The Dark Secret of the CEO by Sofia de Orellana

“Agent Rivera! …Hey, Rivera!”

He turned around, glaring at the figure in the doorway. The woman chuckled.

“Oh, someone had a bad night.”

“Thirty hours awake in a bloody car with fucking Wright for nothing,” he grunted.

“Oh, that explains it,” the woman walked over to pat his shoulder. “What can I get you? Coffee?”

“I’m on my second already,” he sighed. “That and the cold shower helped… But thanks, Dolores. I just need to finish filing that damn report before twelve or the Chief’s going to give me hell.”

“I wouldn’t sweat it,” she scoffed. “Chief’s been talking to journalists all morning, he won’t remember your report until next week, Love.”

“What happened?” He asked with a sigh, stretching his neck. “Gunfight?”

“No, some poor chick committed suicide. Found dead in her hotel room. The case’s pretty clear, but she was some b-rate celebrity so we’ve got all the media covering it.”

He frowned, making the woman chuckle.

“You’ve really been out of the loop eh, hun? It’s all over the radio and TV. Look.”

She walked over to grab the abandoned remote on one of the desks, and switched channels from a soap opera to the news channel. The headline was large, and the journalists’ faces were a bit more stern than usual. The images were showing the front of the Four Seasons Hotel, that fancy place between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue, with a crowd gathered and the dramatic lights of police cars. He frowned. There were dozens of people gathered, and in the middle was indeed their boss, in his uniform, visibly holding an impromptu press conference.

“Look at him,” scoffed Dolores. “They dragged him out of bed at one in the morning to handle the journalists. Poor Rodney…”

He scoffed too, grabbing his half-empty cup to chug down the rest of that coffee. If he remembered well, their Chief of Department was supposed to be off today… Bad luck some famous chick had decided otherwise.

Suddenly, the image on the screen changed to a picture with a face on it. A face he had seen before. He didn’t even hear his cup fall on the desk, bounce and crash down on the floor. He stared at that face, and the name that was scrolling across the bottom of the screen. He slowly stood, in shock.

“Hey! …You alright, Flaco?”

He didn’t answer. No, he hadn’t even heard the question. He felt light-headed, his thoughts spinning. No, not her. He hadn’t even made the connection. He took the remote off Dolores’ hand, turned the sound up. The death had occured right before midnight, the legists had said. Found in her bathtub by her fiancé half an hour later. No witnesses. They showed the images of some young people, crying out as the body-shaped bag was taken out of the Hotel. A fan in tears was interviewed, still in a complete state of shock. So was he.

“…You alright?” Dolores asked gently. “…Were you a fan of hers or something?”

“…Or something,” he muttered.

to his senses, wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes. He was breathing loudly, as if he had just run a race. His heart had, but it was a… dead end. He was feeling sick to his stomach. He had to be dreaming, right? He hadn’t slept

the poor darling. I’m never fond of these celebrities, but she was hella young. Who knows what

last night?”

to show up. All this time

on the case?”

Love. They’ll scrape the carpet just to make her fans and the media

“No.”

his boss walking in.

I want the

blinked a couple of times,

you doing here, shouldn’t you

of the Four Season Hotel. I want it,” he

His Boss hesitated, confused.

…Rivera, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but there’s no case. The Forensics are on it and we already watched three hours’

“I’m sure it isn’t, Boss. Please.

on the coffee stain on his pants. He

Rivera. Shouldn’t you have your

freaking cold, Wright and I have gone nowhere

frowned, and sat

this? You’re an excellent detective, you wouldn’t take a lost cause like

He remained

“…I want this case.”

The Chief sighed.

fiancé confirmed she was extremely depressed. Whatever your reason is… I can’t give you a case that does not exist, Rivera. Her family doesn’t even seem to care much either. The

suicide,” he muttered between his

the hell would you know

was listening. Only Dolores was standing a bit further, visibly

Let’s wait for the Forensics. If there’s a case… I’ll consider it. Alright? Now get the hell out of my office

He walked out to the coffee machine, just so he could have something else to do. The New York City Police Station was always busy, no matter what time of the day. An old lady in front of him was shouting at the coffee machine for

stood next to it, the anger building. Her yelling wasn’t helping. She

eyes to the frustrated cop. The Coffee Machine made a beep, and the coffee