Maniai Case File 1: The Girl And The Blood Slide

Chapter 6

The next morning I found myself feeling happy. I had my backpack with me, a few essentials really cause I don't need much. I was on the bus, looking outside the window as the city raced past.

I would have felt good even if I only went to work that morning. The trip was just the cherry on top.

It was a shame of course, the cause of our trip. That poor little girl...

It was nice though, going somewhere. Meeting new people, doing honest work. Learning new stuff. If it had to be rabies, then rabies it is.

Being unemployed sucks, and I wasn't going to return to that state willingly.

I got off the bus and carried my backpack to the bank. I checked the clock, I was on time. The bank was filled with people. The crisis didn't seem to have any effect on the amount of people in banks each day. You'd think that people with no money wouldn't really have any bank-related issues but there it was: full of sorrow and miserable people, waiting in line, loud beeps pushing them slowly towards the cashier.

I decided to treat myself with my joyful feeling for a little longer so I waited outside, at the shade of a tree. I could see the entrance, and could definitely spot Zoe coming out.

A few minutes later, she did, smiling and closing the distance with little jumps.

"Kalimera Poly," she said. "What's with the bag?"

"Kalimera. What do you mean, I packed for three days."

She walked towards her car and unlocked it. I threw my backpack over my shoulder and followed.

"Very gallant of you," she said and counted the money she just exchanged for the cheque. She split some and gave me a handful. "Here's your cut. Stay at home until Thursday, and we'll pretend to come back late at night. So we can scrape off a few hours off Friday morning too. Then we'll get back to the office."

"What are you talking about? Fudge the report? The investigation?" She was about to get into her car and I shut her door.

"Look, I get it. You're new. Take it from me. It doesn't matter whether we investigate or not. It's all the same in the end. Instead of spending three days in one another's cheery company, why not crash at home with booze money? Or go to a bar, with booze money. Huh? Even better. Now, lemme go, I have a pair of trousers that I've been eyeing for days, and now, I'm gonna buy it and enjoy my bonus!"

She went into the driver's seat and turned on the ignition.

I was speechless.

I leaned down to look at her through the car window.

"Ohi. No. Stop. You can't do that! Do you always do that?"

She shrugged. Her voice was muffled, like, well exactly like coming through a closed window. "Not always, I have done a few investigations now and then. But this is too good to pass on. It's like a new payday in the middle of the month. Don't worry, I'll do the report. You can thank me later."

I opened the rear door and picked up the folder. I shoved the girl's photo in her face. OK, not her face, because the window was still closed, but I slapped it hard on the glass and when she turned towards me it was right there in front of her.

"This here, happened. And it might happen to other people, unless we go up to Thessaloniki and check things out. I'll go by myself if I have to. Don't worry, I'm not a snitch, I'll say we were together. But I can't do something that I have no knowledge of."

Zoe's face turned sour. She looked at the picture of the poor girl and then looked at me with dark eyes.

She rolled down the window. "There's nothing we can do for her anyway. Enjoy the bonus. Fuck off."

She drove her car away and I was left holding the case file.