Chapter XXX
Chapter XXX – Adrian Terrence
Interviewing Mary Dill proved to be an utter failure. The woman could not keep on task or on topic. She reverted to Eddie and his supposed guilt over and over, hardly giving a direct answer to any question about herself. Finally, Adrian and Xavier gave up, dismissing her altogether.
“Do you think that Eddie McIntyre is guilty?” Xavier’s question brought Adrian out of the distracted thought he had fallen into after Mary Dill shuffled off.
Adrian glanced down at the mostly blank page he had labeled with Mary Dill’s name, before snapping the notebook shut. “Eddie doesn’t strike me as the killing kind, no.” He looked at his cousin thoughtfully. “Still, you’re the professional. What do you think?”
“I think there isn’t enough evidence to point toward anyone. I also think,” he stared in the direction of the prostrate man, “that he’s in danger of losing his life, while everyone in here is far too occupied with discussing his guilt or lack thereof.”
Adrian followed his cousin’s example and looked toward Eddie. Judging by what Adrian could see of Ginger’s face at a distance, the injured man still fared badly.
“He needs medical attention. Real medical attention.”
“Agreed.” Adrian knew his cousin would say more, if he gave him time.
Xavier finally turned back. “The door doesn’t open. The glass on the windows are bullet proof, as well as fogged so communication with the outside world via that means, is cut off. There is no other exit. The electricity is out, so no internet. No phone line. Cell phone reception is out.”
Adrian knew all those things, but hearing them put together sounded worse than they had before.
Xavier hadn’t finished. “It would seem that we are trapped in the café with no recourse, except to await help. Help, which we have no proof is actually coming.”
Adrian glanced toward Monique, who only blinked at him. He turned back to Xavier again, when she hugged her precious Mr. Pickles. “I can hear a point in your summary. I don’t think I’m going to like what it is.”
Xavier let his gaze roam around the room before he spoke again. The frown on his face deepened. “In the midst of this setting, comes a murder. It’s… It’s as if someone planned it that way. Such a death, in such a cut off place. It’s as if someone… set it up intentionally.”
Adrian couldn’t respond. He felt kicked in the gut. He wished he never drank that coffee.
Xavier watched him a moment. “Does my reasoning seem flawed at all? Who, for instance, installs bullet proof glass in a café?”
“An individual suffering from paranoia?” Adrian knew the suggestion would be unlikely. Perhaps if we had earthquakes and hurricanes, and someone hoped the bullet proof glass would be less likely to break. We don’t have those here though.
“Could be.mOr, it could be someone who had planned to use the café as a prison. A place to keep a person or persons without escape.”
“The reasoning seems to make sound sense.” Adrian sighed, dropping his pencil before he snapped it in half. He no longer wanted any part in the investigation or anything else about it. Not that he did before, but the deeper they went, the more he wished he could escape.
“The question becomes…” Xavier lowered his voice and Adrian tried to pay attention. “Why? Why, any of it?”
“Because people like to wallow in sin, Cousin. That’s why.” He didn’t look up at Xavier, instead picking up his pencil and breaking it in half after all.
“Adrian.”
“It’s true.” Adrian snapped in a low growl. He recognized the warning tone in Xavier’s voice.
“Perhaps.”
Adrian made himself look up. “Hardly what you meant though.”
“Not really.” Xavier gave him the shadow of a sympathetic smile. “I understand where you’re coming from though.”
Adrian sighed with a shake of his head. “One might conclude, that if someone intentionally put the café under lockdown, then they meant to keep someone who is trapped in here, a prisoner.”
“They might have done it simply for the murder, but I hardly think anyone would lock themselves up with their victim after committing a murder, unless they had another objective in mind.”
“Such as?” Adrian didn’t like the idea, but it made sense.
“Revenge? Another murder? I don’t know.” Xavier shrugged. “They could be after more than one person. Why, however… There could be so many possible reasons and explanations.”
Adrian shook himself. “That would make the explosion intentional. Whatever it was.”
Xavier nodded. Monique looked between them every now and then, but said nothing and reacted little.
“I don’t like where this is going, Cousin.”
“Neither do I.” Xavier put his arm around the little girl, when she finally leaned against him. “If it’s true though, we not only have a murderer with us, but someone else who that person has arranged to imprison, at the very least. And we don’t know why.”
“Which leaves us… Where?” Adrian spoke more to himself than his cousin.
Xavier, however, answered him anyhow. “It could, depending on circumstances, mean we have more than one guilty party. We don’t know what the second party may or may not have done to merit being locked up in the café.”
“And if the murderer has an accomplice in whoever runs the café… We may have more problems.”
“It certainly reinforces one thing.” Xavier lowered his voice even more.
“Which is?”
“We do not trust anyone.” He glanced around once again, then back. “Except each other. Not until we know more.”
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