Out-Smarting Outsmarter (Last)

                                    

                                          

Navilla ran as fast as she could after hearing the doorbell. It was 7 in the morning, and she knew it was just the newspaper delivery, but something about today felt different. She hurried downstairs and grabbed the paper. As she scanned through it, she realized it didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for. There it was—right on the first page.
"Please help me find my brother.
My brother is a gentle person, but he gets angry easily. Last night, we had a family argument, and he stormed out without saying a word. He has no survival skills and would likely starve if left alone. Please, if anyone sees him, contact us immediately. A reward of $1,000 will be given to anyone who finds him. Please, help us find my brother."
The message seemed so sincere, it was almost funny to think it was part of Zarif's elaborate plan. And there, right beneath the headline, was Isac's picture. Navilla couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. Zarif's plan actually worked. The phone number and the prize money were highlighted so clearly that it seemed impossible anyone would ignore it.
But something wasn't sitting right. The phone number in the ad wasn't theirs. Whose number was it?
With that question in mind, Navilla headed upstairs to talk to Zarif. She knocked on his door, and he opened it almost immediately. His eyes were bleary, his face tired—like he had just woken up or hadn't slept at all.
"The news is published," Navilla said.
"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?" Zarif replied, his voice flat.
"I'm just... surprised," she said.
"Anything else?" Zarif asked, sensing there was more she wanted to say.
"Yes," she hesitated. "I want to ask about the phone number in the ad. It's not ours. Whose number is it?"
Zarif chuckled softly. "I knew you'd ask that. The moment you said you were surprised, I figured it would be about something you didn't know. And the only unknown here is the phone number."
"So if you already know my question, then answer it," Navilla pressed.
"The number is from a local police station. I found it online," Zarif said nonchalantly.
Navilla furrowed her brow. "And how does that help us?"
Zarif leaned back against his doorframe, arms crossed. "First, we aren't ADT officers. If the authorities catch on, they'll trace the calls to that number, not us. Secondly, I don't want to talk to strangers if I don't have to. But those aren't the main reasons."
"Then what is the main reason?" she asked, feeling like she was missing something obvious.
"I don't want to spend $1,000 on nothing, especially when I don't even have that kind of money. It's a bluff," Zarif said, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Navilla raised an eyebrow. "So, the reward is a lie?"
"Exactly."
"And why give the police number?"
Zarif smiled wider. "Think about it."
Navilla paused for a moment, trying to piece it together. Suddenly, it clicked. "You're hoping someone reports him to the police?"
Zarif rolled his eyes. "No, idiot. I'm already tracking his phone. If anyone calls him, I'll know. I'm also tapping his conversations. So, no need to worry. It's all under control."
"You really love saving money, don't you?" Navilla said, shaking her head.
"Ahem, well, you could say that," Zarif said, looking away as if embarrassed.