Enchantress

Behaving like a teenager

Ryan drew in deep breaths and managed to say in a stern voice, “Name.”

“Lily…”

Ryan forced himself to glare at her and maintain a stoic expression.

He felt a pang of guilt when he saw her cower under his gaze but he stowed that feeling away. He couldn’t let his emotions override his duty.

“Lily Dean…” She said in a trembling voice.

“Relation to the victim.”

“He is…was… my fiancé.” She said weakly before breaking down.

“ We were going to get married in a month…. I loved him soo…much…”

Ryan’s heart ached to hold her and make her forget all her pain but he clenched his teeth and shook his head.

He pressed a button on his transmitter and commanded, “Nia… Come to room number 505 and take Miss Lily Dean to the police station for interrogation.”

“Please, don’t take me to the interrogation room, officer. I am not comfortable in closed places.”

“Stop whining lady… there has been a murder for God’s sake… we have to follow the protocol. If you don’t co operate we will have to arrest you.” Lucas barked.

The veins on Ryan’s neck and arms tensed as he tried to quell the rage that brewed inside him. He felt like ripping Lucas’ head off for talking so rudely to Lily.

“Damn! What is wrong with me?” He muttered under his breath. This girl was messing with his sanity. He had to get out of the room as soon as possible.

“Lucas’ take care of everything here. I think I have got a lead. I am going to follow that.” He barked and stormed out without looking back. He was afraid that he would lose his resolve if he looked into her eyes again.

He trotted down the stairs instead of taking the lift. He hopped into his car and sped away without uttering a word to anything.

His slid down the glass panes in the car. The biting cold winds refreshed him and cooled him, clearing his mind.

“Gosh! Why was I behaving like a hormonal teenager. Get a grip Ryan.” He muttered.

He regretted leaving the room so early. He would have liked to investigate himself. What if Lucas missed something important?

He let out a deep sigh. Maybe, they would miss with his state of mind.

“Damn!” He cursed and slapped the steering wheel causing the car to swerve and creak but he regained the control within minutes.

He took deep breaths slowly, deliberately; hoping to calm himself. Once he was back to normal his minds reeled with all the evidences he had seen.

He bit his lower lips wondering the best place to begin the investigation. Out of the corner of the eye he caught the hoarding of ‘Lesie Enterprises’.

The man who died was the business tycoon Raymond Leslie. He was the owner of multi-billlon business empire. He was a man envied by many. So it would be difficult to point to the criminal eaily.

Ryan took a U turn from the traffic signal and stopped right in front of a tall building. It was a fifty storied building completely owned by Leslie Enterprises.

This was the place Raymond Leslie conducted most of his important business meetings. It seemed like a good idea to interrogate his manager first.

Ryan parked the car and trotted straight inside the gate but the security guard gripped his hand and said, “Where do you think you are gouing mister? Show me you id first..”

Ryan turned on his heels and glared at the guard. He gulped and dropped his hand. It was then that the guard noticed the uniform.

He had been busy on his phone. So, he didn’t pay much attention to Ryan’s clothes. He broke out in cold sweat and said in a trembling voice, “S..sorry, sir… I didn’t see your uniform…”

Ryan flashed his ID in front of him and asked, “Manager’s office.”

“Sir is in an important meeting with foreign clients…”

Ryan clenched his teeth and continued to glare at him…

“But of course you can meet him. He is inn the conference room number 10, twelfth floor.”

Ryan turned and walked briskly to the lift. He strode straight into the lift without bothering to inform the receptionist.

When the lift stopped at the twelfth floor, he strode out slowly and looked around, noting down all the minute details.

One thing that caught his eye was a weird painting. It potrayed a woman with a fish tail, similar to a mermaid. He had seen a similar painting outside the hotel room.

It didn’t have to mean something but Ryan never ignored even the slightest similarity or difference. His long career had taught him that no detail was too small or irrelevant. He had solved many cases on the basis of minute details.

He pushed open the door of the Conference Room number 10 and announced, “ Meeting over… Everyone can leave except Mr. Norman.”

“What the F” Samuel Norman’s voice got stuck mid sentence when he saw an officer at the door.

“Is there a problem, Officer?” A middle aged man asked getting up from his seat.

“Just some interrogation regarding a case. I am sorry you will have to leave.” Ryan said in as polite a tone as he could manage.

“I am very sorry for this Gentlemen. I didn’t know about this. I hope you will understand that law enforcement agencies are not under my control and pardon me for this.” Samuel said with a desperate expression. He had no idea what to do.

The panel of five members muttered something among themselves and left. They did seem annoyed at this intrusion but what could they say.

After they had left Samuel said in a shaking voice, “Please take your seat officer.”

Ryan pulled the nearest chair and sat down. The he motioned for Samuel to sit.

Samuel pulled the chair with a shaking hand and managed to place his a*s slightly on the chair. He wondered what he had done that an officer had come to meet him personally.

Had he been trapped?

What if he is charged with something he has never done?

Was there a bad news?

Samuel’s face turned ashen and his breath became laboured as he waited for the officer to speak.

His knuckles turned pale as he gripped ths hand of the chair and licked his lips.

The moments seemed to drag as Ryan observed Samuel’s behavior. He deliberately waited for a whole five minutes before speaking again.