Holden and Sable aimlessly wandered around the municipal district. Initially, Now that Holden knew what the ghost girl looked like, he wouldn’t need Sable to help when looking through pictures or sketches to know whether or not they were of the ghost girl he and Sable were investigating.


    Even though none of the articles within the Grand Library provided them with any clues as to who the ghost girl was, or why she became a ghost in the first place, there were other places that might be able to provide answers.


    Holden would have to reach out to another contact in order to make use of those places. His first choice of contacts was Elliandra, who would be the most likely person to help Holden and Sable with their current situation. Holden and Sable made their way and waited outside Elliandra’s apartment until sunrise.


    Much to Sable’s bewilderment, Holden was able to fall asleep sitting up against the wall. “This man could probably snooze in the middle of a battlefield.” Sable yawned as he watched the ghost girl approach him. “Is this what it’s like for you? Just sitting around watching people sleep at night?”


    The ghost girl shrugged her shoulders. “Mostly. I just kind of wander around. But I always return to the apartment, no matter how far I go.”


    “Is it by choice? Or are you somehow forced to go back there?”


    “It’s by choice. It’s the only place I feel comfortable. Not sure where else I would go either.”


    “Have you remembered anything at all about who you were? Any little bit might help.”


    The ghost girl somberly shook her head. She then smiled because of a sudden realization. “Hey, I just noticed something. You’re not freaking out talking to me anymore.”


    Sable’s ears perked up. “Wait. You’re right. Hmm, that’s unusual. Maybe I just needed to get used to you. I certainly don’t think of you as something frightening anymore.”


    The two of them sat there making small talk until sunrise when Holden finally awoke from his slumber. Holden’s eyes turned red from missing half a night’s sleep, yet the man still had the energy to pick himself up and knock on the door. “Elliandra? Are you awake? Elliandra?”


    Elliandra forcefully opened the door, giving Holden a death glare. “What do you want this early in the morning?”


    “Why so grouchy? Aren’t you usually up at this time?”


    “Usually,” Elliandra said, crossing her arms. “But today is my day off. What’s so important that you have to interrupt my beauty sleep?”


    “Elliandra, you’re beautiful even when you don’t get a full night''s rest.”


    Elliandra pointed a disapproving finger at him. “Flatter isn’t going to improve my mood, Holden.” She then re-crossed her arms while leaning against the doorframe. “Now what’s this about?”


    Holden then gestured toward Sable. “If it helps your mood; this favor I’m about to ask you is for his sake more than my own.”


    “Hi Sable,” Elliandra said while waving her hand. “The fact that it’s for Sable makes it worth being woken up early. Now get in here. I’m going to change out of my pajamas. You two can wait in the living room.”


    Elliandra went back to her room to put on some clothes. She didn’t have time to wash her hair, so she just threw it into a ponytail before meeting Holden and Sable out in her living room. Elliandra flopped onto the couch while still glaring at Holden with her natural red eyes, which only made her seem angrier. “So, what is it that you two want?”


    Holden gestured for her to wait a moment, then dug a crystal out of his bag. This crystal had a faint purple glow. Holden tapped the crystal while looking expectantly at Elliandra.


    Elliandra recognized that this crystal contained a spell; it just needs magic to activate. After pouring her magic into it a barrier appeared around the three of them.


    Elliandra immediately recognized the spell’s purpose. “A barrier for warding off divination, and an expensive one no less. You really don’t want anyone to know about this conversation. What is it you guys are going to ask me?”


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    Holden and Sable looked at one another. They both knew that it would be better if Sable asked for the favor. As much as the cait-sith hated to admit it, the fact that people treated him like a house cat made some things easier. Asking for favors was one of them.


    “Our apartment is haunted by a ghost girl,” Sable explained. “And we need your help so she can pass on.”


    Elliandra furrowed her brows at the absurdity of the request. “Holden, are you two just messing with me? Or has the cat gone mad?”


    “Unfortunately, it’s the latter,” Holden replied with a serious expression. “As far as I can tell, this cat is hallucinating.”


    “I’m not crazy,” Sable insisted. “If anything, all of you are just fools, because you can’t see her.”


    Elliandra went over to Sable to search his chin. “Aw, you’re so cute when you act all defensive.”


    Sable begrudgingly accepted her chin scratches without complaint, while looking uncomfortably at Holden with eyes that begged him to make her stop. Holden just pretended not to notice until Elliandra got her fill.


    After a full minute of scratching Sable on the chin, behind the ears, and along his neck, Elliandra sat back down on the couch. “So, what exactly is it that you need me to do?”


    “I want to use the resident files to try to figure out who this ghost girl is. We have a highly detailed sketch of her. We just need to find out who she is, and what happened to her.”


    “There’s no such thing as the residential files,” Elliandra said, unable to maintain eye contact with Holden. “Sorry. I can’t help you.”


    “Elliandra, you and I both know that you’re lying.”


    “Can someone explain to me what that is?” Sable asked, wondering just how this was supposed to help with their current predicament.


    Holden smirked right before answering Sable’s question. “The residential files are a top-secret vault where the Chrimoria Government keeps records of every single resident who has ever lived in the city, including the current residents. We could use it to identify our ghost girl. The issue is civilians aren’t supposed to know about it. Only high-ranking officials.”


    “I don’t see what’s so wrong with that. Plenty of cities have files on their residents. Why keep this a secret?”


    “It’s because of the information stored there. Let’s just say, it’s information the government isn’t supposed to have. Plus, most public records get rid of residents'' information up to twenty years after their passing. The Residential Files never get rid of information. There is even information that the government has covered up there.”


    Elliandra clicked her tongue. “Should''ve known a former spy would have dirt on the Chrimoria government. How did you come across this information? Wait. Never mind. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”


    “She isn’t the same carefree woman I first met,” Sable pointed out.


    “That’s because I can’t be,” Elliandra snapped. “Not about this. The fact that you’re asking me about this puts me in a delicate position. If anyone finds out that we talked-.”


    “It’ll be fine. I’ve snuck into places that are probably far more secure. You don’t have to worry about people ever knowing.”


    “This is different, Holden. I can’t help you with this. It’s not like sneaking into an abandoned tavern to prove a man’s innocence like the last job. The higher up could overlook something like that, but not this. I’m sorry. I can’t help. If anything, I should report you.”


    Holden sighed. “Alright. I know how stubborn you can be, and this isn’t worth burning any bridges over.” Holden then tapped the crystal, ending the spell before stowing the crystal away in his bag. “Thank you for your time, Elliandra. I’m sorry for waking you up early.”


    “Of course, Holden. What you''re asking for is just outside of my power. Please take care.”


    Elliandra couldn’t conceal her anxiety as she watched Holden and Sable walk out the door. She bit her lips so hard that they bled. Elliandra then ran out the door while Holden and Sable were in the hallway. “Holden,” she shouted, causing the duo to stop. “Please be careful. You have a tendency to find trouble. I wouldn’t want to see anything bad happen to you.”


    Holden turned around to give Elliandra a warm smile, then left the apartment with Sable.


    Once they were outside, Sable had a few questions that were bothering him. “What was with that formal goodbye at the end there?” Sable then attempted to impersonate Holden by speaking in a deep voice. “Thank you for your time, Elliandra. I’m sorry for waking you so early.”


    “It’s best to end those conversation on good terms, especially when someone is turning down a plea for help.”


    “You’re not making any sense.”


    Holden just shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. He wasn’t going to explain it to Sable on the off chance that Elliandra was investigated in the future regarding what he was about to do. Elliandra was right when saying she could get in serious trouble if word got out that she didn’t report Holden for asking her to use the Residential Files, so Holden was going to leave behind as little evidence as possible.


    That formal goodbye was just a show in case Elliandra was ever investigated. The use of a barrier to block divination was already suspicious. However, if they could make it seem like Holden was just asking for a favor that Elliandra couldn’t accommodate, rather than something more serious, then it would make things easier on her. Of course, Holden wasn’t going to explain that to Sable in case they decided to investigate him too because of the suspicious circumstances.


    “Well, Cat,” Holden said with a smug grin. “Let’s just say that you’ll start to understand these things the longer you’re in this line of work.”


    “Whatever you say, Chopped Liver,” Sable retorted with a grin of his own.