I analyzed the photograph on my cellphone and then turned back to my supposed target. She was dressed in a pair of joggers and a hoodie. Her hair was neatly tied in a ponytail and she wore light makeup. Golden loop earrings were hanging from her earlobes, and a choker necklace on her neck was the finishing touch.
"That's definitely her", Sally whispered to me as we got down from the vehicle and started approaching her. She was heading out of one of the college buildings with two other people by her side.
"Julie? Julie Styles?" I called out. Her eyes immediately scanned the environment as her feet came to a halt. "What's wrong?" Sally asked as she pulled my sleeve. "I think she heard me", I said in a low tone too. "Then call her again", she urged.
"Julie! Julie Styles", I called again.
The moment her eyes met mine, she instantly looked away. It was like as if she had recognized me but didn't want to talk to me. I watched her actions closely from the point where I stood, she tried to act as if she didn't see me, but her friends insisted on going to their usual destination.
"She doesn't look like the Julie Styles I saw on Instagram", Sally whispered again as we approached the trio. Once we stood face to face with them, the other two excused themselves from our conversation.
"We'll catch up later", the girl with glasses said before they parted ways with Julie. Now, it was Julie against Sally and I. "What do you want from me?" she asked with a stutter in her voice. I took out my badge from my pocket and showed her.
"I'm officer Hana, the detective in charge of Yuna's murder case", I explained, "I'm sure you know her", I added. Her face went completely pale and numb like she'd just seen a ghost. "Who?" She asked as her eyes drifted hastily. "Yuna Richmond, you know, teenage girl, blonde, about 18 years", Sally explained thinking it would trigger a memory.
"I have no clue of who you're talking about", she said again and pulled her hoodie over her head. Then, she began to walk away. "Are you hiding something? Where are you going?" Sally yelled and attempted to go after her, but I stopped her, by holding her arm. "Let her go, we'll make her crack somehow", I told her. "I know for sure, she's hiding something", she chipped in.
"Wanna grab some burgers?" I asked as we approached Sally's black Benz and got in, "Sure I'm starving and I haven't eaten properly since we began this case", She said and started the engine of the car, "but you're paying right?" she chipped in with a mischievous smile on her face. I looked at her and then turned towards the mirror to adjust my hairdo. "Right?" she asked again. "Whatever", I mumbled as I looked out the window, watching the view, while she drove by.
****
Luke walked into the huge living room, and as usual, he hung his coat first on the rack by the door, before proceeding into the rest of the mansion.
"Tina! Rosa! Daddy's home", an old lady announced as she stood at the Centre of the staircase. Luke raised his eyes toward the old lady and smiled, "Thank you Mrs. Janet", The old lady nodded in approval and changed her body's position.
Then, two little girls ran down the stairs in a haste, and in the twinkling of an eye, they had both hopped on Luke and wrapped themselves around him. "Daddy!" Rosa screamed as she planted baby kisses all over his face. "No! I wanna hug Daddy", Tina whined before she started planting kisses on Luke too.
Luke chuckled and smiled at both of them and gave each of them kisses on their cheeks. "Have they eaten yet?" he asked Mrs. Janet. "Absolutely sir, I made sure of that", she replied. "Ew Daddy! She made us eat broccoli", Rosa whined while making a disgusted face.
"That is healthy not disgusting young lady", Mrs. Janet said with a firm look. Luke slowly placed them both on the floor and allowed them to scatter into various parts of the house. Then, he turned his attention back to Mrs. Janet who was now at the bottom of the staircase.
"Where's Nancy?" he asked.
"She's in her studio"
"Take care of everything down here, I'll be back", he instructed.
He proceeded to the staircase and climbed all the way up to the first floor.
The studio door was already open, and as usual—Nancy was working. Before he stepped into the studio, he thought about Nancy's 'no entry when I'm working' rule, so he turned to leave until she said, "Just come in".
"Another painting?" he asked as he watched her paint a huge landscape. "Yep! I need to upgrade my work for my exhibition", She said as she put down her paint brush and tied her hair up to avoid it getting stained with paint. "When exactly are you going to Paris?" he asked as he hugged her from the back and kissed her cheek.
"In two weeks….my assistant has already made all the reservations for me", she replied as she picked up a second apron and changed out of the messy one. While Luke just held onto her as tightly as he could. "I'll join you and the girls once I'm done with my work", he said wiping off a smudge of paint from her face. "What kind of work?" she asked as she began painting again. "You know my sister Hana?"
"Mm-hm"
"She's handling a case and needs me to help find information about a suspect", he replied as he eyed her exposed neck with a smirk on his face. "Suspect name?" she asked as she turned her head slightly to straighten the bones in it.
"I think, um… Julie Styles", he replied.
"I know her", Nancy said after a moment of silence.
He remained dumbfounded while she took out her phone out from her back pocket and showed it to him. It was a picture of two girls smiling and holding each other. From the picture Hana sent to him, he easily figured out which one of them was Julie.
"She's my cousin's niece and I have more information about her, if you're interested", she offered.
"House address maybe?" he inquired, returning her phone to her back pocket. "I dunno, I'll ask my cousin for it", she said and fully turned around to face him, "Was I of help?" she asked sweetly and cupped his face in her palms.
"Obviously"
"I'm glad", she said before pecking him on his lips and caressing his head. "Run a bath for both of us", he said. "I already did", she replied as he released his grip on her waist. "Then, join me".
"I'll be there in a minute, just go ahead", she said as she continued to finish up her art piece. "Fine, but not more than five minutes okay?" he said as he turned to leave the studio.
"Sure".