CHAPTER 2

The Culprit.

"This is hard to believe. Are you sure you brought the check to this bank?", Connard questioned Josh's claims about the missing check.

"I don't even know what to believe anymore. None of this makes sense to me."

Josh mumbled incoherently, still checking every part of his suit jacket.

For months, Alvin had been making massive transactions with Ozone Bank and not for once, was there a case of a missing check.

"I ask again, are you sure you brought the check to this bank Mr Joshua?" Connard asked, starting to sweat in the air conditioned office.

"What the hell are you talking about?! I'm not a kid. Mr Alejandro personally gave me that envelope containing the check. There is no way I'm going to misplace the check like a toddler. Before I stepped into this bank, I felt it in my pocket. But now, I just don't know. Gosh! What am I gonna do now?" Josh cried and placed his hands on the desk in frustration.

20 minutes had gone by, and they were still glued trying to figure out a better solution when Alvin Alejandro called Josh on the phone.

He stared at Connard and whispered. "Now he's calling. I'm doomed! What am I gonna tell him? He should be expecting me to be done cashing the check,"

Josh bemoaned, sweating profusely despite the air conditioner being turned on.

Countless times, Alvin called his cell but not for once, did Josh respond. He would rather ignore the calls until he finds the check rather than give flimsy excuses, which his Boss was strongly against.

"Now you need to relax Mr Josh. What is the last thing you recall when Mr Alejandro gave you the check? Please think! That would aid our investigation," Connard suggested and encouraged Josh.

Josh felt his head spinning like a roller coaster due to the situation at hand. He wished the ground would simply open up and swallow him. The situation was too heavy for him to handle.

"Okay, here's how it happened," He shut his eyes and attempted to rack his head to recall his previous moments.

"Yes! Now I have a clue," Josh exclaimed. It took him a few minutes to finally reminisce about the event that unfolded before the check went missing mysteriously.

"Yes, let's hear it. It could provide the answer we need. Take it slow. Put your mind at ease, and you'll surely recall everything," he tried to ease his mind in the best way possible.

"Approaching your office, some middle-aged woman bumped into me and threw my briefcase to the ground. Remember I said the check was still in my pocket before I stepped into the bank? I don't know if my assertion is wrong, but I don't think the woman would have stolen that check. How would she even think of that?"

"Now we got the information we require. You speak so well of someone you don't even know. It's hard trusting people these days, let alone strangers. Here's what we're gonna do. Can you recognize this woman for the second time? I'm just going to call the security department to play the CCTV footage for the last 30 minutes. How about that?" The manager suggested.

"Yes, of course. That will be brilliant. If that will get us a solution," Josh agreed in a soft tone.

The situation suddenly made him lose his voice and drained him completely. He could imagine how his boss would be feeling at the moment.

With just one call, the manager made the security department play the CCTV footage. In the video, the same janitor could be seen keeping an eye on Josh and deliberately bumping into him purposely.

"Hold on a sec! Is that the woman who bumped into you?" Connard asked, pointing to the bank's janitor.

"Yes, she's the one. We need to find her. This video has enough evidence needed that she had an ulterior motive. How do we find her?" Josh asked with urgency. He was hoping that the strange woman would be the answer to their problem.

"I'll just ask the security guard to bring her to my office immediately. She's our longest-serving janitor. It's weird to think she'll be capable of such," the manager admitted as he made a few calls to bring the janitor to his office, but to his surprise, she was nowhere to be found.

Someone saw her going home after she reportedly called in sick. It was all starting to make sense now. Quite strange for someone who hadn't exhibited any symptoms of sickness suddenly needing to go home.

"This definitely means something. She's going home after stealing the check. Of course! No one would be so foolish as to still be mopping dirty floors after stealing a check for $1 million. I am calling on the cops immediately to get her arrested. She's the prime suspect now," the manager made his assertion and called the cops.

In a blink of an eye, some cops walked inside the office.

"We got a case of theft and the prime suspect is on the run. I know her residence. Let's go after her before she escapes with the money and without a trace," the manager narrated after explaining to the cops alongside the CCTV footage.

Without hesitation, they all drove off to the Janitor's apartment and surrounded her building. Fortunately for them, she was already planning her escape but hadn't left her apartment.

It was too late to hide or play smart. Seeing the manager in her house stunned her.

Voluntarily, she stepped outside with her hands above her head.

Out of shame, she faced the ground and couldn't stare him in the eyes. "I'm sorry sir, I just had to do it," she apologized as tears rolled down her cheeks .

"Fuck your apology. Where's the god-damned check?" Josh shunned her tears. He only cared about the stolen check.

"Here it is." She dipped her hand inside her purse and brought out the check.

"Take her with you. This is a criminal offense. She needs to be dealt with. A few years behind bars would do. Call whomever you know." Josh stared at the sobbing woman with hard eyes.

"Don't forget to get a good lawyer, that's if you can afford one. We are charging you to court." He sneered and ordered her arrest despite retrieving the stolen check.

He wanted her to suffer for putting him through pain. Now, he had plenty of questions to answer from his boss, Alvin Alejandro.

Arriving at the station, Kristen Knowles was taken into custody after she was permitted to call a few people, while Josh filed a lawsuit against her, the janitor.

He wanted to ensure she faced the full wrath of the law. During his conversation with the cops, a familiar face strolled inside the station. Alison, the secretary at Royal Gold Mine.

Shocked to see her, Josh asked. "Hey, Alison. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at work."

"I should be asking you that question. Well, I came to see my mom. She just called to say that she was arrested," she responded, pouting like a sad toddler.

"Oh, I see. Can we go see her?" He requested.

"Yeah, sure," she responded as they walked to where her mother was arrested. Arriving there, Josh discovered a shocking bombshell.

"Is this your mom?" Josh asked, pointing at Kristen.

"Yes, you got a problem with that?" Bewildered, Alison responded as anxiety spread on her face.

"This is unbelievable. I can't believe this is happening. What am I gonna do now?!" Josh yelled and hit his fists against the concrete wall, creating more fear and suspense for Alison.

She was lost for words as thousands of questions plagued her mind.

"Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on here?!" She wailed in anguish.