Circus of Shadows: A Deadly Performance

Chapter 46: Interrogating Shadows

The morning hung heavy with mist, a thick fog blanketing the circus grounds, as Detective Black arrived at Felix's trailer. Her brisk knock pierced the quietness, disrupting the peace of the fog-laden morning. Startled from his sleep, Felix Bauer stumbled to the door, his mind still foggy with sleep, but the sight of the detective immediately drew him to attention.

"Detective Black?" Felix mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he opened the door, the cold fog drifting into his trailer.

"Morning Felix," Detective Black greeted with a solemn nod, her expression serious. I need to discuss last night's events with you. May I come in?"

Felix still groggy from his disrupted sleep, stepped aside, allowing the detective to enter. The mist outside created a somber atmosphere, mirroring the unease that was building within Felix's mobile home.

As Detective Black settled into a seat, her eyes fixed on Felix, she wasted no time diving into the heart of the matter. "We keep meeting like this don't we?" Detective Black began "I'm here about the incident at Mr Ortiz's trailer. Someone saw what happened last night. Care to explain?"

Felix's heart skipped a beat as he realised someone had witnessed the frantic search he'd conducted in Ralph's trailer. "I.... I was just looking for something," he stammered, attempting to compose himself.

The detective's gaze bore into him, her expression unreadable. "It's crucial that you're honest with me, Felix. You don't want to be back down the station do you? What were you doing in his trailer?"

Felix hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I.... I thought something was taken. I went there looking for answers, but I found nothing frustratingly."

Detective Black regarded him with a scrutinising stare, her intuition probing for any hint of deceit. "This investigation is complicated enough without your hidden truths. Keep that in mind," she cautioned him before rising to leave, the fog outside swallowing her figure as she disappeared from Felix's doorway.

Felix stood up and swiftly moved to the doorway and shouted "I... I was looking for my belongings," Felix began in hope, his voiced tinged with urgency. "Important possessions of mine had been taken, including my rucksack,"

Detective Black's attention had been captured, she turned around and began to walk back to the gated entrance of his trailer. "A rucksack?" Connie repeated.

"Yes, when I noticed Ralph's trailer door ajar slightly, I ... I thought maybe someone had taken my things and stashed them there."

The detective's brow furrowed slightly, a sign of both interest and scrutiny. "Why would someone take your belongings and hide them in Mr Ortiz's trailer?"

Felix hesitated, realising the perplexity of his situation. "I'm not entirely sure. It's just that... after recent events, tensions in the circus have been high. I thought maybe someone wanted to frame me or make it look like I had something to do with... with what happened to Mr Ortiz."

Detective Black listened attentively, her expression giving away little. "Did you find anything in Mr Ortiz's home?"

Felix shook his head. "No, nothing. It was empty. I didn't take anything either. I was just searching for my belongings, but it did appear I wasn't the only visitor there last night?"

"Why do you say that Felix?" Detective questioned with a slightly frustrating tone.

"It was a mess," Felix began, "it looked like someone was there looking for answers as-well and the door was open." Felix exclaimed sounding slightly frantic with his response.

The detective nodded, her demeanour measured yet probing. "This complicates things Felix. You being at the scene raises questions. The missing items, the open door... it all needs to be investigated further."