Conundrum

Part 14

JessLainsley

Robin was glad that she got her phone back, being without for so long made her feel uneasy. She had a bunch of texts from her roommate, surprisingly, but she only sent a quick message to tell her that she was alive. Chase was cooking something in the kitchen and whatever it was, made Robin's nose tickle. She sat there with her phone on the couch and didn't look up until she felt eyes on her. Robin looked up and gasped at how close Chase's face was to hers. His eyes were bright and playful as they darted between her gaze and her black phone case.

"Do you have social media?"

Robin lifted a brow, "Why do you want to know?"

"So we can be friends, Love! Be real mates, share laughs and what not," Chase smiled and stared at her expectantly.

"No. We are not friends. Never were, never will be. I don't have friends--"

"They disappoint me," Chase chuckled.

Robin was confused, "What?"

"The Vine?" Chase gasped, "Do you not know what Vine is?!"

"I do not have social media. It is trivial and boring and I would rather not have people knowing everything about me. Besides I don't even have a birthday or friends so it would be pointless. I don't share my information with the world. I find it stupid."

Chase sat next to Robin on the couch, "Speak for yourself, Love, but I have four thousand followers."

"Give the man a cookie. I don't care Chase."

Chase gasped so suddenly and dramatically that Robin nearly dropped her phone.

"What the hell, man?!"

"You said my name!!! You called me Chase!!"

"I call you by your name all the time..." Robin huffed and looked down at her phone and clicked on her Mahjong Solitaire game.

"I know... but it sounds special when you say it."

Robin looked up with a dull expression, "Are you seriously flirting with me?"

"Is it working?" Chase's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"No. It's not. You're so unprofessional."

"I like to say I have the British charm."

"You're delusional."

"And you're cute when you're ma--"

"Is something burning?" Robin looked up and crinkled her nose.

Chase's eyes grew even wider, somehow, in horror and ran to the kitchen, "My roast chicken strips!!"

Robin scoffed, "Is that what they were supposed to be? From here it smelled like roasted peppercorns for dinner."

Chase pulled a steaming pan from the oven that had hard black chunks of something on it.

"Bloody hell... I forgot to set a timer... Hey Robin?"

"I don't cook," Robin said disinterested, her eyes glued to her phone screen.

"How do you feel about Take Out?"

......

Hidsen sighed and ran her hand through her hair, her tight bun long gone and her scalp was crying for mercy. She tried to massage her scalp, but it seemed so sensitive, it was giving her a headache. Hidsen stared at the page of notes on her computer, that Smith girl had given her nothing to work with, practically. She had run a test through the database of red haired women in their mid-forties or fifties with green eyes and a whole list of suspects showed up, narrowing her list to several hundred. Her eyes were growing heavy and her brain was starting to ache with all the work and information, or lack thereof, that she had dealt with over the past few days. Hidsen looked up around the office and saw that she was the second to last person there. Her eyes followed the janitor as he vacuumed the hallway near the elevator. How had it gotten so late? What time was it? When did she eat last? Had she drank any water today? Her body wasn't giving her signals, and if it was, she wasn't receiving them. Hidsen was about to read over her lack of notes again when her phone went off. She moved her sluggish hand over and picked up the phone and saw a message from Tristan Stewart. A small smile spread across her face as she typed in her passcode and read the message.

"I'm off work, want to grab dinner... or drniks?"

"Drinks*"

Hidsen rolled her eyes and sighed as she typed back.

"Which bar?"

"Rough day, Angel?"

"Rough few. Which bar?"

"Albert's? They have food if you need to eat."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"See you there."

Hidsen ignored the heart emoji at the end of his text and started to collect her belongings and cleaned up her area. She walked to the elevator and pressed the button, every second feeling longer than the last.

Finally, she arrived at Albert's after hitting every red light she possibly could on the way. Hidsen looked around and spotted Tristan in the corner with a glass of something and she walked over and sat down, her headache still pounding around her temples.

"Hey, Cecily, you don't look too good," Tristan reached across the table and gently took her hand.

"This case is awful. We have zero leads and I have no idea where to start," Hidsen rested her head against her free hand and yawned.

"Well... How about we get a small bite and something to drink and get you to bed. I can't have my fiancee passing out anywhere."

Tristan smiled gently at Hidsen and a tired smile returned his.

"Thanks, Tristan. I'm just not sure how I am supposed to find a woman that has the description of several hundred people. It's exhausting."

"Sounds like it," Tristan lifted his brows sympathetically at her, "But you'll get through it. I promise. You are strong and smart and you always find the clues. What does she look like?"

"Red hair? Green eyes... It's a popular combination here and I am worried that I will get the wrong person."

"You won't, Cecily. Look at me," He gently cupped her cheek, "You will solve this, just like you always do. I'll help if you need it. I can keep an eye out for clients at the office."

"Tristan... you don't have to..." Hidsen looked at him and suddenly realized how tired she was.

"It would be an honor to help you out, Angel. I promise, it's no trouble. Oh hey! That doctor is on TV again. I guess she made another breakthrough," Tristan pointed to the TV in the corner and Hidsen turned around.

"And another discovery was made at the Hospital today, a life of a child was saved due to his doctor being able to identify a tapeworm in his stomach. The child is none other than Mayor Feliz's son, Henry, and his doctor is Doctor Cameera Abacus. Due to her quick examination and discovery, young Henry's life was saved. Mayor Feliz is going to give Doctor Abacus a sum of $3000 extra for her work. Here is Doctor Abacus on the subject," the reporter smiled and the screen flipped to show Doctor Abacus.

"I only did my job, I would do the same for any child, despite an extra raise or not. A child must be protected and losing one so early is never fair. Henry's procedure is later tonight and I have full faith in our surgeon and I wish him a speedy recovery," Doctor Abacus smiled, showing her white teeth and kind eyes.

Tristan shook his head, "That kid is lucky his doctor is so smart and quick to react. Right? Uh... Cecily? You alright?"

Hidsen's focus was completely on the TV. Red hair, green eyes, red lipstick, access to a hospital and labs. She had found her first lead.... Doctor Cameera Abacus.