COLDER

= TWO =

The local reporters buzzed outside The Ripper House, trying to get the couple to give more information on the disappearance of their son. 

All that media frenzy took Amber Ripper way back, a decade ago, when her daughter, Kimberly Ross had died. It attracted a lot of local media attention since her husband was a prominent businessman in the town. The news had been appalling. And Richard had wanted justice for her step-daughter.

And now this? 

Just when things had started to feel normal again… 

Just when she thought it was happily ever after for her little family… 

Richard's business in and out of town was booming. He was even planning to open branches of his companies outside the country to grow his business internationally. 

Amber's Fashion House was blossoming and it's success was at the peak. It was a miracle that The Fashion House had grown so widely in and out of the town. 

Their four year old girl, Alyssa, had just joined school and she seemed happier than ever to be making friends and doing all the fun kids stuff. 

Ray, who had just turned nine, was doing great at school, getting excellent grades. He had topped his class the previous month and his father had gotten him a bicycle. He was so overwhelmed by bliss and joy and that same day he was riding it around, flaunting it to his friends. 

The Ripper Family was living what most families would consider a perfect dream… 

They were the perfect family… 

And now this? 

Ray was missing? 

He had not come back home the previous day. 

Amber had come home from work in the evening and found the house help, Jenny, playing with Alyssa. But Ray was nowhere to be seen in the house… He had not come back from school…

She assumed that her son was out riding on his bicycle with his friends… Like he always did after school… 

But then the night crept in and he still didn't come home. She started calling all his friends' homes but they knew nothing. They all said he'd left school in his bike and was going to see a friend… 

All of them didn't know this friend… 

When it was 9.00pm and Ray was still nowhere to be found, they called 911 to report a missing child. 

That's when the nightmare began… 

The night was long and his parents didn't catch any sleep. They were worried sick. At the break of dawn, Richard didn't hesitate to call on the media to help find Ray. 

But the media didn't seem to help much… 

They wanted the parents to have patience but patience is what they lacked. They didn't have the time to be patient. What they wanted is their son back home in their arms… 

Amber sat on the couch, her head on Richard's chest. He engulfed her in his big, warm arms, giving comfort. He had to be strong for her. 

The house help, Jenny, stood outside the kitchen door and looked at the couple, concern in her eyes. 

"Do you two want tea? Coffee? Juice?" 

Amber glared at her. "I want my son! That's what I want!"

Richard gave her a warm look and said softly, "No, thanks Jenny." 

"Where is my daughter?" Amber barked. 

"I dressed her up for school," Jenny replied. "The bus just picked her up." 

She cried out in pain. "What if she gets lost too? What if she vanishes into thin air never to be seen again!" 

Richard cleared his throat. "Jenny, please excuse us." 

The househelp vanished into the kitchen, leaving the couple alone. 

He patted Amber's back and kissed the top of her head. 

"Everything will be okay," he said softly. 

But, would it? 

The doorbell rang. 

Amber bolted to the door, praying it was a good Samaritan that had found her son. Her husband lurked fast behind her. 

She flung the door open. 

The sparkle in her eyes faded with disappointment at the sight of the familiar face. 

A green-eyed brunette. 

She stretched her hand to greet them and showed them the oval badge. 

"Detective Megan Wolf." 

===

Darren Todd woke up the minute he fell from the couch he slept on. He groaned as he stood up and reached for his phone under the pillow. 

He woke up just on time… Thanks to the sudden fall from the sofa to the floor. 

An aroma of pancakes made it's way from the kitchen to the living room. He could hear loud footsteps on the tiled floor. 

Valerie. 

He sauntered to the kitchen and found her stirring sugar in the cup of tea. She was in a tangerine lacy sleeping gown that barely covered her long, slender legs. The dress showed off her curves, her n*****s poking out vividly.

She flipped back her golden hair as she tilted her head to look up at him. Her piercing blue eyes settled on him. 

"The king just woke up!" she said. "I didn't see you last night…" 

"Came home late…" 

"Where were you?" 

"I'm not sure my whereabouts should be your business." 

"You're my business, Darling. We are going to be getting married," she flaunted her ring. 

Darren grimaced. "You told Megan about the ring?" 

"So you two are talking? You were with her last night, right? That's why you're late?" 

"That's none of your business, Valerie." 

"For the last time, you are my business!" 

"I don't care who you tell about the ring but can you PLEASE not tell any of our co-workers? You know we could both lose our jobs if the lieutenant finds out that we are engaged!" 

"Megan is the only one I told!" she blurt out. "I thought since you two used to be good friends, I should be the one to break the good news to her since you don't talk anymore… But shock on me!"

He shrugged. "Just stay away from Megan." 

"We work in the same building. That's a little impossible, don't you think?" 

He glared at her. "I'm serious, Valerie!" 

She rolled her eyes. "Fine! I'll stay away from your perfect precious princess!"

He shook his head and grunted. "You're acting childish." 

"What did you just say!" 

He didn't respond. Instead, he sailed past her and reached for the drugs in the upper shelf. He poured cool water in a glass and took the painkillers. 

"Your back is still hurting?" she asked softly. 

"Sadly…" he muttered. 

"You know you can stop sleeping on the couch and sleep on the bed with me instead." 

"No thanks." 

"I'll sleep on the couch. Sleep on the bed." 

"I'm a gentleman." 

She chuckled and handed him a cup of tea. 

"I prefer coffee. Thanks." 

He quickly made coffee with a little less sugar. As he sipped the black drink, she looked up at him and smiled.

"I made some pancakes." 

"I'm late," he muttered. "I don't think I can do pancakes." 

He headed out of the kitchen, the mug clasped in his hand. She then asked him something that stopped him on his heel. 

"Do you still love Megan?" 

He spun around, his eyes full of emotion. 

"I know you know the answer to that…" 

Then he left the kitchen. 

===

That Friday morning, Nina Gilbert prepared her kids for school and sent them off to the school bus that waited outside. 

Life was kind of great. 

She had been skeptical about coming back to the town she lived almost all her life, Kingsville. There were just a lot of horrors and bad memories in this town. 

She had lived in Hayden for the eight years she had been away. She got married and had kids there… Life was perfect in the new town… 

But then her mother, Terry, got drastically sick. So sick that she was forced to move back to the town she tried so hard to run away from… After all these years… But this was her mom. And she was sick. She had to be there for her… 

With the help of her husband, Caleb, she had bought a house here and built a warm, safe home for their little family. She luckily and quickly got a "General Manager" job in the town but Caleb struggled to no avail. 

Since he wasn't lucky to get a job, he decided to stick to his job in Hayden. He drove one and a half hours every morning from Kingsville to Hayden and back. It really touched Nina that he was making this sacrifice for her… For their family… 

After sending off the kids to school that day, she dashed to the kitchen to make breakfast for Caleb. He was dead asleep since it was his day off. He would be delighted to wake up and find breakfast ready. 

Done with baking cupcakes, toasting bread and scrambling eggs, she finished up with cooking some milk tea. 

Caleb loved milk tea. 

She tossed herself on the black velvet couch in the livingroom and switched on the TV as she took her breakfast. 

She sipped the tea, jumping from channel to channel. She stumbled upon some shocking news and a familiar face. 

Richard Ripper?

Freya's dad? 

His nine-year old son was missing??? 

===

The coffee was warm. 

Det. Megan preferred it hot. 

But her mother had taught her better than to voice her preferences in the house of a kind, generous stranger. 

She said thanks to the househelp, Jenny, and sipped the coffee. 

The parents looked at her, hope in their tired eyes. They were haggard. It was vivid they had barely gotten some sleep the previous night. The woman's eyes were red and pale, full of agony. The man had a long face, obviously exhausted and drowning in despair… 

Megan couldn't imagine what the man was going through… 

He had lost a daughter years ago… 

Freya Ripper… 

And here was his little son missing ten years later… 

Megan didn't want to break the news to the parents but she knew their son was dead. She had been a cop too long to know the ending of these kinds of cases. And this one wouldn't be an exception… 

"Please tell us you'll find our son!" The wife begged. "Find him and bring him back to us! Please Detective!" 

Megan nodded. "I'll do my best, Mrs. Ripper," she assured. "But I need to ask the both of you to answer some few questions. Is that okay?" 

They both nodded. 

She took out her scrapbook and pen. 

"At what time does Ray leave school?" 

"At about 3.00pm."

"Does the school bus bring him or-"

"He has a bicycle. He rides himself home since a month ago when Richard got it for him." 

She scribbled on the book and looked up at them again. 

"At about what time does he arrive home?" 

"4:30pm or latest, 5:30pm… Around that time frame." 

"If he leaves school at 3:00pm and arrives home at 4:30pm, what does he do in between that time?" 

"He loves to ride with his friends… They race around competing…" 

"Did you contact all of these friends to ask about where he could be?" 

"Yes." 

"And what did they tell you?" 

"He didn't ride home with them. He went to see a friend." 

"Who is this friend?" 

She frowned, her voice breaking. "They don't know him…" 

Megan froze. 

"Is it a man?" 

Confusion crinkled on her brow. "I assumed it's a boy… Why would you think it's a man?" 

Megan didn't want to raise any alarm so she plastered a smile. "Nothing really…" 

She suddenly asked, "Do you know a man by the name Tensen Truce?" 

They both shook their heads. 

Megan dug out a photo from the pockets of her black coat. 

"Have you by any chance seen this man before?" 

Dark eyes. 

Bald head. 

Crooked teeth. 

Pointed nose. 

Split chin. 

Medium height. 

Broad shoulders. 

Puffy chest. 

The couple exchanged glances, looked at the photo then looked back at Megan. 

Amber blurt out, her eyes almost popping out of her sockets. 

"He's our new neighbour!" 

===