The Persistence of Memory | ✔

11

"Thank you," she said, taking her cup and not bothering to add anything to it before taking a small sip. Nina could feel the hot drink running down her throat, warming her from the inside. When she set down the cup, she found she felt a little more like herself.

Across from her, Sadeghi took a seat in a worn looking armchair. His movements were slow, like the simple action expended too much effort. He let out the slightest of sighs and didn't bother with the coffee in front of him.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about Chris," he said, looking wary of what would come next. There was still a determined look in his eyes, one Nina saw as a hint of what the man was truly like, shining through the worn exterior.

"Yes. Would you mind if I record the conversation? It's to ensure accuracy and context," she clarified, pulling out her phone. Sadeghi hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Nina set her phone to record and placed it on the coffee table. "As I understand it, you worked with Christopher Fearnley for some time."

"I did," was the man's simple response. He paused, looked down at the cup of coffee he'd left untouched and then focused his gaze back onto Nina. "I don't really know what I can tell you about it. The cops, the reporters, they asked about him when this all started. They asked most of the people who knew him."

Nina was aware of that. That was, after all, how she'd come across Sadeghi's name. Back when the whole mess had just started—when piercing green eyes had yet to burn themselves into Nina's mind—Nina had read an article about Fearnley and his supposed crime. Sadeghi had been interviewed briefly, had sounded like he knew Fearnley well enough.

Maybe it was a desperate move on Nina's part. Maybe she was wrong and the two men had barely spoken to each other. Either way, she figured it wouldn't hurt to ask a couple of questions. Even if the only reason she'd thought to do so was to get out of her own apartment.

"Did you speak to him often?" Nina asked.

"Yeah, we worked together so we talked all the time. He didn't mention anything odd, if that's what you're thinking. I had no idea of what he was going to do." Sadeghi looked truly distressed by the idea. Nina, of course, believed him. There was nothing for Fearnley to say about a crime he most likely didn't commit.

"I'm sure you wouldn't know anything about that," Nina tried to reassure the man. "I just wanted to ask you a bit about his daily habits. How he was at work, the people he knew, that kind of thing. We're doing a profile on him, trying to get a different perspective. Nothing you need to worry over." Nina thought her cover sounded likely enough. It certainly sounded like something she would be tasked with covering.

Sadeghi seemed to calm a bit at that information, the grip he'd had on the couch's arm rest loosening the slightest bit and the look in his eyes losing a bit of it's edge. He let out a breath and gave a small nod, one Nina almost missed.

"Right, well, I suppose I would know a bit about that. I, um, I'm not sure how much detail I can go into."

"Anything you can tell me is fine," Nina said. "What would you say he was like? Was he a good man, friendly? Did he keep to himself?"

"He kept to himself for the most part, but he was nice enough once you got to know him. Chris was a private person, didn't talk much about his private life but he did tell me about his divorce. That was about all most people knew as far as his home life went." Nina nodded, noting how Sadeghi seemed more at ease as he spoke.

"What about after the accident and surgery? Did he seem different to you?"

Sadeghi paused to think about it while Nina waited patiently. She sipped from her cup of coffee, savoring the earthy taste of the brew while she waited for an answer.