Chapter13

Danny saw Sam, waiting him at the door gate.

'Hey, how long have you been waiting for me?'

'Not long.'

'Just can't imagine I'm back' Danny sigh with feeling.

'You graduated from here?' Sam asked curiously.

'Yeah.So who's missing?'

'Um, David Diaz, 19, year one student in university.'

'Which subject?'

'Criminal Justice.'

'Oh,'then he saw Professor Smith, 'hey Professor Smith, how are ya?'

'Ha, ha.Danny Taylor. You are back.'

'Nah, I'm at work. Well, this is my co-worker, Special Agent Spade, and we are with the FBI.'

'Wow, so what can I help you?'

'Did um, this David Diaz rang a bell to you?'

Professor Smith bite his lower lip.'Yeah, David Diaz, smart kid. Good conduct and marks. However, these days, especially the last two weeks, he did not attend the class.

'Do you know where he is?' Danny asked.

'No, sorry.'

'No need to say sorry. This is my cell phone number; if you know where he might be or you think of something strange that you may concern about. I want you to call me without fail on day and night, can you do that?' Danny said and gave Professor Smith his number.

'Sure.'

'Thanks.'

'Wait, Danny, you may need to talk with his roommate, Chris Payton.' Professor Smith said.

'Thanks again,' Sam said.

Then they walked to the classroom, but there seemed no one inside.

'Excuse me; do you know where Chris Payton is?' Sam asked a girl beside her.

'He's inside,' the girl pointed to the classroom.

'Thanks.'

Then Danny and Sam walked in the classroom. There was a boy, reading his textbook.

'Chris Payton?'

The boy looked up. He suddenly stood up and ran to another door of the classroom. Danny gave the sunscreen to Sam and ran after Chris. Later, he caught up with Chris.

'Relax. I'm Special Agent Danny Taylor, with the FBI,'he held up his badge.

'What do you want! I've nothing to do with those things!' Chris stated to struggle off Danny, but Danny pressed him against the wall, so that Chris has no space to escape.

'Hey, I do not know what you are talkin' about, but I am here is looking for your roommate, David.'

Chris stopped struggling.

'What happened to him?'

'He's now missing. Do you know where he has been?'

'Danny,' Sam's voice coming from the back, she was panting.

'Who is she!' Chris started to struggle again.

'She is my co-worker Special Agent Spade. Do you know where he is, Chris?'

'I don't know. Told ya before!'

'Did he receive strange phone calls, mails or some other thing recentiy?'Sam asked.

'No…Ah, wait, two weeks ago, I saw him talking on the phone with someone. After that, he started acting weirdly. Went out early in the morning, come back late, absent from the class. Yesterday he was gone for the whole day.'

'Why didn't you tell the professor?'

'He's always like that.'

Danny and Sam frowned.

'Can I have a look at your dormitory?' Danny asked.

''kay.'

Payton's and Diaz's dormitory

Danny was sitting at the edge of David's bed. He was going through the drawer of the nightstand. He then found a gun.

'Chris, what's that for?'

'I…I…d-don't know.'

'Danny.' Sam called.

He turned around; Sam was holding a packet of white powder. His jaw was opened a little. Obviously, he knew what it is.

'Chris, what's that?' Danny asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chris swallowed hard. 'C-coke.But I have nothing to do with it.'

'Who gave you this?' Sam asked.

'Dave.'

'Did he say who gave him that?'

'No.'

Then Danny's cell phone rang. 'Excuse me for a sec.'He walked out the dormitory.

'Taylor.'

'Danny, it's Viv.Dr.Diazjust got a ransom note.'

'From who?'

'Don't know.'

Danny bites his lip. 'Viv, why don't you leave a copy on my while me and Sam bring his roommate in and you talk to Dr.Diaz?'

'Sounds good.'

'Thanks.'

Danny went in.

'What's up?' Sam asked.

Danny lowered his voice. 'Now we can't rule out kidnap.'

'What!'

'Dr.Diaz just got a ransom note. So what we are going to do is bring him in first and study the note.'

'Okay.'

'Chris,we are going to bring you to bullpen.'

'What for?'Chris became nervous again

'For your safty.Let's go!'

Then they head out the dormitory.