CHAPTER 34

JACE'S P.O.V.

"You do realize that Mel's going to kill you, right?" Jade told me when we were on the road

"I know but, it's better for her to kill me than for her to get hurt" I told him

Anything is better than she getting hurt

"Wow, you sure are great, bro" he complimented

I smiled

"Besides, she won't really kill me. Make me regret it, yes but killing me permanently, no"

"I have to agree with you on that one" Jade said and we both laughed

"What are we going to do when we get there?" Jade asked after some minutes

"I'm not so sure"

"Should we approached him like we are the CSI or just normally?"

I thought for a while

"Let's see his demeanor first" I answered

"What does his demeanor say" Jade asked as we were looking at him from quite a distance

I looked at him and around the shop. It wasn't a place which gives the I work for a criminal vibe but, it was also a place where much people would come to

"It says we should behave like polite CSI at first then change if need be" I said

"You really are something" Jade said

I turned to look at him and gave a slight smile

"Let's go" I told him and stepped out of the driver side waiting for him to reach my side before we walked towards him

"Good day, sir" Jade greeted while I studied him. He looked normal

"Good day, gentle men. How can I help you?"

He seemed to be in his late forties to early fifties

"Oh, nothing much. We just want to ask you some questions" Jade said and brought out his ID card

"I'm Jade Allen from the CSI and this is Jace Welkins, my colleague" he introduced while I also showed him my card

"Oh, I see. I'm Ben Johnson but, is there no problem?" he asked

He didn't look panicked but rather, he looked confused

Jade brought out the picture of the knife and showed it to him

"Was this knife made by you?"

He looked at it for a while

"Yes, it was" he said normally

"When did you start making it?" I asked him

"Let me see. Around early this year? Ending of January to beginning of February. That's around the time"

"How many times have you made it?"

"Three times" he said

Jade looked at me and we shared a silent acknowledgement of the information

"Do you know who you are making then for or why?"

"He said he makes furniture and he need that specific type of knife

"Furniture. Yeah right" I scoffed silently

"What's his name?" Jade asked

"Uther. He said his name was Uther"

"Uther. Uther what?" I asked him

"I don't know, he didn't tell me. Just that his name is Uther"

"Does he make an appointment or does he come, tell us to make it and come back to collect it?"

"The latter"

Jade gave him his number

"Yes, he has. Four days ago"

"Good, when he comes back, can you call this number without him knowing?"

"No problem but, what is happening?

"For safety reasons, we can't tell you but, make sure you don't act suspicious around him. Just behave how you normally behave, okay?" I told him

"Okay"

"Thanks for your time. We'll be expecting your call" Jade told him

"Okay" he said and we left

"What do you think?" he asked when we were back in the car

"He doesn't know anything" I told him

Jade nodded his head

"He's just a blacksmith who doesn't get as much work as before

"Uther" Ken said

"No last name, just Uther"

We had told them what happened

"I gave him my number so, let's just hope he's able to call when the killer goes back" Jade said

"That means we have to wait, then" Alex said

"Alright then, let's dispatch for today"

"Mel" I called her name again for the umpteenth time but still, she didn't reply me even though I was beside her table

I signed

She got up and went towards the door but, I held her hand

"Mel" I called again

"Let me go" she said

"I didn't want you to get hurt" I told her

She whirl around and faced me while removing her hand from my hold

"If I was so concerned about my getting hurt, Jace, I would have never joined the CSI. Getting hurt sometimes is a part of this job"

"I know, Mel, I know but..."

"You can't just stop me from doing my work just because I might get hurt"

"If something happened to you, I .."

"But nothing happened, did it?"

"Thankfully, it didn't"

She opened her mouth to say something but instead, she just signed

"Jace, I know you were worried. If it was me, I also would have been worried but Jace, this is my work, this is what I do for a living. What if something happened to you while you were there and I wasn't? What if we couldn't reach you and Jade and then suddenly, a call comes through and informs us of you guys in the hospital? Do you think I would be able to bear it? When I wasn't even with you when you got hurt? Do you know how...how...how I would feel? Do you ..." she stopped herself and covered her face with her hand. After about ten seconds, she gradually put her hand down

"Initially, I was angry because you stopped me but then I started thinking to myself, 'What if something happens to him?', 'What if he needs me right now and I don't even know?', 'Is he alright?', 'Is he fine?'. All these and so much more were just coming to my head, and do you know the worst part of it all?" she waited for about two seconds. Tears were in her eyes and that was getting to me

"I couldn't answer those questions. I couldn't reassure myself by telling myself anything. You aren't the only person who was worried about the other, I was also worried to the extent that I couldn't even breathe. What if something happened to you? My parents died because I did what I wasn't asked to do but, what if you also leave me because I didn't do anything at all? What if I lose you also? Jace, I'm going to die. If I lose you too and I'm alone in this world, I may still be moving but, my soul is just as good as dead. I'm.. I'm.."

I hugged her

Tears were now rolling down her cheeks

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Mel" I sincerely apologized rubbing her back while she continued crying

After a while, she finally stopped

"I can't believe I just cried because of you" she said

"Well, you can't help it, you just love me too much"

"Do you want me to kill you myself?"

I laughed

I pulled back and held her cheeks which were surprisingly not puffy

"Too bad, then, I'm going too live a long life along with someone" I told her then pecked her lips

She scoffed even though she was visibly smiling

"But I have a question" I told her

"What if I do the work for a living while you just stay at home?"

She just looked at me for a second then turned around to the door. Laughing, I turned her back and hugged her

"I love you, Mel" I told her with all of my heart

"I love you too, Jace" she said and I couldn't be more content with this moment