>>Clio
We all watched Matthew's live arrest as he was being taken out of the building by Detective Harou. Reporters swarmed him, bombarding him with questions but Matthew didn't say a word while we all stood in the office, our eyes glued to the TV screen.
"This is bad," Bizy shook his head, "The company is going to take a major hit."
"Do we need to start finding new jobs?" Imani asked.
"Hey! Hey!" Chris answered, "We'll be fine, there's no proof of the boss being involved in drug dealings."
"That's right," Jacob said, "If there's no proof they'll release him."
"The documents don't look fake though," Lizzo said, "And he can be clearly seen in the video."
The tension in the place began to ride when Bizy raised his hands, "Okay!" For the first time, his voice got stern, "Nobody talks about this!" He looked at everyone, "We'll do a half day today, everybody should go home for now." He made sure that the colleagues didn't end up in a fight due to the intense situation.
Everyone nodded at his suggestion, most likely because at this moment no one would be able to work anyway, so everyone started packing their stuff. I kept my eyes on the news and wondered what to do.
I can't just resign out of the blue like this but if I did, would it make me suspicious? I would like to go back as soon as possible though, ever since I've come here I don't even get to talk to Nolan properly.
"The CEO shouldn't be there alone though," Imani put her purse strap on, "Shouldn't someone be with him?" She looked at Bizy and he paused.
"You're right," He nodded, "I couldn't get a hold of the director so maybe one of us should go to him." He looked at everyone, "It's only right," His eyes stopped moving when he looked at me.
And all of the sudden, all eyes were on me.
!?!?!?
"What?" I felt my heart skip a beat as the fear in me began to rise, "Me?" I pointed at myself in confusion while the eyes of several predators stared at me. Anxiety swirled inside me and my heart raced with a sense of impending doom.
***
As the youngest member of the office, I was given the responsibility to go after the boss, and so here I was, standing outside the holding cell Matthew sat in, unsure what to say or do. The built-in bench in the cell was broken so Matthew was given a wooden chair to sit on in the middle of the square concrete gray room.
When Matthew saw me arrive he didn't say anything, he quietly raised his head and looked at me as I silently stopped outside his cell. We looked at each other and his expressions softened.
Oh...
This was the first time I had seen such softness on his face and for some reason, it relaxed me. I was scared of him, I really didn't want to come but as the youngest I couldn't refuse and I couldn't protest because the rest of them seem to like him a lot.
If the people close to him like him a lot, then I wonder why Nolan is so convinced he's the bad guy? Much less the serial Killer? I stared at him nervously and I'm sure my anxiety was showing on my face but Matthew just looked back with a soft smile.
He looks harmless, handsome even... And today was the first time I noticed how attractive he actually is. He's got a great body, a sharp jawline but those black eyes of his still make me uneasy.
"Say," He spoke first, making me flinch, "Do you have any siblings Clio?" The place was pretty silent and at the moment there were just the two of us here.
I softly shook my head, "No,"
He nodded, "I see," He wondered, "Any cousins?"
I shook my head again, "It's just me." He nodded again.
There were a few moments of silence, "Are you adjusting fine in the office?" My chest felt squeezy, I don't know what I was feeling but at the very least I wasn't utterly terrified of him like I was before.
"Yes," I replied. Nothing much has changed though, it's not like I have proof that he isn't the killer, so why do I feel more relaxed? Is it because I don't have proof that he is the killer either?
"Do you have your phone with you?" He asked and I nodded, "Call Bizy for me, you have his number right?"
I nodded and took out my phone from my pocket, then dialed the manager's number. Bizy picked up immediately, "What?" But he sounded panicked, "Is everything alright?!? Is the boss okay?"
I wanted to say something but Matthew spoke first, "Bizy," I immediately put it on speaker.
"Sir!" Bizy's voice got excited, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Matthew replied, "I'm sure you sent all the workers home today."
"Yes," The manager replied.
"Don't forget to send someone to City D," Matthew's words made my ears perk up, "The meeting is coming up."
"Ah yes,"
"Who went last time?" Matthew asked, "Around the national holiday?" Hmm? There was a meeting in City D around the national holiday?
"Dave and your secretary Lily," Bizy's answer reminded me of something. Matthew's secretary's name is Lily too? That's also the name of the girl that was murdered by the Head Hunter.
Wait, national holiday? That's the same time around when the Head Hunter killed that girl named Lily, the one from the convenience store!!
"Hey!" We heard the detective's voice, "Turn that off," He looked at me and I immediately ended the call and put the phone in my pocket while he came and stood in front of the cell, diverting his attention towards the CEO.
***
"So," Harou sat on a chair in front of the cell, with arms folded and a voice recorder in his hands, "What's your relationship with the drug mafia?"
"None," So far Matthew has denied everything
"The establishment is yours, meaning you let those people come and have all the underground meetings."
"Nonsense," Matthew moved his hands, the chains between his wrists that tied his hands close jingled, "I had no idea they were having that kind of meeting." He shrugged, "They were just regular customers to me."
"Regular customers?" Harou scoffed, "You personally go meet your customers? And give them VIP treatment?"
"I was just trying not to look racist." Matthew remained calm.
Matthew's in the video and he owns the building where this whole ordeal was taking place but his name wasn't on the list of the drug dealers... But then again, it's not necessary that all the names are mentioned there. For all we know, the names mentioned there might be of small fries.
Harou was ticked off by those answers, "Are you going to keep doing this?"
Matthew shrugged, "You're the one who refuses to believe me." He leaned back against the chair he was sitting on, "I'm clean." He smirked.
"Like hell you are," Harou whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Shouldn't you worry about the Chinese Mafia?" The boss said, "What if they cause a fuss?"
Harou let out a sigh, "Where's the man the Chinese caught?"
"What man?" Matthew chose to remain ignorant but I know he knows. I saw it after all but I couldn't say it.
"The one who originally stole the files." Harou spoke calmly even though he looked a little angry, "Where is he?"
"How'd you know about him?" Matthew didn't try to hide that fact anymore, "Wasn't he there secretly?"
"Well not entirely and he never came back, and I've gotten the report. Tell me where he is."
"How'd you know he originally stole those files?" Matthew stared at Harou.
"I don't need to tell you that," The detective replied, "I just need my answer."
"I had no idea there was an original thief." Matthew shrugged and looked away, making Harou try and calm his nerves down.
"I got a personal call from the boy's colleagues, they said he never came back and they suddenly lost touch with him after he initially got his hands on the file." Harou made Matthew look back at him, "Tell me where he is."
Is it alright for the detective to reveal so much?
Matthew kept his eyes on Harou while the detective did the same. There was some tension between them, like invisible sparks that a bystander like me could feel too.
"I'll tell you," The Boss smiled, "When you find that cocktail dress woman for me." My heart jumped at his words and I shot my head to look at him in fear. I'm sure he doesn't know it's me, but why the hell is he so persistent about finding that out?
"I'll find her," Harou's words made my heart jump and catch double speed, "If you tell me where he is."
I gulped as I looked at the detective, silently praying that he doesn't do anything about it.
Matthew shrugged, "How would I know? I don't even know who the initial spy was."
"Fine," Harou seemed ticked off, "Here's a deduction. That cocktail dress female of yours is most likely a spy from NLN."
My heart jumped out of my chest and a surge of panic gripped my heart like a vise. The realization that they could be onto me sent chills down my spine,
How does he know that!?!? Paranoia crept in, making every word of his seem menacing.
"Oh?" Matthew smirked, "What makes you think that?"
"It's a simple deduction. NLN was the only one with the scoop, and you said she ran away with the files, that's why you needed to find her."
"It's not surprising, the girl just sent it to one news station."
Harou smirked, "Except that NLN is in City D," My heart pounded in my chest, and my hands trembled, "It's odd that she sent it to a news station in another city while there are several that have their headquarters here. Bigger News Channels are here," Harou seemed proud of himself, "It's obvious that the initial thief wasn't the only spy in that party of yours."
The walls of safety I had built around myself seemed to crumble, leaving me vulnerable. Just how smart is this dude!?!
"NLN," Matthew worded it out and I felt even more anxious.
"It's even safer to assume that the girl isn't a permanent employee there." Panic welled up inside me, and I couldn't shake the feeling of being hunted, "This is just an assumption though,"
I felt like my stomach was churning, how can he just come up with an assumption so accurate!?!? I had told myself over and over again that I'd be fine but with how quickly the detective got it narrowed down made me feel sick.
"Speak," Harou said, "What happened to the boy that initially stole the information."
Am I really going to get caught?!? But I changed my entire appearance, so I shouldn't get caught...
"He's dead," Matthew replied and Harou froze for a moment
"Dead...?" A look of defeat came over his face, "Who killed him?" My mouth went agape.
Dead? That man who handed me the USB is dead?! I felt my stomach churn even more and I felt nauseated. What have I landed myself into?!?!
"He died at the hands of the bodyguards who were stopping him," Matthew replied. I wasn't expecting him to actually tell the detective anything but he did...
"This could turn into serious trouble for you Matthew Merikh."
"It won't," Matthew said, " First of all," The Boss raised his index finger, "As I said, I'm not even involved, I don't even know how that boy managed to find out about the Chinese mafia," He paused for a moment, "Maybe he didn't, it might have been pure luck that he stumbled upon something the paparazzi call a solid scoop and tried to get his hands on the documents but that was foolish of him. It was merely his bad luck." My heart trembled. It was the same situation I was in. I didn't go to that party to get a drug case, I went there to get something on Matthew but got myself involved with the mafia!?!?
I glanced at Matthew. Is he really a part of the underworld?! My heart was drumming inside my chest out of fear. He claims he isn't, but there's no proof that he isn't even though at the moment there is no proof that he is either...
"Second," He continued, "If the people behind that dead boy try to take action, the Chinese mafia will take action as well. Taking action means exposing who's after the Chinese." They both stared at each other, "Let it go Harou, I'll make sure to give you back the dead body."
"And how are you going to do that?" Harou leaned forward, "According to you, you're not even involved," He glared at the man in the cell, "Why would the drug mafia hand you over the body?"
I was feeling sick. I wanted to go back home and lie down.
"I can try," Matthew said, "This is the least they can do for getting me involved with them."
Harou smirked, "Like hell they will."
Matthew smirked back, "If I get you the body, you get me out of here."
"Oh no, if you get the body, that simply means you mean something to the Chinese." While Harou was talking he glanced at me out of the blue, "And that's," he paused as he looked into my eyes, "It" And his gaze got stuck onto mine as his expression changed to suspicion, while my pupils shook in fear, "You're staying locked here." He told the boss and glared at me, scaring the shit out of me.
His eyes and his face told me he had caught onto something. Something I was trying to hide which only made me feel worse.
"You," His eyebrow twitched, he stood up from the chair and grabbed my wrist, "You're coming with me."