“We can talk right here.”

Jiro raised an eyebrow. Anyone that he’d approached had allowed them into their homes, but this man was obviously trying to hide something.

“Look here,” Jiro pointed out, “I have the authority to step inside your home and have a talk with you. Are willing to agree or not?”

“Where’s your warrant?” Mr. Lu questioned with his small voice.

Jiro couldn’t help, but want to laugh at his stupidity, “I’ll only bring a warrant if I want to search your home. Today I only want to talk to you about some issues. Please let me in Mr. Lu Wei Lian.”

He eyed Jiro a bit and reluctantly let him inside. It was as dirty and gray as it was outside. The electricity had obviously stopped running because everything was so dark and only candles stood about, their little flames trying to the air for as long as possible. Some plates, spoons, and forks on the counter had to be reused over and over. The sight of them made Jiro want to vomit. He was told to sit down at the old wooden table in the middle of the kitchen. The chair underneath him felt like it wouldn’t be able to hold out any longer.

“As you can see I don’t really have anything to serve you,” he told.

Jiro glanced into the other room to see clothes, cigarettes, CD’s, stereo players, candy wrappers, and many more junk all over the place. How did he live here?

“What do you want officer?” his question finally made Jiro turn.

“I hear you gamble. How many years have you been at it?” Jiro started.

Lu Wei Lian gave Jiro a dirty smirk, “Why is this any of your business? Did someone tell-tell on me?”

“My answer to that is no,” Jiro said. “I hear you got transferred here from Taichung and got fired 5 years ago because of your gambling problems. From what I see of the situation you just need some money don’t you?” Jiro watched as Lu Wei Lian lost his smirk satisfactorily. “Why haven’t you gone back to Taichung? Are you waiting for a chance to make money in this big city? Or is there some money that you’re waiting to get?”

“I see you have an intention for coming here,” he said then leaned back in his chair sticking a toothpick into his mouth. “What do you want exactly?”

“Answer my question. I’ll never leave until you do.” Jiro told.

Lu Wei Lian laughed turning his face away then turned back to Jiro, “So what if I’m waiting for money? If this city is so big there’s got to be money somewhere. I bet you live off money too, Mr. Investigator.”

“Do you know what I’m doing nowadays?”

“I don’t know and I’m not interested in knowing, but I bet you’ll tell me anyway.”

“I bet you’ve heard of the two little twin boys around the age of 3 who have disappeared at the beginning of last year?” Jiro question observing Lu Wei Lian’s face which suddenly darkened. “Their parents are waiting for their return. Now what I want to know is where you were that day, what you were doing, and if you know a Keven Tian.”

“I have no answers for you,” Mr Lu replied. “Now please get out.”

“I can take it that you do know something if you’re trying to make me leave.” Jiro told. “And that can clearly make you a suspect.”

Mr. Lu did not say anything.

“Do you want to know what I know? I know that you worked for the Real Estates Company and you managed the house across town from the police station. The mother whose twins went missing lived in that house. I also heard that you fancied the house they lived in and took extremely good care of it. That means while you were employed there you had access to the key to that house. You could have entered it as many times as you pleased and I’m pretty sure you know that house like the back of your mind.”

Mr. Lu glared at Jiro, “I’m pretty sure you know that I manage more than just that house. I remember every house at the back of my mind, that, I can assure you, investigator.”

“I’m sure you can,” Jiro said sarcastically. “If you refuse to tell me where you were and what you were doing the first day of last year I guess we’ll just have to ask you that in jail. However, before I take my leave I want to know if you’ve heard of a Keven Tian.”

“Keven Tian? I don’t know him.” Mr. Lu replied solidly. His face was very uninviting now and Jiro could tell that if wasn’t from the police force he’d have been kicked out without mercy.  

“No, I’m sure you do.” Jiro said very sure of it. “You arrived at the police station together with a call that you’ve both harassed a woman on the streets. The way you two glanced at each other, I’m sure you two are more than acquaintances, am I right?”

“As you said I’ll tell you that when I’m arrested,” Mr Lu said.

“This Keven…does he live with you here?” Jiro looked around the home.

“I am done with questions, investigator,” replied Lu Wei Lian. “Get out.”

“I hope you’re aware that you’re a suspect on my list and I won’t leave you alone until I get those two kids back. That is…if they’re alive.” Jiro watched his face expression become furious. “I’ll be sure to have an eye on you and your every movement…and relay this message to Keven to will you? That his sister, Hebe, will wait for her children.”

Jiro walked out of the door feeling satisfied with getting on Lu Wei Lian’s nerves. If there were two people involved in the twins’ abduction, one of them was Lu Wei Lian. Now that Jiro had nailed that down he needed to focus on Keven for the time being. But before he’d start on anything he wanted to call Hebe first.

When Hebe walked in through the doors she looked exhausted. However, she sat down at the table drawing a smile onto her face.

“That thunderstorm lasted all night,” Hebe commented.

“Did you not sleep?” questioned Jiro.

Hebe smiled ignoring his question, “What are we going to eat today?”

“Hebe, answer me.” Jiro pressed on.

Hebe sighed, “I didn’t sleep, but I’m planning to get some when I go back home. Is that good enough?”

Jiro smiled in reply, “Good. Lets get something healthy to replenish your energy.”

||||||||

After relaying Jiro’s message Keven didn’t seem happy.

“He’s onto us,” Keven said. “How do we get him off our back?”

“He came looking for you and you’re the one who thought up of your sister, so you do the cleaning up.”

“You led us to that house. It was only coincidence that her family lived there and all this is your fault! You devised the plan for months and even convinced me into doing it with you! You clean this you hear me?! Taking those children was not my idea and if we get caught I’ll kill you!” Keven screamed into the receiver.

Lu Wei Lian was silent for an eternity before going on, “I’ll clean this up, but you’re going to clean it up with me since we started it together and it’s too late to bring those children back to their family. If you dare back out on me I’ll testify you in court and bring all consequences against you, you brat.”

“What do you want?” Keven asked.

||||||||

When Hebe left Jiro returned to the station. All eyes landed upon him as he walked in through the doors, but he ignored it. He walked toward the shy guy to ask if he’d found anything new or if he’d found out where Keven lived. It was as he expected. Keven could not be traced.

Jiro made his way back to his apartment and couldn’t help but stop in front of Calvin’s door. He hurried up to his complex and came down the list of Keven’s records.

Calvin was not in when he knocked. He waited around for 15 minutes, but Calvin did not return. He guess he would need to return the next day and headed up to his complex to get some decent rest. The case was nearing its end and he clearly knew he would not be able to complete it all in one day as he wished.

||||||||

Selina stared at herself in the mirror. She was right to be angry with herself. Why had she been so stupid as to let it happen? Why hadn’t she thought ahead? Feeling sick to the core she went over to the couch and laid down covering her eyes with her arm.   

The next morning she’d awoken feeling nausea. She turned and tossed in her sleep and finally got up to stand over the toilet, but nothing came. Her head spun and she felt sick. After sitting for an hour Selina glanced at the clock to realize she’d been awake since dawn and in an hour and a half she’d have to go to work.

When Selina arrived at work she couldn’t even bring herself to smile at her co-workers. Her mood was quickly beginning to fall. During lunch with Aaron Selina hesitated so much that she couldn’t even speak in sentences that made sense.

“Is something wrong?” asked Aaron in the car. “You haven’t spoken to anyone since morning.”

Selina didn’t want to tell him of her suspicions. What if she was wrong in the end? What if was just a cold? That’s it, a cold.

“I…I’m just sick,” Selina replied. “Probably because we stood too long outside the other day. That’s all.”

“You do look pale,” Aaron said reaching over to feel her forehead.

Selina was surprised at herself when she moved her head away from his hand.

“Is something wrong?” Aaron asked again. “You’re avoiding me a lot today.”

“No. I just don’t want you to get sick,” Selina lied. “Lets go back ok?”

She wanted to avoid everything…no matter what that day. Her thoughts, her world, her worries, and him.