It's been two weeks since the beach outing. Stiles and Georgina had met a few more times, it turns out that Georgina had started developing feelings for him, although Georgina haven't accepted his proposal yet she was thinking of saying yes to him, for the first time in her life she wanted to try out the relationship life.
Georgina sat quietly in the university library, flipping through the pages of a textbook. Around her, students whispered softly while others rushed between shelves looking for materials for upcoming examinations.
The peaceful atmosphere was abruptly shattered when the library doors burst open.
"Georgina!" Yelled Graciela, Georgina raised her face from her book to look at her.
Several students turned in annoyance.
"What happened this time?" she asked.
Graciela hurried over to her table, slightly out of breath.
"Something terrible."
Georgina turns her attention back to her book and calmly turned a page.
"That description applies to at least fifty percent of your daily conversations." She joked
"This ain't time for jokes." Said Graciela.
The seriousness in Graciela's voice finally made Georgina look up.
For a moment she was surprised by what she saw. Graciela looked genuinely worried.
"What wrong?" Georgina asked.
"It's Stiles."
Georgina's eyebrows knitted together.
"What about him?"
Graciela pulled out a chair and sat down.
"The final year's class contribution fund is gone." Said Graciela
Georgina stared at her.
"What do you mean gone?"
"I mean gone."
"Okay and what does that to do with Stiles"
"Stop playing dumb, you know he's a final year student in charge with saving the money, he's being accused of embezzling it" Georgina stares at her in shock
"How much?" She asked
"I don't know, but what I do know is that it's a huge sum "
The page in Georgina's hand stopped turning.
For the first time since Graciela arrived, her full attention shifted away from the book.
Silence.
Georgina stared at her friend for several seconds.
"What's Stiles saying about it."
"What else? He claims he's innocent"
Georgina was silent, without saying a word she turns back to her book. Graciela stares her for a few seconds.
"That's it?" She asked.
"What else am I supposed to say?" Asked Georgina.
"Georgina, the money disappeared from the account he manages."
"But he claims he's innocent, so I believe him."
"The transaction was authorized using his credentials." Said Graciela "They even found evidence connecting him to the withdrawal."
Georgina slowly closed her book.
"And he still claims he's innocent?" Graciela nods.
"This is serious"
"What about you, what do you think?"
Graciela blinked.
"Me? I don't know what to think, all evidence does point to him afterall.
"Don't tell me you actually think he's guilty?"
Graciela was silent.
Georgina stood from her seat and picked up her bag.
"Where's Stiles?" She asked.
"With the V.C, he's currently being interrogated"
She pushed her chair back into place.
"Where are you going?" Asked Graciela.
"Going to hear the details."
For the first time, a small frown appeared on her face. Despite her confidence, one uncomfortable fact remained.
She had absolutely no idea why she was so certain Stiles was innocent. Of cause she's spent some a few time with him this few days, "but was that really enough to tell for certain if he's guilty or not?" She asked herself.
When she arrived at the Vice Chancellor's office, she found Stiles seated opposite the Vice Chancellor. Two police officers stood nearby.
The atmosphere in the room was tense.
Everyone turned as the door opened.
"Georgina?" said Stiles, clearly surprised.
One of the officers frowned.
"And who might you be?"
"Georgina Williams," she replied calmly.
The Vice Chancellor adjusted his glasses.
"This is an official investigation, Miss Williams."
"I know sir, but if I may, can I see the evidence linking him to the crime?" The Vice chancellor stares at her in shock.
"Perdon?"
"I said I was hoping you would show me the evidence that proves Stiles is guilty"
"I heard you the first time Miss Williams, am rather shocked at the courage to approach me asking for permission to go through a classified information"
Georgina's eyes shifted toward Stiles.
"I came here because I heard one of my friends was being accused of embezzlement."
One of the officers folded his arms.
"Accused? Young lady, the evidence is quite substantial."
"Then you won't mind if I see it."
The officer exchanged glances with his colleague.
"And why should we allow that?"
Georgina shrugged.
"Because if your evidence is as strong as you claim, then I won't be able to poke holes in it."
A brief silence followed.
"Poke a holes in it?" Asked one of the officers"and who do you think you are young lady?" Georgina shrugs.
"Georgina Williams, I already told you didn't i?"
Stiles couldn't help smiling.
The officer noticed.
"You find this funny?"
"No sir," said Stiles. He immediately composed himself
Georgina glanced at him.
"As I was saying young lady, whom exactly do you think you are, what right exactly do you have to request access to an ongoing investigation?" Georgina sighs.
"I'm sorry if I came across to you as rude, I'm just trying to help, I've dealt with this kind of cases before so I'll be able to tell from the evidence if he's guilty or not"
The officers laughed.
"She's saying the truth" said Graciela. Do you know of a certain Mr Rafael Ortega?" Asked Graciela.
"Who doesn't?" Asked one of the officers.
"He's a popular detective, known for solving the sibling murder case years ago, he was able to see through the fake proves planted there to tie an innocent man to a crime, he was promoted to the position of detective lieutenant after that"
"But what does that have to do with anything?" Graciela smiles.
"The man in question is my father, my name is Graciela Ortega, and the girl standing before you is the one that helped him solve the case, actually she's the one that got him thinking out of the box.
The officers begins to laugh as the VC sighs.
"She is truly the daughter of detective Raphael Ortega, however I don't know if this girl here actually did help in solving the sibling murder case as per say" said the VC
The officers looked at her, it was obvious she isn't lying, if the VC attest to her being the daughter of detective Raphael Ortega, there shouldn't be any reason to doubt that Georgina did help solve the murder case years ago, afterall it was said that Mr Rafael Ortega was able to bring the real culprit to jail all thanks to the help of a young girl. Her name was never mentioned.
Without saying anything, the officers pulled out the files and dropped it on the table for her to see.
Georgina studies it for a while.
"So what do you think?"
"It's hard to decide " the evidence are solid"
"So you think he really did it?"
"Not really, I only said this are solid evidence, it will be hard to crack but that doesn't immediately tie him as the culprit" Georgina sighs.
"This might be daring of me but would you mind giving me a copy of this " officers shakes their heads.
"We don't mind, we'll make a copy and send it to you once we get back to the office" he puts the file back into the envelope.
"In the meantime, we'll carry on our investigation with the intent that your friend here is guilty, that's until you are able to proof to us otherwise" they smiled. Georgina just stared at them silently.
"That will be all for today, we'll be taking our leave now, we'll contact you again if we have any more questions to ask you" said one of the officers to Stiles.
Outside the Vice Chancellor's office Stiles couldn't help but smile, Georgina noticed it.
"That's a lot of happiness coming from someone being investigated." She said
"For someone who claims she's not into me, you sure came quickly, I'm wandering should I make you my lawyer now."
"Waw nice to see you still have the guts to joke around in this situation"
"Well why won't I? I just found out that I hit quite the jackpot"
"How so?"
"Not only am I going out with a super intelligent girl, I just realized she's a hotshot detective as well"
"Don't flatter yourself," Georgina replied.
"How come you never told me anything about the murder case you helped solved?"
"Because I see no need to"
"Yeah, that's just what are I was expecting you to say." Georgina smiles.
"How about we focus on the problem at hand right now?" She says.