Chapter Five

 There hadn’t been much sleep after the call.

Adira had taken herself to bed, closed her eyes, and tried to put everything out of her mind- Sibyl’s disappearance, Ramon’s lies, Neil’s tiring messages and the assignments she was due to submit.

Her eyes had flickered close and she thought her deep breathing exercises had actually worked.

Half an hour later, she had gotten up with a start, checked the time and remembered the tangled dreams she had. Nothing of it had made sense, except she had seen her sister’s photographs floating around as the world around turned to ashes.

She had lain in her bed, staring out the window, watching the sky lighten and then gotten up. Her breakfast had been two thin tea biscuits and two cups of coffee.

Then dressing up in an olive green sweater and washed out jeans, she had carried her book bag outside, while pocketing her cellphone. Neil had sent her more messages and she should reply to them for the sake of their project, but she had to deal with today.

Ramon had a lot of explaining to do and she prided herself for coming up with the idea of meeting in a public place.

That was a good move. Who knows who he is. Whoever he is, you need to be seen with him so that people can help you if he tries anything…

She checked her watch, saw it was seven-fifteen and decided she didn’t care enough to go back to bed. She would walk around the whole city rather than lay down and have those twisted kaleidoscopic images confuse her mind.

Forty-five minutes later, Adira had seated herself in the cafe near the window. She had taken a walk around the street, thinking that the cafe would be closed and so would every other place. But when she was crossing the road, she saw that it was open twenty-four hours and she could have come in earlier instead of tiring herself out.

Yawning, she had ordered a large black coffee and drunk it while staring out the window at the people who were starting to go about their daily lives. There was some construction work going on across the street in front of a restaurant, but the workers were just huddled in a group, chatting and drinking their teas and coffees.

A man was walking his dog, a woman was jogging on the sidewalk and looked annoyed when the workers turned to look at her. A mother was holding the hands of her two children and walking them to school. A man in a business suit was talking on his phone and looking peeved.

Adira ordered another coffee and continued to look out, this time not only watching the citizens, but also waiting for Ramon to arrive. She didn’t want any more surprises. She wanted to see him enter the cafe.

An hour later, Ramon was still nowhere in sight and she gritted her teeth. Her paper cup was still half full of lukewarm coffee and the cafe had started to fill up with people.

She turned once to see most of the seated patrons were from her college, busy typing away on their laptops, others at the counter were dressed in business suits. A group of people entering the cafe, were dressed casually in floral prints and shorts, as if spring had already arrived.

Adira turned back to look out the greyish skies. It hadn’t rained since last night, but there was some predicted for the afternoon.

She was reaching for her cup, when from the corner of her eye she noticed a movement near her table. Before she could fully turn, Ramon had already slid into the chair opposite from her and leaning back in a comfortable position.

Startled to see him, Adira’s hand hit the cup and it fell sideways, spilling the dark brown liquid all over the small wooden table. But she barely saw it. She stared at him as he looked at her, still wearing his aviators, but instead of wearing a suit, he was wearing a light purple shirt, with the top buttons open.

He frowned, then pulled on the napkins from the dispenser and dabbed at the table, then began wiping. Turning, he held up his hand to catch the waitress’ attention. One of them saw him, noticed the spill on the table and reached under the counter for a sponge and cloth.

Adira put her hands under the table, trembling. In retrospect, drinking too much coffee had made her less alert and more jittery.

I have to get it under control.

Once the waitress had finished cleaning, Ramon ordered a latte for himself and another cup of coffee for her. Then, glancing at her, called her back and asked for chamomile tea.

“We’re out,” The waitress said, apologetically. “Will green jasmine tea do?”

“Sure,” Ramon said with half a smile.

Adira looked around the cafe to see that the cafe was almost full now. That, provided her with some relief.

Once the waitress had left, Ramon turned to her. He waited for a few minutes and she realized she was being expected to ask him questions. She had just opened her mouth when he spoke. “You called the police yesterday. What did you tell them?”

Adira blinked, caught her breath and scolded herself to take control. “Who are you?”

His mouth turned firm. “I’ve told you my name.”

“You said you were a detective. So you don’t work for the police?”

Ramon sighed, waited for the waitress to serve them their beverages and then thanked her with a friendly smile. When she had left, his smile had dropped as if that didn’t belong on his face.

“Alright.” He seemed to relent. “Most of what I told you may have been misleading. I am an investigator, but not for the police.”

Adira narrowed her eyes. “Then, someone hired you? Why?”

Ramon didn’t touch his cup either. He twisted his mouth, sighed and then played with the handle of his cup. “I work for a corporation.”

“Which corporation?”

“I’m not at liberty to tell you.” His answer was blunt.

Adira looked at him and saw the way he appeared to be waiting for her reaction. Then she started to put it all together. Sibyl was an investigative reporter. She was working to bring down large corporations who practiced illegal activities. Ramon worked for a corporation.

Her breathing quickened. She looked all around her, saw that people weren’t noticing her and that the waitresses who worked here were petite. If Ramon attacked her, no one would be there to protect her. She twirled her hand around her book bag strap and looked at the door.

I have to make a run for it!

She started to slide off her chair and raise her bag at the same time, when Ramon’s hand clutched at the strap.

“Are you trying to run away?”

Adira felt fear grasp her chest. She was trapped!

“Stay!” Ramon pulled off his aviators and set it on the table, rubbing his eyes.

She remained frozen on the table, noticing that he had light brown eyes and long lashes. Without his sunglasses hiding his face, he didn’t look as old as she thought he was. His face was almost boyish.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” He said, finally. Then fell back on his chair and tapped his leg restlessly. “It’s not what you think.”

“So you’re not someone who is hunting down my sister?” Adira asked, still eyeing the door, but also realizing that he didn’t look as if he had sinister intentions.

“No.”

“How do you know my sister?”

“What I told you before is true. Sibyl was taking down large firms with her exposes. In order for her to do that, she had to infiltrate that firm, disguised an an employee.” He picked up his cup and took a sip. “That’s how we met.”

“And she found something incriminating and you’re looking for her before she publishes it.” Adira considered getting up again and fleeing, but Ramon was looking at her incredulously, as if she had uttered something stupid.

“No.”

Adira felt her fear disperse and be replaced with agitation. “Please, elaborate.”

“Sibyl came into the company as an employee. I did a background check, found she wasn’t who she said she was and confronted her.” His lips twisted in a smile. “She told me about the tip she had received and begged me to let her stay until she uncovered the truth. I had just joined and my morals wouldn’t allow me to work for a fraudulent firm, so I decided to help her. We were friends.”

“So, what did she find about the company?” Adira asked.

“It was clean,” Ramon replied. “Her tip had been wrong. She was considering leaving, but she had done well at her job and was being offered a promotion. Sibyl was elated. We were going to celebrate and she called me at her apartment. That night, when I went to see her, I found her apartment door open. She was nowhere in sight. On her coffee table, I found a note.”

He reached into his shirt pocket and removed a folded note.

Adira took it and unfolded it, watching him warily as if she expected to snatch it away from her.

In the lined paper note, were the words in dark red:

CALL THE POLICE

AND SHE DIES

“It’s written in blood,” Ramon said.

The note dropped from her fingers as she looked at him in shock. Ramon took the note and pocketed it swiftly, looking all around him with distrust.

“Is it...Sibyl’s?”

“I have no way of knowing,” He replied.

“You didn’t try to find out?”

Ramon was holding back on information and watching her apprehensively.

He doesn’t trust me. That’s okay, I don’t either.

Her phone rang and she looked down near her elbow to see Neil’s name flash on screen. Ramon noticed too.

“Ex-boyfriend giving you trouble?”

“No...he’s...” She stopped herself from telling him that they were working in a project together. She was about to change the topic, when she had a sudden realization. More pieces were starting to come together. “How do you know he was my ex?”

Ramon looked down at his cup, one finger idly following a trail down the curve of the handle.

He had a straight nose, and his skin was fair, as if he had never seen the sun.

He doesn’t look like an investigator. Maybe he’s lying about everything.

“I just know.”

“Did Sibyl really have a diary with my number in it?”

More hesitation, more of him not looking at her, but staying calm nevertheless.

He’s being evasive.

“Those pictures on her laptop, did you take them? Have you been following me?” She was shocked by her own question. How had she never seen him before? He had probably been stalking her and like an idiot, she had allowed herself to be vulnerable.

Haven’t I learned from Neil how to never trust anyone?

“No.”

“I’m going to need a lot more than that or I’m going to the police,” she threatened.

“There are a lot of eyes and ears here. I think we should talk about this somewhere else.” He finally decided to meet her eyes.

Adira shook her head. “I need answers or I have no choice but to assume you’re lying about everything.” She reached for her phone and put it on silent when Neil rang again.

“Fine.” He looked mad that he had to give in. He pushed his chair closer to the table and leaned forward, whispering. “The truth is, Sibyl talked about you and how she wanted to get in touch with you. She had gotten your number...”

“How?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”

“Sibyl is my sister. I want to know everything. Don’t you dare tell me what I can and cannot know about my own sister.” She spoke through a tight mouth.

Ramon scoffed. “Now you’re concerned about Sibyl? Where were you when she needed you? She was dying to get in touch with you and your parents and you all rebuffed her. She wanted to reconcile and you rejected her and wanted nothing to do with her. Now don’t sit here and pretend you care about her.”

Adira felt fury rise within her and her hand closed around her cup. “She was the one who abandoned me,” she spoke slowly and softly, so as not to create a scene. The last thing she wanted was for people to hear her familial problems. She was already notorious in her college, and she didn’t want to be someone people ignored in public places. “I needed her the most. Whatever it is, it is between us sisters. Just because you’re at an advantageous position and know a little more about my sister than me, doesn’t give you the right to be condescending.”

“There are some things I cannot tell you.” Ramon’s one hand was clenched. “You have to understand that it is neither the time nor place to reveal them.”

“Was Sibyl having me followed?” She asked, deciding she wanted answers rather than an argument.

“Maybe.” He shrugged.

“How could you not be sure? Were you the one?”

“No!” He looked astounded. “Of course, not. I was Sibyl’s only friend, but even she didn’t tell me how she intended to get in touch with you. I told her she should just approach you at your college, but she refused my idea. Later on, after she disappeared and I searched her apartment for clues, I found your photos on her laptop and realized she must have hired a private detective.”

“Is that the truth?”

“The only truth I can give you at the moment.” He looked sincere and she realized she believed him.

“Why can’t you tell me where you work? Where Sibyl was working?”

“It is of no relevance.”

“Maybe she was wrong and there was something that she did find against the company,” she said. “Have you considered that possibility?”

Ramon shook his head. “I work there. After Sibyl’s disappearance, I haven’t found any discrepancies in the operations. Sibyl herself would not have accepted the promotion if she had found anything.”

“Was anyone else up for the promotion?”

He flexed his fingers and Adira could see he looked exasperated. “I’ve checked, investigated all possibilities relating to the place where I’m working in. Everyone liked her. She worked for the promotion, probably unintentionally so that no one suspect her. The last few times we spoke, she talked about leaving her journalism job. I talked to the people at The Lion’s Den. They seemed okay with it because they weren’t making too much profit anyway. Five people work there, and they are already seeking other employment.”

“Then what do you suspect happened to her?” Adira asked, twirling her finger around the string of the teabag.

“I think Sibyl may...” He let out a breath. “She may have disappeared on purpose. She’s done it before, hasn’t she? Run away?”

“What would she be running away from?” Adira asked. “No, my sister ran away before because she wanted a chance to make something of herself. If she ran away now, then she was trying to escape something or someone.”

Ramon averted his eyes then picked up his cup and took a slow sip.

Why does it seem he’s hiding something from me? He’s being evasive again.

“If someone took her, I wouldn’t have just received a note. There would be call or another note asking for ransom.” Ramon pressed his lips together, looking out the window. “None of this makes sense. All I know, is that it may have something to do with you.”

“With me?”

“She had your pictures. You were under surveillance, although I can’t imagine why?” Ramon twirled his cup, thoughtfully. “I told her straight away to just call you and took your number from her phone. I gave her an ultimatum: to call you or I would. She just smiled and said she would do it when she was ready. And now, even her phone is gone. Nothing else. Not her laptop or any other appliances, nothing. Just her phone.”

“She didn’t have jewelry,” Adira pointed out.

“She wasn’t keen on that.” Ramon was barely listening to her, he appeared to be deep in thought. “If someone took her, what happened to her phone. I can’t track it for some reason either. Which is why, I have to believe that Sibyl deliberately left and kept her phone switched off.”

“What about the packet you found at her apartment?” Adira raised an eyebrow. “I mean, the packet I found.”

“That is not pertinent to what is going on.” He avoided looking at her as he said that.

“Okay,” Adira pushed her cup aside and folded her arms. “So you won’t tell me where you and Sibyl work, or what was in that packet or basically anything that can help me track my sister down.” She got up. “Thanks for wasting my time.”

He looked up at her, giving her half a smile. “That’s all I can tell you, sorry. Just promise me you won’t go to the police. Not until I’ve made sure that no harm would come to Sibyl.”

“I can only wait a few days,” Adira said. “After that, I have to ask the police for help.”

“Three days,” Ramon said. “After that, I’ll accompany you myself to the police station.”

Without another word, she walked to the door, her head held up high. She crossed the street, turned her head to see Ramon watching her through the window. She walked briskly ahead, keeping her head bowed.

Once she was sure, she wouldn’t be seen, she walked into an alley between two closed shops and watched as Ramon exited the cafe. He was walking to his car and looking around him.

Then, instead of getting in, he left his parked car and walked ahead. Adira got out of her hiding spot and followed him from across the road. She spotted him buttoning up his shirt and then remove his cellphone and make a call. Five minutes later, the phone was pocketed and he was walking again.

Adira felt her phone buzz and realized she hadn’t switched off her phone. She quickly turned it on silent, cutting Neil’s call, and resumed following Ramon.

“Where are you going?” she asked herself. “Where do you work?”

He waited to cross the road, turning his head to watch the people. Adira hid behind one the trees planted on the sidewalks and waited. He was moving again, walking a lot faster and then took a left to enter a street that led to a street where there were banks and offices.

She saw him enter a large building with a glass dome on top. When she saw the name on the building, she finally realized how Sibyl must have found her number.

HiYou Telecommunications Service Providers.

Adira sighed and removed her phone. Exactly the service she had taken when she had come into town. She turned around and started walking away, feeling her head spin.

She stopped by a bus stop to catch her breath and looked at her phone. Sibyl was following her, had obtained her number, but instead of coming to her, she had hired someone to keep a watch on her.

“Why?” Adira asked out loud. “Why didn’t you straight away come to me?”

The bus stopped near her and Adira got in. She took a seat at the very end and avoided looking out as the bus made a turn and drove past  HiYou Telecom.

*****

The whole day had been wasted, traveling the whole city. She hadn’t found the energy to respond to Neil’s calls or attend any of her classes. Soon it would be time for her exams and she wondered if she would pass them.

She walked through the glass door entrance of her building, lost in her thoughts about Sibyl when the doorman came over to her, holding in his hand a brown wrapped box.

“A package arrived for you,” He told her with a smile.

Adira took it in her hands, thanked the doorman and was wondering who would send her a package, since her parents would send her money instead of things, she walked over to the elevators.

Her phone rang again and she saw Neil’s name on the screen. Rolling her eyes, she placed the package under her arm and entered the elevators, hoping his call would be cut.

“What the hell,” she said to herself and took the call. “What?”

“I’ve been calling you the whole day. Are you not taking my calls on purpose?” Neil’s voice was raised.

“What reason could I have to do that?” Adira sighed as the elevator climbed up to the seventh floor.

“You want me to fail!” Neil accused. “That’s your twisted attempt to take revenge. All the other students submitted their topics today and I had to sit like a dunderhead because I hadn’t discussed the project with you.”

Adira walked to her apartment door when the doors opened, looking for the keys in her pocket while inwardly cursing Neil. “You could have just picked something. I would have been okay with whatever you chose.”

“That’s your job!” Neil said. “You were always useless. I thought at least this time, you would help me. I should have known...”

Adira put down the phone and inserted the key in the lock. His voice was so loud, she could still hear it even when she pocketed the phone temporarily as she entered her little home.

When she had locked the door behind her, she placed the package on the small dining table and brought the phone back over her ear.

“...and all you had to do was pick a name of the company.”

“Hmm. Well I’ll meet you tomorrow and we will pick a company and study how they do their market research,” Adira said, hoping to sound calm when all she wanted to do was utter expletives at the one person who ruined her social life.

“You better pick one soon. All the good ones are gone.” Neil’s tone appeared to have lost its steam. “Sasha and Inder picked Web Grocers. We could have done that. Online grocery shopping is the current trend.”

Adira went over to her desk and sat down, opening up her laptop.

Do I have to pick a company to do research on, now? Will Neil leave me alone if I do?

She looked sideways at where Ramon’s card was placed over her desk drawers. Picking it up, she tapped the corner of it and then leaned back in her chair.

“Has anyone picked HiYou Telecom?” She asked, very carefully, praying desperately that no one had.

“No. That sounds too complicated,” Neil said. “All this tech stuff...no let’s pick something easier. I think...”

“That’s what we need if we want to get a good grade on our project,” Adira said. “Ms. Darian needs to see that we are serious and ready to take on a challenge. Besides, we don’t have to bother ourselves with the nitty-gritty of their workings. All we need to find out is how they compete with other Telecom services. How they manage to stay in the market and what packages are the most popular among their users.”

“Let’s think about it.” Neil sounded unconvinced.

“I’ve already decided.” Adira typed the company’s web address and went over to their contact link. “If not this, then I’ll need a day or two to think about it.”

“Fine.” Neil blasted. “We’ll do it your way. If I don’t end up getting a good...”

Adira cut the call and started to type an email, asking if she could meet with someone who could help her in her research assignment. Then she gave her name and college details. After pressing send, she smiled to herself.

Then she opened up another tab and looked up for the contact details of The Lion’s Den. She sent them an email too, asking if she could meet with someone in charge, regarding a college assignment. This was a lie, but she just had to find out everything about Sibyl’s life.

When both emails had been sent, she closed her laptop and went to her bedroom. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and she needed her rest.