Dear Lucy,

First of all, I will ignore the remark about the Mystery Room being messy. If you desire to keep your fingers, I would highly recommend that you stop expressing distaste for it.

Second of all, if it means to wipe that ridiculous omnipresent smirk off of Dartwright's face, I will gladly allow you to use the Reconstruction Machine as much as you would like. It is the closest thing to a punch that I will be able to give to him in my current position for being an absolute arse. I even encourage you to use it the moment you gain a new case so you can get a head start against him. It's much more viable than the machine gaining dust. You may tell Florence to give you the spare key-I doubt she has any use for it anyway.

I could only imagine how scandalized Dartwright must have been to see you solve a crime on your own when his list of achievements and time at the Yard is of great length, it is something he highly prides himself in besides his hair.

Also, will you please let Florence know that her lack of visitation is fine isn't something I care much for. It will prevent her from risking herself and association with me. I know how the Yard can be constricting, especially in her position. If she had visited recently, it would be all for naught anyway, for my behavior has landed me in hot water. It has recently come to my attention that calling a fellow person in rehab a waste of space that could use to lose her tongue for talking so much during group work is not the best way to continue having privileges. The ability to write to you should have been revoked as well, but my doctor appears to be aware that it has been supposedly helping me. So they've allowed me this pleasure, at least.

I must say, I am surprised of your tenacity to respect the wishes of a drug addict and even ask to use my things rather than take them by force. I will never understand your unyielding kindness towards me. Your trust and civility expands further than most I have met. Take that as a compliment as you like. I am sure that the person involved in your life must be quite lucky to have you.

Most individuals who do seek the life of being a part of the Yard do tend to stem from childhood interests. I am not much surprised of your interest in that. As for myself, I found it to be interesting. I was a peculiar child, my father would probably tell you. I was fascinated at seeing why people did things, particularly things seen unacceptable to society. Coupled with the puzzle solving nature of my father, it blended into a strange interest for murder. I found little understanding as to why people committed murder. Solving the puzzle, you could say, brought everything to interest. I used to, in the past, desire to get into the minds of criminals. This want turned into a desire to see the workings of the human mind, but psychology sounded quite bland to me as a subject. It didn't have enough blood, I'm afraid, so I searched around until criminology was introduced to me. There, I worked up. Barton would probably say that I am one of the best Inspectors he has seen in many years, but hate that I became interested in cocaine. That is not an exaggeration. Within working at the Yard for four years, I became a Detective Chief Inspector. That, Lucy, is not an easy feat.

I do leave open the concept that I could have been your mentor had the situation been different. I am imagining your voice and how you would fit into the complex world of mine. I would not be a very easy individual to work with. I have not had any previous assistants, but I can guarantee that I would have most likely made you run away at the first sight of me. Mood swings, drug habits, the list can go on. It is possible I would have been on cocaine, just to appeal to you. In honesty, as much as admittance to this fact is frustrating: you are better off with Dartwright, even if he is a slithering excuse for a human being.

Do tell me one of your cases after you use the Reconstruction Machine. I'm quite interested.

Alfendi Layton