Diane strolled into the office, her high heels clacking on the tile floor, and took in the borderline surreal tableau. A man who could only be described as "Greek God handsome" (Archer) was standing by the window, conjuring crystallized snowflakes from the air with an air of detached elegance. Meanwhile, 'Archer' (Reid) whose charisma oozed off him like an irresistible perfume of the next-door neighbor, was gleefully trying to catch the snowflakes on his tongue, as if he were a kid on the first day of winter break.
Across the room, Alex Williams, the policeman that had interviewed her, looking like a George Clooney who'd seen a few too many late nights and early mornings, was slumped over his desk in a deep slumber. A lab-coated young man was standing in a corner watching the whole scene, a scalpel in his hand and a smirk on his face that walked the line between fascination and 'I'm-planning-your-autopsy.'
"Care to explain what's going on here?" Diane asked, her eyes narrowing to suspicious slits.
Reid sprang to his feet with the energy of a Jack-in-the-Box. "Ah, you've caught us in a moment of scientific research. Reid Labs at your service!"
Archer, seemingly impervious to Reid's theatrics, knocked gently on Alex's desk with his knuckles. Alex jerked awake, bleary-eyed, adjusting his collar before refocusing on Diane.
"Ah, Ms. Diane," he grumbled, stifling a yawn. "We were hoping to have a chat with you about Vanessa."
"Really? Again? I've already told you everything I know," Diane said, rolling her eyes in a performance that could win an Oscar.
"Ah, but we think you can tell us more. Please, have a seat," Alex insisted, motioning towards an open room where it sat an intimidatingly sleek leather chair.
Diane sunk into the chair, and Alex closed the door, rounded the desk, sitting across from her. In his ear, a discreet earpiece buzzed to life, connecting him to the voices of Reid, Archer, and Ethan.
"Alright, let's start simple," Alex began, shuffling through a mess of documents on his desk, deliberately stalling to catch a glimpse of Diane's reactions. "Where were you three hours before your ill-fated lunch?"
"I was at the spa," Diane replied, her voice tinged with a touch of annoyance. "Check their records, you'll see my appointment."
"Great! Gives you a clean alibi, huh?" Alex smirked. "Now, where did you meet Vanessa before that unfortunate meal?"
"Just near the restaurant. She wanted to tell me about some work. That's the whole story," Diane insisted.
Reid's voice buzzed in Alex's ear, a tone of skeptical mirth coloring his words. "Oh, come on, Alex. She is obviously lying - you don't need a psychology degree to know this! Push her buttons. Let's see what spills out."
Alex leaned back in his chair, a slight annoyance on his face. Then he rested his eyes on Diane for a few moments. "Okay, let's switch gears. How did you and Vanessa first meet?"
Diane seemed more at ease with this question. "We met at a charity ball a few years ago. She seemed bright and eager, so I hired her."
In the office, Reid was scribbling frenetically on a notepad, almost like he was cracking a code. "Okay, that feels too pat. A charity ball? As first meetings go, that's suspiciously convenient."
Archer looked up from his phone where he'd been studying Vanessa's last few weeks of financial transactions. He didn't say anything, but his eyes met Reid's, and it was as good as a paragraph of skepticism.
As Alex continued to grill Diane, he felt his earpiece vibrate. This time it was Ethan's voice, usually so reserved, tinged with excitement. "Ask her about Vanessa's recent behavior. I've just got the toxicology report back, and there's something you should know."
The atmosphere in the interrogation room was palpable, an almost invisible fog of tension, each participant bringing their own unique brand of intensity. Diane, her makeup impeccable and her demeanor defiant, sat in a sleek chair that seemed more at home in a modern art museum than a police station. Alex Williams leaned over his desk, his salt-and-pepper beard a touch of seasoned elegance in the harsh light.
"Let's talk about Vanessa's recent behavior," Alex proposed, peering at Diane over the rim of his reading glasses.
Diane's face registered a millisecond of disdain so fleeting that anyone less observant would miss it. But Reid caught it, and his mind started to churn.
"Vanessa was one of my closest friends," Diane began, her voice tinged with a sadness that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Lately, though, she's been somewhat distant. She's seeing some new guy—Ray, I think."
Alex picked up on the subtle detachment in her voice. "Oh? You say that like you're not a fan."
"That's beside the point," Diane replied curtly, eyes shifting to look away.
"Do you know him personally or met him?"
Diane scoffed but not returning Alex's look, "I've never seen him. Only heard Vanessa talking about him."
"She had never shown you his photos even though you guys are best buds?"
Diane gave a deep sigh, "I don't know, okay? I have never met him or know him personally. Just know that when he appeared, Vanessa became more distant."
The earpiece buzzed, Ethan's voice surging into Alex's ear. "You should know, the timeline doesn't add up. She did not meet Vanessa before lunch. Another woman was with her."
Alex felt the corner of his mouth tug upwards; he had her. "Funny, I've just got word that you didn't meet Vanessa right before lunch. Why lie?"
Diane's mouth tightened, her eyes flickering with realization and, perhaps, a touch of regret. "Alright, fine. Vanessa quit working for me a few weeks ago. We haven't been in contact since. I didn't want to look like a suspect. Furthermore, we did have a short quarrel about that new man of hers. If anything, I'll look into that man and leave this poor woman alone."
"A quarrel? What about?"
Diane sighed dramatically, "she was head over heels with him and I disapproved. She told me I had no reason to be unhappy nor should I ever be."
"Right. And your response was?"
"Well!" Diane crossed her arms, "what could I have said?"
"And yet here we are," Reid's snarky voice echoed in Alex's ear. "Alex, ask her about any issues she's facing at home."
Diane visibly bristled at the change of topic, but complied. "My father's been forcing me to meet eligible bachelors. He wants me married off soon. Annoying, but not criminal."
Alex nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Thank you for your time, Diane. We'll be in touch."
"I hope you find Vanessa's body soon," Diane said as she got up to leave, her voice softer but lacking genuine warmth.
As the door closed behind Diane, Archer, Reid, and Ethan emerged from behind the one-way mirror. Ethan was the first to speak, casting a skeptical glance in the direction Diane had exited. "She seemed oddly unperturbed for someone who just lost a 'close friend.'"
Archer, his eyes sharp, wordlessly met Reid's gaze, as if unearthing layers of meaning Reid hadn't yet articulated. The quiet man then walked across the room toward the unit's IT technician. This young man, an eccentric genius who tended to speak more to his various anime-themed cushions than to actual humans, was the team's hacker extraordinaire. Archer leaned in and whispered something in his ear. The tech hugged his Pikachu cushion tighter and lazily threw Archer a salute.
Alex, who had just walked in, raised an eyebrow. "Reid, what did Archer just task our resident recluse to do?"
Reid's eyes twinkled with mischief, his lips curling into a slow, sly smile. "Oh, you'll find out. But for now, let's just say we're about to get a much clearer picture of our Ms. Diane."
Lana Waver, the team's IT magician, slouched in an ergonomically designed chair that had seen better days, surrounded by a nest of tangled wires and quirky memorabilia. His fingers danced over the keyboard with the rhythmic precision of a concert pianist.
Lana's eyes briefly flicked up from the screen, catching Reid's eye. With a nod, he invited him over. Reid sauntered across the room, arching an eyebrow as he glanced at the display. His lips pressed together thoughtfully.
Archer glided over, a spectral presence in the room. With a single arched eyebrow aimed at Lana's screen, he silently requested a summary. A grin unfurled across Reid's face, his eyes twinkling like he had just solved a particularly challenging crossword puzzle.
Alex, always one to want in on the action, made his way over, but Reid playfully nudged him back. "Hold your horses, boss man. We've got a field trip to go on."
"Field trip? To where?" Alex inquired, his face a blend of confusion and curiosity.
Reid shot Lana a conspiratorial wink. Lana chuckled, an impossibly wide yawn breaking his placid expression, and returned to his seated slumber.
As Reid, Archer, and Alex vacated the tech den, Ethan walked in, his eyes narrowing at the screen before him. "This isn't my expertise," he muttered to himself, unimpressed. "I'm just a forensic doctor."
***
Archer slid into the driver's seat with an air of someone entering a second skin. Reid ambled into the passenger seat, his demeanor a mix of irreverent amusement and restless anticipation.
Just as Alex was about to pull the door open, Archer's hand shot up, halting him. Archer pointed inside, emphasizing the car's obviously two-seater design.
"Are you kidding me?" Alex huffed, his eyes squinting in disbelief. "There are clearly two more seats in the back."
Reid chuckled, a hearty sound that filled the car. "Well, then by all means, make yourself cozy in the back."
With an exaggerated shrug, Archer twisted the key, and the engine purred to life. He smoothly navigated through the labyrinthine city streets, guided by the GPS coordinates Lana had unearthed.
As the car glided through the city, Reid couldn't help but let his mind wander. Something was not adding up. There were some missing pieces and Reid was sure that they had to talk Diane again - possibly about what Lana had dug up as well. However, this information does not warrant Diane to behead her 'close friend'.
Archer's eyes met his for a moment in the side mirror, as if he had somehow tapped into Reid's stream of consciousness. But of course, no words were needed. That was their dynamic—unspoken yet understood.
A grumble cut through Reid's thoughts, "so small!"
Archer glanced into the rearview mirror - his eyes meeting Alex's. Alex swallowed before quieting his grumbles to a minimum.
Reid commented, "you wanted to."
Another grumble was heard and Reid chuckled.
The car slowed to a stop, Archer's communicator announcing their arrival with mechanical cheerfulness. The moment of reckoning was at hand, and as the trio exited the vehicle.
As Archer locked the car and Reid adjusted his coat, Alex broke the lingering silence. "So, are we ready to kick down some doors?"
"Should the police be saying something like this?"
"Well, Archer can kick it, right?"
The man glanced over but did not answer.
"We are going to be civilised and knock, my dear Alex."
"Ah… I always thought you were flashy."
Reid glanced at Archer, "you're the flashy one…"
They approached the building, its façade a silent, unassuming testament to the secrets that lay within.