8

After calling Jasper's parents. Waiting for them to get to the house, and taking separate cars we finally got to the scene. Lisa met us. "Her name's Paris Rong. Her father found her and called us," she said irritatedly.

I frowned. "Are you mad it took you from your date?"

"I hadn't even gotten to the restaurant when I got the call. I had to call Ken and tell him that my work called and I couldn't come to dinner!"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "You wanted to be a detective."

She looked away but I could see that she was glaring. "Shut up."

"Is the wolf head above her?" I asked Lisa before they start arguing with each other. When they start to argue it could take hours before they stop. Guess twins do that sometimes. Not that I would ever let Jasper adopt twins.

Lisa looked at me and nodded. "I read your notes on the wolf heads we found at the Ruth house. So I checked this head and it has all the details."

"Okay." We went in and Jasper knelt by the body. "Was she strangled?" I asked after a few minutes. I couldn't see her neck so I couldn't tell.

"Yes, and beaten," Jasper said. "She might have clawed this guy but we might not get anything since this guy wears long sleeves."

"She has the brown hair that all our other victims had," Amanda said,

I nodded. "Do we know her age?"

"Sixteen," Noah said. "She's five foot four too."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "How do you know that?"

Julian pointed to the bathroom. "They marked her growth on the wall in there. The last measurement was this morning."

"We always find the bodies during the day. Why did he kill this one at night?" Amanda said.

"She's sixteen. He probably asked her out on a date and then this happened," Noah said. Amanda stuck her tongue out at him.

"She wasn't the only one who had a date tonight," Lisa mumbled.

Everyone looked confused but Jasper and I. Jasper's eyes narrowed and I glared at her. "Would you stop? We get that you're upset about canceling your date." I turned to Jasper. "IS there anything else you can tell me?"

"She fought back pretty hard if the bruises on her knuckles say anything," Jasper replied gently turning her hand so we could see the bruises.

I turned to Lisa. "Where's her father?"

"In his truck. He said that he felt better being close by," she said glaring at me. I really didn't care if I pissed her off because at the moment we needed to focus on the scene.

"It's odd that you were planning to talk to him tomorrow and his daughter ends up dead," Amanda said.

"I know. Julian, Noah, I want you to start door-to-door. Amanda, Lisa, I want you to look in all the rooms. See if you come across anything suspicious," I said.

"What will you be doing?" Lisa asked grumpily.

"Talking to Henry Rong." I walked out of the room and outside to the truck that was parked in the driveway. I knocked on the window and he opened the door. "Mr. Rong, I'm so sorry for your loss," I said.

He nodded. "Are you the lead detective?"

"Yes. I'm Detective Zone. I have a few questions to ask if that's okay?" He nodded. "Do you know if your daughter had any plans for tonight?"

"She told me she had a date."

"Did she say who she was going on a date with?"

"No."

"May I ask about Mrs. Rong?" Maybe she told her mother.

"She divorced me." Well, that idea flew out the window. Unless Paris still had contact with her. Maybe they talked and Paris said who she was going out with? I discarded that idea. "I bet you anything she's the killer," he added.

I blinked. "Why?" It's not unusual for someone to start blaming the ex but still…it seemed strange.

"Because she loves wolves. Says they're the best animals ever."

Um, that doesn't mean she's the killer. Lots of people like wolves. I shook my head. "Did Paris ever go to her mother's?" What? I might have discarded the idea but I can still ask the question.

"Every weekend. I won custody but she got visitation."

"How old was Paris when Mrs. Rong divorced you?"

"Ten."

"Did Paris ever use drugs or drink?"

"I don't know. If she did she never showed the signs or did it around me."

She wouldn't have done that stuff around him. "Which school did she go to?"

"Cat High. It's owned by Mr. Hoot."

Hmm. "Did Paris ever say Mr. Hoot did anything wrong?"

"Yes. She said he kissed her and smacked her when she tried to get away. I talked to the guy and he swears he never did anything but she had the marks to prove it."

So Mr. Hoot moves to the top of my suspect list. "Is there anything else you think I should know?"

"No."

"Okay, then." I walked away and realize I had forgotten to mention Mrs. Ruth. Damn. I walked to my car and saw a little boy in it. "Hello?" I said.

"I'm Timothy. I"m seven," he said.

I looked around. "Where are your parents?"

"I don't have any."Jasper walked out of the house and caught my eye. I motioned him over. He did "What?" He asked.

"This is Timothy," I said.

"How'd he get in your car?" He was talking to me but he was looking at the boy.

"It wasn't locked," I muttered.

Jasper rolled his eyes and knelt in front of the kid. "Hi, Timothy."

"Hi. Can you adopt me? I'm seven and have no parents. I heard you had a daughter and I've always wanted a sister. Please take me in. I'll be good, I swear," Timothy said in a rush.

"Let me talk to Edward real quick." Jasp pulled me a short distance away. He had a glimmer in his eyes. Uh-oh. "Can we?"

I blinked several times. "What? Adopt him? I thought you said after this case was over!" I said panicking. I wanted this case to be over before I brought someone new into our family. That way the kid would be a little safer.

"Yes, but he's right there. We can't just leave him."

"We'll take him to a foster care."

"Ed! You don't even like those places! Don't you want another kid?" Jasper demanded.

"I do but…"

"My parents won't mind watching two kids while we work. They want us to have more kids. Besides, Timothy will be at school most of the time."

I stiffened. "If we take him in we'll home-school him."

He smirked. "You care about him already."

Damn, he was right. "Jasp…"

"Please? He needs a home and Amelia needs a sibling."

I groaned. "Fine."

"Yes! I love you." He kissed me and walked over to Timothy. "We're taking you in."

"Yay!" Timothy said.

I watched Jasper pick him up and put him in his car. I sighed. Now I have a son and a daughter to worry about.