Silent pursuit

Chapter 4: into to the darkness

Travis drove to the University, with the ride in awkward silence thereby revealing the tension between Travis and Anita. The road was extremely free as Travis sped through the express, in the darkness of the night, as if it were a gateway to the memories they both wanted to leave unopened. Travis held on the steering wheel tightly, his fingers pale indicating that lack of blood to that area, a clear sign of the anger and tension growing inside him. Anita who was beside him stared out the window, her mind running with thoughts she dare not speak out.

They had just left the crime scene at the hospital, where the mutilated body of the D.P.O's nephew had been found, and now they were going to the place where they believed it all began, their university. To every aspirant, university has been a place of hopes and ambitions, but for the two of them, it was a place of the past that they never want to revisit.

Anita’s heart pounded seriously, she could feel her heart about to pop out of her chest as they reached the security unit. The memories she had worked so hard to hide were starting to unveil, pushing their way to the top of her mind. She knew what they were about to uncover would be painful, but one thing was certain there was going back now.

As they neared the office, she felt a wave of sickness hit her, and she reached out to Travis, pulling at his arm just before they entered. "Bab... sorry, Travis," she corrected herself, falling into politeness, "must we start from here?" Travis paused and looked at her with an expression that was both cold and determined. The focus in his eyes was scary, like he had unveiled a new personality to deal with the situation.

"The D.P.O’s nephew was killed. The D.P.O wants to find the killer of his nephew, and I also have to know who doesn’t want my sister’s soul to rest." The words came out before he realized that he had said such harsh words, but he had been pressured by the situation and Anita's constant fear. Anita took his hand, her touch soft and begging. "Please, let’s not open old wounds that we tried forgetting." She pleaded, her eyes filled with tears as she attempted to hold it in.

Annoyed, Travis yanks his hand from Anita, he couldn't hide his irritation. "This isn’t childsplay, Anita, so learn to do your job as a police officer. Kindly leave aside the personal connection you have to this case. After snapping at Anita, Travis walked into the office, leaving Anita standing outside, hurt and torn.

Inside, he traded greetings with the Chief Security Officer, a man who had aged greatly since they last met. The office had the stale smell of old papers and coffee, a sharp contrast to the memories of their university days. The files he needed were handed over, thick with the weight of the secrets they held. As the C.S.O gave him the files, Travis couldn’t help but notice the man’s shaking hands. Age had not been kind to him; his once sharp eyes now softened by time and perhaps, sorrow. The files, dirty and worn, held the weight of a decade of lost crimes and unsolved riddles.

Travis flipped through them quickly, his mind running with the consequences of what he was seeing. Each page was a reflection of the lives that had been ruined, the futures that had been stolen. Anita stayed outside, leaning against the car, her mind a storm of feelings. She could feel the cold grip of fear closing around her heart, the memories of her time at the university coming back with a force. The late-night study sessions, the laughs shared with friends, the innocent goals of youth—all of it now eclipsed by the dark turn their lives had taken.

Travis returned to the car where Anita was already seated, her face unreadable. He put the files in the backseat and started the engine, driving off without a word. The silence between them felt like a chasm, filled with the ghosts of the past they were unwilling to face. As they drove back to Travis's house, the city lights flashed past them, sending long shadows across the car’s interior.

The quiet between them was heavy, filled with silent words and unsettled feelings. Travis’s mind was focused on the files, on the case, on finding the killer. He was determined to protect Anita, to hide her from whatever horrors they might discover. But he knew that the closer they got to the truth, the more dangerous things would become.

By the time Travis and Anita arrived at the house, it was very late as the moon was no longer in sight making the road dark and lonely.

Immediately they parked the car, Travis went inside to his workspace filled with old and new case files, he put on the table lamp. He sat down at his desk, sorting the files carefully, his mind already working through the problem before him.The room was dark, saved by the soft glow of the reading lamp.

While Travis was working on the file, Anita entered quietly tiptoeing into the room. She tried to look at Travis whose face was filled with worry. While she watched him, a sense of sadness gripped her because she couldn’t stand how engrossed he was in the case. She believed he was doing it for her, for both of them but she still believed that what he was getting into was more dangerous than they can possibly imagine.

Anita snapped out of her thoughts and said, “I have gathered the list of non workers at the scene, have them”. She drops the file on the table. Her words were short and her voice empty of the kindness it normally held.

Travis looked up, his scowl softening slightly. He reached out, pulling her close. "You know I’m doing this for us," he whispered, his hand gently brushing her hair. "I don’t want anything to happen to you, babe. Let’s get the killer, and I promise we’ll leave this job for good."

Anita’s determination weakened at his touch, but she quickly pulled away, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "If you say so," she answered quietly before turning and leaving the room. Travis watched her go, his heart heavy with the weight of what he had to do. He sighed, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples. The worry was starting to take its toll on him, but he knew he couldn’t afford to stop now. Too much was at stake.

The next morning began bleak and gloomy, the sun hidden behind thick clouds. Travis was up early, a sense of urgency moving him forward. He needed answers, and he needed them fast. The files from the university had filled his mind with some ideas, but nothing solid. He needed to keep pushing, to keep digging until he found something that would break the case wide open.

As he drove to the hospital, his mind was focused on the job at hand. He wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way, not even his own feelings. When he arrived at Dr. Fedola’s office, he didn’t bother knocking. He walked in, file in hand, standing right in front of her desk.

Fedola looked up, shocked by his sudden entry. "Good morning, Mr. Travis. I don’t remember asking you to come in, neither did I hear your knock before you entered the room," she said, her tone filled with disapproval. "Hi, Fedola," Travis answered, ignoring her anger. "I’m thinking we’re close enough for me to address you like that. Anyways," he dropped the file on her desk, "these people were seen at the crime scene. It seems to be a copied crime." Fedola frowned, moving the file away slightly. “See Mr Travis, I’m a medical doctor, not a crime investigator. I doubt there is anything I can help you with”.

This didn’t stop Travis from laying out his intentions. He dropped the file on the table and said, “read this and try to get back to me as soon as you can." His tone was harsh, signifying no dispute. Without any further word, he turned and went out, leaving Fedola watching after him, a sensation of dread forming in her belly. She reached for the file, turning it open nervously. While she scanned the pages, she felt a sense of horror come over her. Apparently something about the case seemed odd to her and it was something she couldn’t put her finger on. But she knew the inspector was bringing problems to her house.

Back at the police station, Travis sat at his desk, the weight of the case weighing down on him. Anita's words from the night before played in his head, but he tried to push them aside because he didn't need the distraction that comes with it, especially not when they were so close to the truth.

Soon after he glanced over the papers, piecing together the pieces of the case, he felt cold go down his spine. The ties were becoming obvious, with each revelation, the threat increased and inside, he understood that they were running out of time. On the other hand, Anita stood outside the station, her hands shaking as she lit a cigarette even though she had promised herself she would stop, she couldn't because the stress of the case had driven her back to her old habits.

The smoke filled her lungs, instantly calming her anxieties, but the fear she felt wouldn’t go away. She couldn’t get the idea that they were going into a trap, that the murderer was always one step ahead of them. She knew Travis was motivated to solve the case, but she also understood how much this was taking out of him. It was the memories of his sister, and because of what happened to Temi, it was still fresh in his memory and she could see how they were hurting him which is why he was doing everything in his powers and she was scared of what would happen if he didn’t stop.

She stood there, lost in thought, brought back by the buzzing of her phone in her pocket. She took it out, gazing at the screen. It was a message from an unknown number. Her heart skipped a beat as she read the words. ‘It can’t be’ she thought aloud.