Captain Frasier cleared his throat, "Mr. August, is joining our investigation,"
"As a civilian?" Only Kris had the courage to speak,
"No," Frasier's voice broke for a moment, "as Commander of 3rd division air Calvary company, 59th zone," he licked his lips, "proper salutes,"
Marie wasn't as shocked, she'd gone through his file. Everything before he became Commander was blacklined. It made her wonder if he used money to get there, that would be insulting her country's military, but wasn't corruption everywhere?
"At ease," he placed a hand on the captain who was at least a foot shorter, "let's get started. Show me what you've got,"
___
"He's been at it for hours," Cross whispered.
"A for effort," Kris said,
"A+ for hot,"
"What?!" Cross turned to Marie, her eyes widened,
"Hot... Coffee!" She corrected,
"Yeah, sure," Marie said. What was he doing? He'd been asking for files all over.
"Don't judge the intern." Kris said, "I never thought a man flipping through pages would be attractive but here we are,"
"Lieutenant," he called,
Marie frowned, who was he talking to?
"You, Lieutenant Marie,"
The others turned to her shocked, "you're a lieutenant?!"
Marie ground her teeth, that was her secret, she was already hating this guy.
"I'm not a lieutenant anymore," she said approaching his desk.
He turned to her but said nothing, "look at this," he passed her two handwritings,
"They look the same," she said. He kept looking at her so she turned to the papers again.
"What I'm I looking at?"
"You have deductive reasoning," he said, further annoying her "put it to work,"
Marie swallowed her pride and took another look, "Sign in sheets," she muttered, Really? Did he think she sucked that bad at her job that she didn't see this?
"I already know Arnesto signed for himself and his friend," she didn't get it through the handwriting but Arnesto confessed.
The security footage from that night was wiped hence they couldn't get anything on the cars. The employees were absent at a work party during the wipe, except one person. Arnesto. He was on duty that night, but he was knocked out in the bathroom. He didn't see anything.
"The friend he signed for ditched work and went to the party. That's negligence not tampering with evidence." She argued.
"Here," he played a footage, "that's Arnesto's friend," Marie frowned, that street led to the CCTV company. Time stamp matched with Arnesto's blackout. Footage for the party showed him at the party but never showed him leaving; when did he get here?
"So Rob gets his friend to sign him in for work. Ditches, and goes to the party instead, only to come back and knock his friend out and wipe the footage? Why bother going to the party?" She turned and was stunned at how close he was. They'd been watching the footage together. Marie pulled back.
He leaned into the chair and stared at her like he was expecting something. Marie sighed, what did he want?! It clicked.
"He signed the sheet to get out trouble with his boss; he only went to that party for an alibi. There were over a dozen people there. Easy alibi," wow.
"Your brother was right, you are smart,"
"My brother?" He knew Ranker?!
"Chemical Division. We had an op together in Towa," he said.
Towa?! The warzone?!
"Seeing him on the street doesn't prove anything," he said, gathering the papers, "but it gives us an excuse to interrogate him again," he got up.
"Who's coming?" He asked.
"I'm coming!" Cross practically jumped,
"Interns stay at the office," Marie said dryly
"I need field experience! Please!" Field experience?! Lies were rolling off this little brat!
"She liked my equipment, she can come," August said as he walked ahead.
They passed each other strained glances; how far into their conversation did he hear?
___
"My brother served in Towa?" Marie asked staring out the window. She'd never been in such expensive car but she tried to act natural; which was more than could be said for Cross.
"Dude, seriously, your car is amazing!"
"Thanks," he said, "seeing as it was special ops it's understandable he didn't tell you." August said.
"Should you be telling me?"
He passed her a glance but said nothing. Was it from him Ranker learnt this shitty silence ability?
Marie raised her hand to knock on the perpetrator's door.
"Wait! I've always wanted to do this," she would have expected that from Cross, but not August. Marie stepped back gingerly;
"Okay," she said, trying and failing to control her laughter. Then it hit her, whether they caught the perpetrator or not; this man would die in a few months.
"New Grephar Police department, open up,"
Nothing. Marie gasped when August pushed her back and jumped away from the door. A loud bang had her ears reeling. She quickly reached for her gun, when she opened her eyes, August was gone.
She ran into the room to see him jump out the window. Shit, that was a two storey drop! Marie rushed to the window, pushing her red hair from her face. He landed on his feet, already chasing the perp before tackling him to the ground.
Brie sighed in relief. Crap! Cross!
"Dope," came a voice next to her. Clearly the intern was alright.