CHAPTER 16
JACE'S P.O.V.
We went to the conference room as soon as we arrived. The others were already there
"Hey guys" Jade was the first to say something. One of the reason why I like him
"Did you get anything?" Olive asked
"Unfortunately, no" I answered
"We could even find any splatter stains" Mel backed me up
"Well, our perp sure is meticulous" Jade said
"What of you guys?" Mel asked referring to Jade and Sky
"We didn't get anything new as well" Sky said
"Not a single thing" Jade emphasized
"Well, I guess we would have to call it a day. We might have to go to the control room tomorrow" Alex said then we were dismissed
"Have you ever had a case where you had to use the control room?" I asked Mel when we reached our joint office
"Not really. Maybe three or four times. I don't know how this present case is, so, I can't really place them on a scale and measure their urgencies" she answered
"I see" I nodded
"Well, see you tomorrow" I told her
"Oh" I said as an after though, "next time, please don't be so stingy" I said and practically ran out before she could lash out
Nothing. I got nothing. After searching through the web for hours, I still got nothing
I have to admit, he is very skilled in hiding himself but, I can promise him. I am going to do anything, including using my last breathe, to uncover him and make him get what he deserved either by my opinion, John's or the people
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [
It came again, the attacker, the loud grunts, the pains, and the eyes, hopeless and painful eyes, the explosives.....
I signed. Another day
Fortunately, my nightmare, which can now be called my dream, decided to wake me up early today which gave me change to prepare for work like an abnormal person; a person being normal, to me, is when the person takes his/her time in getting ready for work
"Good morning" I greeted Mel but, she didn't reply
"Do you never sleep? Or is everyday just one day to you? Or are you from somewhere where days in this planet is just one day there? Or ...."
"What new rubbish are you spouting? she asked me
"Since you said 'new', you must be neither" I told her
She just looked at me
"Then why do you always continue your previous day emotion the next day?" I asked her
"What are you talking about?" she asked me confused
"If you were angry with me on a previous day, you continue to be angry with me the next day but, if you were happy with me on a previous day, you continue to be happy with me the next day"
"I am never happy with you. Beside, maybe your presence just annoys me"
"But what of when you are happy with me?"
"Once again, I am never happy with you. Maybe okay but, happy? Never"
"Come on, Mel. Never?" I asked her but she just gave me a straight look
"Fine"
"Come to the conference room when you are settled" she told me, finished what she was doing and went out. Just like that
"I matched the body with the results of the other two victims' and the information was correct, it's the same weapon that was used"
"That means it's the same killer, then" Alex noted
"And the only thing we have on the suspect is his physique and tattoos on his neck and arm, right" he asked Mel
"Yeah, two tribal-like tattoos. One from his left ear to the middle of his neck and, one from his upper left arm to a bit below his elbow" Mel stated
"The CCTV was also broken before the murder right?"
"Yes. Even though it would have been very difficult for anything to have been caught by the CCTV, he made sure to break it from a blind spot" Sky answered
"He sure is meticulous" Jade said
"So, we can't get any information from the CCTV, and the only thing we known about the suspect is his physique and tattoo, right?" Alex asked again while nodding his head
"Pretty much" Olive answered
"Did any of the victim have anyone who had a grudge on them or something?"
"No. They didn't do anything that seemed to warrant their death" I answered successfully holding back the bitterness
Just as John didn't do anything either
I knew Mel might wonder if something is wrong with me seeing I behave indifferent but, even since I lashed out on her, I've been making sure that would never repeat itself again
"When was the CCTV broken?" Jade asked
"Around 10pm" Olive answered
"And around what time did the murder occur by the result of the body?"
"Since the first case, 12 midnight?" Olive answered not sure where he was going with his question
I don't think anybody was
"Then, why don't we check the CCTV from before 10. Maybe we can get something from that or, see someone with the type of tattoo, or even him"
"Wow" Mel said
"I guess you really have the qualifications to be a CSI agent after all" Sky said
"Hey" he protested
"That might be possible" Alex said
"Sky" he called
"On it" she responded
"Nothing" Sky said
"I've been checking for hours now but, I got nothing"
"Well then, I guess there is nothing we can do, at least not today" Alex said
"It just had to be my idea that wouldn't work" Jade pouted
"Don't worry, another time will come" Sky patted him like a mother on his back
"Let's call it a day" Alex concluded and left
Everyone left but, I couldn't just leave yet so, I stayed behind to continue checking for anything that could prove useful
I continued searching the CCTV footage for a while. After that, I went to the web to see if something new, and useful, magically appeared
"Jace?"
I looked up
"Hey. What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to have gone home?"
"Well, that was what I was just about to ask you. What are you doing here?"
"Me? I am just searching around for you know? Evidence? Something helpful? Things like that"
"I see"
"Since I answered your questions, answer mine. What are you doing here?"
She rolled her eyes
"I realized that I forgot my phone so I came back to get it when I saw that your car was still in the parking lot. You weren't at the office and the lights were still on over here so I came to check" she said as she sat beside me
"Tsk, tsk. You, for one, never cease to disappoint me. How can a grown woman forget her phone at this age of the world?"
"How can a grown man always forget his brain when coming for work?"
"Wow, Mel, that was hurtful"
"I know. Have you made any progress?"
"You never stop working, do you?"
"So says you who is still in the office at 10:30pm"
She was right
"I checked the CCTV footage over and over again but, nothing came up. I even checked the web but, still nothing. I am still checking though" I dodged the question but, she didn't talk about it
"I see. I also checked before but, it was also to no use"
"How could there be no clue whatsoever? There was not even a trace of blood. He did the murders and wiped the area clean. No mistakes"
"I know, right? But there has to be something, right?"
"Nothing" I said devastated while she signed
"Still nothing" I said now getting frustrated
"I'm sure something is going to come around. We just have to check more" Mel said trying to reassured
"Until when?!" I snapped
"Well ..."
"I'm sorry. It's just that until when do we have to search. It's already after one in the morning"
"We can always continue when the day brightens?" she said with a slight smile
I looked at her before I smiled
"I'm sorry" I said again
I passed my hands through my hair
"I'm sorry" I repeated
"Hey, it's okay. It's okay for someone to get frustrated especially when that person is you"
"Me?" I asked her although I knew why she said that
That matter between us hasn't been settled
She shrugged instead of answering
"Let's just continue" I told her