Every phone call seemed to make my hand shiver. I picked it up unsurely and waited for the person to speak.

"Hello? Can you hear? Okay listen - come with the money to Secret Alley 3.2.5, alright?"

The person cut the call and I just stood there frowning at the phone.

Secret alley? As far as I knew, there was no official secret alley, maybe it's a code name which the bootleggers knew.

I gulped. I had to get to secret alley 3.2.5 otherwise a massive clue could slip from my hands!

I got dressed into a suitable outfit and as I opened the door a figure made me scream.

"Surprise!"

It was Sidd.

I sighed in relief.

"Oh - it's just you..." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

He scowled. "What do you mean it's just me? Am I not special?" He folded his arms and pretended to look grumpy.

I grabbed both his hands and looked at him apologetically.

His expression softened and he smirked.

"Where you off to?" He asked.

"Oh um.... I was just, err - going to the groceries! Yeah - the groceries."

I felt dumb when he gave me a suspicious look.

"Oh okay, where do you do your groceries?"

"Secret Alley." I mumbled, staring at the ground.

"What?!" He shot me a look of laughter and goofiness.

I realized what I had said and my head jerked up at his contagious happiness.

"Seriously? Where even is that place?"

"Well -"

My feet started shuffling.

"Sidd, could please drop me off by the church?" I quickly changed the subject.

"At your service!" He led me to his car and I sat down very silently.

My head was facing straight and I didn't focus my eyes on anything. I was very quiet for the whole journey.

Sidd looked to his left side to see what was up with me.

"Err, any problem Reem?"

"Oh - no - not at all."

"Well, here's your church." He quickly got out and offered me a hand to get out.

I loved his gentlemanliness.

"See you Reem," he waved and I smiled back uncertainly.

I waited to see Sidd's car turn round the corner and I quickly dialed Faisal's number.

"Pick up the damn phone!" I muttered.

"Hello?" A voice spoke, surrounded by undoubtedly happy people as my ears detected cheering and other voices.

"Faisal, come to Secret Alley 3.2.5, I'm by the church." I said quickly.

"Errr, now?" He asked lazily.

"Faisal stop messing around! I need your help!"

"Why.....?"

"Why can't you do as I'm saying for once?"

I began walking towards a small sign which said 'Alley' and 'room'. This must be secret alley.

I had to bend down to fit into this small entry to the alley which seemed like a tunnel.

An acrid odor hung of the branches of lifeless trees either side of the walk. My nose scrunched up and I took off my sunglasses to take a view of the pale pink sky above me.

Concrete crushed under my feet and the voices of people came nearer and nearer.

I crouched down by a large rock and just about hid myself.

I really shouldn't be doing this alone

The voices got louder and I took off my investigator badge which was hidden under my breast pocket.

As slow as a turtle, I rose up slightly to take a glimpse of the room which was round the corner of this walk.

I sighed and told myself this would be okay. It really would not.

Suddenly, I had an idea - it looked like there was some party going on. If I disguised myself as one of these, they wouldn't doubt anything.

I pulled out a wig and hastily applied a clean layer of Rimmel Lipstick.

I always carried a fancy dress along and I put it on top of my shorts and crop top.

My blinking could not be controlled so I leaned my shoulders back and tried to put on a fake act.

"Hey guyssss!" I stormed through the door and tried to act oblivious of the sight in front of me. I felt heat radiating around my cheeks but I smiled indignantly.

Beer bottles were broken and glass was smashed against the soaked concrete. Large barrens of alcohol diffused an unwanted stink around the small room.

Everyone stared at me like I was some weirdo and psychopath but these people seemed careless.

A girl strutted up to me from the back of the room and I awed in shock at her utterly revealing outfit. Young men and women were all dancing, drinking and smoking and the fumes tickled the ciliated hairs aligned along the inside of my nose.

"Who are you?" The girl spat in my face as she talked.

"Er, I'm Suriah." I said proudly, offering a hand.

She looked at it and as soon as she saw me acting all cool and catty, she slipped her hand into mine and the whole crowd cheered to my surprise.

"Meet our gang, we hide alcohol in this barren and we have a party every Friday!" A guy dragged me over and my sub conscious mind spoke:

Hmm, so this is where they store the drugged liquor and black money.

"Alright well, let's have some drinks!" I said, and they jeered once more, offering me a cup.

"Err yeahh - I'd love to..." I wrapped my fingers around the mug and pretended to take sips.

The cliched smell of Drug Type-B wafted up my nose and I could instantly tell the alcohol was drugged.

I poured the drink onto the floor when no one was looking.

"By the way, what's your name?" I asked a guy.

"I'm Vishal.... graduated from London college."

"And that's a bad thing cuz we ain't wantin smart people here." His friend thumped him on the back.

"Bhavesh, sweetheart." He offered me a shaky hand.

I gulped but broke into all smiles.

Geez, where was I stuck?

Hi guys! Hope your liking the crime mystery so far! Thank you for the votes and comments, I'm so overwhelmed that loads of you are asking questions and are getting engaged with it x love you fam, thank you again❤