Sophie entered the study and made two dry taps on the wooden desk. Jason, so caught up on the paper on his desk, was unfazed by them. Sophie contorted her brow, coughed, and yet again made two taps. When that did nothing, she gave up and yelled at him. “Uncle!”

“Huh,” stumbling back and dropping his pen, he asked, “what is it, Sophie?”

“Sam,” I whispered.

“Yeah?” it replied.

“What can Sophie do for him?”

“Give him a pep talk and a bottle of scotch to settle him down,” Sam said. “It’s not much, but for now it’ll have to do.”

“Scotch, I didn’t know Jason drinks.”

“He doesn’t usually. Jason tends to avoid alcohol.”

Her talk with him done, Sophie gazed over to us and winked.

“Ah, so he’s ready, huh,” Sam said.

We floated to the kitchen, Phraze roaming about behind us. Has Jason fed the cat today? I wondered, for Phraze hung around the corner; the one where Jason placed his food.

“Why is it hidden in the wall?” I asked Sam.

“That should be obvious,” Sam released a long, near tired sigh. “We were afraid Jason would start drinking after their deaths and spiral into hurting himself.”

“Oh, hurt himself, good thing it didn’t happen,” I said.

“Who’s to say it didn’t?” Sam questioned.

“What do you mean?”

“You see it every day and don’t notice it. Gray, the man compulsively chases after a murderer he’ll never catch, one that he was told not to chase too.”

“You seem so sure he won’t catch them, why?”

“He’s been running around in circles for months, it just doesn’t seem possible for him.”

“That’s regrettable,” I said, my belief in Jason unwavering.

Sam yanked the small bottle of scotch from the wall, the glow around the bottle reminded me of something. Why does it look familiar? My memory flashed back to the other night, of Ellie. Wait, so does that mean it’s something ghosts can do? I’ll have to ask Sam to teach me later.

“C’mon,” Sam said, it’s voice heavy, “and stop with the questions, I’ve done plenty for you,”

…Or not, I’ll have to learn it by myself then.

We returned to the study, waving at Sophie, I called her towards the hallway, “We’ve brought it.”

“I’ll be right back, I’ve got something that’ll help you calm down,” she said to Jason, stepping out of the study.

We stood in the hallway, Sophie eyeing the scotch in Sam’s squishy-like hand. Sam squinted it’s eye at her in return.

“So, how did the talk go over?” Sam asked Sophie.

“I think it went as well as it could, but he’s overall pretty bad this time.”

“Really, did you find out why?”

“Ah,” she placed her hand on her chin and whispered, “from what uncle Jason said, a new victim has surfaced not too far away from here. That’s why he was working on the map, he’s trying to center out where the murderer generally strays.”

“I see, and why was he worried about the heart?”

“It’s the heart and not the heart that’s got him worried. The heart is different from the liver before, but that’s not as big of a deal compared to who was murdered.”

“Wh-”

“What about the victim?!” I asked, interrupting Sam in my flurry of curiosity.

She looked at me, her right brow raised, “I’m not sure if this would matter to you Gray, but the person murdered was quite an important figure here in Detroit.”

“Quit stalling,” Sam said, “who was it?”

She clicked her tongue and said, “Tch, you’re never any fun Sam. The mayor’s son, who is a very popular model for a local magazine was murdered.”

“That must mean the case has gained traction in the media again?” Sam asked.

“That’s right,” Sophie said, “in fact, uncle Jason has been thrown back on the case.”

“Really, and after the chief told him he wasn’t allowed back on it?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Sophie replied to Sam.

“Well, he is a good detective, I can understand why the chief would assign him.”

Sophie sighed and said, “Me too, but it doesn’t mean I’m happy about it. Anyway, I better take him his scotch.”

Sam handed over the scotch, then looked to me and said, “Hey Gray, want to see something funny?”

“Sure!” I yelled.

“Come watch this.”

Sophie, carrying the small bottle of scotch, placed it onto his desk.

“Sophie, isn’t this a little small for me?” Jason asked.

“Nope,” she replied, “it’s just right.”

He put his hand over his mouth, and his brow contorted. “I suppose it’ll do,” he said, his voice muffled by his hand.

She left the study for a moment, on returning she entered with a small glass filled with ice. Placing it on the desk, she grabbed the bottle and poured it for him. “Here,” she said, handing him the glass, “drink up.”

He swirled the alcohol around for a moment, contemplating something. “Where did you get this?” he asked. “You’re not able to buy liquor.”

“We’ve had it for a long time, now shut up and drink it.”

His cheeks brightened up, oh, is he going to get mad?

“Fine,” he said, and took a sip. “Wow, it’s been a while!”

Guess not…

Sam laughed and said, “Enjoy it while you can kid, it won’t be long.”

“Huh?” I asked, puzzled by it, but didn’t get a reply.

We watched as he drank the scotch. One sip, two sips, three sips, four sips, and then the next cup.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” he slipped out between mumbled slurs. “How could one take out a heart without blood spraying everywhere? …Though, t-the body we found didn’t have blood in it, it had to have it while the murder was taking place.”

I heard it, but couldn’t wrap it around my mind. Sophie, however, had a face filled with concern.

By his fourth cup he began swaying side to side. When he finished his fifth, he looked at Sophie, his eyes half open and smiled at her, then his face smashed onto the desk.

Ah, I understand now why Sam said that.

“Alright,” Sophie said heading for the door, “my work here is done. When Ellie gets back, we’ll drag him to bed, I’m going back to my room for now.”

“Thanks Sophie!” I yelled at her while waving.

“…No,” Sam said, it’s attention on the map.

“What is it?” I asked, but Sam floated out of the room before I could get an answer.

I gazed at the map instead, trying to find what stirred Sam to act like that.

Hmm, haven’t I seen that street name before? Oh right, outside the house. I could hardly read the map, as I didn’t know much about the outside, so I turned to Jason.

“What could that be?” I asked, staring at the small glowing black circle above Jason’s nape.