So we're back at the circle again.
It was the same office. The same ticking of the wall clock, which turns everything around him slower, and heavier. The air conditioner seems to be calming down the temperature of the room, but the air around them never seems to calm down.
Three people this time, not four.
Julian, as usual, leaned back, half-slouched on the sofa. Looking up as he recalled the last conversation they had in this room. Sara sat straighter, fingers locked like she was deep sea thoughts, but her face appeared calm.
And Simon sat across, same as ever.
"So we're gonna wait for the divine invitation or what?" Julian finally broke the silence.
"Go on then." Simon replied flatly.
Sara unlocked her fingers "We went to Rachel's address. 465 Fester Street."
Julian added, "The place was locked up tighter than my ex's heart."
Simon looked at Sara. "So you broke in."
"Technically," Julian said, "we slid in. Through the back. Open window. Not our fault she left it like an invitation."
Sara cut in before Simon could reply. "Inside looked… normal. Like obvious normal. No sign of anything unusual. But two toothbrushes. Two coffee cups. Two sets of footprints near the rug."
Simon finally turned, arms crossed. "So she wasn't living alone."
"Yep," Sara said. "Halden said a relative came to pick her up during her leave. But this—" she gestured vaguely with her pen, "—felt too personal to be family."
She gave a quick glance at Julian, adding. "Sherlock here also thinks the guy was a little too close to be family."
Julian frowned. "Yeah, a little too cozy for cousins. If Rechel into those kinds of stuff.... Guess I had no chance with her."
Sara gave him that, don't start look. "You never did."
Simon ignored the exchange, his voice calm but sharp. "Anything out of place?"
Julian and Sara exchange the looks. Then she said, "Nothing really. Aside from man's presence."
"Yeah." Julian added. Then asked. "How's everything went on your end?"
Simon didn't move. Just that slow blink again, calculating.
Then he said quietly, "I talked with Daniel."
That pulled Julian's attention. The smirk softened. "Vinchi's boy?"
"Yeah," Simon said, his tone remaining steady.
"He came to me on his own. Nervous, but determined to talk. He told me his sister had been seeing someone, kept it quiet from their parents until Hector found out. There was a confrontation. A bad one. Just a few days before the crash."
He paused, his voice lowering slightly. "According to Daniel, that man cared about his sister enough to make a reckless choice. He believes that man killed his father."
Sara tapped her pen once, thoughtful. "That fits with Rachel's timeline."
Julian leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So… lemme get this straight."
He counted off on his fingers. "We got one, the ghost. The one who painted the floor red with Varga's blood. Two, the guy shacking up with Rachel. And three. Hector's daughter's mystery boyfriend."
He leaned back again, exhaling. "You sure we ain't talkin' about the same damn person?"
Sara shrugged, her tone flat. "Not hard to believe if you ask me."
Julian gave a faint laugh. "Yeah, right. Sounds almost too perfect."
Then something clicked.
Julian reached into his coat, pulling out the object wrapped in a handkerchief. "Found this in her room."
A watch. Full metal, matte black. The glass face slightly cracked, but all hands were still ticking steadily. There was a larger clock face and a smaller one set beside it.
Sara leaned in first. "Looks expensive. You sure you weren't just trying to steal it?"
"Noo." Julian tried to explain himself. "First I earn enough. Second— uh... Just look at the watch. It obviously doesn't belong to her. I thought it'll help us track down that guy."
Simon ignored them and picked it up, weighing it in his hand. The metal was cold. Kind of Familiar. He frowned, thumb brushing the cracked edge. For a moment, he tried to recall if he had seen this before.
"Guess you have a point." Sara replied in a teasing tone.
"Of course I have." Julian straightened himself on the sofa. "Do you think I was—
"I've seen this before." Simon's cut silently.
Sara turned quickly. "Where?"
Simon's brow furrowed, but his tone stayed even. "Don't know. Feels… familiar, that's all."
He slipped it quietly into his coat pocket. "I'll hold onto it."
Julian watched him for long enough to notice that faint hesitation before Simon looked away. Then he shrugged, like it didn't matter.
"Whatever helps."
Sara sighed internally. "So, what's next? We've got Rachel missing, a mystery house guest, and a serious boyfriend. The dots are there, we just don't know which way they connect."
Julian's shoulder sank low. "There's a whole circus out there, I'm tellin' you."
"Could be one person," Sara said. "Wouldn't be the first time."
"Yeah, or it could be five psychos playing the same fucking game." Julian leaned back, exhaling. "Either way, someone's still pulling strings."
Simon came back from his thoughts, eyes sharper now. "We need to talk to Hector's daughter. She's the thread that ties the rest of this together. We pull there, we'll see who bleeds first."
Julian raised a brow. "So, we're babysitting a teenager now?"
"She is twenty-three if I remember correctly." Sara voiced out slightly.
"Then I'm all in." Julian replied quickly.
"If she's the bridge between Hector, Rachel, and this 'ghost,'" Simon said, "then she's not a random person. She's the only surviving thread."
Sara picked up her notebook, stood up, and slung her coat over her shoulder. "Then we better start pulling before someone else cuts it."
Julian stretched, yawning. "I'm still not believing we're still doing this. But… I sure wanna see what the ghost looks like."
Both headed for the exit, boots echoing faintly in the empty space.
"What are you having for dinner?" Julian asked Sara. "I'd say we should hit that restaurant and try your favourite."
Simon silent for a moment. Just watching them heading out, it felt like the soul leaving its body.
Then, as Sara reached the door, his voice broke the quiet.
"Sara."
She stopped, hand on the handle, turning slightly. "Yeah?"
Simon's tone had changed to softer, but also kinda heavier. "If you meet him… ask about Cecilia Everain. See if he knows anything about her or her brother."
Sara frowned. "Cecilia who?"
"Everain," Simon repeated. "And the brother's name, Knives. Look into them when you can. Especially him."
Sara hesitated, searching his face. "What's this about?"
Simon didn't answer. His eyes drifted toward the windows. It's dark outside.
Inside his pocket, watch holding his breath. Then the minute hand ticked, faint and steady.
"…Just a hunch," he said.
Sara studied him for a beat longer, then nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll see what I can dig up."
Julian's voice echoed faintly from the outside. "C'mon, man. Let the lady rest. If not, she'll turn into a dried stick before we find the ghost."
Sara shot Simon a tired smile. "Don't worry. I'll handle him."
Simon nodded towards her as saw the door closed. The city outside hummed like a broken machine trying to stay alive.
He took out the watch from his pocket. Staring at the reflection of the cracked watch glass.
And for just a second, in that flickering reflection, he thought he saw another face, smiling back at him from a time long gone.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.