2
1966 Words
CHAPTER 2
JACK
"I picked up on something about money," Olivia replied. "And a deal that had gone south. The dark-haired man kept saying the victim had delayed some kind of payment." she ended.
"Hmm." Was all jack let out.
McAllister thanked the Olivia and made a note to get a sketch artist to work on the description.
Olivia was dismissed and so was Jack. She made her way out of the office with him directly on her tail.
"So… Miss Moore huh? That's more to the name." Jack breathed out trying to make conversation.
"At least you got to know my name. I haven't had the pleasure of knowing yours." She replied, still walking ahead not stopping nor slowing her pace.
"I'm detective Carter." He said as he caught up to her. "Jack Carter." He ended and she suddenly stopped.
She looked him over and smirked.
"Not bad. Nice to meet you once again detective. Goodluck in your murder case." She said and walked out the main door.
"Likewise miss Moore!" He called from behind her and turned to walk back to his desk but his heart prodded him to get something off his chest.
Olivia's beauty drew him more than he let on.
She seemed like a nice person.
He turned back around and raced after her.
"Miss Moore! Wait up." He said as he caught up to her, she turned to him with an eyebrow raised.
"Yes?" She asked innocently.
"Yeah… uhm… can I like, get your number?" He asked and earned a curious stare from her.
"Uh…"
"Okay, let's put it this way, would you like to go out with me sometime?" He asked directly, running a hand through his black hair.
"Sure." Olivia said and passed him a small smile. Taking his phone from his hand, she dialed her number and handed it over to him.
"Thanks." Jack said, giving her a full grin. Little did he know what else she had done with his phone in the short time she handled it.
Waving goodbye, Jack turned around and walked back to his office.
His colleagues gave him curious looks as he walked past them, some even gave him slight smiles. Signifying that they knew what he was unto.
Jack just rolled his eyes as he walked past them to his desk.
Back at his desk, Jack stared at the victim's photograph, the pieces of the case scattered before him.
The mysterious emails, the argument, the unknown substance in the bloodstream—everything was off.
His mind drifted back to Olivia.
Did she say the truth? Something about her screamed mysterious but enticing.
His phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text from Lisa, it read:
"IP trace complete. Got a location."
...
Jack’s steps were heavy with the weight of the case pressing on his mind as he trudged home from work.
He didn't take his car to work earlier and his colleague only dropped him off a few blocks to his house, so he had to walk the rest of the way home.
The cool night air did little to ease the exhaustion that was evident on him.
Jack got to his apartment, it was quiet and still—not a like he expected any different.
He could finally relax for a while until the weight of tomorrow came down again.
As he walked into his study, he flicked on the lamp, the soft yellow light spilling over his desk.
He settled into his chair, pulling out the forensic and autopsy reports, along with the photos of the victim.
Getting up, he got some hot chocolate along with some bread and chewed away while going through the files.
Jack opened the forensic report first, skimming through the technical words used until something caught his eye.
The water glass from the hotel room had traces of cyanide. His theory about poisoning was correct, but the question remained:
Who would want the victim dead, and why?
The autopsy report was equally horrible. The victim, identified as John Wilkins, had no defensive wounds, suggesting he had been caught off guard.
The cyanide poison in his system had acted quickly, shutting down his organs and causing the grotesque shapes in his limbs and face.
Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he read through the medical notes, trying to piece everything together.
Who was John Wilkins? What had he been involved in that led to such a brutal end?
This question kept on repeating itself in Jack's mind on and on.
Jack rubbed his temples, feeling a headache brewing.
He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh.
While relaxing,his mind wandered to the events at the hotel, replaying the night in his head.
Then, as if a light bulb flickered on, he remembered something—Olivia.
Olivia had been there that night, although seemingly suspicious, he brushed it aside, remembering he took her number earlier today.
He could call her and maybe try his luck to get on the good side of his new crush.
Without overthinking it, he reached for his phone and dialed her number. The line rang a few times before going to voicemail.
Where could she be at such a time? At least her phone should be nearby.
He hung up and called again, it rang a few times once more and she finally picked up.
"Hello?" Her voice was soft, a contrast to the medical reports and harsh images of a dead man scattered around him.
It made him wonder if she was actually connected to the crime at all.
"Olivia? It’s Jack. How are you?" He asked with a little bit of excitement bubbling I'm his stomach.
"Jack. Hi, I’m doing okay. Just trying to finish up on some business. How are you?" she responded calmly.
At her response, Jack smiled, leaning back in his chair.
"I’m alright. Busy with the case, as you can imagine. Have you had dinner yet?" He asked trying to sound casual as he wondered where this new acquaintance would lead.
There was a pause on the other end, and he could almost hear her smile.
"No, I haven’t. I was just about to think of something to make." Her voice sounded a bit distant.
Why hadn't she had dinner? It's almost 8pm
"How about I take you to dinner instead?" Jack asked out of the blue,even surprised at his own boldness.
There was another pause, longer this time. Jack held his breath, hoping she hadn’t misread the situation.
"I’d like that," Olivia finally said. "I could use a break and some good company." She said and he let out a breath he was holding.
Jack felt a wave of relief and excitement.
"Great. There’s a great little place I know, cozy and quiet. Say, around 9 PM? I’ll pick you up at your place?" He asked in excitement.
"Uh… no, I'll meet you there, what's the location?" She asked but Jack waved off every form of suspicion as he quickly called out the address to her.
After they hung up, Jack found himself smiling, the weight of the case momentarily lifting.
He glanced at the clock—it was already 8pm.
He quickly got into the shower to freshen up and changed out of his work clothes into something more casual but still sharp.
Consisted of a navy button-down shirt and dark jeans. He ran a hand through his hair, checked his reflection in the mirror, and grabbed his keys.
Checking the time it was 8:45pm. He got into his car and started on his way to the restaurant.
The drive to the restaurant was short, and he found himself humming along to the radio, feeling a rare lightness.
When he arrived, she was already waiting outside, looking stunning in a simple yet elegant white midthigh dress.
Her smile when she saw him made his heart skip a beat.
"Hi," she greeted, her eyes sparkling.
"Hi." he replied, offering her his arm.
"Took you so long to drive to a restaurant." She joked and he chuckled,she followed through with him too.
"Pardon me, I didn't bring flowers." He said in reply and she just shrugged.
"It's okay, just bring em next time" She replied, flashing him a grin.
Next time… She wanted a next time? This is progress.
He smiled back at her and together they entered into the restaurant. It was full but not packed with people.
The restaurant was a small Italian restaurant, known for its very delicious food, especially pasta.
When they arrived, they were seated in a cozy corner, away from the main dining area.
As they say, Jack couldn't help but get intrigued by this mystery beauty sitting just across him.
He wanted to make small talk and find out more about her despite his growing feelings for her.
As he picked up the menu to make orders, he decided to say something.
"So, Olivia. What do you do for a living." When his question dropped, he saw her stiffen a little. But pretended not to notice, she also delayed a bit before answering.
"You know just the usual 9-5 jobs." She said and signaled a waiter. "Uh… can I get a Lombardy ravioli stuffed with pulled beef." She placed an order with a smile on her face.
Jack had just been observing, she was a true beauty, but what skeletons could she be hiding in her closet?
The waiter got to Jack and asked for his order, he cleared his throat and sat up, ordering the same thing as her with a boiled egg.
After noting down their orders the waiter left them and Jack leaned on the table. His gaze never leaving her face.
"You're very intriguing." He blurted out. Earning him a giggle from the female just across him.
He returned a small smile.
"And you're very nosy," She said as she took a sip from the drink previously served. "So Jack, how long have you been a detective?" She asked and he smiled.
She's trying to figure out a detective. Detective being detected.
"As long as I can remember." He responded and she passed him a small smile
"You must have short term memory then." She made an inside joke and giggled, it took Jack a while to get the joke and when he did, he laughed along with her.
"Good one Olivia, good one." He commented as leaned back in his seat when he took notice of the waiter coming with their food.
"So, any family? Pet? Loved one?" Olivia asked, the atmosphere around them was lighter and easier to make conversation.
"Well, my dog died a few months ago so, no pets for now. Family isn't in this city—I mean my parents and siblings, not any other kind of family…" He trailed off
Trying to read her face if she got the point he was trying to pass, she shouldn't think he's married and she nodded.
Their food arrived at the perfect moment, the first thing Jack did was to take a bite out of the boiled egg.
"What about you Olivia? You look… interesting." He added and she blushed making him smile.
He liked this woman, but still needed to be careful with her.
"Yes, I have a pet—A rabbit, her name is Dolsie,cute little thing. Uh… my parents are dead, no siblings whatsoever. So it's just me." She ended with a grin.
How could someone grin at something like this? Perhaps to avoid pitious looks and questions.
"Oh." Was all he could let out. "Let's enjoy our meal, I really want to savor these pulled beef." Jack informed and smiled at her.
She visibly relaxed, thankful he did not press on further. Her stomach rumbled and she realized how hungry she was.
- Writer
