Mirror, Mirror on the Wall ✓

16 | Another Discovery

Chapter 16: Another Discovery

It was evident to Clark that Sanchez was having another moment of brilliance.  While they were walking towards Morris's cell, he said:

'Clark, didn't you say that Sanders was with a friend all throughout? What did this friend look like?'

 'I never got close enough to him to notice him that closely, but from where I was I saw that he was a short guy. Hair in en brosse. Had a single earring. Wore mostly dark clothes. And yeah, he had a skull-faced tattoo on his arm.'

Sanchez gave a small nod of understanding and continued. They were soon standing in front of Morris's cell. Morris sat gloomily on his bunk, his shoulders drooping, quite similar to the frown on his face. When they had arrested him, he had looked much healthier than the previous time Sanchez had seen him in his shop; he right now resembled that miserable and dazed man.

Morris took a few moments to realize Sanchez and Clark were there. He turned weakly.

Sanchez started without dallying, 'Morris, you said that you once had an assistant who stole something from your shop. Can you describe him?' Morris's blank face registered an expression of mild surprise. Clark felt that that expression was justified: out of all things, he himself had never expected Sanchez to ask about what he did.

They didn't have to force the answers out of him. He answered readily, 'Name was Luis. Luis Hunter. Short. Single earring, like one of those punks. Very hip. Not at all fit for that job. He had a somewhat dark aura around him with a grim face. Had an ugly skull tattoo.'

'Where?' 

'On his arm. I always had to tell him to cover it up. One cannot let employees ruin the dignity of an antique shop. I took him in only because I had nothing against him.'

The reply stunned Clark. Was it possible that the one he had seen that day at the shop and this Hunter guy were the same people? What were the odds? But the Detective seemed satisfied with the answer. 'Luis Hunter', he mumbled. He again asked, 'What was there in your shop's basement?'

Clark saw Morris turn red, though he did not understand why. 'Why, yes. But honestly, I did not find any use for it because the shop itself is so large. To tell the truth, I've never even looked at the basement properly since I bought the shop three years ago. I always tell myself that it's time for cleanup but never find the time nor heart for it.'

'I see. Thank you, Scott.'

Clark felt the gravity of the matter. The sheer inconceivability of the case, at that moment, attracted him like nothing else in the world. He still felt it was impossible how far they had come, making those connections and joining the dots. It made him feel almost superlative.

As they exited after interrogating Morris, Clark told Sanchez, 'I'll leave now. I'll try to make it back as soon as possible.'

'Okay. Try to wrap things up as soon as you can. I'll be at Morris's shop.'

'You'll go alone?'

'Yes. We need to act fast. They might slip out of our hands. I can't let them go after we've come so far.'

Clark felt he understood just what Sanchez meant by that. They rushed off as if it were a race for their lives, a race against time.