4338.209 · July 28, 2018 AD
Stick Figures and Numbers
Karl sketches crude stick figures on butcher paper, building a timeline whilst ghosts from Brisbane whisper at the edges of his focus. Sarah returns from Louise's rebuke, ready to dive into bank statements and logic. Together they comb through financial records hunting for patterns—until Jamie's drained account ignites Sarah's theory about murder.
Forty-three minutes after Louise walked out of Interview Room Three, Karl stands before a wall covered in butcher paper and stick figures. It's crude. Embarrassing. But it helps him see the shape of two disappearances that refuse to make sense.
Sarah joins him, and they pivot to what never lies: financial records. Hours of bureaucratic warfare yield bank statements for both missing men. The work is tedious—petrol purchases, grocery runs, Netflix subscriptions. Nothing unusual until Sarah spots it: Jamie emptied his account three days ago. Every last cent.
Her theory explodes fully formed—Luke killed Jamie, Kain witnessed it, now both are dead. Karl's response comes fast and sharp, loud enough to silence the entire office. The rebuke stings. The tension fractures. And when Karl announces he's visiting Luke Smith alone, Sarah realizes her partner is hiding something she doesn't yet understand.
Divided investigation. Conflicting theories. Trust beginning to crack.
