C019D9C090E03@comcast.net> 037b32b0   
   Title - Decoding the Enigma   
   Authors - Amy Jonas and MagsRose   
   E-mail - adjonas2000@yahoo.com or magsrose@comcast.net   
   Rating - FRT-13 (PG - 13)   
   Category - AU/Gen/Het   
   Archive - Just let us know.   
   Feedback - Yes, please. Any kind is always welcome. We just like to know   
   someone is reading this stuff.   
   Disclaimer - Without Prejudice. The names of all characters contained here in   
   are the property of Chris Carter, et. al. No infringements of these copyrights   
   are intended, and are used here without permission. All original characters   
   are the sole property    
   of Mags or Amy and may not be used without the author's permission.   
   Summary - In 1940, Private Investigator, Melvin Frohike thought he was working   
   on a simple missing person case but he soon found himself embroiled in   
   something far more sinister.   
   Authors' notes - After seeing the Maltese Falcon, Amy presented Mags with an   
   idea for The X-Files characters in an Alternate Universe.  Intrigued by the   
   possibilities, Mags suggested a co-authoring effort.  The result is the story   
   you see here.  Thanks    
   to Erynn and Alison for betaing this for us.   
      
   Warning - This chapter alone gives us the FRT - 13 (PG-13) rating for violence   
   and content.   
      
      
      
      
      
      
   Chapter 8   
      
      
   Frohike looked up at the seemingly empty warehouse. He double checked the   
   address and turned a questioning eye on Monica.  “This is where she works?”   
      
   “It’s the address Yves gave me in case of an emergency,” she replied, no   
   longer sounding certain. She grimaced when she saw a rat scurry along the   
   perimeter of the building before darting behind a trashcan. “I can’t imagine   
   her working in this place.”   
      
   Frohike shut the driver's side door.  “Let's go see what this Professor Langly   
   has to say.”   
      
   Taking Monica’s upper arm, he guided her around the worst of the foul smelling   
   trash that littered the ally.  Frohike could see that the area had at one time   
   been well cared for but it was quickly falling into disrepair.   
      
   Or abandoned.  This thought came unbidden to his mind as they climbed some   
   steps then descended to a small landing.  He knocked on the door, waited then   
   knocked again.  After a few seconds he tried the door.   
      
   It was unlocked.   
      
   Frohike gave the door a gentle push.   
      
   “Professor Langly?” Monica called as they stepped inside. “Melvin, this can’t   
   be,” she said, distraught.  She moved further into the vast, empty warehouse,   
   turning 360 degrees.  Her voice reverberated in the open space.  “What’s going   
   on?”   
      
   Frohike just shook his head.  It didn’t make sense.  First, Yves' home was   
   destroyed in an obvious attempt to find something, now this empty building. He   
   scanned the area. From the differing layers of dust, he deduced that there had   
   been furniture there    
   not all that long ago, maybe up to a couple of days previously.  Had the same   
   people who recklessly searched Yves Harlow’s house also removed everything   
   from the warehouse?  Had they found what they were looking for?   
      
   Through his ponderings, he walked the circumference of the building   
   looking….for something.  Anything that would tell him what happened in this   
   building.  “Monica,” he said knowing she would hate what he was about to say,   
   “are you sure this Professor    
   Langly is real?”   
      
   Monica’s gaze snapped to the detective, her cheeks flushed with anger.  “What   
   are you inferring, Melvin?  That my sister made everything up?”  She shook her   
   head. “Forget it.  I met the man.  Professor Richard Langly is real as you or   
   I.”   
      
   “You never told me you met him.  When was this?”  Frohike looked up from the   
   wall he was studying to gaze at Monica.   
      
   “It was about a month after Yves moved to the States.  At that time, we'd only   
   been able to get together for dinner a few times.  I wanted us to have a   
   chance to really talk, so I suggested we go away to the beach for the   
   weekend.”  Monica smiled for the    
   first time since the whole mess started.  “Yves loved the idea.   She told me   
   that the beach was one of her favorite spots to go on holiday.”  Her smile   
   faded.  “But she insisted the professor come with us.  She said the man was   
   obsessed his work and    
   never took time off.   
      
   “I thought it was odd but I agreed.”  Monica wrapped her arms around herself   
   and rubbed her arms.  “He seemed like a lost little boy, unsure what to do   
   with himself.  He roamed the beach carrying a walking stick. Yves would call   
   from her deck chair that,    
   if she discovered he was writing equations in the sand, she would toss him in   
   the surf. He would look so guilty.”   
      
   Monica chuckled.  “Like I said, it was very odd but I didn’t mind.  Yves and I   
   talked and laughed all weekend.  It was good.”  Her amusement faded.  “I’m   
   worried about her, Melvin.  What’s happening… what are you doing?” she   
   demanded.   He was feeling    
   along the wall with his fingertips.   
      
   He didn’t bother to look up.  “There’s a hidden door here, I’m trying…there we   
   go.”   
      
   He managed to get the door open.  Monica joined him and looked inside.  There   
   was a cot and blankets, a small dresser and lamp.  Frohike opened a dresser   
   drawer.  It was empty.  He tried the next two and found some clothing.  He   
   picked it up then quickly    
   shoved the men’s underwear back into the drawer.  He glanced at Monica who was   
   ostensibly looking away.   
      
   He stared at the makeshift bedroom.  “He was working and living here.”  He   
   shook his head in disbelief.  “Who the hell would want to live in a   
   warehouse?” he muttered.  He stirred from his musings. “Let’s go.  I want to   
   talk to the landlord and see what    
   he says about this Professor Langly.”   
      
      
   ~:~:~   
      
      
      
      
   “I never met the Professor” Albert Simms said as he set two cups of coffee in   
   front of Monica and Frohike.  Monica smiled her gratitude and took a sip. When   
   they had first arrived on his doorstep, the man claimed to have no knowledge   
   of Yves but when    
   Monica informed him Yves was her sister and was missing the man relented.   
      
   The burly landlord took his seat opposite his visitors before continuing.  “I   
   spoke to your sister twice.  The first time was when she approached me to rent   
   the warehouse for two months.  She paid in cash - up front.”   
      
   "What about the second time?”  Frohike asked.   
      
   The man hesitated then shrugged.  “The second time she hired me to clean out   
   the warehouse.  Said she didn’t want anything in there and that I should burn   
   everything.  Paid me a hundred dollars.”  From his expression and the gleam in   
   his eyes, Frohike    
   surmised the man had never seen that much money in one place at one time.    
   Such an amount could buy loyalty or silence up to a point.   
      
   “Did she say why she wanted you do this?” Monica asked.   
      
   The old man looked at her sympathetically.  “She said she was leaving to get   
   away from a bad relationship.”   
      
   "Boyfriend?"  Monica said softly.  Yves had never mentioned a boyfriend.   
      
   Frohike glanced at Monica and, leaning back in his chair, asked casually. “Did   
   she say who this boyfriend was?”   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)