…
I pursed my lips and answered the call, still dreading how to deal with him, "Clio!" But, I didn't have to say anything. He spoke first without a greeting and didn't even wait for one from my side, "I heard," Nolan's voice sounded excited, "There was a murder in your office, this is the perfect opportunity to do your own investigation," I stared blankly at the road
"...." My chest squeezed, and I couldn't bring myself to say anything to him.
"Clio? You get what I'm saying right? I know I don't need to explain anything to you, you already do great." It felt suffocating. The praises he always gave me, which usually brought me so much joy, felt so stifling, "I know you're undercover, so make sure to stay hidden." To all the third parties, this murder meant nothing, to all the reporters it was a scoop. And if I hadn't met Rameen personally, it would be nothing more for me either.
"..."
"Clio?" There was a pause, I think he finally caught on that I wasn't answering him, "Clio? Are you listening?"
I brought the phone away from my ear and ended the call but it didn't stop me from thinking about his words.
'Do my own investigation?'
I am a reporter, that is something I should do. I looked back at the people standing next to the police lines. But do I have to do this for Nolan? My eyes wandered. Of course, I still work for him…
From the peripheral view of my eyes, I saw people coming out of the building and stood up. I shot my head towards the entrance as the detective came out along with the two of the forensic people. They were carrying a box which they took to their car.
The detective stopped by his car, half entering the driver's seat where he paused and looked back at the entrance, watching as Matthew came out. The boss stopped a few steps away from him and they exchanged a glance, "The office is going to remain closed for a few days," Harou said, "We haven't found the body yet."
"..." Matthew stared at him with a dull look, then nodded and my heart sank as I watched him.
The detective didn't say anything to him further and sat down in his car, driving off with the two people from forensics who had a box with them while the rest of the investigation team remained in the building to do their thing.
I kept my eyes on Matthew. He was the reason I didn't leave. I couldn't bring myself to just go when he was going to be all alone after this. The others left to make sure someone was by Chris's side but no one was there for Matthew.
I understand that Matthew had no relationship with Rameen, but if I'm feeling this bad, this heartbroken, how would he be feeling? My initial reaction was one of horror and disbelief, my mind refused to accept the gruesome reality before me. The weight of what I had witnessed clung to me like a heavy shroud. It was a feeling that I couldn't shake off.
Even as the hours passed and I sat in the daylight, the emotions it had stirred within me continued to fester. I had only known that girl for like two weeks, but the sorrow and the anguish in my mind and heart was deep-seated.
It just felt so bad that such a sweet girl was gone because of someone's madness.
And if it had shaken me this much, how would he be feeling? He had seen her grow up.
I've only been here for a short while but if there's one thing I got to know is that Matthew was pretty attached to Rameen, like she was to him.
I might be wrong, but they looked like family.
I walked over to where he stood, so lost in thought, he didn't even notice me walk up to him.
"Sir?" My voice made him look at me, his dark eyes felt devoid of life at the moment and I couldn't help but feel bad, "Are you alright?" I stepped closer to him.
"..." He quietly stared at me, and I couldn't tell what was going through his mind, then looked away, "Hmm," His affirmation was bleak and I knew right away.
He was not okay.
And it hurt my heart that there was no one here to be by his side. The reporter noticed him, they began to call out to him, saying things like
"The CEO is here,"
"Sir please, give us a statement."
"Sir, do you have any idea who the killer could be?" They did their thing, bombarding him with questions, hoping to get their hands on anything at all.
Matthew didn't respond to them, he simply turned around to leave. His expressions were completely devoid of emotion and I don't know what went through me when I suddenly went ahead and grabbed his hand in both of mine, making him stop.
"Sir!" He was surprised at my reaction and looked back at me, "I would like to stay with you!"
***
>>Matthew
I sat in the lounge of my house as night loomed over in the sky when the door opened. I glanced to the side and noticed Azef coming up from the basement.
Blood was splattered on his light-blue shirt and a few droplets stretched on the side of his cheek. But none of it bothered him. He quietly made his way past me but I didn't like the sight of it all.
Not today,
"Did you kill her?" I asked and he stopped in his tracks, then turned his face to look at me.
"..." He had a pair of pliers in his hand which were smeared in blood, "Why? Do you want to see the body?" The red drops hopped off the edge of the head of the tool and dropped to the floor which got on my nerves but I held it in.
I stood up, "I told you not to kill her." I let out a subtle growl.
Azef let out an uninterested sigh, "It wasn't intentional. She died on her own."