Adrian was halfway down the block when the System's interface flickered into view, a soft chime ringing in his mind.
[Side Quest Alert: CCTV Footage Retrieval]
Objective: Obtain and review external CCTV footage from the café across the street.
Reward: 5 Crime Points
He smirked. "A side quest, huh? Just like a game." He accepted the quest with a mental nod, feeling the System's presence settle in around him.
The café was a cozy little place, its windows fogged from the warmth inside. Adrian pushed open the door, the bell above tinkling softly. The smell of fresh coffee and pastries wrapped around him, a brief comfort from the tension of the case.
A young woman behind the counter glanced up, her nameplate reading "Lyka." She offered a polite smile. "Good morning, sir! What can I get for you?"
Adrian ordered a black coffee, then added, "Could I also speak with your manager, please?"
Lyka's eyes widened, and she fidgeted with her apron. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if—"
Adrian shook his head, pulling out his badge. "No, you're not in trouble. I'm Detective Adrian Cross. I'm here on official business."
Relief washed over Lyka's face, tinged with curiosity. "Oh! I'll get the manager right away."
She disappeared into the back, returning moments later with a man in his forties, hair graying at the temples and a calm, professional demeanor. "Detective, I'm Lucas, the manager. How can I help you?"
Adrian explained, "I'm investigating a missing person case. I'd like to review your CCTV footage from October 28, between six and seven in the evening."
Lucas nodded, leading Adrian to a small backroom lined with monitors and a humming DVR. "Of course. Let's take a look."
They scrolled through the footage, the System quietly loggingevery second. At first, the sidewalk was empty, the streetlights flickering in the dusk. But at exactly 6:00 PM, a large delivery truck pulled up and parked directly in front of the café, blocking the camera's view of the Voss Company's drop-off area.
Adrian frowned. For nearly an hour, the truck sat there, engineidling, obscuring everything behind it. Only the occasional flash of headlights or a passing pedestrian slipped through the narrow gaps.
He sighed, remembering his Luck stat—just 2. "Figures," he muttered.
Lucas glanced at him, apologetic. "Sorry, Detective. That's our commissary truck. They deliver beans every week, always around that time."
Adrian forced a smile. "No worries. Thanks for your help."
He returned to the café's main room, settling into a corner booth with his coffee. The System automatically saved the footage, uploading it to the Case Board for further analysis.
[Footage saved. Reviewing for anomalies...]
Adrian sipped his coffee, ordered a slice of cake, and watched the footage again, this time with the System's assistance. The screen highlighted every movement, every flicker of light. At 6:15, a brief flash of white appeared in the narrow gap between the truck and the curb—a van, just visible for a split second.
He paused the footage, rewound, and played it again. The van was there, then gone, like a ghost.
"A minor lead," Adrian murmured, jotting a note on his phone.
He waved Lyka over for a refill. She approached, curiosity shining in her eyes. "Did you find what you were looking for, Detective?"
"Not much," Adrian admitted. "Your delivery truck blocked most of the view. But I did see a white van pass by."
Lyka's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's probably our commissary truck—Bean Delivered. They always park there on delivery days. Actually, I think their trucks have cameras—front, side, and back. For insurance and safety, you know?"
Adrian's heart skipped. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Yeah, Franco, the driver, always complain about having to upload the footage after every shift."
[Side Quest Updated: CCTV Footage Retrieval → Dashcam Footage Retrieval]
Adrian grinned. "Thank you, Lyka. That's incredibly helpful."
He finished his coffee, left payment and a generous tip for Lyka, and stepped outside. The System chimed softly.
[New Objective: Obtain dashcam footage from Bean Delivered's truck for October 28, 6:00–7:00 PM.]
Adrian glanced at the sky, the clouds parting just enough to let a sliver of sunlight through. For the first time since the case began, he felt like he was moving forward.
He pulled out his phone, searching for the address of Bean Delivered's local depot. The next step was clear.
Tomorrow, he'd pay them a visit.
Chapter 4: Eyes of the Street
Adrian was halfway down the block when the System's interface flickered into view, a soft chime ringing in his mind.
[Side Quest Alert: CCTV Footage Retrieval]
Objective: Obtain and review external CCTV footage from the café across the street.
Reward: 5 Crime Points
He smirked. "A side quest, huh? Just like a game." He accepted the quest with a mental nod, feeling the System's presence settle in around him.
The café was a cozy little place, its windows fogged from the warmth inside. Adrian pushed open the door, the bell above tinkling softly. The smell of fresh coffee and pastries wrapped around him, a brief comfort from the tension of the case.
A young woman behind the counter glanced up, her nameplate reading "Lyka." She offered a polite smile. "Good morning, sir! What can I get for you?"
Adrian ordered a black coffee, then added, "Could I also speak with your manager, please?"
Lyka's eyes widened, and she fidgeted with her apron. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if—"
Adrian shook his head, pulling out his badge. "No, you're not in trouble. I'm Detective Adrian Cross. I'm here on official business."
Relief washed over Lyka's face, tinged with curiosity. "Oh! I'll get the manager right away."
She disappeared into the back, returning moments later with a man in his forties, hair graying at the temples and a calm, professional demeanor. "Detective, I'm Lucas, the manager. How can I help you?"
Adrian explained, "I'm investigating a missing person case. I'd like to review your CCTV footage from October 28, between six and seven in the evening."
Lucas nodded, leading Adrian to a small backroom lined with monitors and a humming DVR. "Of course. Let's take a look."
They scrolled through the footage, the System quietly loggingevery second. At first, the sidewalk was empty, the streetlights flickering in the dusk. But at exactly 6:00 PM, a large delivery truck pulled up and parked directly in front of the café, blocking the camera's view of the Voss Company's drop-off area.
Adrian frowned. For nearly an hour, the truck sat there, engineidling, obscuring everything behind it. Only the occasional flash of headlights or a passing pedestrian slipped through the narrow gaps.
He sighed, remembering his Luck stat—just 2. "Figures," he muttered.
Lucas glanced at him, apologetic. "Sorry, Detective. That's our commissary truck. They deliver beans every week, always around that time."
Adrian forced a smile. "No worries. Thanks for your help."
He returned to the café's main room, settling into a corner booth with his coffee. The System automatically saved the footage, uploading it to the Case Board for further analysis.
[Footage saved. Reviewing for anomalies...]
Adrian sipped his coffee, ordered a slice of cake, and watched the footage again, this time with the System's assistance. The screen highlighted every movement, every flicker of light. At 6:15, a brief flash of white appeared in the narrow gap between the truck and the curb—a van, just visible for a split second.
He paused the footage, rewound, and played it again. The van was there, then gone, like a ghost.
"A minor lead," Adrian murmured, jotting a note on his phone.
He waved Lyka over for a refill. She approached, curiosity shining in her eyes. "Did you find what you were looking for, Detective?"
"Not much," Adrian admitted. "Your delivery truck blocked most of the view. But I did see a white van pass by."
Lyka's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's probably our commissary truck—Bean Delivered. They always park there on delivery days. Actually, I think their trucks have cameras—front, side, and back. For insurance and safety, you know?"
Adrian's heart skipped. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "Yeah, Franco, the driver, always complain about having to upload the footage after every shift."
[Side Quest Updated: CCTV Footage Retrieval → Dashcam Footage Retrieval]
Adrian grinned. "Thank you, Lyka. That's incredibly helpful."
He finished his coffee, left payment and a generous tip for Lyka, and stepped outside. The System chimed softly.
[New Objective: Obtain dashcam footage from Bean Delivered's truck for October 28, 6:00–7:00 PM.]
Adrian glanced at the sky, the clouds parting just enough to let a sliver of sunlight through. For the first time since the case began, he felt like he was moving forward.
He pulled out his phone, searching for the address of Bean Delivered's local depot. The next step was clear.
Tomorrow, he'd pay them a visit.