Moonstone *One Direction* [Liam Payne]

Chapter 9

Andy shook his head at Sydney's words and seemed defeated. There was a shift of tension in the room after he entered, eyes seemed to pass judgment and scream at him just because we developed a motive that could possibly be false. This whole dinner was so messed up.

"Let's start with Louis," Sydney said as she reclaimed her seat.

"Well, we could say that he had the same motive as Andy," Caitlin suggested.

"Yeah, but my brother would never do that!" Grae defended. "I know my brother and he is overly thankful and appreciative for the immense amount of commission and recognition he already receives from the MI6, and he is in no way greedy!"

"So you all established my motive as greed!" Andy bellowed in sheer hurt. "Do you know me at all!"

"Andy, Grae please!" Sydney's voice boomed, instantly silencing the table. "We are merely trying to establish a motive. Yes, what we may know about someone may contradict these things, but we are simply brainstorming. With that said, I would agree that Louis personality contradicts the same motive we gave Andy; however, I also believe that one taste of power and the idea of how one could get more can transform into greed and cause one to peruse a different course of action. Therefore, I conclude that Louis' motive stands as but isn't restricted to the same motive we declared for Andy. Does anyone have any other possible motives to add to this or any objections?" The room was silent as heads hung as more and more close friends were marked with reason to commit the unheard of crime. "Alright then, onto Hayley."

"Well, haven't you and Harry known her since you were young?" Tom asked with a raised brow.

"Precisely."

"So, wouldn't she be eliminated?"

"Why would you think that just because we have known her for a long time that she is automatically exempt?" Sydney questioned.

"I guess not," Tom sighed.

Grae awkwardly shifted her weight and bit her lip as she appeared to be in deep concentration, apparently I wasn't the only one who noticed. "Grae what are you thinking?" Harry asked calmly.

"Well," she breathed. "I don't want to make assumptions, but I don’t know. It's probably really dumb. Louis hasn't given me any mental training so I have no idea how I'm supposed to go about thinking this through so I am probably extremely off."

"Just give it a go," Liam encouraged with a soft smile.

"Well, Harry you and Hayley dated a while back right? And Sydney, her family knew of your family's involvement with the government agency? Well, what if part of her is still somehow attached to Harry and when she met Louis and found out that he was also in the MI6, it would be a way to get back at Harry for hurting her. Since just dating my brother didn't work, when she found out about the software, it would kill Harry's division and possibly career if it was stolen or lost and no one could find it was her. The only thing is I don't think she is very good with computers."

"Grae that's brilliant," Tom inquired causing the small brunette to smile.

"It is actually very logical; however we dated ages upon ages ago and I don't think she'd hold a grudge over something so silly," Harry added to defend his long-time friend.

"Yeah but you all dated for years! She could have thought she was in love and at that young of an age, losing you could have been detrimental to her and stayed with her all this time!" Andy asserted, agreeing with Grae's logic.

"Good," Sydney smiled at the table. "Have we reached a conclusion?"

Once again, the table replied with small nods or a soft "yes."