Some seconds later...

Carl Minkles entered in the laundry room. He spotted a black man, at the corner of the room, playing videogames. Then he saw a journal lying on one of the benches. He sat then read quietly the journal. Then Melinda Runnels came in, carrying a load of clothes. She put all of it into one of the machines and waited silently, sitting away from Carl.

This one ignored her and kept reading the newspaper. Then after a while, the janitor came in, holding his swab, and looked gor someone.

" Hey... Is there a certain... Carl Minkles here ? " At the moment he pronunced his name, Melinda stopped focusing on the laundry and turned her head to find Minkles. Then this one got up and went to see the janitor. She saw him too. " Mr Minkles... "

" Yeah yeah. It's me. It's... pretty impolite to call out for someone so loud ! "

" Sorry ! But someone was calling for you, at the reception. You should head there. "

" Fine thanks. "

As the janitor went out of the room, Carl headed to the door... only to be locked up by Melinda Runnels.

" M-M-Miss ! What are you doing ?! "

" Mr. Carl Minkles ! Sit down ! " The man, scared, sat down quickly while the black man kept playing, careless.

" Listen ! I don't know what I did to you but... "

" We haven't introduced ourselves properly. You are... Carl Minkles... right ? "

" You already... "

" Do you know who I am ? "

" Well... We've never met before... I don't even know you came here... "

" Lemme reveal you something : earlier, I registered myself as Melinda Runnels. But that ain't my true name actually. "

" Alright... So why are you telling me this ? And what does it have to do with me ?! "

" Patience ! Actually, my real name is... Jessica Kennedy. And yes : I am a relative of Jason Kennedy... He was my father. "

" I'm gonna die... " Carl whispered to himself.

" Damn right you will ! You killed my dad ! Because of you, my family never recovered... My mom even hanged herself over a pool ! And my sister refused to talk to anyone but me. All of this... because of some greedy, nerd asshole ! Who thinks he would be unharmed if he fled far enough. But I found you, asshole ! And you're done ! "

Suddenly, Jessica searched her handbag... and pulled out a Five-Seven she used to shoot Carl to the heart. He fell to the bench, dead. Meanwhile, the black man, despite witnessing the murder, ignored the event and kept playing. Jessica talked to him.

" Aren't you... gonna run or call the police ? " She asked, curious.

" Can't do that. Don't ask why. "

" Good... Well... Do you mind getting rid of the body ? "

" I'll do it... after I end this game. "

" Good. Just make sure no one sees the body. "

" No one except me... Don't panic. I ain't your enemy. " Jessica Kennedy turned around and found, facing her... detective José Mendez, hands into pocket, watching carefully the dead body onto the bench. " Nice shot, Kennedy. To the heart. "

" You ain't my enemy ?! Are you sending me to jail ? "

" Not at all... "

" Really ? Why ? "

" I can't tell you right away... But you got... Unfinished business in this hotel ? "

" What's this nonsense ?! "

" You just killed Carl Minkles, the man who killed your father, Jason Kennedy, for a few dollars... "

" Did you know about this ?! By the way, who are you ? "

" Detective José Mendez. Officially... I'm not here ! Actually, the first time I heard this... it was a few weeks ago, and no one assigned me the case. Instead, I illegally led a personal investigation and I found the culprit. But I knew one thing : if I gave them the murderer without concrete evidence, I would lose my badge.

So I thought : how can I punish him without bringing him to the law ? And then... Ding ! Idea : I'll let Jason's family kill him ! "

" You're insane ! You think this is fun ?! "

" No... Maybe... I don't clearly know my own mind. That would make me a psychopath but whatever... Point is... I heard about his daughter. So I gave you a letter... "

" It was you... "

" Which said that the man you're looking for after so many years is in this hotel. You came here, you found him... You killed him. "

" What... How did you find him ? "

" Miss, I worked at the CIA. I could even find a man trapped into a deep hole. "

" One more thing... Why are you doing this ? "

" For justice ! This is... Death sentence ! But since cops don't care about your case anymore... I'm making my own death sentence... By your now bloody hands ! Don't you find that ironic ?! "

" I find it horrible ! "

" You're free to give away your opinion. But let's admit it : my plan is really badass ! "

" What do you want from all of that ? Is there other persons you trapped that way ?! "

" Maybe... Maybe not... I can't tell anything... I have... A secret mission. And I'll do anything to accomplish it to the end. And if you try to stop me, attack me or kill me... Then I swear, every fucking cop will shoot you down... No matter they're on my side or not ! So please forget me ! " He was gonna leave then he said one last thing while turning his back to the lady. " Be careful ! "

" What ?! "

" You're not only here to kill Carl... Someone's after your life. But he doesn't know it's you. So stay focused ! "

" One more question, detective ! "

" Yes ? "

" How did you lure him ? "

" Easy... to promise a desperately man a land where no one would arrest him. "

" Asshole. "

" Love the compliment. Goodbye !... No wait ! One last thing. It wasn't luck that led Carl to come at this place. Let's say... I had a lot of fun spilling sleeping powders into some of the drinks. And for Carl's drink, this is real funny : I used a very special drug that made him move unconsciously into this laundry room. Smart, isn't it ? Gotta go ! Take care ! "

Jessica Kennedy sat on the bench next to Carl and thought about her conversation. She put the smoking gun back in the bag and stares at the machines. Then the black man dragged the body.

" I should get rid of this fella. But we gotta do something for the bloodtrail. "