The Fly of the Butterfly (English)

Chapter 7

The detective's face was a poem, all the reddish color that had been given by the various stoves that heated the police station and the coffee with two sugars that did not leave his hand had completely disappeared from his face, he held the paper tightly and had staring out the window. Aeryne rose slowly from her chair, took her superior by his arm and sat him down in the place she had previously taken.

-We better explain ourselves, the paper arrived hidden in the pocket inside my jacket, according to my colleague you were the one who gave him my personal effects last night, you did not see if someone approached it, if the door of our office it was closed- she left the napkin on the table.

-Nobody touched anything but me, I went into the room to take your things and inside...- he pursed his lips in a fine line, someone else was inside the room, clear memories filled his mind at that moment, although he couldn't be,  could he? He was not that kind of man, besides what did it have to do with Hope? Surely it was an unfortunate coincidence.

-Sir, are you feeling well? - the man's face revealed that something was happening, the young woman could see it in his eyes, something troubled his thoughts, something he still couldn't understand.

-Yes, yes I'm fine- he recovered the diligent countenance with which they found him when they entered the office, although a little more subdued and compartmentalized, as if he wanted to focus on one thing and his thoughts distracted him, he recomposed himself on his feet drying excessive sweat that had covered his hands, he wiped it on his pants and took a yellow folder from the desk, out of which came an evidence bag, sealed with orange tape, the day's date and the signature of a forensic investigator named Rebecca Maine.-this was found in Hope's apartment, it's a receipt for rat poison dated December 20, 4 days before she was killed-she shows them the paper receipt stained with fingerprint powder-it was found a partial print on the receipt that appears to be insufficient for identification,so I need you two to go to the store and ask for the security tapes, the order came in the morning for the new evidence found by you Aeryne- the brunette felt a little pride puff up her chest, knowing that she could contribute comforted her.

-Anything in particular that we should look for?- They took the court order, putting it back in the folder.

-Just bring the tape and we'll send it to analyze- the pair took their respective coats heading to the exit to start their workday.

What they hadn't realized was that from the moment they set foot in the police station, the pair were under intense surveillance.

***

They spotted the warehouse on Richmond Street, one of the streets that prospered after the city center was moved by the mayor a few years earlier. You could read a glamorous red neon sign sitting on a silver background, with elegant letters that recited "Chuck's House, open 24 hours", at 10 am Chuck's house was overflowing with life, customers came and went almost without ceasing the majority eager to take refuge from the cold.

Once in front of the business you could see that the flow of people was the same as the one that entered and left, surely more incessant, many of them were buyers passing through who brought some other product of immediate need, but a few others stopped to chat with who they assumed was Chuck behind the counter counting money.

After letting a lady and her dog into the store, together they headed to the checkout where Chuck was saying goodbye to a couple of lovesick teenagers who couldn't keep their hands off each other.

-Are you Chuck?- Dylan walked past the line waiting to be cashed. Aeryne stood a few feet back, looking around.