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1293 Words
My heart skipped a beat and soon started to beat faster than usual. My gaze never left the door as I walked slowly towards it. I immediately dialled Theo's line, and told him what happened.
I entered as quietly as a thief trying to break in without being caught. I inspected everything and I noticed that everything is intact.
But something feels off.
Why would anyone try to break into my room?
And there's no sign of anyone searching my room. Maybe the person suspected that I was coming, and had left without being able to do anything.
I was still looking around when Theodore arrived.
"Did you find anything?" he asked, and I shook my head.
"Explain something to me, who else knows about your relationship with Noah?"
"No one, the day of his burial was my first time here. I'm sure no one knows about me, except you," I responded.
"Oh," he muttered, and silence followed. I was busy thinking about who could have broken into my room, while Theodore was looking around to see any suspicious stuff.
Suddenly, a sound came from the outside.
As if someone was by the door.
We didn't think twice before rushing out, only to find no one. Theo glanced at me, and I let out a heavy sigh.
"I've been suspecting that someone is watching me, since I met that girl," I muttered frustratedly.
"That means only one thing—someone definitely knows about you," Theodore stated.
I ran my fingers through my hair as I turned to rest on the door, but then, my gaze fell on some white stuff on the ground, just few steps away.
Without saying anything to Theo, I went for the thing, and when I picked it up, I noticed it was an ordinary paper, and that moment, Theodore was already behind me.
"What's that?"
"It's just a paper," I replied, and threw it away.
But as the paper landed on the ground, it flipped over and on the other page of the paper is a picture.
"That's not just a paper. I think it's a picture," Theo said as he picked it up again.
Indeed it was a picture.
Not just a picture.
It's Noah's picture!
I looked at Theo in shock, and he did same. I gave him the "are you thinking what I'm thinking?" look, and he shrugged.
"Why would Noah's picture be here?" I found myself asking.
"Maybe someone was really here after all," Theodore said, his gaze still on the photo.
"You know this could actually lead us to something, a clue or whatever happened here," I said, and Theodore raised a brow,
"I don't quite understand,"
"Did Noah have any kind of dispute with anyone? Maybe a lecturer, or a fellow student?" I asked
Theodore didn't reply me immediately. Probably he was trying to remember.
"The only person he had an argument with shortly before his demise was Henry. And I don't think that has anything to do with his death." he finally responded.
"Then who could have murdered him?" I wondered out loud.
"Let's meet tomorrow as planned. We'll continue the investigation. I'm sure we'll find out something," Theodore said, and he handed me the photo.
"Alright, thanks for today. I really appreciate,"
"No it's nothing. I'm only doing this for my friend." he said back.
I chuckled at that.
I really chuckled.
That's gon be the first time I'd really find anything funny since the demise of Noah.
"Okay. Goodnight," and with that, I watched him left the apartment.
Then I entered my room, and locked the door behind.
****
The following morning**
I was already standing in front of my dorm, waiting for Theodore's arrival. Today, we're going to find out some secret behind Noah's death.
Not quite long, he arrived.
"Hey, good morning," he flashed a smile at me—first time I'd see his smile.
"Morning—where are we going now?" I asked, rather too quick.
"I have an idea. Let's go check the students records. We might find something in Noah's record," "Okay."
We started heading to the security office. None of us utter a word till we got there.
"Sir please could you show us the access log for Neel Residence Hall?" I requested immediately we got there.
I was feeling rather too uneasy.
The officer in charge gave us an unknown look before he started operating the system. "This is it,"
We had a close look at the record, and nothing felt off. But then, I noticed that one specific time is missing.
"The log here is missing sir. Where is it?" I asked the officer. That was when Theodore noticed it too.
"That part must have been misplaced,"
"The log is backed up automatically. It can't just vanish." Theodore chipped in.
Finally!
My instinct was right after all.
Someone definitely wants the truth hidden.
"Let's go, Theo," I nudged him on the shoulder, and walked out. He hurried to catch up with me.
"Something seems fishy about that record," he said, as we walked side by side.
Although he's taller.
"Someone tampered with it. That person is definitely involved with Noah's death," I said back.
He stopped abruptly, and I had to look back to know why he did so.
"What's wrong? Why did you stop?"
"I think I know who could have done it," he responded, staring intently at me.
"And who might that be?" I queried, confusion settling within me.
"Henry Smith,"
That name sounds familiar.
"Is it the Henry you were talking about yesterday? The one that you said had a fight with Noah?" I asked, and he nodded.
"Who exactly is this Henry? Is he Noah's course mate? Or a professor?" I asked again, "He's none of that. Henry is a senior, and a teaching assistant. He's one who hovered between authority and anonymity."
"Oh now I get. So why do you think he's involved in this case?"
"The missing log. Only authorized staffs could alter it, and being a TA, Henry could have done that. Plus he wasn't in good terms with Noah." Theodore explained.
"That makes sense. So what are we going to do now?"
"We need to find Henry. Only he can provide answers to all this confusion." Theodore said.
****
Theodore led the way to Henry's residence, and fortunately for us, we found him there. He seemed startled to see us—or should I say Theodore.
"What are you doing here?" his shaky voice came out.
"To find out the truth you're hiding," Theo replied, speaking carefully and slowly, as if trying not to hurt Henry with his words.
"What truth?"
"A log is missing in the access log record. What did you do?" Theo's voice sounded like a threat, but Henry doesn't feel scared or threatened at all.
He looked too innocent for someone that's suspected of a murder.
"I didn't do any bad thing. I only signed out a temporary access card for academic reasons." he said defensively.
Theodore and I shared a look, then we returned our gaze back to him.
"What are the reasons??" Theodore asked
"I can't remember," Henry responded, feeling guilty.
Now he looks more like the murder suspect.
He really is hiding something.
Theodore made to punch him but I held him back — "Just let it go," I muttered. He looked at me and I could sense rage from his eyes.
"Please. We'll sort it out, together." I added. He seemed to calm down a bit as he breathed heavily.
He shot Henry a deadly gla
re before storming out of the apartment. I rushed after him.
Henry seems to be hiding something.
And whatever that is, I'll surely get to the root of it.
- Writer
