Chapter 10

Brown slammed a padd down on the table, almost cracking its screen.

"The Vulcan Science Council finally got back to us," he said, standing over T'Ves. "You're not on any assignment! They say you took some unexpected leave and left the planet!"

"You came here of your own accord, telling no one where you were going," said Kostopoulos, eyeing T'Ves from the other side of the table, and matching the younger woman's calm.

Brown started to pace the small interview room. "The Vulcans shared a little more info on your background too." He stopped and turned to stare down T'Ves. "Your real name is Dorothy Eaves."

The girl remained expressionless but for an almost imperceptible intake of breath.

He started stalking towards her as he continued. "Imagine our surprise to find out that your mother used to work for Abramson Industries. And that she was on Vulcan negotiating some business deal for AI, back in 'fifty-four, during the Syrranite crisis. That you and your father came along with her…"

Kostopoulos picked up, her tone a bit softer. "You were all at the United Earth Embassy in ShiKahr when it was bombed. You survived, but your parents didn't."

"Must have been difficult," said Brown, now looming over T'Ves. "Emotional. Seeing your parents killed in front of you."

Kostopoulos gave him a cautioning look, but said nothing. T'Ves remained still and silent.

"When the dust had settled," Brown continued, "you were taken into care by the Vulcan equivalent of social services, until arrangements could be made with Earth authorities. You were on Vulcan for over a month. Recovering from such a trauma, surrounded by people who didn't react to anything, during a time when they were all rediscovering their own culture. Must have been comforting, in a strange way…

"Guess something rubbed off."

T'Ves swallowed, reactionless otherwise.

Brown leaned closer to her. "Maybe, underneath that logical facade, there's a little girl who misses her mummy and daddy. Who hasn't learned how to properly deal with her emotions. Who's buried them deep down, in some effort to escape the pain. Y'know… just like pressure turns coal into diamond, suppressing grief can turn it into something else.

"Like anger."

T'Ves spoke at last, her voice quiet. "You are insinuating that I sought revenge on Abramson Industries for the death of my parents."

Brown stood upright again. "Why else would you travel out here in secret, and meet with Abramson's right-hand woman? You couldn't get to the top man himself, so you figured the public face of his company was the next best thing."

"A flawed hypothesis, Commander," said T'Ves. She had not wavered from staring straight ahead. "It is based on groundless speculation and illogical motives."

"Well, that's the thing about Humans like us, Dorothy," said Brown, earning himself a scowl from Kostopoulos. "We are illogical beings. No matter how hard we pretend otherwise."

T'Ves now slowly turned to look into Brown's eyes. Hers gave away nothing. "Regardless," she said, "Ms. Bird was alive when I last saw her, as your witness reported. Furthermore, if I had returned later to murder her, I would have no reason to remain on the planet and risk arrest."

Brown failed to keep in a sigh. This was the same conundrum that Rasmussen had posed - why wouldn't the killer flee? He chose to put it aside for now.

"Hm. Our witness also reports that you left Ms. Bird's room in tears," he said. "Care to tell us why?"

T'Ves stiffened even more, resuming her forward stare. "That is a private matter and not relevant."

"When it pertains to a murder investigation, it is extremely relevant!" Brown snapped at her.

Kostopoulos held her hand up to Brown, to calm him, but kept looking at T'Ves. "You realise that, by not telling us, it makes you look guilty?"

"That would likely be your conclusion either way," said T'Ves. "As I have no evidence of my discussion with Ms. Bird, you would have no reason to believe my account. Therefore, it would be pointless to reveal such personal information."

"Not even to speak in your own defence?" said Brown.

"Your evidence is purely circumstantial," said T'Ves. "I doubt that any legal action against me would proceed very far."

Brown and Kostopoulos exchanged a look. She had them there.

Not that Brown would give her the satisfaction of admitting it. "Your hands still look reddest out of everyone's so far," he said to her. "You'll be detained until the conclusion of this investigation. If no further evidence is forthcoming… you're 'it,' I'm afraid."

T'Ves said nothing.

Brown opened the door and ordered the security personnel to escort the suspect to a detention cell.

"If you feel like talking," he said to her on her way out, "just let us know."

"I am confident in the legal system," was her only reply.

Brown rubbed his forehead and took his seat next to Kostopoulos. The colonel's features were grim.

"You leaned a little heavy on her there, Chief," she said.

Brown shook his head. He knew Kostopoulos was right, but he had felt justified in the moment. "She's our best suspect, and we have a deadline. No time for niceties. Plus… she rubs me the wrong way."

Kostopoulos frowned. "You think she's our killer?"

"I'm not sure. Definitely hiding something - but who isn't in this case? I think it's more the Vulcan thing that riles me though."

Kostopoulos sighed, clearly unwilling to get into this discussion again. "Doesn't mean she's the murderer though," she said instead.

"No," Brown conceded. "And even if she was, we still don't know how Bird was killed. How someone got into her quarters."

Kostopoulos stood, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's late. We need to get some sleep. Start fresh tomorrow."

Brown couldn't argue - he could barely keep his eyes open - but was still reluctant.

Tomorrow. The last day to solve this murder before the killer would most likely flee. Just like at Heliopolis.

He couldn't let it happen again.