Veil of Crimson

Case Solved, Drama Gone ... Or Is It?

I head back to the interrogation room with a water bottle in one hand and a phone in the other one. I stride inside like I just won the lottery, but I don’t let it show on my face. In fact, I pretend to be in a bad mood.

As I lean my hands on the desk, I direct my gaze at Nunez. “I just received some interesting news,” I begin, staring at him like I’m trying to wrap my head around it. He stares right back at me calmly, but I can see him panicking slightly.

His attorney scoffs. “Quit playing games with us, Detective Gauthier. Haven’t you tortured my client enough? Ask whatever you still want to ask, then leave us be. It’s almost midnight,” she protests.

I glance at her, a small smile spreading across my lips. “Well, Miss Landry, you’ll be free to go, but your client won’t be,” I inform her. I take her aback. She’s in for an even bigger surprise, but I turn my gaze at Nunez to see his reaction. “We got the warrant after all. And we found the murder weapon at his house.”

His face falls and he can’t hide it. He’s guilty. Oh, so guilty. The lawyer glances at him in panic, before turning her gaze towards me. She points her finger at me. “How did you do that? We heard you talking on the phone, you didn’t get the warrant!”

I turn towards her, narrowing my eyes in a threatening way. “Are you trying to tell me you were eavesdropping on my conversation with the judge?” I ask, making her grow quiet probably for the first time since I’ve laid my eyes on her. I thought so. “Care to add anything, Mr. Nunez?”

He keeps staring at the desk in front of him, pretending like this conversation doesn’t mean anything for him. I shake my head in disbelief. I literally just told him we got his ass, and he’s not even reacting? He killed a guy in cold blood, then fled!

“You knew where Roberts was headed that morning. You knew the way to the gambling den like the back of your hand, so you intercepted him. You were waiting for him and hit him, then went back the same way you came into Fleur de Lys. Since all your employees go out in the morning, no one knew that you weren’t in your office, is that right? But why kill Roberts? What did he have on you?” I wonder. He doesn’t answer. I bang my hands against the desk. “Why did you feel the need to keep him quiet?” I demand to know.

He looks at me with anger written all over his face. But apart from it, I notice something else. Guilt. His attorney beats him to it, though. “Detective, I’m going to have to ask you to calm-”

“Because he was sticking his nose where he shouldn’t have! My life is my business and he thought he could go and try ruin mine! He wanted money in exchange for keeping silent about my affair with the secretary! What was I supposed to do, let him blackmail me my whole life?” he grits through his teeth.

Tears are glistening in his eyes, partially from anger, partially from regret. I stare at him calmly, before glancing at his stunned attorney. I nod in response. “I understand, Mr. Nunez. That would be all. You’ll be taken into custody by one of the officers, where you’re going to await your trial,” I simply tell him, having completely no sympathy for him. “Miss Landry, as I already said, you’re free to go.”

Not long after that, my colleagues come back with the murder weapon and I greet them like heroes. We arrange everything, send the weapon to the lab for confirmation, but these are just formalities now. Nunez is the killer. He’s going to spend a lifetime in prison for planning and executing a murder in cold blood.

I head home soon afterwards, glad that the circus is over. I’m still wearing that gold dress and I can’t wait to take it off. It’s starting to itch me. I have to get back to the station in the morning, which is going to be here soon. It’s way past midnight.

As I get to the house, I realize I forgot something at Fleur de Lys. The contract that LeBlanc prepared for me. A strange feeling rushes over me. It’s partially relief, partially guilt. It seems like I was being a little to quick to judge regarding his involvement in this case. He turned out to be innocent after all.

I’m starting to think about apologizing to him, but I change my mind soon enough. Nope. That guy destroyed way too many 0f my poor nerves in the past couple of days. I’m not apologizing. There’s no way in hell. I’ll have to go back for that contract tomorrow, though. I need to sign it. I can’t be living in his property illegally, without a single signed agreement.

However, as I put my keys away, take my shoes off and head towards the bathroom, I notice something on the dining table. I stop in my tracks and walk towards it to check what I’ve forgotten on there.

Then, I notice the familiar file with the restaurant’s emblem on it. Ah. LeBlanc was here. I open the file just to meet a note, scribbled with a really elegant handwriting. It looks like it’s come straight from the past. It doesn’t really belong in the modern times. Who would’ve thought Adrian LeBlanc is a calligraphy fan? I sure wouldn’t.

As I take the note and start scanning it through, I let out a long sigh. He just can’t help himself, can he? Everything is so excessive with this guy.

Dearest Detective, I realized you were so preoccupied with your suspect that you forgot why you came to Fleur de Lys in the first place. I was nice enough to stop by the house to drop your contract off, I hope you don’t mind. Let me know when you read it through. We can have a solo dinner this time. No cops. Other than you, of course.

Love, Adrian

I can’t help but roll my eyes. It’s been a really long day. I’m way too tired to even text him a thank you. And to tell him that I only agreed to have dinner with him, because I was paid to do it. I’m so done with this day. But hey, at least I managed to catch the killer after all. My first ever case won’t be written in history as unsolved! Yay!

My happiness is literally thrown out of the window in the morning, when my alarm rings, throwing me out of a weird-ass dream. It starts fading away as soon as I open my eyes, but the strange feeling stays inside chest even as I sit in bed, trying to pull myself together. I hope I’ll manage to get some sleep today.

I yawn and get myself ready for work. I’m glad I don’t have to wear a sparkly dress to the station today. I don’t feel comfortable in such girly things. They get on my nerves and I can never carry my gun with me when I’m in a dress. Well, unless I strap it to my thigh, like I did yesterday.

I’m almost running a little late for work as I finally pull myself together. It’s a good thing that I don’t live so far away from the station now. I leave the contract on the table, because I hadn’t had the time or will to go through it yet. I’ll do it when I get home from work.

The Lieutenant calls me to his office as soon as I get in. I don’t even get to drink a coffee with my coworkers when one of the officers tells me that my boss is looking for me. I don’t get a really good feeling about it.

Then, I tell myself that I’m being ridiculous. I solved my first case. What can go wrong, really? There’s no way that he’s going to tell me something bad, right? I mean, he’s surely not going to yell at me.

As soon as I knock on the door, Lieutenant Williams calls me in. I step into his office greeting him in a friendly way. He seems really happy this morning. That’s not something that’s seen often around this office.

“Sit down, Gauthier,” he demands in his usual stern way. Ah, now that’s more like it. This is familiar. These are known waters that I’m sailing into. He puts his hands together and looks at me over the desk. “Congratulations on solving the case. I’ve heard it was quite the operation down the street.”

I accept the compliment with a nod, once again finding myself at loss of words. I’m not used to him speaking to me in a nice way. Not that he ever yells at me, but he’s not particularly emotional. And he rarely compliments people. “Thanks, Lieutenant. We tried our best. I’m happy that the killer is behind bars.”

He watches me for a moment longer, before pinching his nose. “Yeah, I agree with you on that. Listen about your work here … I know that you don’t have a partner yet, because I can’t give you anyone. We’re awfully understaffed, you know …” he trails off.

I stare at him in expectation, not knowing where this is headed. I blink a couple of times as I try to think about what to say next. But I don’t get anything useful out of my mouth other than: “Yes?”

He lets out a short sigh. “Well, I know it’s not fair that you have to work on your own, so I’ve decided to bring in someone from the outside, who has already proven themselves as useful,” he tells me.

I stare at him in confusion. “From the outside … Sir?” I mumble, completely surprised by his words. I still have no idea where this is headed.

He waves his hand in a dismissive way like he thinks I’m making fun of him. “Yeah, you know what I mean. I’ve decided to hire a consultant who is going to work as your partner. Now stop gawking at me like you-”

He’s interrupted by a knock on the door. He straightens up a little. “Oh! Looks like he’s already here. Great!” Lieutenant continues, already calling out: “Come in!”

I blink in panic, hoping that he’s not talking about who I have in mind. “He? Sir?” As I turn around, my day turns into a complete disaster. Again.