The distance (original)

Directions

I LOOK AT the subjects, smiling as kindly as I can find it in me to smile.

"Uy lahat. We have a bit of a situation going on across the sea in Britain and I firmly believe that somebody in our country has helped there. And as I have good friends there, I would appreciate getting my confessions so we could get the situation under control. Please, I'm really sorry that it comes to this but this country has enough murders, you could just do your business here, not go across the sea," I say.

They all look at me.

"I want some alibis up in here. Why we should believe you didn't help in these murders," I say.

They all stay silent.

"What timeframe do we need to talk about?" One of them finally asks.

Oh shit, yeah, they need a timeframe.

"We'll call it the last few months," I say.

"I've been in prison for 2 years now," the third in line states.

"Can I get a confirmation?" I ask a police officer.

"Yes ma'am, he is telling the truth."

I nod.

"Let's get him out of the room then," I say.

He goes into the room to grab the third in the row, getting out. I wave goodbye before turning to the rest.

"Now the rest of you," I say.

"Home arrest," the fourth says.

I nod.

"Can I get a confirmation?" I ask the next officer.

"Alexander! Did you know?" The officer screeches.

"Yeah, home arrest, i promise," the other officer says.

"Okay, get her out of here," I say.

I keep my eyes on the rest of the subjects when she gets taken away.

"Ma'am. Can we just take one and five away? Both are unable to have contact outside of the country, we have checked."

I nod and they get taken away. I stare at the second one.

"Sir, an alibi?" I ask.

"Sadly, I have one that only my mother can confirm. I was at home, sick," he says.

"Can you contact your mother on this fact?" I ask.

Although a mother will protect her son until death so I can't see why that would give us new information.

"My phone is in the room. Code is 1998," he says.

"Is there a reason for that code?" I ask.

"My sister's birth year," he says.

"Why do you have her birth year as your passcode?" I ask.

He sighs slightly.

"My sister died in 2016," he says.

"I'm sorry for your loss, sir," i say.

I open the phone, opening contacts.

"You have a wife?" I ask.

"No, I do not. I have a fiancé," he says.

"Did she know you were ill?" I ask.

"No, I don't think my mother would call her on that fact. She had work to do in an another country and I decided to not mention things," he says.

"Which country?" I ask.

"Ireland! I believe so at least," he says.

"Ireland eh?" I ask.

Next to Britain.

"What illness did you have for you to be out of commission for months?" I ask.

"I had a surgery to get rid of something in my throat," he says.

"Cancer?" I ask.

"No, not cancer!" He says.

I nod and call his mother.

"Uy!"

"Ma'am I'm sorry to call from your son's phone but we are looking through possible alibis. He had something to remove something from his throat?" I ask.

"Oh! Yes! It was a scary evening, I think I have the doctors name."

"Oh could you please tell me in?" I ask.

"I can send you the information."

"Thank you, ma'am," I say.

The sons phone gets a text and I open it, adding the name of the hospital and the doctor onto my own phone.

"Thank you, ma'am," I say.

I end the call and ask for the man's name.

"Keep an eye on him," I say.

I look at the last officer.

"We are going to meet a doctor," I say.

He nods and we get out to the police car. I sit down next to him.

"Which hospital are we talking?" He asks.

"ACE medical centre," I say.

He nods.

"Just about two minutes," he says.

I nod and send the text,

'We have a subject but he isn't it. His fiancé went to Ireland a while back... it's possible he is involved but his fiancé is the one that did everything in that case.'

I send it before realising that oh shit both of them are early in the morning right now. The distance might get in the way...

"Alright then, get in," the officer says.

I thank him and leave to go into the hospital.

"I'm looking for this person," I say.

I give my phone to the front desk.

"Oh alright. Room seven. Do you have a time—?"

I show her the papers.

"Oh okay, room seven."

I walk away with a thank you. Damn, that was so badass! I can't wait to tell everyone how cool that was!

I stop in front of the door and knock.

"Come on!"

I walk in and smile at the man.

"I'm AJ, hi. And I'm looking into a few murders and one of the subjects apparently had a surgery here a while ago," I say.

I tell him the name and show my papers.

"OH! Yes, we did have a surgery. I suggested a few months of not moving around too much," he says.

I nod.

"Thank you, sir," I say.

He sighs.

"I can't tell you anything else. I'm sorry, AJ," he says.

"Don't worry about it, sir," I say.

I smile.

"I can figure out more about health records if I need it," I say.

He nods and we shake hands one more time before I leave the room. I get my phone out again.

'The subject is on the clear over here. I have to move onto the next wave now.'

I walk out of the hospital with a few thoughts in mind.

Who the hell could it be?