Don't own anything, couldn't do anything without Cynically Optimistic...
CHAPTER TWO
18 HOURS MISSING
The old and prestigious buildings of Yale University were scattered in a huge park covered with golden and red leaves. The two agents were strolling quietly along the stoned paths, trying to process Kenny Williams' statement. As soon as they had reached New Haven, they had paid a visit to the local cops, and found a very agitated young man, the very one who had reported Erin Brooke missing. In spite of their patience and willingness to help, all they had got from the skinny, long-haired student was that his friend was supposed to call him the night before about some important matter related to their film class. Both Samantha and Jack had noticed his nervous behaviour without being able to make him explain what scared him so much. The young woman sighed as she remembered the unproductive interview.
"I understand your concern, Mr Williams," Jack tried to soothe his witness. "Still, please remember that the more details you give us, the easier our investigation will be."
"Agent Malone's right, you know" Samantha went on, sensing that the young man seemed to be more at ease talking to her. "If you know something, anything, no matter how small, just tell us. Even if you think it's not important or relevant, it might be very helpful." The young agent finished her sentence with her most sympathetic smile.
"I told you all I know!" Kenny Williams almost shrieked, losing control in front of them. "I'm sure this guy did something to her!"
The sight of this young man wearing a black t-shirt with a bloody skull, unable to hide his distress and fear, had touched her greatly. "Another tender heart hiding in a hard shell," she thought. "Or maybe another gem waiting to be found in its dark cavern," her mind went on against her will, the memories of the discovery of the true Jack Malone suddenly threatening to overwhelm her. Samantha kicked herself mentally. That was not the moment to be thinking about Jack. A student was missing, and that was all she had to focus on. Fortunately, the appearance of the imposing and solemn Memorial Library helped her to banish any personal thoughts from her mind. It was impressive indeed. The monumental gate evoked a gothic church, an almost religious image contrasting with the typical campus atmosphere reigning around it. Some students were enjoying the lunch break, having a sandwich and chatting on the benches scattered around the library. Others were having a last cigarette before entering the sanctuary. Everybody seemed to be oblivious of the drama going on in their old and respectable university or trying to forget that there was a drama at all.
Showing their badges to the guard at the entrance, the two agents entered the library in search of the guy who seemed to be the last person to have seen Erin Brooke, attempting not to disturb the hushed atmosphere that only the sound of a pen being placed on a table, or that of a student turning a page of his book intermittently interrupted.
…/…
Rubbing his face, Danny turned to face his co-worker. "So anything interesting with the phone records? Because all I can say is that her financial ones are clean, and there's absolutely zero that stands out here."
"Wait…" Vivian mumbled, visibly absorbed by her task. "Well, nothing extraordinary. Calls to her parents in Syracuse. Calls to her professor, a guy named Richard Wong. Then, for the last two months, she has talked to this Williams guy a lot, apparently."
"Maybe she decided to get a life outside her books?" the young agent chimed with his usual smirk.
"Outside her videos, you mean…" Vivian corrected mischievously and handed him a piece of paper.
Danny frowned as he read it and commented, his smirk getting broader.
"Y'know, they should create a class in Quantico… Something like Ten lessons on how to decipher SA Vivian Johnson's handwriting… It would be very helpful." Then, ignoring the older agent's furious glare, he continued.
"Seriously, maybe all that work on The Representation of Violence in Modern Media for the last five years was a pressure she couldn't handle anymore. I guess I'm going bring that up with her parents as soon as they get here."
"You'll have to ask them about a mysterious stalker too," Vivian added solemnly, waving the phone records at him. "Someone called her from a pay phone ten times yesterday, twelve the day before, more than thirty times during the last week."
"What?" Danny exclaimed incredulously, beginning to regret his initial jokes about the perfect Ivy League student.
…/…
"Bueno, as I already told the police, she was the last one in the library, as usual," Mitch Alonso remembered with a smile which did not hide his anxiety. "I helped her to gather her things and walked her out of the building."
"I know you already talked about it with the local police, but could you tell us if you noticed something out of the ordinary in her behaviour last night?" Jack asked.
The tall security guard played with his moustache, taking his time to think before answering, shaking his head sadly.
"No sé… I mean, I don't know… She was clearly exhausted. I even told her to take some free time."
Jack raised an eyebrow at the last comment.
"Mr Alonso," he began tentatively. "From what you're saying, you seem to know Erin well, am I wrong?"
"Bueno…" The guard played with his moustache one more time. "I'm the one doing the last tour before the library closes its doors. She's always the last one to get out. We happen to talk from time to time. She's a nice girl y'know. I just told her that she should get a life outside her work. Studying that much, that's not good," he concluded with a shrug.
"So, in your opinion, her thesis seemed to get to her lately, Mr Alonso," Samantha recapitulated calmly. "You don't imagine another reason." Maybe Danny was right. Maybe Erin was another student who couldn't take the pressure.
"Bueno, I can't think of another reason," he answered sadly. "It happens from time to time in there, y'know."
"Thank you very much for your cooperation, Mr Alonso," Jack put his note-pad back in his pocket and shook the man's hand amicably.
…/…
