Disbelieving

Walking around the school premises, Sasha led the way, each word more gruesome than the last.

'She choked me, after that... I don't know... everything is fussy but I think I was still alive until I wasn't'.

'Do you remember anything else? even if just details...'

Sophia wasn't about to let go of Sasha, the girl, although reluctant, was speaking broadly of the events that took place that hideous evening after Sophia went back home and Sasha remained in the library with a promise to encounter one another the next day.

'I remember her calling someone... the three girls, Mariah, Penny and Jodie. They decided to call someone to help them'.

"I can't believe it, everything fits…" Beatrice spoke after hearing Andrew's briefing, touching some traces of scratches in the basement floor... scratches that according to this phantom, had been hers, trying to fight back.

"Do you think this will be enough, Beatrice?" Andrew hoped although his logic told him otherwise, 'There are a lot of things... but nothing that links this murder with Mariah'.

"I don't know if it will be enough to put the blame on Mariah, but it is enough to at least disclose corruption within the forensics department, this is not a suicide by any means, we have the body to prove it... which means someone in the department was bribed to make up this story; this much we can prove. if we have any hope of placing the blame on that girl, Mariah... then Claire's help will be essential. We need witnesses that can attest to her conduct on the campus. If we had anything on her father that would be ideal as well. Anyway, I'm not a law expert so it is better if we complete everything and send it to Leon Jones".

Beatrice stood up, dusting herself and Andrew off before she took the boy's hand and started leading him away.

"Ah?"

"It is already two o'clock in the morning. You shouldn't be out here, tomorrow you have yoga classes and then your regular online classes. We have to talk to Leon Jones about what we found, we will be busy tomorrow; you have to sleep properly".

"I understand..." He sighed, looking back towards Sophia and Sasha.

'I feel unsettled, is this really all there is? can't we find anything conclusive?' He grit his teeth, after so much research

"I know what you're thinking, but this scene was cleaned by professionals. Clearly, their main objective wasn't to dispose of the corpse. Their main objective was to erase any link of this event to the Belles... after they made sure that was accomplished, they didn't care about the rest, even if we find something they'd go as far as to place the blame on the other accomplices -those girls- instead of Mariah".

While Andrew and Beatrice discussed Sophia realised that somehow Sasha managed to leave her grasp, like an injured fox, trying to flee.

'It is better if I go' the girl said, making her distance with reluctance. Her subtle voice caught Andrew's attention.

'Wait! Don't go! You can stay with us!' Sophia suggested with a smile broader than the clear night sky.

"Oi…" The heir's eyebrows twitched.

'Andrew has a massive mansion, it is cosy there and he's also the only one that can see ys… we can stay there toge-'

"Oi Sophia! don't just invite anyone! just because of your little games Maya was thinking of getting a preacher to exorcise my house! any more than that-"

'I'll be quiet I swear! Just let her stay plea-'

Their exchange was stopped by Sasha's subtle giggles.

'I appreciate it, Sophia, really… but it is better not to, I don't know when this thing inside me is going to regain consciousness, it is dangerous'.

'Then what about you!? where are you going to live? or do?!'

'…'

Instead of giving an answer to the frantic Sophia, Sasha's body began to dematerialise like an owl disappearing in the night.

"I-Is she gone?" Beatrice asked suddenly, even panting a little.

"Yes, how do you know?" Seeing her like that, Andrew caught up to her, she looked as if she had ran a marathon.

"It is hard to explain… the atmosphere with her around felt quite heavy and cold… like I was being stared by a predator at all times. I didn't want to look frightened though as I don't trust her. Whoever that ghost is Andrew, we shouldn't associate with her".

'I didn't feel anything like that...'

"Are you okay?" Instead of heading out straight away, Andrew leaned down to the knelt Sophia who was at the border of weeping.

'I would have wished for her to stay with us', she clenched her hands in the dirty floor, scattering the dust and leaving behind a ghostly handprint.

"I'm sure we will see her again, but Sophia you must understand we know nothing about this world, we don't even know what that entity is, I have seen ghosts all my life… but I never saw anything like that. We can allow her to stay with us just like that".

'How can we even prepare? I don't know how to become stronger…'

"I was thinking about that too, Andrew… you're going to need to undergo some serious training" Beatrice said all of the sudden, pulling him up and forcefully heading out, it seemed to her that Andrew intended to stay in this abandoned school all night.

!!!

"Eh?!" He didn't mind undergoing training, but for some reason when those words were said by Beatrice, they sounded too ominous.

"The threats… the world that you're living in. I can't hear, I can't see, I can't touch… how can I protect you from them?"

"Beatrice…"

"The only thing I can do is to at least prepare you. I'll keep protecting you from this physical world. But that spiritual world, I'll make sure you can at least defend yourself".

"I'll do my best".

"Good, tomorrow we wake up to train at 4am, you too, Sophia".

"Eh!?"

'No way'.

Beatrice then said some words in Russian that none of the two understood, Andrew only hoped it wasn't anything troublesome.

(Where can I get a bear…?)

**

**

Madison Avenue, Manhattan.

Manhunt Buffett's HQ.

"H-How is this possible?".

Leon Jones, Sophia's father couldn't be called a happy man right now. Not since he found the corpse of his daughter in her room, poisoned.

From that day on it had been a roller coaster of emotions, seeking any link or proof. The case of Sasha Brooks lightened up a path that he wasn't willing to let go. Nevertheless, no matter how much he looked onto it and sent his own researchers, there wasn't any result. As if everything was cleaned by a hyper-hygienic professional Victorian maid.

And yet, reading the report in front of his very eyes, he couldn't believe it.

'They even found the body!?'

…

"We managed to collect all of this evidence yesterday evening, Mr Jones" the one to speak was Beatrice with Andrew sitting beside her while not to be knowledge, Sophia was on the other side, embracing her father.

Andrew decided to let her speak since she had the most experience between the two and also, he was rather downcast after receiving Maya's scolding for coming back home so late, thankfully it wasn't only him that got scolded.

…

"What do you mean you managed!? Are you telling me my personal detectives are all blind?"

"It certainly looks like so, obviously they weren't doing the best possible job".

"Beatri-" Andrew noticed Beatrice's hostility possibly due to her frustration over the whole case.

Leon Jones lifted his hand and beaconed for Andrew to stop, he rubbed his temples in exasperation and considered, 'There is no way they wouldn't have found at least one of these leads if they were doing a proper job'.

"I understand but could you at least tell me how? this much evidence in a single night, you must have had a lucky encounter".

"That is the truth. We found a witness in the crime scene, that person is not willing to testify and wishes to keep their identity a secret".

Beatrice declared, referring to Sasha whose identity obviously she couldn't reveal.

"That person could have been an accomplice! otherwise how can they have so much information!?"

An exalted Leon even banged on the table, all logic certainly lead to that conclusion.

"As I said I can't reveal that person's identity. But I can assure you they're not the perpetrators, if anything… that person is more like a victim. Be it as it may, that witness cooperated with this case and I intend to keep my promise of maintaining his identity undisclosed. You have all the evidence you need in this case, Mr Jones. What soy you say?"

Picking up the papers and giving them another look a smile finally appeared in his face, one that reassured the silent Sophia.

"If I lose this case then I might as well go back to Harvard and hang myself… you don't need to worry, the hearing is in two weeks… I'll prepare the bundle for you and Clare to study it once it is done, Andrew. The two of you will testify. I'll call the little miss here as well, I thought you two would come together?"

Hearing his words Andrew recalled Clare, 'Last time I spoke to her was back then, when Beatrice and I…'

"I have kept my distance… but rest assured that I'm sure she will help… I could even give her a call?"

Although he was reluctant to call Clare now, knowing how her reaction would be, he still decided to do so for the sake of the case.

"Please do".

…

The phone rang for several seconds in which for some reason Andrew saw Sophia glaring at him with daggers. He didn't know why she was upset.

The call connected.

"Clare?"

"…"

"Clare are you there?"

"…"

"I apologise for not calling you all this time" he sighed.

"That's more like it, Andrew… so when are we going out?"

All his hairs stood on an end, for many reasons… his crying wallet, Sophia and Beatrice's aura… nevertheless, knowing Clare, he has no choice.

"… next Friday, I'll pick you up, we have to talk about Sophia's case".

"I'm not talking about that case until the second date".

"My goodness… o-okay" tears left his eyes, realising that his savings were in danger.

"I'll wait for you~"

"…"

The depressing call finished with Andrew almost fainting on his chair, he panted and extended his hand to grasp Beatrice's sleeve amidst tears.

"Do you have money, Beatrice? I'll be broke by the second date"

"Ha!? Why should I give you money just so you can go and have fun with some other woman!?"

"…"

Leon gasped and only then Beatrice realised what she said out loud in front of an unknowing acquaintance.

*cough!*

"I mean, yes… I can give you some as long as you pay me back".

"Andrew… y-you don't have money?" Such a statement was unbelievable for Leon. He thought Andrew's pocket change should be more than his own monthly income.

"Of course I have! It is just, this is Claire we're talking about" Andrew couldn't possibly say that he had to work hard for every cent until he inherited Archonte. His reputation would be gone before he even reached eighteen.

"I see, so you spent all your change? As expected of rich kids… don't worry, I can give you some in exchange everything you've done for us" Leon laughed heartily, completely misunderstanding everything and immediately placing Andrew among the debauching pinnacle of Manhattan.

"T-That's right! I spent it all!" The boy sighed in relief, light at the end of the tunnel.

"With all this, there will finally be justice. After this I have to investigate my daughter's case… no matter how much I look into it, they don't seem to be related".

"Have you contacted the private detective Sophia was trying to contact?"

"Sophia was trying to get a hold of a private detective?" Leon frowned, that's not something he was aware of.

Andrew took out a note he had brought just for this moment.

"This is the number… I got it from her personal computer downtown where she used to work".

"How do you know all this, Andrew? I didn't know you and Sophia were so close".

"She's my best friend… I'm sad over what happened, we just were quite busy and… didn't meet often" Scratching his head he quickly thought of an explanation, his eyes fixed on a Sophia who was curiously pouting with a little blush.

'W-Who's your best friend…'

"I see… I'll research this number for now. Do you know where she got it from?"

"I think she got it in the dark web…"

"That girl… I told her to never mess with those things… but she never listened" during this junction, the man's bottled ho feelings seemed to resurface, even more so as he felt his daughter closer than ever, completely unaware of exactly how close she was.

Seeing the pair of father and daughter, Andrew sighed of his own mysterious powers.

'Only I know…'

"Mr Leon… I can swear this for my life… she's in a good place now".

"Thanks, Andrew… it really means a lot, I also know she's in a good place, such a lovely girl… where else could she be?"

"She could be quite stubborn and annoying though" Beatrice added with a low tone.

'You!-'

"But she was indeed a lovely girl~".