That request was immediately denied.
Despite Nicoleâs insistence, Mr.
Castillo stood firm, committed to preserving his staffâs privacy in line with agency protocols.
Then, noticing a poster soliciting volunteer participation, Nicole spotted an opening.
âMr.
Castillo, might I volunteer here?â she proposed.
Mr.
Castillo regarded her skeptically.
âBelieve me.
I wonât interfere or cause any issues.
You can check my references with Mr.
Bates,â Nicole stated sincerely.
Mr.
Castillo still hesitated.
âThis situation is making me uneasy,â he confessed.
âIâm being transparent with you, Mr.
Castillo.
I simply wish to engage with the staff and understand the reasons behind their departures.
Iâm not willing to let any opportunity slip by,â Nicole stated openly.
Her forthrightness appeared to sway Mr.
Castillo, and he contemplated that allowing her to conduct her inquiries might prove beneficial.
Should she uncover nothing suspicious, it would further affirm his trust in the agencyâs integrity.
Mr.
Castillo explained, âTo apply for a volunteer position, youâll need to talk to our recruitment officer and undergo an interview with her.
I will not interfere for the sake of you.
â
Nicole expressed her gratitude, âThank you, Mr.
Castillo.
â
She then sought out the recruitment officer.
Although navigating the procedure was somewhat intricate, Nicole successfully completed the volunteer interview.
She committed herself to volunteer two days each week, consistently being the first to arrive and the last to leave.
Nicole proved to be diligent and quickly gained favor at the agency.
While there, she actively sought out information and inquired about employees who had considered resigning over the past six months.
She expanded her investigation, careful not to overlook any detail.
Knowing Jarrodâs careful nature, she surmised that if he were involved in any wrongdoing, it would be meticulously orchestrated.
Pretty soon, she discovered that in the last six months, only four employees had planned to leave, with one already having resigned.
Nicole examined the remaining three who were still with the agency but found nothing suspicious on the surface.
Still, she continued her investigation.
During her days off, she surveilled the home of the employee who had resigned, curious if he maintained any connections with current agency staff.
After a week of observation, she noticed an anomaly.
He was still engaging with a female employee from the agency.
They met for dinner at a restaurant, and after their meal, they lingered until the establishment closed.
Nicoleâs suspicions deepened, and she peered into the restaurant.
It was dark.
The restaurant had shut down for the evening.
Where could the two have disappeared to?
She moved around to the back entrance of the restaurant to look for any signs.
Behind the building, enveloped in darkness, Nicole noticed a few rooms above the restaurant glowing with red and purple lights, flickering in a way that suggested something unsavory.
The scene struck her as odd, the lights bearing the hallmarks of those typically seen in red-light districts.