Fortunately, station holding cells were not like prisons.

They were made for temporary confinement, usually for petty thieves, hooligans, rowdy teens, drunks, and especially those under investigation in a case. In the 48 hours of restraint, the suspect spends their time either in the cell or the interview room. Given the circumstances, a certain person didn’t have the luxury for sleeping in a sound proofed space.

Detective Merlin walked through the hallway of the cells. He would glance at each cage, either occupied or empty. Those occupied would glare back at him. Sometimes they give them the slicing throat gesture, flip of the bird, or even flash their butts. Obviously, there were some who charge at the cage, begging for freedom, reaching out with hunger...or the need of a cigarette.

Merlin kept his pace, never once slowing down or speeding up. Any curse or insults just rolled off his coat. And he made sure the take out bag was on the hand away from the cage doors. After turning a more secluded corner of the cells he came up to one cage. The guard nodded and helped to unlock it.

“Thanks. Here. Bribery.” Merlin dipped a hand inside, pulling out a wrapped burger from inside. He placed it into the guard’s hand, making it hop and bounce from how freshly hot it was. “When I’m done I’ll call you.”

The guard gave an OK gesture, already sinking his teeth into the crispy chicken burger with shreds of lettuce and tar tar sauce dripping from the sides. After Merlin walked into the cell, the guard locked the door behind him and found a corner to enjoy his snack in private. Merlin looked around – only to flinch.

There was only one body inside. Its head was missing.

“....Oh geez.” Merlin touched his chest to calm down before he came over next to the headless body. All he did was tap on the neck stump, and the corpse shivered. “Hey...There’s two of us in here. Scooch over.”

“Hnnnnn.” Tessa Roads sat up, popping her head out from the neck of her sweater like a makeshift blindfold. She curled sitting up on her cell bed, hugging her knees. Thank god she had double socks on, even the floor and bed were ice cold. “...What did the Inspector say?”

Merlin opened his mouth...and ended up placing the bag of take out burgers besides the woman. “You haven’t eaten anything since last night, right? Here.”

Tessa Roads weakly shook her head against the wall. “I...I miss my mother.”

“I know, I know.” Merlin tucked up his pants by the knee and sat down. As he reached into the bag to get the food out, he asked. “Oh? What about your old man? Surely he might be worried sick about you?”

“...If he was still here, he definitely would.”

Merlin fell silent at the comment.

“It’s ironic.” Tessa wiped a hand on her face. “I worked so hard for Precious Life, so I could give my parents a better life. I wanted them to be free of burden in their retirement...Yet, it’s because of my job, I wasn’t able to see my father one last time.” She let out a shuddering breath as she rubbed her forehead. “I should have left the company then...but it’s funny, I just took up more jobs to numb myself.”

“...Sounds like your work is all you have at this point?”

“Please, don’t remind me.”

Tessa gave a choked laugh, sniffing back the shivers and the cold. Merlin handed out the hot meals, burgers and fries. He handed one large wrapper over to the suspect’s side, along with a cup of hot coffee. While he picked up his burger and a bottle of juice.

“You still have 30 hours worth of hope. So chin up.”

“Detective, what more can I do? I told you everything. I brought you to the other suspects. There is nothing more I can do.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Merlin took a bite from his burger, chewing slowly. “Are you sure you didn’t tick anyone off at your office?

“Feh. Me? I said before, I avoid starting any office drama or argument. I don’t even like most of my colleagues, I just work with them and go home. To be frank, Bentley and I were never really rivals and I used to work with him on bigger projects. It was the fact Liam said he plans to choose one of his four team leaders to take over his position when he gets promoted.”

“Ah. That’s where the rivalry sparked.”

“He always leapt at my throat. I just kept my own pace, but one thing led to another I often leap at his... Dog eat dog world right?”

Merlin nodded as he sipped at his drink. “Now, about Liam? Tell me more about him.”

Tessa shrugged as she ate her burger. “I’ve worked under him for quite some time. Honest, hard working. He wasn’t like the stereotypical bosses who yells at their workers every 10 minutes. Rather, he’s been praised for resolving interpersonal issues peacefully. We’re all jealous of him, to be frank. Strong leadership, compassion, and good people skills. He worked his way up to be the branch manager within a short amount of time. Now...or rather if he hadn’t died, he would be an elite member of the headquarters branch.”

“Hmmm. A man that handsome and successful surely would have a lot of girls flocking to his sides. Did he have any fan clubs in the office? The kind who hides in the corner and licks his shadow or something?”

“Ew no! This isn’t high school!” The suspect shook her head, pushing some burger pieces into her lips with a finger. “It’s true he had a lot of the office girls fawning over him, but from what I remember he always kept his distance from female coworkers.”

Merlin nudged an elbow. “Oh come oooon. Not all men like to parade their romantic conquests in front of others. Surely he must have invited a few of those lovely faces to his hotel before under the sheet action.”

“Work wise, yes. Intimately, no. Like I mentioned, anyone who ever visited him at his hotel ‘house’ said positive things. Several of my co-workers did try to make advances on him, but he either reacts like a statue or politely turns them down. Heard some who failed transfer themselves to another office to save face.”

“How would you know all--”

“Bathroom gossip.”

“Riiiight.” Merlin stopped eating as something gnawed on his mind. “Seriously? No office romance? Not even with his secretary? I mean, she’s not my cup of tea – but boy howdy was she a looker! She had huge tracks of...I’ll shut up now. Please continue.”

Tessa scowled for a moment before continuing, “None. He always kept himself professional.”

“So? Why the 180 degree change? Why target you for sexual pleasure? I mean, no offence but you’re not exactly material worthy for OnlyF--”

Tessa glared to shut up the Shaggy Mongrel. Seeing the cup of hot coffee in her hand, he obliged to remain silent.

”AHEM!” Merlin coughed as he put his burger down to ask. “Why you? Did you accidentally give him any signals?”

“I told you none of that.! I don’t even have sex appeal like the others who tried to flirted with him!...God, that sounded wrong.”

“Are you rich, per chance? Lofty inheritance? Dowry?”

“If I was, I wouldn’t be working in Precious Life and slaving for clowns in the first place!”

Merlin rubbed at his lips. “You never once thought of it being strange, him calling you to his hotel room?”

Tessa shrugged. “I know what you’re thinking. But look at it like this: there’s doctors and lawyers who live in five star yachts or mountain trailers. Some can afford to live in classy penthouse suites as long term residence, Liam and his hotel room are no different. Everyone in the office knows and take it as second nature at this point. A source of envy in the office.”

When Merlin nodded, Tessa shyly added, “I was worried...scared even. But everyone kept assuring me it was safe, he was professional and even I knew he had a clean track record when interacting with girls. H-how was I suppose to know, he would lunge at me out of the blue? That’s why I came prepared. I had a feeling things were going side ways.”

Merlin then asked, “Let me get this straight. The man is a celibate Mr. Perfect at work, but fools around with three clients who are out of any man’s ballpark. Now, he is back pedaling to get it on with you – his co-worker who is bottom on the totem pole of attractiveness?”

“...”

“Think practical! I am trying to help you here!”

“...”

“W-would you at least tell me exactly what happened that night? When you went to meet Liam and when you left. Every detail!”

“...Alright.”

“Thank you. And how’s the cheeseburger by the way?”

“I’m vegetarian...but it’s fine.”