9

"So if I understand well, it started when you received a call from your boss' wife who was worried because he didn't come back home the previous night,"

Said the middle-aged, round man, who reeked of tobacco and apparently slept in his clothes under, his desk for the last week. He was sitting on the other side of the conference room's table, his belly all but spilling on it like some molten pudding, with an air of insolent authority that could have worked out well for him if he was dealing with a street junkie. Unfortunately, it did nothing for them but annoy Adam and drive Sarah to the limits of her forced politeness. "he's Austin's underling, let's not make it awkward" she reminded herself door the hundredth time.

"yes, that's right." she responded letting out a sigh. They have been like this since this man, claiming to be a detective, came to hear their story. Yet this situation seemed more like an interrogation since the man started treating her like a criminal the moment she told him that P.Wattani left the plant for her.

"Detective Grant, we have been at this for an hour, Sarah already told you the circumstances. we have been working with P.Wattani for six years, and he never missed a lecture without notice. we have some complication about the research's rights with the local university, we are worried that his life might be in danger." Adam said his arms crossed over his chest, and eyes not leaving the detective.

"I know, you already told me that, and if he was indeed blackmailed then miss Keissi would be our first suspect since she was the one who benefited from his disappearance and has the whole research at her disposition."

Sarah sighed in exasperation trying not to inwardly curse her brother for sending this excuse of a sleuth. how could THIS be a benefit, the damn thing was a curse that has been weighing on her. Before owning it, it proved itself the main nuisance in her life, why would she want trouble knocking at her door. But, unfortunately, this seemed beyond this man's capacity of understanding.

"No, it doesn't, because Mr.Clayton testified that P.Wattani was in all possession of his mental abilities and in complete control over himself when he leagued it to me, your contact already confirmed that. besides Eva told me earlier that some of P.Wattani's belonging were gone, which included clothes passport and credit card. you can't accuse me of anything before you open the case and lead an actual investigation, and actually, find a solid proof of my involvement."

"being uncooperative will only serve to make things harder for both of us miss. why don't you tell me where you both were when your boss visited Mr.Clayton?"

" I was at work the whole day and didn't go home because I had to babysit my nephew while my brother worked late. so you see I didn't have time to 'hypnotize' P.Wattani to give me the plant and disappear."

"and who is that brother of yours, since apparently, we can't take you nephew's testimony." the man responded snarkilly scrbbling away in his notebook.

"I am her brother, " Said a voice behind them, the detective's eyes widened as he stood up from his chair. Sarah swallowed her response as her rage turned into triumph and relief.

"S-sir? I didn't realize..." the detective trailed off his voice stuttering,

"yes I might have overlooked that detail when I sent you, hey sis." She looked back at her brother who was standing in the doorway his huge frame covering the door, he had a wry expression in his face as he stepped toward her, she sent him a death glare which he ignored as he hugged her and greeted Adam. then looked at his subordinate who seemed to be looking for a place to disappear.

"I see that you advanced in the investigation without me. how about you give me an update later?"

Austin said as he settled down beside him, the man didn't seem to have a response so he shouldn't have minded when Austin didn't wait for one.

"I was able to officially open the case by sending someone to take Eva Wattani's statement, but from what we have, it seems like the man disappeared willingly"

"We gathered as much," Adam said uncrossing his arms, not seeming to be able to sto himself from throwing a spitefil glance at the detective. or perhaps he didn't want to. " but something is seriously wrong with this, if P.Wattani went of his own consent, then it wouldn't be a hasty decision, it's more logical for him to have been planning it out for a while"

"yes, but he doesn't have a motive to leave, except being threatened which we had M.clayton confirm he didn't seem at the least nervous, in fact, he said the man had a cold composure around him."

Sarah looked at her brother and immediately asked.

" But there's more, right? you wouldn't be opening the investigation if this evidence was all you had."

Austin smiled at her having a hard time stopping himself from ruffling her hair. Her older brother can be embarrassingly affectionate at the wrong moments.

"you're right, I did some investigations and it seems like P.Kinsley haven't been seen since yesterday evening when he stayed late at his office on campus. but unlike your boss, his disappearance wasn't alarming since he wasn't missed."

Sarah didn't need to look beside her when she heard Adam shift in his seat. she knew that he would be looking at her trying to guilt her into telling her brother about their last discovery. She had explained to him that their research was confidential and he understood. Her brother could only suspect its importance, but he was a cop and he would uncover it if he wanted to. but she decided to put it off until it was inevitable, telling him would put his loyalties into test and she had no doubt he would do anything for her, so she decided not to put him in the spot in the first place.

"there's a possibility that your boss knew what was coming to him and did this to protect the plant. if that's true your life is going to be in danger. i'd like to speak to your director, i'll ask about log in reports into the institute during the last 24 hours. it would help us put a time frame on things."

"of course, i already informed him about the situation, he said that he would be in his office all morning in case we need something, i'll take you to him." she told her brother

"i'll take a detour to the incubation room to check on something," Adam told her before he shook hands with Austin " Thanks for coming man, i'll see you later." and with one last glance toward the silent detective he trailed off.

Sarah almost chuckled at her friend's behavior, when someone got on his nerves, he'd always had a hard time letting it go. it was because of that that tension in the lab was so strained these last days. P.Wattani's irrational mood swings became so constant that they were affecting their work pace and keeping them from advancing in their research, which they both hated, since Sarah wasn't the only one who sacrificed so much in this case, Adam was so devoted to the research that he abandoned the notion of having a private life.

A while later Sarah was sitting again in front of the director with her brother as they both discussed the security footage.

"you can look at the footage as long as you want, we have a camera above all the highly secured labs, i already instructed the security team to send the one on the P.Wattani's laboratory to me." The director told Adam

"thank you, for your cooperation Director. please send it to me along with the the login register." Adam said standing up. Sarah stood with him ready to leave, but the director produced a file handing it over to Adam.

"i already have the register so feel free to take it with you,"

as they left, her brother kept paging through the file while walking, then he suddenly stopped,

"Did you two work late or come back to work last night?"

" no, as i told your detective we left together like usual"

"according to this data Adam came back here last night around 4 AM" Sarah stopped on her tracks and looked at her brother's hard face his words taking some time to sink in