100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 162: The Perks II

Levi’s Office, Jackson Detectives Agency

Marco sat across Levi’s table, watching the psychologist shout ’ ’dull’ ’gross,’ ’nope’ as he tossed one case folder one after the other to the other side of his table. No case that day seemed to catch the psychologist’s interest, and to say the least, it was getting on Marco’s nerves.

The bearded man groaned on his seat, eyes begging the blond psychologist. "Can you pick a case? Any case? Our email is full of it." Marco insisted impatiently, handing the psychologist printed emails from clients.

"They’re all so MEH!" The psychologist scoffed, legs crossed, and clearly annoyed with the fact that he had not received a decent case for the past month now.

Marco leaned forward, patience clear on his face. "Should I call Sam?" he suggested, knowing the redhead would probably do a better job dealing with him and may be able to help him with his predicament.

Levi narrowed his eyes at the bearded man, leaning back on his reclining chair. "Why? Why would you call her?" he replied defensively.

"You’re not accepting any cases!" Marco reasoned back; a voice raised slightly that the boys on the opposite side of the door could hear. Silently the three exchanged looks; they knew their blond boss was having an episode. He usually did when he had not received anything he deemed interesting enough.

Levi sneered at the lanky man, "They’re all so obvious! A waste of my time." he scoffed, insulted at the man’s suggestion of just taking any case. The blond clenched his jaw, thinking of the redhead. "And she’s in Dublin! That woman", he muttered to himself, clearly displeased that she wasn’t there to distract him from boredom.

Marco sighed, standing up and grabbing the stack of folders on the blond’s table. He stepped out of the man’s office and sat down at his table next to the boys. The three shot him a look, and he rolled his eyes as if saying the blond was being absurd again like usual.

The bearded man leaned back on his chair, eyeing the mobile phone on his table. He grabbed it and observed the slightly ajar door, seeing the blond psychologist displacing his frustrations on his keyboard.

Marco dialed a number waiting for it to ring.

"Hey, Melody!!" He greeted, catching the three boys’ attention. They all know what that meant; it was a code they used when they wanted to speak privately about the blond with him in the room. Levi paused in his tracks and narrowed his eyes on the bearded man; he wasn’t stupid.

"So, he’s off the rails already?" Sam replied on the other line, knowing full well Levi was with Marco.

"Yeah. Yeah. A bit." Marco replied vaguely.

Sam leaned back on her chair in the Office of one of her colleagues in Dublin, where she was doing a lecture.

"Throwing Knives? Gambling? Smoking?" she asked, taking a break before her next lecture in 45 minutes.

"Thank goodness not," Marco replied, swiveling in his chair when out of nowhere, he felt someone grab his mobile phone from behind.

"Hello, Melody." the blond Irishman sneered.

Marco scowled, wondering how long had he known the code; he had talked shit in front of him about him to Lisa before. He watched as the slicked blond walked around their empty Office, and they heard him scoff. A scowl clear on his chiseled face, seemingly having a ’disagreement’ with Sam on the opposite line. This had happened before, nothing new with them fighting--scratch that--having ’Intellectual disagreement’ as what the blond would prefer to call it.

"You’re not my mother," the blond had said, causing their brows to arch.

Marco turned to the boys, "tea?" he asked, earning nods. The bearded man made his way to the pantry to switch the water heater on.

......

Sam listened to the blond on the other line, and she rolled her eyes. "Yes, you don’t have sex with your mother,’ she had replied casually. Between the two of them, she was the cool-headed in the exchange. He was clearly displeased that he was alone, while his ’friends’ were busy with their own devices.

Marco didn’t hear what Sam said in reply, but he could see that it caused the psychologist to feel visibly uncomfortable.

"Give the phone back to Marco, Levi." She instructed, and the blond indignantly handed it back to his best mate. Marco took it curiously, looking at the psychologist flop down the mustard-colored sofa, visibly deflated.

"Marco," Sam said.

Marco served each one tea, including the pouty psychologist. "Yes?" He replied, making his way back to his desk.

"Mind setting up his laptop and the Battles of Westeros?" she said.

Marco’s face scrunched up in confusion, "Battle of what?" he asked out loud, not familiar with what she was saying. Levi stood up from his spot, and he ran up the stairs. Wide-eyed Marco followed behind the slicked blond,

"I believe it’s under his coffee table in his flat," Sam said, but Levi had already run up his flat after hearing ’Battle of’ from Marco’s lips. Marco climbed up the stairs and entered the blond’s apartment. He arched a brow after seeing the blond setting up the said game on the table. He was clearly excited, based on what Marco could see.

"Got it," Marco replied, narrowing his eyes at his best friend’s expression. He grabbed Levi’s laptop on his desk as Sam previously instructed and placed it across Levi. A video call popped up from Sam, and Marco accepted it. Her face popped on the screen; she seemed to be in an office--her background was of a wide bookshelf, and her hair seemed to be redder than usual. Must be from the lighting, Marco thought.

Sam smiled, looking at the bearded man on the screen, "Thanks, Marco," she said, releasing the phone call and talking through the laptop instead.

Levi shrugged off his suit jacket and shooed the bearded man off the chair, earning an eye roll from him. "Well--should I leave you two?" Marco asked as Levi sat on the chair.

"Yes!" Levi said while 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"You can stay." passed Sam’s lips at the same time.

Marco glared at the blond, and he huffed, knowing it’s better to leave the two alone.

"I’d think I’d just go," he said, making his way to the door.

"Have a good day, Marco," Sam said, then saying her move as she looked at the board, which Levi moved for her.

The two played, recreating the military conflicts from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire Series. A book Sam had to introduce to Levi for them to be able to play the game.

Fifteen minutes after Marco left, Sam looked at her watch and said, "I’ve only got 30mins, Levi."

"I can beat you in 30minutes," Levi replied confidently, making a move. A move Sam didn’t like.

"And I can give you multiple orgasms in that same amount of time," Sam said, and Levi narrowed his eyes at her. But ignored her reply--she was trying to get under his skin. So, he’ll lose concentration, and in result, lose the game.

Sam smiled seductively, "We’ve never done this before." She teased, removing her jacket and revealing some skin for him to see.

"Are you so desperate to win now that you’re settling for cheating?" Levi scoffed, annoyed. Annoyed that it was working.

"All is fair in love and war, dear," Sam said, with a smirk while she leaned closer to the laptop, showing her cleavage. So, maybe she was desperate to win the game, desperate enough to use sexual advances--mainly because she had yet to beat him in that game, and she was the one who introduced it to him.

"If you give that troop up, I’ll take off this blouse." Sam bargained seductively, causing Levi to scowl. He cannot believe he was even considering it.

Would he let his competitive nature lose in exchange for satiating his carnal need? It’s only been four days since she left. "I’ve got a new pair of lingerie too---you haven’t seen it before." She added, showing just the edge of her bra by teasingly unbuttoning some of her blouse’s buttons.

Levi tore his eyes away from her and made a sudden move. One, he did not think over clearly.

"BAZINGA!" Sam yelled, enthused, slamming her hand on the wooden table for effect. He had made a move that will lead to her victory. Levi groaned audibly, annoyed.

"Tsk tsk. Tsk. Look at me winning." She said after a few moves, leading to her victory.

Levi leaned back on his chair, arms crossed, glaring at the camera. "You cheated." he clipped, huffing in frustration, ego-wise, and sexually frustrated.

Sam turned to the door after hearing a knock. She knew it was almost time for her lecture. "I have to go, Levi. I’ll see you when I get back." She said, winking at him before ending the call.

The connection was lost, and Levi was left to concoct some hideous plan to get even.

Maybe he’ll tie her up when she gets home...