Page 35 of Hannah.
“Er, hello, Conrad. I just finished making tea if you’d like a cup.”
He follows me inside and to the kitchen, and I pour him and myself a cup, but Conrad still looks like he has something anxious to say. “What’s up with you?” I ask.
Conrad smirks, leaning back against the cabinet. “Well, old friend, I just so happen to know your secret.”
My first thought is that he somehow knows how I feel about Hannah, but I quickly tell myself that it’s not possible. Conrad seems amused, so I keep my energy the same. “Oh, yeah? Which one?”
He takes his time, pacing around until we leave the kitchen. Then he sits at my dining room table and takes a long sip of his tea. “You know Hannah way before Astrid did. She’s Elise's sister—that girl you liked a few years ago. You went to her home estate a few times, and Hannah would have definitely been there.” He throws his hands out to the side triumphantly. “See? I can solve any mystery.”
Dammit…of all the things he could know, this should have been the most obvious, but it’s still making me panic a little internally. I grab one of the other chairs from the table, turn it around, and sit in it to talk to him. “Oh, so Hannah told you?”
“Not directly,” he admits before taking another sip. “We just got on the subject when she told me her surname. I recognized it right away.” Conrad taps his head with his finger. “Mind like a steel trap. I remember everything.”
I don’t think Conrad is lying, but I specifically asked Hannah not to mention her surname, so she’s not completely innocent in this situation. I feel a thread of amusement thinking about Hannah and the way she will never take any shit from anyone, so this is probably just a little bit of revenge for getting back at me about the tea thing. I thought it was funny at the time, but now I’m not sure if it’s worth the trouble it has caused.
“Whatever happened to Elise?” Conrad continues, seemingly content to hang out here even if I didn’t offer.
“She–” I’m cut off when my phone begins to ring. I expect it to be Astrid or someone from my family, but I’m surprised to see that it’s one of my colleagues from the research department. It’s odd that they’re calling me on the weekend, and as soon as I see the name on the screen, I start to worry.
“Lukas?” I ask when I pick up. “What’s going on?”
“Johan, I’m so sorry for calling you on a Sunday, but I think you should just go ahead and come into the department.” He sounds concerned. “Something is up, but I’d like you here before I take any other steps.”
“Alright, I’ll be right there.” After hanging out, I look back at my friend, totally oblivious to the alarming call I just got, and stand up. “Conrad, finish your tea and see yourself out,” I tell him as I go grab my jacket. “Something has come up, and my team needs me.”
“But it’s a Sunday,” he complains, turning around to face me. “Can’t it wait? I hoped we could talk more about our adventures with the ladies yesterday.”
I shake my head once, unsettled about what I’m about to find once I get to the department. “No, it needs to be handled right away. We’ll catch up later, okay?”
“Fine.” Conrad finishes his mug, standing. “I’ll just leave at the same time, then. But we aren’t done talking about our mysterious Dutch girl.”
I step into the Archaeology Department, my usual intellectual haven, greeted by the scent of old books and the buzz of academic life. The shelves filled with artifacts and dusty tomesare as familiar as my own apartment, but today, the tranquility is disrupted by an event that requires my presence.
When I arrive, I find Lukas unpacking, cataloging, and putting away the pieces from last week's exposition. He looks uneasy, then paces nervously, his eyes scanning the room.
“What's the deal?” I ask, concern filling me. He looks very distraught.
He sighs, adjusting his frame on his nose. “Johan, we've got a problem. During the inventory check, a crucial piece of jewelry decided to play hide-and-seek.”
Frustration flares up within me. This department is our sanctuary, and the things we care about are genuine treasures. The idea of theft is almost unthinkable—how could this have happened?
“Have you retraced your steps?” I suggest a flicker of hope in my voice.
Lukas nods. “I’ve combed through every nook and cranny. It’s like the watch vanished into thin air.”
Trying to contain rising anger with the entire situation, I suggest, “Well, let’s do it again, then. Two sets of eyes are better than one, I suppose.”
I join the quest for the elusive piece, methodically scanning each cluttered shelf. The warm glow of antique desk lamps casts an inviting aura on the artifacts. Still, as we continue to turn up, nothing shows up, and I find myself wishing for the harsh overhead lights that some of the scientific departments have.
Lukas and I have reached the end of the path we’ve been retracing, and nothing has been found. As a last resort, I suggest checking the security cameras for a more detailed investigation. Lukas, eager but awaiting my authorization, proposes we head to the security department now. “I couldn’t go without your permission, but do you care if I tag along?”
“Not at all,” I assure him. “You’re the one who noticed it missing, after all.”
We navigate through the corridors while I fight off a wave of anxiety and finally arrive at the security room.
The security agent grants us access after checking my ID to make sure I am who I claim to be. I fill out the necessary paperwork and sign the authorization, and the security agent allows us into the nerve center of surveillance.
After searching through a few files to find the right night, the guard plays footage from the gala evening. I realize there is much to look through, and I sigh, turning to Lukas. “You might want to go get us some drinks. We might be here a while.”