COLDER

= THREE =

Caleb Gilbert woke up to the fading sound of the TV in the livingroom. He turned to the opposite side of the bed, but it was empty. His wife, Nina, was not beside him. 

He reached for his phone under the pillow and switched it on. After texting for a few minutes, he pulled out of bed lazily and shambled to the livingroom. 

He kissed his wife llightly on the lips. 

"Morning beautiful…" 

"Morning Handsome… I made you breakfast." 

He pecked her forehead. "I'm the luckiest husband breathing!" 

"You married me? What do you expect?" 

He shuffled her hair and glided to the kitchen to get breakfast. He lay the tray of toasted bread, scrambled eggs, cupcakes and a cup of milk tea on the table. 

He slumped next to her on the sofa. 

"Aren't you getting late for work?" 

Her eyes kept darting from the TV screen to her husband. 

She was still in disbelief. 

"I have some time," she said. "It's the news on TV…" 

Caleb glanced at the TV then at his wife. "Poor boy… His parents must be devastated…" 

"I know his parents… His dad… He Was my friend's dad…" 

"Was?" 

"She died… Suicide…" 

"Never heard you talk about her before…" 

"There's nothing much to talk about her…" 

But there was so much more… 

"I can't imagine what he's going through," said Caleb. "I hope they find that little boy safe and sound.." 

Nina hoped so but something in her gut told her there was something more sinister… She pushed back that thought in the back of her mind. 

Her phone rang.

It was her best friend, Scarlet. 

"Heyyyyyy youuuuuuu!" she was screaming on the other end. 

"Heeeyyy!" Nina tried to match her exuberant energy. 

"Guess Whaaaaaaaattttt!!!" 

"What!" Nina giggled.

"I AM COMING OVER TONIGHT AND I'LL BE STAYING OVER FOR THE WEEKEND!!!" 

Both Scarlet and Nina screamed on the phone. 

The two were as tight as twins and Nina often joked their kids would get married so their bond would be forever. 

"I will be waiting!!" Nina shrieked. 

"I want to find chicken cooked! And I want wine! Lots of wine!" Scarlet demanded. 

"Your wish is my command ma'am!"

"Okay peasant! See you then, silly!," Scarlet retorted. 

"Love you." 

"Me more!" 

She hung up. 

Nina turned to Caleb, who was enjoying the breakfast. Joy sparked her eyes. 

"Scarlet is coming over for the weekend!" 

"I wish you see how happy you look! She's not your husband. You should be excited to see me! I'm your husband!" 

She knocked his head with a cushion. "Shut up you jealous animal!" 

He faked surprise and gasped. 

"Did you just call me an animal!" 

"I think I did… What will you do about it?" 

"Eat you!" 

He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him, biting her neck. 

She pushed him away, giggling as she stood up. 

"I'm getting late for work!" 

===

Det. Megan's stomach curled at the revelation. 

"Are you sure this is him?"

Both Richard and Amber nodded. 

"It's him!" Richard stated. 

Amber shot the detective a cold question. "Does he have anything to do with Ray's disappearance? Is he hiding my son? Did he kidnap my son!" 

"No… No…"

"Then why did you ask about our new neighbour? It can't be a coincidence!" she snapped. 

"No… I'm just looking into all your neighbours," Megan said. 

"But you didn't even know he was our neighbour!" Amber taunted. 

"I did," Megan lied. "I'll be looking into all your neighbours. Tensen Truce is the first." 

Amber calmed down for a moment, the worry on her face fading. 

"What was the relationship like between Ray and your new neighbour?" asked Megan. 

"He's new here… I doubt they even ever talked." 

"They did talk," stated Richard. "I remember Ray came home one Saturday evening and said Ten had taught him some new riding tricks on his bicycle. I asked him who Ten is and he said it's the new neighbour… I never heard him talk about him again…" 

"Would you know by any chance how often they hang out? If they were growing close?" 

"As I said, Detective, I never heard my son talk about him again…" 

Megan gazed at the couple with pleading eyes. 

"For the sake of this case, please don't confront Tensen Truce. He's not a person of interest. And he's definitely not a suspect. I'll be looking into the other neighbours as well and any other individual I find suspicious. Okay?" 

They both nodded in agreement. 

Det. Megan cast them a look. "And, do you know anyone who would want to harm your son?" 

They shook their heads. 

"Ray is the sweetest little thing. Everybody loves him," said his mother. 

"And, could you know anyone who would want to harm you? Someone you have any misunderstandings or disagreement with?" 

Richard had a lot of business rivals but he couldn't think of anyone who would go to this extend. 

They both shook their heads. "No…" 

Megan closed her scrapbook and put it away. 

"If you think of any names," she gave them a card. "Feel free to call me." 

Amber frowned. "Please bring our son back to us." 

Megan nodded as she stood from the couch. "I will try my level best to do that, ma'am. Thankyou for your cooperation." 

She left the couple and headed towards the main door. 

The house help, Jenny, followed her to shut the door. 

A thought crossed Megan's mind and she immediately stopped at the door to look at her. 

A young, dark-haired woman who seemed nothing like your typical house help. 

"Jenny? Is it?" asked Megan. 

She nodded, looking startled. 

"Thanks for the coffee." 

"You're welcome, Detective." 

"You're the help around here, right?" 

"I am." 

"Mind coming down the station tomorrow morning? I'd love us to have a little chat just me and you." 

Megan gave a card to Jenny. 

"I'll be waiting…" 

Fear flickered in Jenny's eyes as she took a deep breathe. 

"I'll be there…" 

===

The stereo was booming. 

Caleb Gilbert sang loudly to the music as he cleaned around the house, mopping the floor, wiping and dusting the windows, washing the dishes and doing all the chores around the house. 

He even spread all the beds in both the master bedroom and the kids' room.

Nina would be overjoyed. 

She was used to coming home and finding he had made dinner. But she had never come home to find the house cleaned thoroughly by him. 

Well, she would be surprised and impressed by that.

After the general cleaning, he cooked lunch ; Chinese rice and spicy, fried chicken. She would love it! Plus lots of wine. 

He set the dining table and lit some candles.

He went back to the bedroom and spread red petals all around the bed. He even lit candles in the room. 

He was about to step into the shower and have a nice cold shower to clean the sweat but the doorbell rang, stopping him. 

It was her… 

He went to fetch the door. 

There she stood… 

Scarlet Silver. 

"Hey! Is your wife around?" 

His face broke into a smile. "Yes… She's standing looking at me right now…" 

She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him. 

He pulled back, carrying her in his arms and shut the door. 

"Oh baby the things I'll do to you!" he showered her with kisses from her lips down to her neck. 

She gazed at him coyly, giggling. 

"You better do them hard and fast or we'll get caught!" 

===

Megan greeted a few of her colleagues as she trailed down the hallway to her office. 

She swung the door open. 

Her heart stopped. 

Valerie. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Valerie sat so comfortably in her office chair. She welcomed her with a plastic smile. 

"That's not a way to welcome visitors, Detective Megan." 

"Not when the visitors welcome themselves and creep into offices." 

"We need to talk," she went straight to the point. 

Megan left the door open intentionally and strutted to her swivel chair. 

"About what?" she swung in the chair. 

Valerie stood up and shut the door. She resumed to the wooden chair and looked at Megan sharply. 

"About my husband." 

Megan scoffed. "Wait, you have a husband?" 

"I'm engaged. Soon to be married." 

"Not married." 

Valerie rolled her eyes. "Darren told me you two talked. And you told her I showed you the ring." 

"Get to the point, Valerie." 

"Stay away from Darren!" 

Megan snickered. 

"Done!" she paused. "Can you leave my office now? Please?" 

A frosty grin drew on her lips. 

"I have some wonderful news!" 

Megan tried her best not to roll her eyes. She just wanted this woman out of her sight and out of her office. 

"You're so generous," she faked a smile. "Share the news!" 

"I'm four months pregnant." 

Megan went stiff. 

Silence permeated the room. 

Joy flickered in Valerie's eyes. "Aren't you going to congratulate me?" 

She faked a smile. "Congratulations!" 

The office phone rang. 

She quickly picked it up, relieved. 

"Yes?" 

"In my office! Now!" 

"Right away, Sir!" 

She hung up and glanced at Valerie. 

"Can you leave my office now?" 

Valerie stood to leave, that smirk still on her perfect little face. 

Megan stopped her at the door. "Can you do me a favour, Valerie?" 

"Uh-huh?" 

"Stay away from me and most importantly, stay away from my office." 

===

"Welcome Det. Wolf!"

The office door swang open. 

Det. Megan Wolf stepped in. 

She was astonished to see Det. Darren sitting opposite Lieutenant Barnes in his office. 

Her hands trembled as she shut the door behind her. 

What was Darren doing here? 

"Have a seat!" 

She sat beside Darren, facing Lieutenant Barnes oppositely. 

"You must be wondering why I called you to my office this wonderful morning!" 

"Yeah?" 

"I have some good news for the both of you." 

They were both silent, listening keenly to the excited lieutenant. 

"I'm assigning the case of Ray Ripper to the both of you. You'll be lead detectives on the case. I'm sure you've heard about his disappearance by now… His parents want answers fast!" 

Megan cleared her throat. "I'm on the case already, Sir… I just talked to the parents…" 

"Good," Lt. Barnes stated. "But now you'll have someone to help you." 

She stared sharply at him. "I don't need someone to help me, sir. I've got this. This is my case. I can handle it." 

"And I didn't say you can not, Det. Wolf," he paused. "But two heads are better than one, right?" 

Megan could feel Darren's sharp stare on her. She inwardly groaned. 

Lt. Barnes clasped his hands on the desk. "The two of you are the top detectives of this department. The recent disappearance and death of little boys is alarming. I'm sure you two will do a pretty good job at bringing the perpetrator to justice. I trust the both of you." 

This came as a big surprise to Megan. 

This was the same man who had suspected romance between the two of them. And now he was pairing them back again on a case? 

What had changed now? 

Darren stretched his hand out to her. 

" Partners? "

She shook his hand, plastering a smile. 

" Partners."

====

The office was bigger. 

Compared to the her previous office in the, former company she worked in, this one was much bigger and much more luxurious. 

The glassy windows were massive, inviting a great deal of light inside. The windows acted as a mirror through which the scenic view of the small town was vividly reflected. 

A beige leather couch sat just beside the window, with a dark brown rug below a wooden table. A collection of books stood, nicely arranged on the little shelf nailed to the wall. 

The office was like her little haven. 

She tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the glassy desk, her eyes glued to the monitor of the computer. She had a meeting in about twenty minutes with the senior staff and her boss and she was getting ready for that. 

A knock came on the door, grabbing her attention. 

It was her sweet secretary, Julia. 

"Yes. Come in." 

She walked in, her heels making cluck sounds on the floor. She was holding a brown envelope. 

"For you, ma'am." 

"Thankyou, Julia." 

"You're welcome, ma'am." 

She quickly exited. 

Nina didn't hesitate to tear the envelope apart. 

Inside was a white letter, written with what looked like blood!!! 

"An eye for an eye!" 

"A tooth for a tooth!" 

"A SON for a SON!!!" 

===