Thanks again for the reviews you two! And KiwiSWFan, I've already finished the story and there isn't any romance in it, but I'm planning on doing another with romance included. Of course, I have to think of a plot first, which is proving to be a bit of a dilemma... Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 4

Investigations

"Missing?" Harry exclaimed before turning his back and pacing across the room. "I knew something was wrong."

Sadler continued when Harry spun to face him again. "I've been assigned to the Lauren Todd case in his absence. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"Oh yes," Harry nodded, still agitated. "He went to pay a visit to Conner Wilson."

"Conner Wilson?" Sadler asked, sending Nikki a confused glance when Harry didn't answer.

Nikki sighed and stood up to shake his hand. "I'm Dr. Nikki Alexander. I'm helping with the case. Come on, we'll bring you up to speed." Sadler seemed relieved to find that someone was making sense and sent Harry one more glance before following the more level-headed pathologist to the conference room.

Nathan Sadler stood outside the door to Conner Wilson's flat and glanced back at his team of police officers before rapping on the door. As he waited, he cast his eyes around the hallway, but soon grew impatient and motioned to one of the men behind him. As they forced the door open and shouts of 'police' echoed through the flat, Sadler slowly followed them inside.

"No one's here," he growled, stomping into the lounge, though not a moment later, a call brought him into the kitchen. "What is it?" he asked, annoyance lacing his voice.

"You might wanna take a look at this," the officer said, stepping back to let him through.

Sadler looked down and narrowed his eyes at the sheet of paper still smoldering in the sink. It was obviously a hasty attempt to get rid of it. Luckily for him, it was too hasty, and the paper hadn't quite caught.

A quiet tension had fallen over the Lyell Centre at the news of a detective's disappearance. Nikki was sat at Harry's desk, leaning back in the chair with her arms crossed and a frown on her face as she silently argued with herself. Finally coming to a decision, she reached forward and picked up the phone.

"Hi," she spoke quickly. "Yes, I'm looking for an address." There was a pause and she glanced down to a piece of paper in front of her. "David Fairburn." Grabbing a pen, she scribbled something down. "Thanks." Setting down the phone just as Harry walked in, she sent him a glance before quickly busying herself with a file.

"Heard from DI Sadler yet?" he asked absently. She shook her head and tried to look intent on her work. Harry sighed and turned to head back to the conference room. "Let me know if he rings."

"Sure," she called after him, waiting until he was gone before jumping up, grabbing her jacket, and slipping out the door.

David Fairburn's house was a ways from the bustle of the city, nestled amongst a small grove of trees. Nikki pulled into the driveway and parked, pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to say, but that didn't stop her. She'd think of something.

Stepping out of the car, she let her eyes wander and gazed up to the grand house. So far, her impression of David Fairburn was that he had an expensive taste and the money to satisfy it.

Deciding not to waste any more time, Nikki marched up the front steps and used the large brass doorknocker to rap on the door. She waited for a few moments, and when her attempt was met with silence, she glanced in the window to the left. The inside looked even more impressive then the outside, and Nikki had to wonder if this David Fairburn might not even have the money to purchase a chimpanzee after spending it all on his home.

Not to be swayed from her snooping though, Nikki soon retreated from the front porch and wandered around the back, still watching the house, searching for any sign of life. Her heart began to beat faster as her imagination started playing tricks on her. A curtain flickered here, a shadow moved there. A second look always calmed her racing heart, but an uneasy feeling still filled her stomach.

The back garden looked just like any other. Well, that wasn't strictly true. Everything had obviously been landscaped to perfection. Everything but the shed, that is. It was huddled, half-hidden, among the branches of a tree that drooped low enough to hide the window in the side.

Nikki sent one last quick glance over her shoulder before making her way through the perfect flowers and neatly trimmed bushes. Ducking under the branches of the tree, she neared the wall of the shed and her expression hardened with determination. The darkness just behind the dirt-covered window was telling her to run and not look back, but she'd been through much worse than a creepy old shed, and she wasn't going to let a silly fear of the dark stop her from investigating.

Repeating that thought over and over in her head, Nikki stepped closer to the window, closer to the darkness, and peered inside. She let out a breath as her eyes landed on shovels and rakes. It was just a shed, just a garden shed, nothing more.

Then something moved.

Clamping a hand over her mouth so as not to yelp, Nikki looked closer and gasped as two small eyes met hers. The dark eyes looked up from a pinkish face that was framed with deep black fur, and blinked slowly.

"Hello there," Nikki whispered, more to calm herself than the baby chimp. "I think I know someone who'd like to meet you."

Harry was frowning over Sadler's new evidence when Nikki called. He and the detective were already out of the building by the time Nikki hung up, and Sadler just finished calling for the police as they reached his car.

When they pulled up outside David Fairburn's house, there were already two officers at the scene. Harry jumped out with Sadler not far behind and they were shown to the shed. Nikki was still outside the window, watching the chimpanzee inside. She only turned her head when Harry stood at her shoulder to try and get a look at the bundle of fur in the darkness.

"I've called the RSPCA," Sadler said quietly, appearing at her other side. "They're on their way now."

"You're not supposed to be here," Harry said, his voice low and angry. When she looked at his face though, it was relaxed and he had a twinkle in his eye as he watched the chimp. Catching her glance, he grinned. "This isn't even your case."

"Jealous of my find, are we?" Nikki asked teasingly, turning back to the window.

Harry gave her a quick poke in the side and she giggled, trying to return the gesture. The slam of a car door halted their game and they both spun to watch as a very angry looking man stomped around the house.

"What's goin' on 'ere?" he roared. However, when his eyes came to rest on the object of their interest, his face turned from fury to fear.