For what is mine, I'll come myself

Part 4

7:00 pm in the morning, two hours before his actual work were specifically reserved for himself.
With a cup of hot coffee and clues laid out in his mind or papers he would engage himself in his homework. He would picture the details of the crime scene playing it like a video and expecting and determining the unknown outcomes.
Right about this time, he was doing the same.

Nuclear research papers. A scientist wanted murdered.

The raiders possibly wont be able to escape, the local internet and phone calls and messages were all being deeply monitored. All the rest could do now was to pray nothing went out.
He placed the coffee mug on the table, papers his hand, pacing around he took several glimpses of his coat hanging in the corner of the room, the coat having the note inside. Ofcource curiousity wouldn't just leave him alone, didn't matter where it led. His mind seemed to play those moments, that lady, her smile, everything about her. Feeling uncomfortable he got up and went towards it, taking out the note and opening it.
A nice job a nice person had done, fortunately his annoyance was asleep at the moment.
He looked at the note for several seconds.
Parkers town. Almost was a 40 minutes drive from his home.
.....a young girl......she disappeared two days ago......
The errorless tone replayed in his mind.
He looked at the clock. 7:45

40 minutes later, Jason found himself standing at the edge of a lake, quiet a large lake. Clear and blue as the sky above. Several small birds came down to refresh themselves while bees and butterflies hung around the tulips at its edge. Parkers was a small town. Unlike Bells it was simple and bleak of any sort of posh. Across the lake he could make out the small square of the town. Usually they were decorated with statues or flowers. This one however, was plain. The square merged into different lanes, first with the gardens then the line of small houses. Houses with small glass windows and balconies decorated with pot plants. The sort of peace settled in that place was what Jason loved the most.

He wasn't really sure what had convinced him. He had just got dressed and left for here. Probably there was a little time to collect some information before going back to the usual hustle. Perhaps he could start asking the people around. He surveyed the lanes looking for shops or some people walking by the streets, he could ask them about some mysterious disappearance of a....young girl they might know something about. None though.
Another great news.
She didnt even leave the name of the person gone missing. Ringing door bells at this hour will only invite their anger on him judging by how empty the streets looked.

Perhaps he could ask the birds, out of annoyance though.
He looked at the houses and the empty lanes one by one until his gaze caught a lonely building at the other end far away. A small white mansion that looked old enough. He hadnt noticed it before now realized it kind of stood out. The house was surrounded by green gardens and thickly shaded trees. Despite its old and shabby appearance someone had taken good care of the place. Lonely as it seemed it came or went into none of the lane separating itself from the rest of the town. He began rounding the lake; it almost took him 10 minutes to get there.

Up close the small mansion looked even older. It was wood painted white with glass windows comparatively larger than the ones he had noticed on the other houses. The gardens were green and fresh with dew drops, trees shading over the area. He could see some swings through the bars of the lawns. He prepared to approach the door up the steps when he noticed a figure standing in the pathway that seemed to be inspecting him closely. An old woman, her grey hair done into a tight bun. She held bags from which he could make out vegetables or fruits and other grocery stuff. So the shops were open somewhere.
Her posture was bent and the items seemed to weigh in her weak arms. Not so closely inspecting though she looked confused to see him.