BBDW 20 [Black Butterfly] - Nevereverland

Section 20 (UNEDITED)

“-Jude?”

“Uh.”

The police station had poor air conditioning today. While answering in a slightly dry voice, Jude kept his eyes on the newspaper. The story of the Maples family was still in the papers, though not as splendid as it was when it first exploded. Tim headed towards the spot where Jude’s eyes were stuck and looked back at his partner, opening his eyes a little unexpectedly.

“What happened? Are you interested in the case? You didn’t care a grain of salt if it wasn’t your case, or no matter how terrible it was, so which way is the wind blowing?”

“Well, since it’s hot these days, I need a horror to cool my spine. That’s why it’s perfect. Are you crazy? Why would I go rush in to solve something that’s not even my case? I don’t want to move because it’s hot.”

“Why, if you go to the house and investigate, you might meet a ghost or something. Wouldn’t it be cooler there?”

“Go ahead, Mr Maxwell. I don’t want to be bothered. I haven’t finished my work yet…”

“Detective Jude?”

When a slightly angry voice is heard, the two tall detectives turned their heads. Will he be scolded for neglecting his duty? When Jude looked with his green eyes at the person who came behind his back, the man in his 30s with a cynical impression looked down at Jude with an indifferent face. Jude, who had been looking for words for a moment, asked a little insincerely.

“Oh, who are you?”

“I’m from the FBI. My name is Jeffrey Dowman."

“Oh, yes. May I help you?”

Jude’s tone of voice went down. There was only one reason the FBI approached Jude since the moment Alvin Jones broke out of prison a few months ago. A glance at Tim and a man with the vulture-like gaze said, looking down at Jude.

“Can we talk with just the two of us?”

“Yes. Just finish it quickly.”

Answering nonchalantly, Jude rose from his seat. He could tell Tim was looking intently, but he wasn’t in a position to complain. Going all the way to the corner of the police station, Jeffrey opened his mouth, gazing as if he were poking a hole at Jude with his pale blue eyes. It was a stern tone.

“It won’t be long enough to get to the interrogation room, so I’ll ask you briefly.”

“Gladly, just ask.”

“Since then, hasn’t Alvin Jones contacted you in any form?”

“He didn’t.”

At the quick reply without hesitation, Jeffrey’s eyes shone coldly.

“Is it true?”

“Hey, I can’t wait to catch him. I don’t really enjoy being bullied by the FBI and criminal psychologists either. Do I look like a masochist? No, right? If there was a clue, I would have provided it, so stop it.”

“Alvin Jones has been strangely interested in talking to you since his arrest. He has sent you a letter before, and it’s hard to think that you haven’t heard from him since. “

“He knows I’m going to hand in the letter to you guys, and there’s no reason to send it again. Ah, that’s all I want to say. I don’t want to drag on a topic that I have nothing to talk about."

“……good. But if he ever has any contact with you, please let me know.”

“Yes, of course.”

Smiling and nodding, Jude returned to his seat with his signature slick pace. Once Tim saw Jeffrey’s countenance and approached Jude, Jude’s cell phone on the desk cried with a low vibrating sound. The number didn’t come up, and Jude was contemplating for a while, and then opened the flip phone with a small sigh to Jeffrey, who gave a strange look on the other side.

“Yes-Hello.”

[Detective?]

Jude, who spent about two seconds leaning his head, answered in a nonchalant voice.

“……Ah, ah-ah, what’s wrong with this? I have a bad signal here. Ah-ah-ah, hello? Hello?”

[Do you want me to write my name on a big envelope?]

“……Oh, I can hear you now. Are you crazy? Why call me when I’m working?”

[I was wondering if you have time in the evening.]

“No. I have to work, hang up.”

[I’m not asking you to meet me. I’m too far away to do that. There’s something I want to tell you.]

“What are you talking about, calling me after a long time, and talking nonsense? Hang up for now, because I can’t talk to you right now, I’m going to get in trouble with my boss for neglecting my duty.”

[Ahahaha, yes. I’ll call you in the evening. I really want to tell you something after all this time.]

“You’re an odd fellow. Don’t you have any friends? Why do you call me and tell me everything? Take it easy.”

[It’s something I want to talk to you about. Well, I’ll call you later.]

“You don’t have to. I’m hanging up……. what is it?”

Before he knew it, Jude turned his head, frightened by the shadow of a person, and Jeffrey, with a serious impression, was silently looking down at Jude. Jeffrey, who stared at the dazed green eyes, threw a question.

“Who is it?”

“He’s an old friend. What’s wrong with you?”

“Can I see the number?”

“The number didn’t come up.”

“…… the number didn’t come up?”

“My friend, he’s been out of touch for a long time because he’s been chased by a debtor. He’s still being chased by private moneylenders, and he’s anxious to hide.”

“Can I have your friend’s personal details?”

“Hey, cut it out!”

An angry voice burst right beside him. The pale blue eyes, which were directed at Jude, turned to the young detective with brown hair. The normally warm-faced Tim was, in rare cases, really angry. With burning eyes, Tim pointed at the desk.

“If you’re going to come this far, then why don’t you get a warrant? This is an obvious invasion of privacy, who the hell are you treating as the criminal is? Jude is the detective who arrested him. He can’t wait to catch him. Don’t you think you’re at the wrong place?”

“I don’t intend to invade his privacy…”

“Isn’t this an invasion of privacy? Are you going to monitor each and every one of these calls? He’s been dragged around for months, and you still have questions to ask?”

“No, it’s…”

“What are you going to do with the identity of his friend who’s running away from debt? If you can afford to pay attention to that, you’d better strengthen your inspection! More than anything, if Jude gets something from him, there’s no way I don’t know! If you’re going to keep coming out like this in the future, you’d better come back with a court warrant in the first place!”

Bang. Once again, the sound of hitting the desk rang out in the quiet police station. Tim, who was glaring at the frozen Jeffrey with his mouth shut, grabbed Jude’s arm and left the quiet police station. Jude, who was dragged out in the cold, looked at his angry partner with blank eyes.

“…… will it be okay?”

“What’s not okay, aren’t you angry? They treat you like an accomplice. They dragged you around without sleep for months, what the hell are they doing?”

“Well, you know, I get letters.”

“……that’s true, but there’s nothing much to be said. I don’t know if the FBI found anything out with the first letter, but there was no such thing, and the investigator who stole the letter from you went missing. I know you didn’t mean for that to happen to him, but how can they treat you like a criminal?”

Jude, who was staring at Tim with a firm face, soon burst into a giggle. Punching lightly around his partner’s waist, the blond detective jokingly says.

“I don’t know how I’m going to live without you Tim, so why don’t we get a beer today?”

“What makes you say you’re buying alcohol? You never paid for your meal. I really want to, but I have an appointment with my parents today. I have to go. Can’t you postpone it until the day after tomorrow?”

“The expiration date is until tonight.”

“Okay. Oh, and my parents asked me to invite you to dinner sometime. You’re their son’s partner. Shouldn’t they see you? Come once, my mother is a good cook.”

“Yes. Well, if there’s time, say hi…”

“Tim! Jude! What are you doing outside? Aren’t you working?”

With the shrill voice of a middle-aged man coming from behind, the two detectives shrugged once and hurriedly answered –“Yes, sir!” - and entered the police station.

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