23

The traffic we were trying to avoid catches up with us as yellow buses ferrying school kids line up in traffic. We manage to get the police station two hours later, instead of thirty minutes.

I am nervous, what if that blood belonged to Ryan's mother? Is that evident enough that I killed her? Will I go to jail? I keep shaking my leg anxiously, an act that bothers Andre. He gently places his hand on my knee to stop it.

"It will be fine." He assures.

"What if..."

He stops me, "....I will use all the money my family and I have to keep you away from the jail." I can see the sincerity in his eyes and at that point I realise as long as I have Andre in my life, all is well. I want to yell, 'suck on that Quinn.' Andre is trustworthy. Time and again he has proven that. After all, what does he have to gain by my fall? Or better yet what will he gain if I succeed? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. Therefore his intentions are not in anyway fueled by malice but good intentions, of seeing Justice being served.

The detective marches towards us, my heart is beating fast, I choose to be superstitious and cross my fingers. He halts in front of us, Andre is quick on his feet his hand meeting the detective's halfway through.

"Detective Conan, " He greets him.

The detective holds his hand for a while confused with Andre's identity. They haven't met before.

"Andre Waynes of Waynes Technologies."

The detective snubs him, clearly not impressed. I recall previously the night he showed up at Ryan's home. The venom he spit about spoilt rich adult children.

The look on Andre's face show a mutual sense. He immediately detests the detective.

"Miss black..." He starts to speak. My eyes are locked in his, I was to read what he is thinking before he says it out loud. The DNA results shows the blood didn't belong to Mrs. It pertained to Mr.Quinn Nickel something that you left out in your testimony. You never stated that night you were with him."

I can feel the penetrating glare of Andre.

"I did not think it was significant." I acknowledge.

"Assumption is a bad virtue to live by, every detail is important." The dectective says.

After his statement, silence envelopes us before Andre speaks, "So, she is no longer a murder suspect?" He asks.

"For now she is free." The detective says with mischief.

I blink before I enquire more clarity, " What is that suppose to mean?"

Detective Conan smiles like he has me where he intended, "The fundamental question is not what it is suppose to mean rather the key question that emerged in my investigation is, Who is Cara Black?"

I feel the blood drain from my face, my eyes bulge out of their socket. I am beyond shocked no matter how much I try to stay calm.

"What kind of a ridiculous question is that?" Andre speaks agitated.

"It is not ridiculous if it creates more doubt." Conan answers. "Nothing adds up to someone who is keen." He adds.

Andre reaches for my hand, "Are we done here?" He asks rudely.

"You are free to go." He says with a smirk and turns to me, "I hope we won't cross roads again." He warns.

"Let's go." Andre orders.

I take a final look at the detective and I can see this isn't over.

The moment we are outside, I let my breath out. I breath in and out repeatedly. Passer bys give me weird looks.

"He is onto me." I tell Andre.

"And he will find nothing, he was just blaffing."

That wasn't a blaff.

The Black surname was an identity we bought from the Blacks' Family. It is a poor family in a remote town, they needed the money we needed their identity. It was a thorough search to find a family with two kids who atleast looked like Oliver and I, kids born approximately the years we were born. It costed Ryan and his mother a lot.

"What happened to the real Black family?" I turn to Andre.

"Never communicated with them since the day they sold their identity."

"What if the detective tracks them down?" I ask worried.

"How?"

"I don't know."

"You worry too much, we left no loopholes." Andre says as he leads me to his car.

He is overconfident and I am not. Something tells me that this is the beginning of another story.

"We should confirm that." I insist.

He turns to me frustrated and angry, "How?" He breaths.

"Over the weekend we should visit the family."

"I..." He stops and swings in hands in surrender. "Fine but I am telling you that you have nothing to be worried about."

"I know,I just need to be sure." I say.

"Okay." His features soften.

He directs me towards his car, as soon as I sit a message pops on my phone. It is an unknown number, it is like dejavu as I read the content of it.

I need you, Quinn.