Connor arriving back home was met with a moping Claire. The revelation of Pauline's death something that he couldn't quite process himself had transpired as he too was close with Pauline, Claire's best friend who would come over and help Claire with difficult times when he was busy with work.
"Do you have any clue on who could be behind this?" He hadn't expected a response. "I'm not sure but the only one I think is Brittany Voss. She told Pauline that she would be glad with her death that morning." The name easily clicked in Connor's mind. 'Brittany Voss, Andrew's supposed girlfriend? Sure I knew that Pauline didn't like Brittany but for Brittany to say something like that, she must have known before hand about her death.'
His figure left Claire's embrace before a thought crossed his mind. "Was Andrew with you at the time?" Claire didn't think much of the question. "Yes but he didn't show any reaction as always. He acted more like a passive bystander if anything and after Brittany gloated at Pauline's death left with her."
A faint understanding hum left Connor's lips as he excused himself and left. "Looks like I have to make a visit to the Voss family. Looks like there's always something going on around Andrew." Connor murmured as he got into his car, adjusting his coat and driving off into the city.
. . .
"You have a guest, detective Connor Hale." Callahan who was busy with his work looked up. "What does he want?" His tone calm and collected. "He says that he has a few questions to ask Brittany about the recent death of Pauline Alvirez." Callahan took of his glasses and let a deep low groan fill the air.
'Why did she have to go and spout at Claire back then? Can't she just stay silent?' Callahan dismissed his servant as he made his way down stairs and into the lobby where Connor was waiting, his gaze instantly locking on Callahan's figure. "Mr. Callahan you're a busy man and I won't take too much of your time so you wouldn't mind if I asked your daughter a few questions about Pauline?"
Callahan flashed an understanding smile. "Of course, I do hope that you get to the bottom of this case and make sure that the murderer of Pauline faces justice." Connor watched Callahan ask one of his servants to summon Brittany.
"What is it dad and who is this?" Brittany inquired as she shot puzzled looks at Connor. "Dear, this is Connor and he wants to ask you a few questions about the recent murder of Pauline. A school mate of yours." Brittany's gaze turned into dismissal. "I don't know anything about Pauline Alvirez detective. Sure we had a feud but I wouldn't take it to the point of murder."
Connor raised a brow, his eyes moving to his note pad. "Really? Because I have evidence from some of your school mates about your words to Pauline before she died. How you would be happy if she were to die or something of the sort." Callahan looked at Brittany, unsure of why Brittany would say such words given the confidentiality of the operation.
'Does she really think that she can do whatever she wants so carelessly and nothing will happen?' Connor looked at the father and daughter duo, his suspicion rising between the two. "Sure I may have said such words but the intent wasn't ill. I got carried away yes but I didn't want her to actually die. Besides if you are suspecting me because of what I said, you should know that I was nowhere near the scene."
Brittany posed, her face one of disgust shot at Connor. 'This woman, I finally get why Claire and Pauline didn't like her if she's like this.' Connor looked back at his pad, aware that Brittany other than her words had no other connection with Pauline past that. "I'm not assuming that you are her killer but you words don't help your case. You will be treated as a suspect till the actual killer is found."
Connor said, trying to ignore the glares that Brittany was shooting at him. "Well I hope that you find her killer because it is nothing more than pure tragedy with how distraught I saw Claire, Pauline's best friend. Who knows, maybe there could be more deaths that follow." Callahan stepped in before Brittany could continue. "What she means is that detective, you should be more careful with your investigation and hopefully make a breakthrough."
The air turned taut, Connor locking eyes with Callahan and Brittany before taking his leave. "Do you mind explaining to me what that blabber out of you was all about? Are you trying to get arrested or what? Connor isn't like the usual cops you're used to, he's rather tricky to deal with!"
Brittany kept her smile as she faced her father's reprimand. "What? It's not like he'll find anything. After all you haven't been able to piece Pauline's death and Andrew so I doubt that he will." Callahan let out a frustrated groan. "Still, you can't just talk like that if you plan on avoiding jail. Have some restraint with your words and emotions. There's no doubt that you're the biggest suspect in this mess of a murder."
Brittany began to make her way back to her room. "So what? He won't find anything." Callahan unable to tolerate the pampered nature of her daughter lashed out, his tone stern. "Brittany Voss, don't think that you're untouchable. Even we could face the law if were too careless like you! So I expect that you get your act together and stop with your self sabotaging theatrics!"
All Brittany managed to show was a small curt smile. "I understand father. I'll make sure from now on going forward that I am as boring as you are if not more boring." Callahan cupped his face, unsure of where Brittany got her newfound confidence to act to careless. 'This isn't usually like her, she's been rather strange ever her eyes changed. Could it be something related to Andrew? After all the two have been growing rather close.'
"Sir, Madam Maya has made her arrival." A servant urged in a low and polite tone. "Let her in." Callahan ordered half interested.
. . .
School was suspended for a week, the case of Pauline slowly began to look hopeless. "Other than the cause of death being poison in her gut, there are no other signs. No vials, nothing, as if she had the venom already in her system and chose to trigger after some time." A forensics said to Connor who was examining Pauline's body. 'Other than Brittany as being the main suspect, there's nothing else to add to this case.'
He personally wanted to get to the bottom of this but no clues popped up. 'This is similar to the two officers who were found dead. No prints, as if a ghost was behind all of this. Could this be the work of a serial killer?' After putting some thought into it, he dismissed it. 'If it is a serial killer, then there would have been at the very least something to work with but there's not.'
His mind went back to Andrew. 'Every time I look into him, something has to happen. When I got Claire involved, the disappearances suddenly came to an end and now people are starting to end up dead with no explanation. Does he know that we're onto him?' He couldn't help but wonder as he made his way out of the autopsy room and drove back to the precinct.
'Back then when I went to the Voss family, I though that I was seeing things but with time, I'm sure that it was her car.' Another thought rushed as he briefly recalled seeing Maya's car heading towards the Voss family. He had been doing research on Maya as well, the money she had given him back then for a cab when they first met was ran under analysis revealing that it was federal currency.
Still, he wasn't completely sure with Maya as they worked with each other. 'I doubt that directly asking her would yield any answers that I want so let's see if my plan actually worked.' Arriving at his office, he opened his laptop only for his smile to be replaced with a frown. 'Looks like she doesn't trust me as she got rid of the tracker in the flash stick.'
The same flash stick he had given to Maya at the Diner was now off his radar. 'If she got rid of it that means she already knows that I am skeptical of her then.' A groan left his lips as he closed his laptop, unsure of how to face Maya the next time the two were to meet.
[{Maya: Let's meet where we first met}]
A message popped up almost immediately.Reaching for a gun, he placed it in his coat before making his way down the street where the car was parked. He didn't think as he entered the car which similar to before did laps around the precinct before driving off near the city park.
"Did you really think I wouldn't catch that little stunt of yours? Do you take me for a fool Connor or do you suddenly have no faith me?" Connor's tone dropped dangerously low, his gaze yet to meet hers. "What were you doing heading towards the Voss family last night? I thought that I was imagining things but now I'm sure that it was your car that I saw yesterday."
Maya let a light chuckle fill the air, her hands loosening from the wheel. "You weren't seeing things Connor as I was headed towards the Voss family. I know that your daughter doesn't like Brittany and you are wary of Brittany being the main culprit of Pauline's murder but it wasn't her, well not directly."
Her wording attracted his curiosity. "What do you mean not directly? Do you know who killed Pauline?" His eyes locked on Maya's hands which retracted into her pockets. "Yes,it was the same person we're watching. Andrew Grayson. Brittany had asked him to kill Pauline and he followed through. He was also the same person behind the death of the two officers."
Only more questions than answers popped in Connor's mind. "How sure are you that it was Andrew behind these deaths and not some lunatic with a knife?" Maya's sigh doing nothing to ease the tension. "Your version of our operation has a love interest as a gauge to test Andrew and I'm sure you know who that is. What I had failed to tell you was the relationship between the two. It's less of an actual romantic relationship and more of a master and servant. With Brittany with the leash and Andrew the dog."
"Brittany had told Andrew to kill the two officers and Pauline. How exactly he did that, your guess is as good as mine as in both scenarios I had my eyes on him and his targets still fell." Connor however felt that there was more to it. "If Brittany was involved then why couldn't you have just given them a call rather than drive your way there?"
Maya looked outside, the cheers of kids and murmurs of passers-by unaware of what unfolded in the car. "I'm certain that Charles or who is helping Andrew is aware of us and making fools of us. Thus a simple call couldn't cut it." Connor's breathes grew shorter. "Do you have any idea of the danger you're putting my niece in? What is Brittany said she wanted Claire dead and not Pauline?!"
A gun gleamed, the muzzle aimed at Maya's temple who was still at ease. "I understand your frustration however I promise you that Brittany couldn't have ordered Andrew to kill Claire. From her discussion with Andrew, it seems that she's pleased with your niece helping Andrew settle in and open up."
Connor drove the gun further, making Maya tilt slightly. "Are you actually an FBI agent or some hired investigator? I've always had my suspicions of you!"