TIMOTHY WAS PETRIFIED BY THE EFFICIENCY OF OFFICER KIRK.

In the span of thirty minutes, Timothy had been led to an oak-paneled room and was asked his permission to be recorded. He had felt uncomfortably like a suspect and a villain and was relieved to be brought back to the office without handcuffs. Both Oakley and the Doctor were then summoned to the office. Even the tailor was on his way.

It must have something to do with his voice, Timothy decided. He always sounds so cold and threatening. Anyone would be scared out of their wits if they disobeyed such a voice.

“Ah, that must be them,” Officer Kirk said, referring to the knocks. He stretched out his mouth like a smile again. Officer Kirk seemed very fond of smiling, thought Timothy couldn’t see why. It didn’t offer the officer much happiness, as his eyes always had the same, cold, gaze. And it certainly didn’t officer Timothy much joy. It terrified him.

Officer Kirk rose and walked to the door. “I asked for Sam this time,” he answered, somehow knowing what Timothy was thinking.

“Morning, Officer Kirk!”

Timothy was just as surprised as Kirk when he heard the booming voice of Officer Hallthorn. Timothy was glad to find that there were some things the officer didn’t know. Timothy turned around, instantly noticing Officer Hallthorn’s large body and then the two figures of the doctor and Oakley. It offered him slight satisfaction that both of them were puffing and panting, exhausted from the four-story climb.

“Good morning, Hallthorn,” Officer Kirk replied politely, though Timothy detected slight exasperation. “I didn’t expect you. I thought Sam…”

“Oh, I offered to take these two anyway. Sam was going to go up the elevator.”

“I see. Well, thank you, officer—”

“Oh! Also, officer, I made this cup of coffee for you. I don’t know how you like it though, so I just brought the whole tray up. I also brought hot water, just in case you prefer tea.” Hallthorn presented the cups with self-satisfaction.

“Yes, black coffee’s fine—”

“There’s also no more toilet paper in one of the bathroom stalls, so I sent for someone to replace all the toilet paper. If you do one, you might as well do all.”

“That’s true. Thank you, I’ll take it from here.” Kirk smiled again, with a certain firmness.

“No problem, officer,” Kirk replied, “I’ll just head back down those stairs.”

“Oh, that’s right! I’ve been meaning to tell you. Our elevators really are very safe. You should try one. It won’t be too bad, I’m sure.”

Officer Hallthorn laughed. “I just like playing it safe. Be prepared, that’s the motto isn’t it?”

“I suppose you’re right…” Officer Kirk said. “Well, thank you again.” He slammed the door shut.

“That was exhausting,” he sighed, his shoulders falling down. “You have to be strong and curt against some people—even officers. Officer Hallthorn is a good man, but he needs a little work controlling his mouth. If you let him talk, nothing will ever get done.”

‘I see,” the doctor said. “Timothy, you’re here already?”

“I arrived half an hour ago,” Timothy explained, itching to describe his unhappiness from being woken up so early in the morning.

“Good news everyone,” Officer Kirk said, “there are enough donuts for everyone! You don’t mind glaze, I hope? I ate all the chocolate ones already.”

“Thank you, officer,” Oakley replied politely, she too refraining from saying she was on a diet. She didn’t want to be blacklisted in a new town so quickly. Blacklisted for refusing a donut? Is it possible? Oakley wondered silently.

“Well then, let’s get to business, shall we?” Officer Kirk began, once everyone was comfortably seated and supplied with a donut. “I’m assuming we all know what we are talking about?”

“The kidnapping,” Oakley replied, trying to talk as much as possible to avoid eating the donut.

“The disappearance, actually, of a girl named Marine Nicole Lucifay, whom I’ve heard goes by the name Nick,” Kirk corrected. “Though I can’t say I’m surprised people have already begun to dramatize the incident in their brains.”

Oakley blushed crimson.

Officer Kirk continued, “I’d like to ask if any of you had any difficulties remembering this incident?”

They both replied with a no.

“Good, that makes my job easier. Who did Mr. Fletcher go to first after leaving the forest?”

Officer Kirk had already asked this to Timothy, but he obviously did not trust Timothy’s memory.

“That would be me, officer,” the doctor replied.

“Ah, of course. Doctor—you don’t mind me calling you doctor, do you?—was there anything too out of the ordinary with Mr. Fletcher’s health when he had come to see you?”

“No, which was really strange. He had a slightly lower temperature, but that was to be expected since he was in the woods.”

“That makes sense. Now, Ms. Tellaman—”

“Oakley’s fine.”

“Oakley then. Can I see the picture you took of the black shape?”

“Of course!” Oakley replied hastily, rummaging through a large tote bag to find her phone. “Here it is,” she said, offering her phone hesitantly.

Officer Kirk studied the photo for a great length. Oakley fidgeted in her seat, ultimately resigning her will to keep a diet and began eating the donut.

The officer frowned a bit. “Oakley?”

“Yes?” she gulped her bite of donut.

“Did you really see it?”

“I—I believe so,” Oakley replied without confidence. “You don’t believe it though, do you? I might have put my finger on the camera.”

“Why wouldn’t I believe it? You believe it, and your memory is fine.”

“That—that’s true.”

“And I believe that this object was not there the second day when you three went?’

They all replied with a yes.

“Then there is only one explanation. This giant object was moved. Then I’m assuming something was brought to transport it, or that object itself has its own means of transportation. I have another question though. How were you able to see it Oakley?”

“Er…I had my phone on, but I wasn’t really able to see it. I sort of saw the trees and other shapes around it, and that object was just this really large black blob.”

“You had your phone on? Dd any of the light reflect off the black?”

“Now that you’ve brought it up, I believe the light sort of…disappeared…”

“Vanta black!” Timothy blurted, instantly blushing from embarrassment.

“Come again?” Officer Kirk said.

“I remember that something about vanta black related to my dream or memory. I remember clearly thinking about vanta black.”

“Really now?”

“Vanta black, that must be it!”

“Now that’s strange.”

“Isn’t it?”

Officer Kirk put up one finger to indicate silence. He had been on the phone. Timothy blushed still deeper.

With much nodding, Officer Kirk replaced the phone with a click.

“It seems like our tailor friend isn’t coming after all.”