"This place… It's that truck, isn't it?" Hugo mumbled, pointing at an orange truck.
Rhea did not need to be told. As soon as they reached the second construction site, she found it right away. Sometimes, she tended to look past small details, but she had been trying to improve that side of her and managed to locate the truck even though there were three more orange trucks of the same size.
"Are you sure there is no one here?" Hugo asked. "Why am I hearing noises?"
"Because there are people here," Rhea said and parked her scooter a bit in the forest, so no one would find it. "The trucks deliver sand, cement, and bricks at midnight. Some people are also here to manage the process. Looks like they are drinking."
"It's not a good place at all," Hugo mumbled.
"Yes, outside is never good," Rhea said. She almost missed her room. But she also was curious. "But I need to get inside the truck."
The two men who could be seen were drunk. Hugo nudged Rhea. "Are you listening?"
"Come with me. We will check out the truck," Rhea said. She would not let him out of her sight even for a second.
"Are you sure it's okay for both of us to…?" he started, but then again, if they did not go together, Rhea would go alone. She was not the type to let another person do something she wanted to do. And Hugo did not want her to go alone.
"Do you not want to?"
"No, I will come with you," he said. "I just wished there was someone who could signal us if something happened."
"Oh please, the fewer people the better," Rhea said. "Now, follow me."
Rhea walked silently, but swiftly through the gaps in the trees. Hugo was struggling a bit to keep silent. He had no idea how Rhea was walking so silently even though she was wearing boots. He also could walk in silence, but not as swiftly as Rhea.
They reached where the trucks were. Hugo almost always noticed small details, intentionally or not. He had recognized the truck just as quickly as Rhea did because of a small laughing emoji drawing below the left headlight.
"When we open the door, it's gonna make a sound," Hugo said. "Besides, who knows if it's unlocked or…?"
Hugo could not finish as Rhea had already opened the door. It made a noise, but the two men did not even see look behind them. Besides, they were a little far from the trucks too.
Rhea slid her hand into the pocket of her hoodie and took out a pair of black gloves. "Wear them," Rhea said, handing them to Hugo. "We need to make sure no one knows anything."
Something ticked in Hugo's head as he took them from her. He recalled the night when Mrs. Morrison questioned Rhea in Verdell's place. That night, Rhea was wearing gloves too. She almost always wore gloves. That was the same night when the diary of Dr. Frost had gone missing. That diary was found the next morning under a couch. But what if Rhea truly stole it like Verdell suspected and then somehow returned it before morning?
But it all seemed too hard for a person to do. Besides, how did she get inside the house of a detective without getting caught?
He shook the thought out of his head.
"Did the police even check it?" Rhea mumbled. "It doesn't look like so."
Rhea took a tape measure out of her pocket and took the measure of the shoe print. "You carry these things around?"
"I like to be ready all the time," Rhea replied. "Besides, tonight, I knew I would need it."
Rhea moved a bit inside and Hugo got in as well. It was a little cramped, but both of them were curious. Hugo got more curious than he was a little while back.
"Wait, these…"
"What?" Rhea asked and turned to him, hearing the urgency in his voice.
"These keys… I know who it belongs to. But… why would he try to kill me?"
"Who is it?" Rhea asked sharply.
"… It belongs to Justin's father."
"Who is Justin?"
"He is on the basketball team. Do you know the short guy in our club? He is the shortest one, but got great moves," Hugo said.
"Ah, that dude… Yeah, I have seen him before. He is a year younger than us, isn't he?"
"That's the one," Hugo said. "His father is a construction worker. He sometimes drives these trucks to drive Justin home."
"Why didn't you mention this before?"
"I was not sure if Justin came to school today. I am not playing anymore, you know that, right? I only used to meet him during practice," Hugo said.
"I see."
"But I don't think his father would try to kill me. He doesn't have a reason."
"Let's see… There is a possibility that while Justin' father was inside the school, maybe looking for him or something, someone took the opportunity."
"It can happen since I have seen him leaving his truck open a lot of times," Hugo said. "But, why would he even go look for Justin? Justin is not a kid."
"Who knows?"
"What are you going to do now?"
"Go to school tomorrow and find out where Justin was at that time," Rhea said. "You will help me because Justin is your friend. And now that I am your friend, you should help me."
"Did you become my friend because you need my help?" Hugo asked. He knew that was the case, but he asked it anyway.
"That, and also because I feel like I should make at least one friend during my high school life," Rhea said. The latter was not true, but she did not want to hurt his feelings, especially since he had romantic feelings for her.
"Haa, alright…," Hugo sighed and started to get off.
"Watch your head," Rhea said. Hugo had already ducked.
They had some similarities, which was why Rhea was planning to keep in touch with him if he was not the murderer. Hugo did not seem like the type to kill someone, but Rhea had a feeling that he had the ability to do so if needed.
"It's surprising how smoothly it went," Hugo said. "I almost feel lucky."
"I don't believe in luck."
"It's just a figure of speaking."
Rhea let out a long sigh. "I don't understand you humans. Why would you say something that you don't believe in?"
"That's… I don't know any answer that you might like, or is correct."
"That's because there is no correct answer in the first place. It's just you people are weird."