Soon...

Detective Sam was staring at the hotel building when Claire went inside. When he was about to enter it as well, he received a phone call. He took out his cell phone and saw that it was from his boss again.

"Yes, sir," He said after receiving the call.

"The pressure is increasing on me, Sam. If you don't catch that damned masked killer in a week, I will be suspended," The boss said. Sam didn't want to listen to his crying but had no option.

"One week? Sir, you know it's almost impossible. We don't have leads," He again tried to reason but his boss didn't listen.

"I don't know anything, Sam. If you don't catch him in a week, I promise you I will take both you and your partner's careers before I go."

"But, sir…" Sam was about to reason again but the other side disconnected the call.

"Old bastard…" He mumbled and put the cell phone in his pocket.

…

"I don't think there is someone staying here by the name Alexander Stone," The female staff of the hotel said to Claire.

"Please check it once, he stayed on the fourth floor," Claire replied.

"One second…" The staff checked their records and found no one by the name Claire told her. "No, mam. There's no one here of this name."

Claire nodded and found it strange. "Can I go up to the fourth floor and check it?"

Sam arrived as soon as she said it. "Hey, Claire. What are you doing here?" He asked.

Claire couldn't understand how this guy arrived there. Before he could ask some questions, she had to find an excuse.

"Shouldn't you be staying at your home?" He asked with a side-glance at her.

"Ah… yes… but I was here to meet someone. Heheh," She replied awkwardly which made Sam squint at her.

"Who is this 'someone'?"

"J-James, of course," She answered as she could not think of any other name.

If Sam had not seen James kicking the dustbin outside her house and had not following her, he would have believed her. There are times when young ones couldn't control their hormones and end up together in a hotel.

"Oh," Sam nodded slowly while thinking something. "Where is he then?"

"He would arrive soon, I don't know why he is taking so late," She replied, looking here and there with an awkward expression. "What are you doing here?"

"I was here for some investigation purposes."

Claire's eyebrows lifted up as she doubted if this detective had found out about Alex.

"W-what investigation purposes?"

"That's not for you to know," He replied. "I would suggest you go to your home. It's not safe for you to roam outside."

"I was here to meet James, but I think he won't arrive."

"Should I walk you to the home?" He proposed. "It will be safer if a detective is with you."

"What about investigative purposes?"

"I have done it already."

She had no reason to deny now. She knew that this person had started suspecting her. She must not act naively from now on as she doubted that they were keeping an eye on her.

"Should we take a taxi?" She wondered, but Sam denied saying that walking is better.

Although her home was a bit far from the hotel, she couldn't bring herself to counter the detective.

They were walking beside each other but nobody was saying a word.

"Why don't you call James and ask if he is coming or not?" Sam mentioned.

"My cell phone is still with the police."

They walked in the noisy silence for a few more minutes until Claire spoke.

"Why do you detectives stay so serious every time?"

"Why do you think that we stay serious every time?" He countered as soon as she finished her sentence.

"I rarely see someone from your field smiling," She mentioned.

"How many hours have you spent with someone from our field?" He countered again. She did not have an answer to this question. "We are humans too. We can't stay in the same mood forever."

Claire shook her head as if she was saying – "You are serious right now as well."

"Our lives are stressful, that's why we smile less than others," He added.

She didn't ask for an explanation but he did it eventually. He could observe her expressions and guess that she was judging him.

"Why don't we grab something to eat? What about ice cream?" He proposed. He could see the hesitation in her eyes. "I am not forcing you, it's your wish."

Meanwhile, someone was standing on the dark terrace of a high-rise building. It was a young man with a loose white shirt with dried blood splatters on it. Yes, it was Alex.

It was dark and he was enjoying the city lights from up above when he received a phone call. The call wasn't on his cell phone, but it was on Dr. Felter's which he took with him after killing the person. He received the call and put the cell phone to his ear without speaking a word.

"Oye, Felter, I can't wait until midnight. Send her to me now," The other side on the phone said but Alex remained silent and just listened. "Hey, Felter, do you have a sausage in your mouth? Why are you not speaking?"

"How could he speak?" Alex mentioned suddenly, staring ahead at the city lights.

"Who are you? Where is Felter?"

"Don't worry, you will meet him soon. You should open your TV and watch the news after…" Alex paused and looked at the time on the wristwatch he was wearing. "…half an hour."

The tone of the other side suddenly changed. "Do you really think you can harm me? Getting rid of a professor is not so difficult, but me… I am out of your reach."

"You will meet me soon…" Alex uttered and disconnected the call. He took out the SIM card, broke it, and threw it down the building. He switched off the cell phone and kept it in this pocket.

"Just a few days more…" He uttered and walked away.