Chapter 113
Please do not look any farther Jeff strode into the cafe, his presence commanding attention. He spotted the person waiting for him, Detective Harris, a man with a hardened expression and a furrowed brow.
Jeff's eyes narrowed, his gaze like a hawk's, as he made his way toward the detective's table.
"Why is the case suddenly closed?" Jeff asked, not even bothering with a greeting. His voice was like a sharp blade, cutting through the air.
With a deliberate sip of his coffee, Detective Harris avoided looking at Jeff during their intense stare-down. He cleared his throat, his voice gruff and strained. "Jeff, I wanted to give you a call yesterday. The case was transferred to someone else." Jeff's eyebrows knitted together, his forehead creased in a frown. "What do you mean someone else? Aren't you doing your job?" A cold look flashed in Detective Harris's eyes, his jaw clenching. "The higher-ups asked us to retreat from the case. All I know is that it's
been closed, even without a proper investigation." He had attempted to implore the higher authorities to reopen the close yesterday, but it appeared that someone was pulling strings behind his back. Detective Harris made every effort to get his point across, but he was never taken seriously. His boss even threatened to fire him if he continued to bother him.
Jeff leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. "Who's behind this? Who ordered you to drop the case?" Detective Harris hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table. "I can't say, Jeff. It's above my pay grade." "You're telling me that Billy's case is just going to be swept under the rug? That the person who did that to him is going to get away with it?" As Jeff thought about what Billy had said, he could not help but wonder who the Gradors were. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
If they are really behind this, then they must be
as powerful as Billy mentioned.
With helplessness and guilt mixed together in his eyes, Detective Harris looked up. "I'm sorry, Jeff. I wish I could do more." Jeff rose from his seat, his chair scraping against the floor. "I'll find out who did this, and I'll make them pay." With those words, Jeff turned and strode out of the cafe, leaving Detective Harris alone with his thoughts.
The detective sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He knew that Jeff was right. Billy's case deserved more investigation, but the forces at play were too powerful for him to handle alone.
Before Jeff returned to the hospital, he dialed a number on his phone.
As soon as the call connected, Jeff said, "Hey Smartie.” "Are you available now?" After his unpleasant meeting with Jamie and Elias at the last executive restaurant, Jeff has not taken Smartie there yet.
Jeff had to leave for the hospital even though Elias was trying to humiliate him in the restaurant.
The process of making Billy's clone had been aided by Smartie. Not just Smartie, but the three other men as well.
Aside from Spooky and Smartie, the other two didn't really seem to care about Jeff and didn't usually share talks with him. However, they still consider him part of the team which Jeff found really weird.
Jeff decided not to get nosey at that time, play video games with them, and ask for their help when he was in need of them.
"If you are not ready to fulfill your promise, don't call me" Smartie snapped.
‘I promise to invite everyone to dinner.
Something came up that day, that's why I couldn't wait" Jeff answered immediately, knowing that Smartie was deliberately pretending to sulk.
"No, you gave me your word first. The others
didn't ask for it" Smartie answered. "Things like that do not really matter to them." "Okay, okay. I need you to please look for someone. I think the person is behind Billy's accident. I'm not with my computer too" Jeff uttered.
The fact that he ran into Atlas at the hospital was no coincidence.
When Jeff first saw Atlas, he thought the latter somewhat resembled him. At that time, Jeff couldn't help but stare more.
To reassure Smartie, he continued, "l swear to keep my word." ‘Okay, I'm coming" Smartie answered and smacked her lips.
The sound of a keyboard being pressed followed by another sound reached Jeff's ears. "What's the person's name?" Jeff responded, "Atlas and Ronald Grador," and as he was saying it, an odd thing occurred.
Smartie's fast-moving hands on the keyboard
came to a stop, leaving her breathing alone "Hey, Smartie" Jeff called alarmingly but didn't get a response.
The call's harsh beep at the end interrupted him before he could say anything more.
After that, Jeff attempted to call Smartie, but his call was sent to voicemail. He called the other members too and it was the same.
This was weird, really weird.
Smartie's stiffness when she heard Jeff mention those names was quite alarming but Jeff still had to do something even though he was quite worried.
Jeff had obtained Tina's contact details prior to confronting the detective.
Tina was Billy's date for the Stars Ball.
While Tina was not particularly popular in college, she was frequently complimented on her beauty by her peers. She's a second year, studying arts.
It was strange she asked Billy to go to the Ball with her.
Based on what Jeff had learned, Tina used to return to her dorm after working part-time at a sandwich shop.
The fact that Tina had no friends and was referred to as "a nobody" in her department made things even stranger.
How she got to know Billy is really strange! Jeff paused in front of the sandwich shop and looked at the outdoor signpost.
Through the glass windows, he could see someone attending to the customers and the person wasn't Tina.
Jeff came into the restaurant, drawing attention to himself with his entrance. He approached the woman who was attending to the customers before he entered.
The woman's eyes were locked with his and Jeff could see the woman's flushed cheeks as he entered.
I "Hello," Jeff greeted, his brows creasing as the woman's cheeks turned redder as if it was soaked in redness. "I'm looking for Tina. I heard she worked here." "Oh... Hi," The woman stuttered. "Tina? She hasn't come to work for a week now and the boss has tried reaching out to her but it was futile." "It's been a week? Before she left, did she say anything to you" Jeff asked.
"As coworkers, we do not communicate very often. She dislikes conversing with other people,” the woman retorted.
Jeff realized he couldn't really find something about Tina who suddenly disappeared into thin air. Jeff gets increasingly uneasy about something as he continues to think.
It was an odd sensation that persisted in bothering him.
Jeff was about to turn around and walk away when the woman excitedly called his name. " Jeffl I'm one of your fans, can you please take I
a picture with me." Before Jeff could comprehend what was going on, the woman had already taken the pictures. Only a little bewilderment followed him as he left the restaurant.
As he stepped out, his phone rang and the caller was Professor Paul.
"Teacher," Jeff smirked as he called. "I am curious as to why you called today following..." Professor Paul called, his voice tinged with trembling. "Jeff." He had never called Jeff in this manner before. His voice was low and carried a hint of fear.
"What? Is something wrong?" Jeff replied, sensing that something was wrong with his teacher.
"Please do not look any farther if the Gradors are connected to Billy's case. Do not look for information about them; just leave them alone.