The trip to Cornwall avenue consists of Miles and Jayla bickering over why she should keep her shoes hanging out the window. They stop bickering as the Ferrari starts to slows down on the avenue. Jayla looks outside the windows as she takes in the environment. On either side of the road consists of mirrored houses, each has a small porch and white picket fences, and well-trimmed lawns. The air smells like freshly cut grass and flowers.
''We are here,'' says as he cuts off the engine and quickly exited the car without even waiting for Jayla. She fumbles with the lock as she quickly puts on her dried blood covered flats. She looks up in time to see a fluffy dog rushing right into her. The dog knocks her over on her bottom. The dog's owner just only wearing a sports bra and shorts showing off long legs. she seems to be chasing right after the dog, then she crashes into Miles. It was as watching a ball bounces off a wall. The stranger lets out a soft cry as she hits his hard body. In an instant, his arms went out and hold onto the blonde waist before she could hit the ground. Her eyes widen as she stares upon her rescuer.
''t-thank you.''
Miles flashes her small smile. Behind him, Jayla crossed her arms and huffs, making no move of getting off the ground.
''That's okay.''
She walks over to Jayla with an apologetic smile as she helps her up.
''Are you okay? I'm so sorry about Max. The vet hasn't been there for a few days now to give him his injection. He's acting out. My name is Melissa.''
''Yeah, yeah, a crazy dog you have there,'' Melissa shots her a funny look. ''I-i meant a happy fluffy thing, good at pushing people on their behinds, maybe you should sign him up for dogfighting-''
''And you there,'' she abruptly turns from Jayla to Miles. Turning to him while curling a strand of her hair around her fingers, her voice goes up a notch ''I am soo sorry... detective,'' and with a wink, Melissa jogs off to find her dog.
Jayla rolls her eyes and scoffs as she watches Melissa jogging off daintily, ''she isn't going to catch any dog running like that,'' she says out loud to no one in particular. Her eyes went onto Miles. He watches as Melissa prances off.
She accidentally-on purpose bounces into his shoulders as she enters onto Royce's lawn.
''Don't you have a case to solve.... detective?'' she says, mimicking Melissa's voice.
Miles ignores her as they walk up on the porch and starts to ring the bell. After three rings on the doorbell, a tall man that looks really like the victim opens the door. His light hair glistens, his emerald green eyes are bright and covered with a small black-rimmed glass, he stares at the detectives with uncertainty.
''Hello there, oh no, I wonder what she did this time.'' Before any of them could reply to him, he turns his head and starts to call for his daughter.
''Sasha! Sasha! Get down here this instant!''
''Ugh, Sir,''
''Sasha-Gaye Royce!''
''I'm sorry she must have those damn earphones in her ears again. Come in, come in,'' Bryan ushers them inside and disappears into the kitchen.
Both detectives look at each other as to mentally ask who is going to break the news. Jayla thinking better of it decides to be the one to tell the news. She nods at the stone-faced detective who seems to be in a world of his own. They pause in the living room. The room is large with a large grey and brown carpet covering most of the floor.
She pauses thinking if she could walk on the covered carpet with the blood-covered shoes, she finally decides to leave the shoes at the doorway. The two starts to look around, in the left of the room is a staircase and beside it is a niche which by the sound of water and scraping china ware leads to the kitchen, in the middle of the room is a dark sofa with both matching armchairs facing a mounted television and to finish off the homey look a wooden coffee table is placed in the center. The walls are painted in a papaya looking color and fill with scattered framed photos of a smiling girl. In each photograph, she is either throwing a ball or collecting trophies. Jayla instantly recognizes the girl as the victim. A feeling of nausea washes over her. She now regrets agreeing to be the one to break the news. She clears her throat as she takes a seat on the large sofa. Miles takes a seat on one of the armchairs, both waiting on Mr. Royce.
After a few minutes, he enters the room with a tray with three cups of steaming coffee. He carefully places the tray on the coffee table then offers them a cup, but Miles refuses. Jayla went for one, a glance at Miles's facial expression causes her to decline politely.
''Sorry, I should have asked first,'' his hands start to sweat as he lifts a cup to his lips, ''how may I help you?''
''I'm Detective Glasgow, he is my partner Detective Myers.'' His eyebrows went up went he hears the title Detective.
''Bryan Royce, is this meeting about that fight with my daughter and that little rascal on her team? they had apologized, and I had seen to it that it happened-''
''Mr. Royce, I am sorry, we found the body of your daughter Sasha- Gay Royce this morning in Lonebrooks forest .''
The sound of the teacup shattering fills the room, Bryans's face pales as he stares at Jayla, then he starts to laugh hysterically. Jayla shifts in her seat as Miles clenches his fists.
After a few minutes, he starts to calm down and shots them a huge smile that doesn't reach his eyes.
''Is this one of your young people prank? My daughter is in her room asleep.''
Silence fills the room.