Privet Eie

Misguided: part 4

"Come in," a lofty voice floats through the door. Privet opens the door to Sprite, who is average height for her age, pretty and slender, lying belly down on the carpet in the middle of the large office. On the walls were several pictures of famous writers and books she had written, as well as a rather large book series called, The Hamilton Adventures. The furniture was sparse, save for an elaborate desk in the back of the room near a large full wall window and door to a balcony. Next to the desk was a grey minifridge. On the desk was a laptop, a computer, a typewriter, a torn picture in a frame of what Privet assumed was Sprite, A newspaper open to a story about a rape victim, and several bobbleheads, many of which Privet did not recognize.

"Uhh, did I come at a bad time?" Privet asks, confused.

"I'm brainstorming."

"Uhh, okay," Privet said uncertainly, before remembering why he was here.

They sit in silence for a minute, then Sprite gets up and goes over to the mini-fridge.

"Can I interest you in a beverage?" she asks.

"No, thank you. I already ate."

Sprite shrugs, grabs a bottle of water, and lays back down. Another silence fills the room.

"Why weren't you at the CEO event?" He blurts.

Sprite suddenly sits up and looks at Privet.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Privet mentally notes this change in behaviour.

"Privet Eie. Detective. Here to ask some questions for a case I'm working on."

"The only appointment I was supposed to have today was with Saundra Adams. You don't look like a Saundra."

"That would be because I'm Saundra." an annoyed Saundra enters the room, munching on a chocolate bar.

"Is this your colleague?" Sprite asks, motioning to Privet.

Saundra considers for a few moments, enjoying the anticipation on Privet's face.

"Yeah, I suppose so," she said carelessly.

Privet felt jipped at being called the young "detective's" colleague, but he kept quiet in the hopes he got to stay.

"He can stay then," Sprite says with an air of apathy.

    As Saundra started to chat with Sprite, random stuff to try and get on her good side, Privet noticed a picture on the wall and moved closer to investigate. What he saw made him want to spin around menacingly, but he didn't; he just turned and observed the two girls talk. Now he knew why Saundra had made an appointment instead of just rushing to see Sprite.

"You two knew each other in school?" He asked when he finally heard them refer to an old teacher, so Sprite didn't think he was snooping.

"Yeah, high school actually," Sprite said briefly, but with a new air of calm about her.

"What's it to you, you eavesdropper?" Saundra retorts at Privet, biting her lip and glancing at Sprite, who was playing with a bobblehead of Morgan Varner.

"I hate to break up this little reunion but I have a case to run. Now, can you tell me where you were on the night of the CEO party?"

Again, Sprite's mood changed to a serious and clouded one.

"I was here working late." she said, brushing the question off, "Now Saundra, tell me more about your job."

Privet was also intrigued and looked up in time to see a faint blush flash across Saundra's otherwise calm face, Sprite didn't seem to notice.

"Well...um, I'm working the same case as this unicorn over here. Though I don't think of you as a suspect or anything!" She spluttered.

"That's pretty cool, any leads?"

"None yet."

"That's too bad."

Privet started to realize the real reason why Saundra had come, but he dared not say, she was mad enough at him as it was. Sensing that he had ruined whatever was going to happen, he excused himself and left. On his way down the elevator, he circled Sprite's name on his list. He also crossed off Liam and Clementine. His thinking was that Liam, as a lawyer, probably didn't want to do what he was defending other people for, even though he and Clark would have been competitors, and Clementine was probably too occupied with her kids to do any killing. Her husband couldn't have done it because he was at the party, leaving her to watch the kids. Andrew Jacobin was the last on the list, Privet assumed maybe he wanted Clark's money, as a banker he'd know ways to hide it. So he set off for the bank.