4. "Another letter came in today!" Falman announced as he walked into the office, holding a small piece of paper. "Unless the alchemist pays him 50,000 dollars by the end of the week, the research is going to slowly be revealed. The only problem is that the alchemist who was being threatened is denying that it's his research. It has to be someone's, though, but even I can't remember whose it is." He held out the note. "He wrote a small sample here, but I can't figure out what the research is about." He passed it to Fuery and sat down at his desk. "Maybe one of you can make some sense out of this."
Roy hadn't really been listening to anything he had been saying. Once again, he had had another sleepless night. There was too much on his mind. He was having trouble letting go on the past and moving on. This new, small job seemed so unreal after all he had gone through. How could he be back at the beginning after all he had gone through?
"Here, Mustang." Breda held out the paper to him. "I couldn't make any sense of it."
Roy accepted it, although he wasn't the least bit interested in it. He looked it over briefly. He was about to pass it on to Havoc when something about it struck him as familiar.
"It sounds familiar," he told the group, "though I can't remember where from…"
Falman became thoughtful before jumping up. "Is it your alchemy master? I remember you mentioning him once or twice! I don't think you ever told us his name, but if you recognize it, it's probably his!"
"Or it could be that old kook Marcoh's. Mustang would recognize that!" Breda suggested.
"I think Falman's right," Roy said thoughtfully, scanning the paper again. "Yeah, it's definitely his." He stood up, putting the paper into his pocket. "I'll be back!" Before anyone could stop him, he was gone.
…
After finding out that she had left for the day, Roy had gone to Riza's house. He rang the doorbell, waiting impatiently. Usually she stayed late at work instead of leaving early.
At last, she answered. She didn't seem too happy to see him standing on her doorstep. "What is it?"
"Have you heard about the case concerning the alchemist whose research was saved from the library?"
"I'm working on that case," she answered, "but at work, not on my time off. This doesn't concern me while I'm not on duty."
She definitely had changed a lot in a week. Since when had she been so careless about her job? "Well, this does concern you as a person this time. It's your father's research that was stolen."
Her eyes lit up with curiosity. He held out the paper and she accepted it, looking it over. "It doesn't seem too familiar, but he told you more than me. I'll take your word for it."
She looked up, meeting his eyes. "What does this mean, though? Is his research worth…" she gulped "…50,000?"
Roy bit his tongue, not wanting to answer, but finally nodding. "Probably. It always seemed important, didn't it? I don't know all about it, but I don't think you'd want it falling into the wrong hands."
She sighed, leaning against her door. "I guess it could be worse. I'll find some way to afford it." She didn't seem too sure.
"Afford what?"
Roy cringed, recognizing Matt's voice. He had finally gotten the Lieutenant to talk to him and then he had to come along.
Riza looked past Roy and over at him. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to keen on repeating the story either, though she did anyway. "Remember that case I told you I was working on?"
He smiled. "Yes."
She grew paler. "Well, it's my father's research and they want 50,000 for it."
Somehow he didn't seem too surprised. "Oh," was all he said.
"You don't seem too shocked," Roy commented.
"Well, her father is a very well known alchemist," he defended.
"Can you believe it? 50,000!" she repeated. "Some people may consider that nothing, but I don't have that kind of money on me! I can't come up with that by the end of the week! I'll have to take out a huge loan from the bank!"
Roy was no longer listening. He just watched Matt's expression as Riza continued talking. His lack of shock was a little too suspicious. He was going to start investigating Matthew O'Brien.