''I didn't know; Prosecutor Ann was this funny? That is why smart people are the scariest''.
Garcia said after pulling over in front of Rosa's apartment. Rosa turned and looked at him. His voice was familiar in a strange way but she couldn't figure it out. But, that wasn't what was bothering Rosa. It was what he said that worried her.
Rosa pursed her lips and looked at him nonchalantly saying ''I could say same about you, Mr. secretary of justice. You sat there watching them make a fool of themselves while you recorded everything with the secret camera pen hanging on your pockets. Don't you know is wrong to film someone without their permission? You could spend two to three years in prison for illegal filming''.
Garcia chuckled sarcastically. ''As expected of a smart woman. You are the only who realised I carried something like that. Since I've been caught, I should get rid of it, right? Or, I could give it to you as a gift. I did a little digging about you and found out you just celebrated your birthday not too long ago. I could give this to you as a present. With this, you could wrestle your way out of those old gropers' hands''.
''I don't take things I didn't work for'' Rosa said.
''But. You took something you didn't work for? That pen drive? You don't even know where it came from?'' Garcia was find Rosa more and more amusing.
''Tsk!!! You are making me speak a lot tonight. Are you trying to tick me off?'.
''I dare not. you are a protector of the law after all. Prosecutor Ann, I dare not go against you, least I lose miserably. I was just making small talk. You were quiet the whole time, so I wondered if you were a naturally quiet person or just an obedient dog'.
''An obedient dog?'' Rosa murmured.
''It seems Prosecutor Ann only picks on some words. Are you a sensitive person?''
''Good night, Mr. Secretary of justice. I don't have the time to humour you''. Rosa held the knob to opened and he spoke.
''I really want to be a friend, Prosecutor Ann?''
''Get lost''.
''Huh?''
''I said get lost''. Rosa said and got down. She didn't know that the man had slipped the pen into her bag as she was getting down.
Garcia sat in the car and waited till he saw that Rosa's apartment light had been turned on and he laughed and drove off.
...…..
Rosa threw the bag down and the pen rolled out and fell under her bed. She didn't see it. Rosa picked a set of pyjamas and changed into before joining Scarlet on the bed.
''You are back?'' Scarlet spoke hoarsely with sleep in her eyes.
''Oh. Sleep, I will tell you everything tomorrow''. Scarlet nodded her head and went back to sleep and Rosa also soon fell asleep.
They didn't realise that the pen under the bed was recording everything that was now going to happen in their little room.
......
PROSECUTORS' OFFICE.
Rosa sat on her desk watching the video from the pen drive that the judge gave to her the other night. In the video, a man whose back faced the camera could be seen getting down from a van. His physique was similar to that of Carlos Ryan and he wore an all-black outfit. Rosa's brows furrowed as she watched the video.
The man brought the bodies into the basement through the door Rosa chased the killer from and lined up the bodies. He bent down and laughed as if knowing he was being watched and started writing the numbers on the bodies.
''Do you like the gift I sent you, my love?''
Rosa almost turned off the video as the voice suddenly played in her head. She didn't understand why but those words were engraved deep inside her. She stood up to get a glass of water and saw something flash on the screen before her and she sat back and paused the video. Rosa replayed that part and paused the video at the part she saw the mark. Rosa zoomed it and it was a name on the man's right wrist. It was like a tattoo but could still be seen clearly.
'ROSA'.
Rosa felt goosebumps and sat back on the chair flustered. It was her name on the man's wrist. That man wasn't Carlos Ryan. He was the killer and he had her name tattooed on his wrist. Rosa's hands trembled and her whole body felt like someone had dumped a whole bucket of ice cubes on her body. She suddenly felt cold and chilly.
Rosa turned off the monitor and removed the pen drive. She picked her bag and stumbled out of the office. It was already late at night. She had stayed to work overtime at the office and was the only one in the whole prosecutors' office floor.
Rosa felt her legs go weak the faster she tried to walk. She just wanted to get out of the office but it felt more and more difficult. Rosa's bag dropped to the floor as she pressed and waited for the elevator to stop. Her things rolled out of the bag on the floor and she knelt down trying to gather them while feeling nervous.
After managing to get everything back into the bag, the elevator opened and she got inside and pressed the first floor number 1.
Rosa leaned on the metal bar in the elevator for support as her breathing became increasingly shorter. She was beginning to have panic attacks. Rosa knelt inside the elevator and removed a paper bag from her bag. She closed her face inside it and started doing her breaking exercises. After a while she felt better and the elevator stopped and she got down.
Rosa rushed out only to see that it was raining heavily and she cursed 'what a jinx'. Rosa stood at the entrance and watched as the rain only got heavier and heavier.
Under the rain. Her mind was a mess, everything was a complete mess for her as she tried to figure out how her life got entangled with a psycho she didn't even know.
Rosa removed her phone to search for a cab when she heard footsteps and looked up.
It was that man. The secretary to the minister of Justice. Garcia Ambrose. He held a yellow umbrella stretching it to cover Rosa's body as the rain hit on he himself.
Though they were looking at each other under the rain but their thoughts weren't the same. Rosa was scared of this man. She was wary of this man. She didn't know why but she didn't feel comfortable around him. He gave her an eerie feeling.
Though he was smiling at her with gentle eyes, Rosa felt there was danger lurking in those eyes. She felt there was something questionable about him. She couldn't read this man before her. His actions, everything about him seemed vague and she wanted to step away from him. Very far away from him.
Rosa took a step and two backwards and tripped. Her leader flat shoes were slippery because of the water. The man with his quick reflexes caught her hand and held her making her sturdy on her foot.
''I won't harm you, Rosa. I think I am the one you should trust the more right now, Prosecutor Ann'. Garcia said. ''Ah, let me introduce myself properly. I am Garcia Ambrose but you can call me Garcia'.
Rosa looked at him sceptically repeating his name 'Ambrose Garcia'.
''You could also call me that''. Garcia said and added 'though I prefer Garcia Ambrose'.
''I told you to get lost. What do you want from me again? Are you a stalker? Should I call the cops on you?' Rosa said and look at her phone.
''Relax. I didn't finish introducing myself. I am not just a secretary but I majored in serial criminology in Kansas University. Shall we talk over a drink?''
''I don't drink''
''Dinner?'' Garcia said.
''I don't eat when is late, but let's go since you have something to say to me. Lead the way''. Rosa said and walked away.