"Margeret"

Hearing her name, both Preston and Ryder looked at each other perplexed. They did now know that it was she who had sent the clip and never in their dreams had they imagined such a scenario too. They had the ideology that she had a fall out with the people from the Intelligence, although they did not know the details regarding it. They did not know why she left the Intelligence either.

Even after several months had passed, nobody had spoken about her. She had severed all her ties with everyone. The office has returned to normal, everybody pretended that she had never worked with them. Nobody took her name nor anything related to her was found anywhere in the records too.

Even Valarie who held her at high esteem, had not brought up her name. But they never envisaged that she was in contact with Margeret. The revelation blew their head away.

"Margeret, didn't she leave Intelligence?" Preston forced the words out in his confused state.

"Yes, but I was constantly in touch with her."

"How?" He asked again.

Ryder was tongue-tied. He was unable to process anything.

"Things are not as simple as it looks like," Valaire answered vaguely and took a sip of water.

"Excuse me, Miss?" The nurse knocked at the door although it was open.

"Yes."

"Did you finish your soup?" The nurse came in looked at the empty bowl of soup.

"Yes."

"Good. Now I have to give you your medicines."

"Okay," Valarie answered immediately. Her head was aching a little and she was feeling weak. It would be better if she could get some more sleep.

"Here. Take this." The nurse handed her two pills and a glass of water. Valarie did as instructed.

"I'll come to take a look at you after two hours. Call me if there is anything." The nurse smiled at Valarie and left the ward.

"Val, what did you mean before when you said that things were not that simple?" Ryder asked. By now he had processed his thoughts.

"Who brought me to the hospital?" Valarie ignored his question.

'It was better that they did not know about this matter now. It was one hell of a complication and she did not want to two of her best teammates getting involved in this dirty game of politics.

"We don't know about that."

"Hmm. What happened to the other person who got into an accident with me, I mean the one I hit?"

"She is fine as much as I know. She suffered minor injuries and a concussion."

"I need to apologize to her. It was because of me that she got hurt. Have you collected her details?" Valarie lied down. She was feeling drowsy, the medicine was taking its effect.

"Yes, she is in this hospital. She might be discharged in a day or two." Preston replied.

"Collect her details. I'll talk to her when I get well."

"Okay Deputy."

"Val, where is Margeret?" Ryder fired the question that was bugging him. However, he did not get any reply, Valarie had succumbed to her sleep.

Preston and Ryder saw her sleeping and sighed.

"Wow, what the hell is happening?" Preston exclaimed. He was still unable to believe that Margeret was in touch with Valarie.

"I don't know. My brain is a mess too." Ryder remembered the day when Margeret left the building. She was seething in anger as she hailed curses at their Chief. He too retaliated by scolding her. However, Valarie stood behind calmly watching the scene. She neither interfered nor did she stop her from leaving. She acted as a bystander, putting on a face that everything that was happening was not related to her at all.

At that moment, Ryder's phone rang.

"Hello. Yes?"

"Yes. Is it?

"Are you sure?"

"Thanks."

Preston listened to his one-sided conversation.

"Thanks."

Ryder ended the call.

"It was from the mechanic. He has repaired Val's car."

"And?"

"The breaks had been tampered with."

"Expected."

"Also, whoever it was, after the accident took place, he repaired it immediately so as to not raise any suspicions."

"Hmm."

"But, he did not do a good job of hiding it. It was still detected."

"Did you hear anything from the doctor regarding the tape?" Preston asked when he remembered about Ian.

"I haven't heard from him since the day we met him last. Let me go take a look." Ryder stood up.

"Okay."

Ryder took the elevator to the reception on the ground floor.

"Excuse me." He tapped on the desk.

"Yes?" The assistant looked at him. He was busy typing on a computer when Ryder approached him.

"Can you tell me where I can find Dr. Ian Davis?"

"Are you a patient of his, Sir?" The assistant asked patiently.

"Yes," Ryder replied. He did not know what to say to him other than lying.

"Sorry Sir. Dr. Davis is unavailable. He is on leave."

"Oh. Can I get his contact number? It's very urgent. He is the doctor I trust the most." Ryder cooked up a story.

The assistant looked at him and sighed. "Sir, Dr. Davis just underwent an operation recently, he is resting right now. I am not sure if it convenient for you to meet you."

"What?"

"Yes Sir."

"Did he wake up?"

"Sir, how about this? I'll someone to deliver him a message. If he is willing to see you, you can go and see him."

Ryder nodded. That was the best possible outcome he could think of right now. "That would of great help."

He took a piece of paper and wrote a message:

'Hello,

I wanted to know about the tape.

Is it convenient to meet?

Ryder'

"Could you pass this message to him? I'll wait over here." Ryder handed the piece of paper after folding it to the assistant.

"Sure sir."

The assistant called a ward boy, whispered something to him, and gave him the slip. Ryder sat on the bench nearby and waited for the ward boy to return. He hoped to meet Ian, he needed the tape at any cost.

Fifteen minutes passed, there was still no news from the ward boy. Ryder was getting patient, he tapped his foot as he waited. Five minutes later, the ward boy came and spoke to Ryder.

"Excuse me Sir, Dr. Davis is willing to meet you. But be careful sir, he had an operation recently."

"Thanks."

The ward boy led Ryder to Ian's ward. Ian was waiting for him. Although he looked weak, he still had a charm and looked charismatic.

"Please come in. I am sorry, I couldn't contact you."

"I understand. How are you doctor?"

"I am fine right now, though I feel weak occasionally."

"Is it convenient to talk?"

"I am strong enough to have a serious conversation," Ian said with a smile.

"About the tape.."

"About that, I have already spoken to the management. You will get it in a day or two, but you are not to reveal to anybody else. You can only view it, you cannot make a copy of it."

"That.."

"Yes, you are to sign a document that you will not tell a thing about the tape after you view it."

"Ohh."

"Sorry, it's the procedure. But you can get a copy if you get the permission of the police. I can only do so much."

"Thanks, Doctor. This is enough."

"No problem. Someone will contact you shortly. Leave your number with me." Ian handed him his phone.

"Now I will get going Doctor. Take rest and get well soon."