Chapter 35

"Wipe that silly grin off your face"

Pluto literally uses his hand to wipe it off

" like seriously ?" her rich laughter makes his heart feel like its floating he feel glad to have broken the stone faced expression she is always wearing.

"so the icy lady can smile .she isn't as cold as she seems to be ,deep down she must be like any normal girl."he thinks.

"You are beautiful Shally ,you should smile always". He brushes her hair back while tucking the stray strand behind her ear.

"ooh goodness if only she could allow me to have a taste of those juicy looking lips of hers  would die an happy man". unconsciously he licks his bottom lip as his eyes look at her with fondness.

She blushes but immediately masks it.

Clearing her throat she breaks the air of awkwardness between them," We need to leave " she states coldly making his heart sink. If someone was  to see them he would have thought  Pluto was the student-an amateur  while Shally was the teacher.

Like a dog wagging his tail to its owner he follows closely behind her.

It’s a high end gated community  where the rich reside.

As their car approaches the gate the security guard pulls them over

"sir ,ma'am welcome .please identify yourselves and state the house number and the person you would be visiting".

Showing them their badges does not a guarantee that they will overlook the security details.

" I still would like to know where you are headed to?" the security guard doesn't give them face at all.

It shows how thorough they are in their line of duty.

At the mention of the crime scene, he jots their details down and lets them through.

the earlier the mystery can be resolve the better for everybody. Not only was his plus that of his colleagues at stake but also the housing prices and the investors who were interested in that part of the area.

in this part of town it was a place for the rich and famous. there were recent investments going on that were targeting the upper class if a crime mystery got in the way it would be disastrous to all of them.

Along the well mowed lawns the house the house stands two stories high.

The red tape seal on the iron gate has been broken. Cautious she hold onto her gun dearly

Car left out they have to use the smaller gate as the bigger one is remote controlled.

"Wasn’t the place sealed off for being a crimes scene, how did all this vehicles get in ?they weren't here were they?''

Pluto "Apparently Mr. .Taylor is back, all this belongs to him and his security detail"

Shally "And you never thought it was important to mention it..?" He rolls his eye

"But you never asked, I thought you already knew". he shrugs his shoulders

 "This Mr. Taylor who is he?" They continue to move forward stealthily 

 "He is the husband to the deceased"

 "Interesting " she beams.

Her change of attitude sends chills down Pluto's spine .He doesn’t know why but Shally’s character change makes him wonder if she is a psychopath or a highly functional social path.

It’s the second time he has seen her deprive pleasure from a crime investigation

"How about we chat with the  guy". she puts the gun back into the holster

"But our officers already did that I doubt he will talk to you"

"What do you mean by that?''

"Nothing ma’am but you should have read the reports first ,just to be on the safe side"

"I know ,however I love to do my own assessment not that I don’t trust their abilities but a second opinion comes in handy".

What a lovely house she observes ,they love maintaining their appearance see the well mawed lane seems like it was done not more than three days ago the well manicured gardens look lovely.to this family money wan’t a problem

She ascends the staircase one at a time, the floor looks well kempt the unmatching tiles suggest replacement of some sort maybe some hard worn out.

As she enters the her eyes darts here and there as though ingraining them in her memory’s hard drive.

"Wait here please ,Mr. Taylor will be down any minute" His housekeeper informs

In the family photos on display she notices that Mr. Taylor had only one photo of him in the house

 The other ones majorly belonged to his wife attending social gatherings, charities and participating in school activities with Aina whose childhood photographs are a clear contrast to her current look.

Clearing his throat he catches her attention "Are you done snooping around?"

Chest out , "I wouldn’t call that snooping its just that I am attentive and keen.

Lovely house Mr. Taylor but you should have gotten a hotel room instead or used one of your numerous properties till this case was solved.

What doesn't make sense is why you would rather stay out than be home with your lovely family ,maybe if you were around this would have never happened''.

 Excuse me?

 "Nothing I was just thinking out loud, many family homes have pictures of themselves displayed all over but you only have one.it makes me wonder were you divorced or separated?"

 Pluto steps on her foot but she is hellbent on murdering her career in the police force before it even begun

 "Can I see her bedroom?''

"Not possible your colleagues were already here they took everything the needed .If you want to know what happened check with them.

With that he turns to leave not without reading their name tags

Pluto feels like burying her alive. Goodness if this continues this girl will be the death of him.

"Do you know what you just did?

 She smiles "I wonder what is written in the report?"

 "Did you get something he asks?"

 "What do you think?" He tries to get any information from her but her lips are sealed .She can make a good spy he thinks.

His stomach rumbles he looks at his watch.

"We have been driving in circles for a long time  aren’t we going back to the station .Can we at least grab something to eat?"

she tosses him a packet of crisps .He wonders if she new this would happen.

"Pluto I usually wonder between me and you who has been in the police force for long.

Anyway am waiting for something not really something but for the perfect timing".

"To do what?"

She winks at him making his heart jerk a bit

He fans himself as he tries to regulate his heartbeat

"Why not open the AC if you feel hot"

Looking at her watch she unfastens her seat belt as she changes into camouflaging clothes right in front of him

"Goodness Shally you should have told me to step out ".he speaks between mouthfuls.

"Why? you haven’t seen a naked woman before? Are you a virgin Pluto?"

His eyes almost bulge out when he sees two peaches on her chest

Immediately he closes his eyes "Shally please cover yourself up".

"Done " she says he Open them and his eyes  trail to  her chest though covered the two nipples stick out invitingly

He gulps at the sight of them.

"I want you to drive back but park at a safe distance and wait in the car".

Gulping some water he hits the road

His mind still on the two peaches and the cloth that hugged them perfectly he feels jealousy for that shirt if only he could be the one holding them

As he steps out

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Following you in of course"

"That won’t be necessary its too risky"

Angry "Shally what do you take me for your cab drive r? ’m your colleague for once can you try to be a team player.

Do you think this a child’s play where you can walk in and walk out?

Tell me what's your grand plan?"

She stays silent letting his words sink in

"For your information that Taylor guy is not as simple as you think.

Did you notice his security detail how about the CCTV cameras in the compound ,what' you gonna do with them, smash them?"

Exhaling "ookay Pluto I get your point can we go now?"

As they sneak in Pluto helps cover their tracks

The bedroom is situated at the far end of the top floor sneaking in she was expecting to see Mr. Taylor but the room looks desolate and from the beddings it hasn't been lain on,

The room had been comped clean probably by their colleagues

The broken bathroom glass remains unfixed.

The door to the balcony remains a jar

Observing keenly she makes her deductions .Satisfied she turns to leave when a shadowy figure at the backyard catches her attention

"Pluto did you see that?"

"What?"

"Seems like we aren’t alone " her blood boils with excitement as she makes an attempt of jumping but Pluto holds her back.

"You wanted to check the crime scene and its done we should head back

The cameras will be up any minute".

"You go back I will be right behind you" With that she vanishes like a phantom thief

Palming his forehead he hates her guts .She makes him feel incompetent and stupid

A light sleeper the rustling of the leaves wakes him up

"Who is there ?"he turns the lights on. Scanning his surroundings he sees nothing

Outside its pitch dark the outdoor lamps seems to be functioning

Taking his torch he makes for the back door. Two figures can be seen wrestling in the dark

Hand on his revolver adrenaline gushes through him he pulls his revolver out aiming for the kill but too late.

Minutes later he wakes up in his bed surrounded by his bodyguards

"What happened did you catch them?"

"Catch who? We found alone, outdoors lying unconsciously. Whatever or whoever it was seemed to have vanished long before. There were no signs to show an intruder's presence"

Now that puzzles him touching the back of his head he feels glad that he has no wound .

Back in the car she pulls off her turtle neck shirt

"That was insensitive of you, What if you had gotten hurt or worse still been shot">

"Aah its nothing I knew you had my back" she laughs dryly but she is still puzzled by the other party.

"You say? "he looks angry and agitated

"Pluto don’t be too serious on yourself at least something good came out of this?"

"Did something good really come out of this ?you putting yourself in harms way, endangering your life as though it amounts to nothing.

What sought of crazy twisted logic is that ,do you care about what others may be thinking

Do you care about your family?"

"None of the above she answers blatantly"

"What do you mean by that?"

"unlike you I have no family so I guess nobody will miss me".

Placing her hand on his chest he lowers his voice almost to a whisper

"What about me? Aren’t I qualified enough to be your family?"

She jerks her hand back as though struck by lightning

Clearing her throat "lets head back Pluto Its almost dawn and need to catch some sleep"

Resignedly he races the car as though in a safari rally.

All the way back nobody utters a word. The silence between them is maddening enough

Having had enough he pulls over in the middle of nowhere

"Pluto what ‘s the meaning of this don’t’ you knw his is the most dangerous part of town?"

"Scared? but you were all macho earlier what happened?'

He gets out slamming the door that Shally almost jumps.

Moving some meters he lights his cigarette. He needs to calm his nerves the lady is making him go crazy

As he takes his second puff she snatches it from his mouth and crashes it with her foot.

Looking at her he looses himself in the moment

The starry night looks beautiful enough and with the cool night breeze it feels like everything has come to a standstill

There and then he sees a vulnerable young woman whose eyes are filled with concern and unfathomable suddenness.

"You should know smoking is injurious to your health" Her voice filled with concern seems to be beckoning him.