"What?! This is insane Chief!" Brent's blatant refusal echoes after the Commander of Detective Bureau informed him personally that he'd be transferred to Juvenile Division. It feels like he just drank a gallon of coffee, making him very awake at the announcement.
Commander Kevin Murdoch reclines on his seat. He saw it coming that's why he called Brent for a one-on-one meeting first before gathering his staff for reorganization.
"This is just temporary, Brent. After the Tocci case you'll resume to your post in the Homicide Division. You seemed to have fondness with the girl since day 1. It may cloud your judgement. I'm not accusing her totally but she's the prime suspect. A serial killer is at large murdering men and whether Miss Tocci did it or not, I wanted it done carefully to apprehend the true killer."
"And this is Holtman's doing right? She'd remain in the case and replace me as the Team Lead?" Brent is very upset. Only Lara knows of his affair with Nikola.
"No, she won't head the team but yes she's still in the case. She'll be transferred to Forensic as an OIC. We're grooming her to replace Simon and we both know her background and skills are outstanding. You and Hayes will just swap divisions. Lara has nothing to do with this. It's my decision." The Chief explains but Brent is not convinced.
'When is the meeting?" Brent asks in dismay.
"After lunch. Endorse everything to Hayes so he can have proper protocol with Lara. See you later." Commander Murdoch knows it won't be easy for Brent who was his protegee.
Brent proceeds to Juvenile Division and assumes his desk then leaves the building after a brief talk with Paul. He doesn't like Paul dipping his fingers in his department but what can he do? It's the Chief's command.
He drives around to nowhere. This is totally crazy. He handled the Tocci case from the very beginning and now he's just thrown out like that?! He feels very powerless.
But where is Nikola, really? What name is she using now? They have no lead yet. The Surveillance team coded her last activity: Nikola stayed in a sleazy hotel after Gem died. She used her roommate's credit card and checked in, impersonating her roomamate. Then she flew to New York still using Gem's name and that's the end.
Wait! How about Gem's phone number, she might have had used it too. They did not find the dead girl's cellphone in The Paramount.
Brent makes a U-turn to his house. Once home he turns on his laptop to search for cellphone numbers under Gemini Flynn. Special agents are given privilege to access the portal that shows specific users of cell phone mumbers. He enters the code assigned to him as password for USACP portal. There are series of phone calls that day under the number owned by Gemini Flynn. The lists go on until he finds 2 numbers under New York code. New York State Asylum and Nathan Reite Law Firm, PLLC.
Brent called the Law Firm but it's on voicemail. Oh fuck, time zone! He curses in dismay after realizing it.
He dials the Asylum. Who could be in the Asylum? Nikola's parents were dead.
No harm done in taking chances. He might get a lead there. He asks if Nikola Tocci or Alexandria Clayton brought in or visited a patient there. The receptionist types on the keyboard and sees a coded message for Nikola Tocci. Warning alert! Code black. Do not respond.
"Negative, sir." She replies.
Brent is very frustrated but he must not stop. He must start somewhere to unearth some roots and connect the missing dots. There must be a living person in Nikola's past to help him solve the mystery.
He searches for the University where she was enrolled in Malaysia. An editorial written by a Sophomore named Ahmad Khrisnan catches his attention. The boy interviewed a transfer student whom he befriended.
"It's unnerving to be in a different place but I never thought that a Malaysian University could be at par with schools in New York or somewhere in Europe for that matter" ~ Alexandria May Clayton. Highschool Sophomore.
Brent looks for the phone number of the Khrisnans. 1:41 PM on his watch, it's 10:42 PM in Malaysia. He can't wait. Perhaps someone will answer his call. To his dismay, amidst the language barrier, the housekeeper informed him that Ahmad died when he's 16 in a house fire.
Brent cursed. The deeper he digs in, the more complicated it gets. Why did every person attached to Nikola die?
He closes his eyes as his mind questions his heart. Will he hate himself for falling inlove with Nikola or will he hate Nikola for fooling around with him?
He doesn't know how long he drifted but it's already dark when he opens his eyes. He walks to the kitchen counter to have coffee. But perhaps a bourbon can quiet the busy thoughts in his brain. He can't focus on juvenile crime when all his thoughts are about Nikola Tocci. He wants to prove to everyone that this girl is innocent. He's the only one who can feel it. His guts were never wrong or is it failing now because of his emotion?
A knock on the door startles him from reverie. He looks at the kitchen wall clock. 7:12 PM.
"Why did you skip the meeting, Detective Sherwood?" It's Paul with Lara.
Brent shrugs. "I knew my position already. Did Chief send you here?" He walks back to his kitchen and pours Bourbon in the glass. "Help yourself guys." He offers.
Paul settles on the sofa. "No, this is a personal visit. We thought we all need to cooperate to solve this case, Sherwood."
Lara walks to the kitchen. She pours a glass and gives it to Paul then approaches Brent. She notices that Brent won't even look at her.
"Are you mad at me? I didn't say anything to Commander Murdoch." Lara whispers.
Brent grins bitterly and hisses. "So why does he know my fondness to Nikola?"
Lara shrugs. "Should I be blamed for anything which concerns that woman?" she exclaims loudly in a disappointing voice.
Paul hears the hissing and whispers. He can surmise a misunderstanding between the two especially when Lara raised up her voice. He stands up after drinking from the glass straight up. He walks towards the kitchen and puts his glass on the table.
"The Commander suspected that you're protecting the suspect. Murdoch was there when we traced all calls from Simon's phone. The lists showed numbers of the realtor so as Nikola. It was the Chief who called the realtor who mentioned that Nikola agreed a meeting with you and Simon before the murder happened which you never told us. " Paul taps Brent's shoulder. "Chill with Holtman. I don't wanna get drunk. Gotta go to review the case."
As the door closes, Lara holds Brent's hand. "I'm sorry about this but the Bureau just wanted to get hold of the killer. Murdoch is just concerned to solve the case."
Brent says nothing. He drinks from his glass then walks to the living room and settles on the sofa. "Don't you think evidences are too cut out pointing a finger to Nikola?"
"C'mon Brent....."
He does not let her finish the sentence but asks, "Why are there missing CCTV Footage?"
Lara sighs. "Simon asked that too but that's all from the security tapes of The Rooftop on that fateful night. It's everything they had." She sits beside him.
"Paul, I don't know all the answers. Chief said we can still consult you so let's not hold any grudge against each other. Murdoch only hopes for the best in solving the crime. Four men died since that woman arrived in California." She clasps Brent's hand and smiles at him.
Brent's arm is already touching the side of her breast but he doesn't wanna let her think that he's getting malicious over her friendly gesture so he smiles back. "Okay." Brent stands up and goes to the fridge for water.
"A dinner maybe? My peace offering. Let's go somewhere." Lara says cheerfully behind him.
"No thanks. I'd call it a night." Brent answers without looking at her. He puts back the bottle of water inside the fridge. Lara's next move is unexpected.
She wraps her arms around him as he kisses his back. "Once this is over, I'll make-up with you. Be the good girlfriend you ever wished for".
Brent removes her arms to face the woman in disbelief. Girlfriend? "Jeeeezzzz...this is ridiculous! Your boyfriend just died!" He chastises her.
Lara yells at him."He's not my boyfriend! I just went out with him one night."
Brent walks to the door and opens it. His tone is low but firm. "Fine but you're not my girlfriend either. I'm sorry, I thought we had this cleared out years ago. Just leave, Lara."
What's wrong with these men? Lara tried to hold back the tears as she drives home. Showing her out and telling her she can't be his girlfriend was the rudest gesture from Brent.
Why does Nikola can have all the men around her but she can't?
"Bitch!" She whispers in frustration and drives the car in full speed as she recollects the past rejection she experienced in her life that leaves a deep scar in her heart.
She can never forgive that man. Labeling her mom a liar was the most obnoxious word she ever heard. Would a woman lie in her deathbed? Any affection left in her heart towards the father she had known completely vanished. She stops her car in the driveway and walks inside her house. She calls the Surveillance team for any progress before hitting the bed.
She already contacted Interpol early in the day and called General Powell to spread his connections for the immediate capture of Nikola Tocci. They knew she'd be using a new name again. They're also watching the moves of Diego Lucas. He's the only man who knew Nikola very well. He smuggled her from Malaysia to Italy when she's 16 using different names. From her original name Alexandria May Clayton to Angela Munsi in exiting Malaysia then Nikola Tocci of Italy. Sleuth from Interpol reported that Diego entered New York from Malaysia then flew to San Francisco the day Gem got killed.
Surveillance team is monitoring the man's hotel hopping. Lara instructed not to capture him yet. He can lead them to the whereabouts of Nikola so as Brent.
She has the power now to capture this bitch. She'd been waiting for this.
POSTED: APRIL 10, 2018
EDITED: MAY 28, 2018