Chap 4: Suspect

October in Los Angeles is in Autumn. Despite the sunshine, the temperature is still very low. Uri pulled his jacket around his neck, and took the bus to Neil's house. Neil's house was two blocks from his house, not far from the newsroom.

Standing in front of an old-fashioned one-story American house, Uri rang the doorbell.

"Neil! Neil!"

"Are you inside?"

"Neil! Neil!"

"Neil, open the door!"

There was not anything sound inside. Uri waited a while, and no one opened the door. He frowned, thought for a moment, then he put on the knapsack, took out a key from inside, opened the door, and entered.

In the house, the windows are closed, and darkness covers the space. The house was quiet without any sound. Uri softly called out: "Neil?"

Still no one replied.

Uri hesitated, went to Neil's room, and opened the door. There was no one inside either.

After going around the house for a while, Uri concluded: Neil was not at home.

Where could he go?

Can it be last night...

Uri didn't want to think about the worst. He returned to the newspaper office in a low mood. Simon John saw him, and rushed to ask: "What's up?"

"Neil not at home." Uri dejectedly shook his head.

Simon's handsome face flashed a serious expression: "Where could he go? Didn't he say anything to you?"

Uri hesitated a little: "Yesterday, he said he would go to the crime scene and the place where there were rumors of seeing vampires..."

Simon John heard that his brows furrowed, but didn't respond.

Uri looked at him, hesitantly: "Should we tell the police?"

Simon returned to his usual calm demeanor, shaking his head slightly: "If he hasn't missing 24 hours enough, you can't report. Try to wait until tomorrow..."

Uri pursed his lips and nodded.

By the end of the afternoon, Neil still hadn't been contacted.

Uri returned home in haggard. As he passed the crime scene in the morning, he unconsciously slowed down his footsteps. This place has been sealed off, security cords are stretched around, on the ground are the X marks and the circles are drawn with white paint.

The morning conversation with two people at the police station unconsciously flashed through Uri's head. He stared into the deep alley, his footsteps halting, hesitantly. A moment later, it was as if evil spirits urged Uri to step inside.

"What are you doing?"

A cold voice sounded from behind, causing Uri to jump, his feet raised in the air before he had time to cross the guard wire, and quickly withdrew. He turned his head. In front of him was a man with silver hair.

Uri immediately recognized him. It was the person he had just met this morning, the captain of the city's FBI task force, whose name was Alex or something.

Still those deep blue eyes. Alex's expressionless face made Uri feel cold. Being caught red-handed in broad daylight made him feel so embarrassed. He frantically lowered his head, stammering: "Sorr... sorry... I... I just..."

"Who are you? What are you doing at the crime scene?" Alex Dominic walked over, asking coldly.

Uri clutched the backpack, instinctively backing back, but only moved a little,

because behind was a security cord.

I... I..." Uri looked at the ground, momentarily unsure of how to answer.

Uri still didn't even know why he did that!?

"I'm... I'm just curious...ha... ha..." Uri raised his head, laughing sheepishly.

Alex stopped, only then did he see the person in front of him clearly, frowning: "Are you the person in the newsroom this morning?"

"Uhm..." Uri pursed his lips and nodded. He didn't dare to look directly at Alex, could only keep looking around.

Conversely, Alex stared at Uri, as if he wanted to see something unusual about him. Uri was looked at by him to the point of pressure, he just wanted to leave immediately. He moved his feet a little, strained and said: "I'm... gotta go... Sorry... sorry for my disrespect..."

Uri said and smiled foolishly at Alex, not waiting for him to respond, and immediately turned to walk away.

Alex looked at Uri's awkward back, calmly saying, "What are you concealing?"

Uri was stunned, having not yet taken the second step, and stopped, turned his head, and asked unhappily: "What do you mean?"

"You don't have an alibi, now you appear at the crime scene with a suspicious appearance..." Alex put his hand in his pocket, classically: "You are the killer?"

Uri frowned, this guy is crazy?

He pursed his lips, tried to keep himself from shouting, and took a deep breath a moment later, said: "Even though you're a police officer, you're not allowed to arbitrarily slander others without such evidence!"

Alex raised his eyebrows, calmly shrugging his shoulders.

Uri bit his lip, feeling both angry and helpless.

"Captain, there's news from the Evidence Investigation team." At that moment, a voice came from afar, breaking the silence between the two of them.

"I'm coming." Alex replied, glanced briefly at Uri, then turned to leave.

Uri looked at the shadow of his back, muttered something, then turned to run away home.

Mrs. Wayne looked at her grandson's scowling face, and asked softly: "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm all right! It's just I ran into a crazy guy." Uri replied, not realizing his forehead was drenched in sweat.

Mrs. Wayne was a little surprised, then her face was filled with anxiety: "There was a murder in our area this morning. Remember to pay attention when you go out."

"I know, you don't have to worry..." Uri didn't want his grandma to worry, giving a reassuring smile. As if to give her more peace of mind, Uri showed off his arm, did the action that athletes often do, smiled mischievously: "Look, I'm very strong! If anyone touches me, I will knock that person out."

"This kid... haha..." Mrs. Wayne laughed, slamming Uri's arm. Uri pretended to scream.

Laughter could not stop coming from the small house.

*****

That night, Uri tried calling Neil again, but the results remained unchanged.

"Neil, pick up the phone!"

"....."

Uri dejectedly threw his phone on the bed.

Neil... where are you?

Uri looked at the ceiling, softly called out his best friend's name, then vaguely fell asleep without realizing it.

****

The next morning, Neil was still not in the newsroom.

Simon John decided to call the police.

That morning, information about Neil's disappearance was officially announced.

The whole small newsroom, because of this, became extraordinarily buzzing.

Uri sat blankly at his desk, with no mind for to attend to the articles that needed to be edited.

If only he had gone with Neil that night, this wouldn't have happened...

All day, Uri couldn't concentrate on his work. He went looking for Simon, asking permission to leave early.

Simon John seemed to understand his mood. He sighed, patting Uri on the shoulder encouragingly: "Don't blame yourself, you're not at fault. Go home and rest well."

Uri nodded slowly, returned to his desk, packed his things, and left the office.

******

Passing through that alley again, in Uri's mind, the first time he appeared to think: Vampires really real?

Is Neil's disappearance related to Vampires?

It's all because of him...

Uri is made by his thoughts collapse, the mood becomes extremely bad. Returning home, despite trying to put on a calm expression, Mrs. Wayne noticed Uri's abnormality.

Uri, what's going on?" She asked gently, her eyes full of anxiety.

Faced with her eyes, Uri couldn't lie. He felt the bridge of his nose sting, then embraced her and sobbed: "Grandma, I... I... It's all my fault... If I went with Neil, nothing would happen... It's all my fault..."

Mrs. Wayne also seemed to have heard about Neil's disappearance, patting Uri's shoulder, her voice soft: "Honey, don't blame yourself... you didn't do anything wrong..."

Uri put his face on his grandmother's shoulder, and with difficulty said: "What... what should I do, grandma?"

Mrs. Wayne still used a calm voice to reassure: "Just do what you think is right... There's no need to be afraid of anything..."

"...."

That's right!

Neil must have left a clue or something. He is very smart!

So... he can't sit quietly! He must have to do somthing!

Uri wiped his tears and stood up straight, his face soon turned red because of crying. After a while, when his feelings were settled, he looked at his grandmother and said, "Grandma, I know what I have to do."

Uri quickly bent over to put on his shoes: "I have to go out now."

"Be careful!" Mrs. Wayne nodded, gave a gentle smile and told her beloved grandson.

"Yes..." Uri took a deep breath of nodding, then ran away from home.

Uri stopped to look at that alley for a moment, then ran out of the residential area. Behind, a silent shadow followed him.