Aaron took a sip and swallowed. “Could be, but if that’s the case then the protection isn’t about the storage device. The granddaughter didn’t get that until the fire, which was after Lucas escaped. And does Perdu even know about the recordings anyway?”

“You’re right. What is it, then?”

“Goes back to why the girl is being followed,” the analyst said.

“The spy background of Mrs Perdu worries me. And I’m leaning towards the transporting device being of interest to her. Could these other things be distractions? But then she’s bringing herself out into the open.” Aaron said.

One side of a sandwich fell down—lettuce and egg exposed. Suddenly it all became clear. “She’s trying to draw out the Professor, to bring him out into the open.” Aaron said.

“You could be right,” Detective Taylor said, standing up and heading towards the water stand. “But you now have him in custody. Yet, our friend the spy is still active and pursuing Isabella.”

<°)))><

“Let’s continue with this timeline of events.” Detective Taylor returned to his seat, sat down and opened his notebook. “They get jumped back to Isabella’s old home. Why?”

“Get’s back to the Professor’s state of mind,” Aaron said.

“The Perdu lady was quickly onto them,” the analyst said. “I would say with her background they tapped into defence or police communications and established they were at the house.”

“And then she tries to smoke them out. What did she want with them?” Detective Taylor said.

“I think she would’ve been happy to kill them. I think she just wanted to find Isabella’s grandfather. Trying to draw him out.” Aaron said.

“Maybe, but I still think there is some other motivation there.” Detective Taylor said.

“You could be right as it seems she’s quite content with killing Isabella. Depends how deep they penetrated into the defence communications—she would’ve known they already had the Professor.”

Aaron conceded and grabbed a sandwich. The analyst joined him.

Detective Taylor continued. “With the fire burning down the barn, they get jumped back to near the grandfather’s place with, we believe, the recordings of what took place. And then all sorts of funny things start happening.”

Aaron with his mouth full nodded.

“Your department previously tracked a vehicle to the professor’s property using some drone technology. How did Perdu know they were back there?” Detective Taylor asked.

“Same way she knew they were in the barn. There would’ve been a lot of defence activity in the area, she’d have no problem locating where it was happening,” the analyst said.

“But we didn’t know Lucas and the girl were back there. We got a call later,” Aaron said. “So Perdu wouldn’t have known either.”

There was silence in the room. Detective Taylor was rubbing his chin. He stared at his phone on the table.

Noises that were tuned out crept in: a truck made a loud gear change, a siren wailed in the background, car horns tooted.

The detective stood up. “If she didn’t know they were there. What was she up to? Why was she there?

The detective’s phone vibrated and danced on the table. It was ignored. Aaron wished he’d pick it up.

“Back to the timeline. So you get your man, the professor, and his granddaughter. We get the escapee who escapes again. Two police officers die. And we need to tie it all together: the death of the girl’s parents, the fire, the death of the officers. Yes, the storage device recordings are one important element that’ll give us a good idea of what we’re dealing with.”

Aaron looked to the detective’s phone on the desk. Relieved as he finally picked it up. Perhaps Taylor’s messages would add the finishing touches to the canvas.

Detective Taylor scrolled through the messages on his phone. He looked up at Aaron. “I need to make a call.” He left the room.

Aaron looked at the sandwiches. He pushed the plate towards the analyst.

“She’s after the device. The transporting device. You know that, Aaron.”

“I do.”

<°)))><

The detective strolled back into the room.

“As mentioned before, we have the professor’s neighbour. He was the one who picked up Lucas. His name is James.”

“Yes, James the neighbour. The Professor mentioned him in our discussions with him. We think James may have volunteered his services to help out his neighbour. But things may have got a tad complicated,” Aaron said.

“Apparently he saw the lady, Ava, in the vicinity when we nabbed him.”

“Interesting he knows her name.” Aaron said.

“Probably the weak link in all of this, particularly if Perdu puts her charm on. And she did, as they had the recording device and Perdu used her appeal and other means to take ownership of the device and the copy they made.”

Isabella must have had previously misplaced it at James’s place. But not the transporting device, as Isabella was certain it was in her backpack before she started the hike. Still a search is warranted at James’s place.

“But it looks like Isabella and Fell are on the run again.” the detective added.

“Why doesn’t Fell give himself up?” Aaron asked.

“He might be afraid he’ll be blamed for the car accident. And I’m starting to think he’s protecting the girl. And that may have been her grandfather’s plan all along. But it still leaves the question, what does she need protection from? Why is she being pursued?”

“Well we know for certain it’s not the device anymore. It could be just to eliminate them both as they are witnesses.”

The analyst stood to leave. As he headed towards the door, he turned. “Oh. There was one other thing. The Perdus had a daughter. She died by suicide at seventeen.”

Aaron knew this but had not given it much thought. He understood the power of words. Suicide was one word that bewildered most people. They used to say one ‘committed’ suicide but many felt that aligned it with committing a crime. But it was just a sad event stemming from deep emotional turmoil and normally helped along with the power of words—sinister, cunning words from a dark place. His wife called it demon whispers.

“That’s sad news,” Detective Taylor said and paused. “Thanks for the hard work you’ve done.”

Aaron still pondered the girl’s suicide as he gave Nield a wave goodbye. He looked at Detective Taylor.

“Isabella knew Perdu’s daughter. But she didn’t mention that she was deceased. Isabella found it strange that a mother would want to kill her daughter’s friend. But then maybe they weren’t close friends. But then maybe . . . maybe there is a connection.”

<°)))><

Aaron watched Detective Taylor as his fingers moved over the touch screen on the desk. The detective read Aaron’s Intelligence Report brief.

“You’ve done some good detective work, Aaron.”