The first thing he did when he returned home was what any academic would do: go do research.

He wanted to find out everything he could about this Valentin person and the bar & club. So he started to methodologically skim all articles and sources he could get his fingers on about The Neon Bar & Club and this mysterious photographer.

He knew both the need to regain control over the situation as well as his curiosity were insatiable drivers. Drivers, which also made him a successful research assistant at the university.

Linus was determined and knew exactly what he wanted. He was an out-of-the-box thinker and came up with creative solutions quickly. Very often, he succeeded and got what he wanted, despite his inept behaviour once he set a foot outside or stepped out of his comfort zone.

He found out rather quickly that The Neon Bar & Club belonged to an older couple. The female owner had inherited the property from her own mother and turned it to a bar. Once she had met her husband, they had renovated and expanded the property: they had added the club. This had been twenty-five years ago, according to an old interview with a local newspaper that he found in their online archive.

Now, The Neon was facing some difficulties due to rural depopulation. Less and less young people where frequenting the bar since they moved away or went to newer clubs and bars that had popped up in the next bigger city, as he read from an article that was a year old.

This would explain their recent rebranding strategy, Carter thought.

The man he had talked to, Tom, was the owners son, as he found out on their website. The new website did look good, and the pictures on the website really captured the charming character of the bar. Their new photographer seemed to know what he did. Linus was the best example - it was those charming pictures about the wooden design of the bar and the small club that had convinced him a few days ago to pick this specific remote and charming location.

Next, he looked for a Valentin on their fairly new Instagram channel. The recent picture did lead him to the account of a "Valentin Carr."

The profile picture didn't show the face of the photographer but rather his side profile from a distance. It was a black-and-white picture that reminded him of figures from a Jane Austin book cover he had seen recently in the fislay window of the bookstore around the corner from where he lived.

He chuckled at that thought.

His impression of the mysterious photographer was definitely a bit like Lizzy's first impression of Mr. Darcy: cold, aristocratic aura (nose), arrogant.

He scrolled through Valentin's public profile and was relieved to not see the picture that most probably this  photographer had taken last night anywhere on Valentin's social media. But the newest post did grab his attention.

It showed that ally where Linus had passed out. It was dark in the picture, and the green neon sign was a stark contrast to the blackness that dominated the majority of the picture. The picture looked cold, eerie but also mesmerising. He couldn't look away.

Yesterday, he remembered, he had been sitting on the stairs one could see barely in the background. Linus suspected that he had wanted to get some fresh air. Probably overwhelmed by meeting Carter. He could imagine that he told Carter he'd be right back.

But then again, wouldn't Carter have insisted on following him outside? Or at least would've worried if he didn't return? There would've definitely needed to have been some kind of commotion if the bar had called an ambulance...

Linus thoughts were racing with scenarios. Maybe he shouldn't rule out Carter yet...

The doorbell rang.

His sister!

He had completely forgotten about her.

He quickly closed all the tabs and collected the few papers he had printed and hid them at the bottom of the pile at the right side of his desk. These were exams he still had to correct. He groaned  in frustration.

Lost in the research tunnel, he had barely felt like any time had passed. But one look at the clock told him he had been buried deep in his research for three hours.

Why was he even so invested? It wasn't even sure that Valentin had the picture... but he was now quite convinced at least that Valentin was with a high probability the photographer from last night.

One thing was clear: he had to go back to The Neon and find out more as soon as he could. He needed to talk to Carter. He felt in his gut that not everyone he had met was trustworthy and had his best interests in mind.

The best example was that photographer. Valentin seemed to be as twisty as they got. He had questionable morales as far as he had seen, not taking a no for an answer. That was dangerous. Linus had to be careful. Or, he thought, wasn't there the saying: keep your friends close and your enemies closer...?

He needed a plan. Quickly.

́The doorbell rang again. 

"I'm coming!" He shouted and turned the office lights off and closed the door to his home office behind him.