The Enigmatic Stairwell: Amelia's Vanishing Act

Questioning 1: Olivia - 13 July 2019

Detective Raymond Harris, a seasoned investigator with a reputation for his unyielding pursuit of the truth, sat across from Olivia in a dimly lit interrogation room. The table between them was littered with case files and scattered notes. The detective regarded Olivia with a stern but not unfriendly expression, his eyes sharp behind his glasses.

"Ms. Olivia Reed," Detective Harris began, his voice measured and authoritative. "Thank you for coming in to assist us with our investigation into the disappearance of Amelia Kingsley. I understand that you and Amelia were close friends." Olivia nodded, her gaze steady. "Yes, that's correct. We've been friends for several years." Harris leaned forward; hands folded on the table.

"Can you tell me about your last interaction with Amelia on the evening of her disappearance?" Olivia hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowing as she recalled the events of that evening. "We had a game night at Amelia's apartment," she replied. "We played 'Bluffing Diplomats,' our usual game. It was just the four of us—Amelia, Caitlyn, Callux, and me. We left her apartment around midnight."

Harris scribbled a note, his gaze never leaving Olivia. "Did anything seem out of the ordinary that night? Any arguments or tensions among the group?" Olivia shook her head. "No, nothing like that. We had a great time, as always. We joked around, made playful comments. It was a normal night."

The detective raised an eyebrow. "Playful comments, you say? Can you recall any specific remarks made during the game?" Olivia thought for a moment, her expression growing thoughtful. "Well," she began slowly, "Caitlyn joked about being a spy, and Callux said something about hacking. Amelia, she mentioned something about disappearing into a book."

Harris nodded, jotting down the information. "And what about Amelia's habits? Did she mention anything unusual or any changes in her behaviour recently?" Olivia bit her lip, searching her memory. "No, not really. She was always a bit quirky, you know, making funny faces at the security cameras in the stairwell. But it was just her way of having fun, I guess. Nothing unusual about it."

Detective Harris leaned back in his chair; his expression thoughtful. "Thank you, Ms. Reed. You've been very cooperative. We'll be in touch if we need any further information," he said before adding, "By the way, I couldn't help but notice that you referred to Amelia in the past tense. Is there something you're not telling us about her disappearance?"

Olivia's gaze flickered, and her shoulders tensed as she realized her slip. She hadn't even noticed that she had referred to Amelia in the past tense. She cleared her throat, her voice slightly shaky. "I, uh, I apologize, Detective. It's just... it's hard to talk about her as if she's still here when she's... missing."

Detective Harris studied her carefully, his eyes still sharp. "Of course, I understand. It's a difficult situation for everyone involved. We all want to find out what happened to her." He made a note of her explanation, but his curiosity lingered.

"As you know, these investigations can be challenging," he continued, "and sometimes even the smallest details can be important. If you remember anything else, no matter how insignificant it may seem, please don't hesitate to reach out." Olivia nodded, her nerves still palpable. "I will, Detective. I want Amelia to come back home as much as anyone does." With that, Detective Harris allowed Olivia to leave the interrogation room.