"Why aren't we going inside?" Robert asked.
"It's better we wait here."
"Why?"
Emma shrugged. "To avoid an unnecessary scene. It will be embarrassing if a detective walks up to a student for questioning, don't you think?"
"Embarrassing to who exactly? The detective? Or_"
She cut in. "The student, of course. I know the feeling of getting approached by a detective in the presence of your friends for questioning. It is not a good feeling, believe me."
Robert folded his arms over his chest and raised a questioning brow. "Has it ever happened to you before?"
She moved her gaze to him, he was looking back at her, questions and curiosity filled his intoxicating black eyes.
Emma forced a smile to her face and looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."
Robert was going to push further for an answer but refrained from doing so. She already looks so uncomfortable and the last thing he wants to do is to make her feel even more uncomfortable around him.
"Okay. Let's not talk about it then." He told her with a warm and soothing smile.
Emma smiled back in gratitude. Grateful that he didn't urge her for answers or ask more complicated questions.
A few moments later, college students started walking out of the building. It was obvious that they were done for the day. However, some students were lingering around, playing sports, practicing cheer dancing, and chatting. While some were going over to the library.
"Should we go in now?" Robert queried, not taking his eyes off the students.
Emma sighed and nodded her head. "Yup. Let's go."
They approached a group of five girls and two boys.
"Good day," the detectives greeted, plastering a friendly smile on their faces.
The students looked at them and furrowed their brows, a little bit confused.
"Hi. How can we help you?" One of the boys asked.
"Uhm, we are looking for a student named Julian." Emma answered.
"Julian?" They repeated, exchanging glances with each other.
"Well, I don't know any Julian." The boy stated and faced his friends. "Do any of you know who that person is?"
"Uh... No." They answered, shaking their heads.
"Oh, I see." Emma muttered. "Thank you for the cooperation and_"
"Wait!" One of the girls with blonde hair interrupted Emma and took a step forward. "Are you talking about Julian, the girl whose boyfriend died last night?"
"Oh, yes. That's the girl I'm talking about. Do you know her?"
"We are not friends but she attends the same lecture as me."
"What is your name?" The female detective asked.
"Micah. So, can I ask why you are looking for her?"
"We will like to ask her a few questions about the incident that took place last night. That's all. We are not here for trouble."
"Okay?" For some reason, she seems to be hesitant of giving out the information about where the young lady named Julian is. Or maybe she is being careful with her words and doesn't want to blurt out words she would regret later. "I don't think she came to school today."
"Really?"
Micah nodded her head. "Yeah... I didn't see her in class. Although, her other friends were around."
'They must be the ones who were present last night.' Emma thought to herself.
"Where can I find them?" She questioned.
"Uh... Hold on a second, you are here to ask her questions about last night. Does that mean you two are detectives?" She pointed out, staring between Emma and Robert.
"Uhm, yeah." They answered, showing off their IDs.
"Okay. So..." Her eyes surveyed around until they came upon two boys and a girl walking down to a black benz parked in the parking lot. "There they are."
"Where?" Emma and Robert looked around as well.
"There." She pointed. "Trisha, Cam, and Luke."
"Are those their names?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"Okay. thank you, Micah." Emma smiled.
"You are welcome. Let's go, guys." She said to her friends and they all walked away, chatting and laughing.
Emma's gaze followed them until they were out of sight.
"Are you okay?" Robert asked from behind, grabbing her attention.
"She is hesitating."
"Hesitating? What are you talking about?"
"I don't know... But, there is something weird about her. It was as if she was picking her words carefully. She claimed not to be a friend of Julian and yet she knows the names of her friends."
Robert thought about it for a while before letting out a deep sigh and said, "They are probably attending the same lecture. Anyway, let's go over there before they leave." He nodded his head towards the parking lot.
"Ah, yeah. I almost forgot. Silly me. Let's go."
•••••
"Honestly, Rob, you shouldn't have brought me home. I can handle myself." Emma said for the umpteenth time.
"Isn't that already too late?" He queried, giving her the 'I already brought you home so no need for the long talk' look.
"Ugh," She groaned. "What am I going to do with you? Seriously."
He laughed. "Nothing. Just go with my flow and things will work out perfectly fine with us."
"You are a control freak." She hissed.
"Ouch, that hurt my feeling." He joked, placing his palm over his chest.
"F**k off, Rob." She said in between chuckles.
"Back to business," He cleared his throat, switching into a serious mode. "Cam, Luke, and Trisha claimed not to have seen anything that night. What do you think?"
Emma tapped her fingers against the car seat, staring at nothing in particular. She was deep in thought for a few seconds.
"I believe them."
"You do?"
"Yes. Although, they should be grieving instead of acting like everything is okay when they had just lost a friend. That was kinda suspicious. But that's the thing. A murderer won't feel remorse for their crime internally but externally, they are crying their eyes out, feigning to care when they do not."
"You've watched too many movies, Em." Robert commented.
She rolled her eyes. "The right term to be used is 'you've solved a lot of cases, Em' because that's the truth. I've solved a lot of cases to know about these things."
"Sure."
"Stop it before I shoot your d**k." She growled, fake glaring at him.
"Forgive me, ma'am."
"Idiot." She whispered. "Anyway, we are going to go to Julian's house once again."
"Do you think her parents will let us see her this time around? They refused to allow us to meet with their daughter today, what makes you think it will be possible tomorrow?"
"Well, we have to think of a way to interrogate Julian. She is the only way with a clearer view of what happened last night. I should go inside now."
"Yeah... You should. It is already late. You need rest."
"Hmm. You too. Go straight home and don't go and help an officer on a night shift. The last thing I want is to work with a partner who looks like a freaking zombie because he couldn't get a proper night's rest."
"I hear you, detective Emma." He huffed.
"Good. Good night." She opened the car, stepped out of it, and then closed the door.
"Good night," Robert said a little bit loud so she would hear. Emma waved her hand in the air without turning around to look at him. She opened the gate and went inside the compound while Robert drove off.
•••••
Abigail was preparing dinner when she heard the opening and closing of the front door.
She smiled knowing who it was even though the person hasn't come over to the kitchen.
"Abby?" The voice called out.
"In the kitchen, bitch!" Abigail answered, giggling as she flipped the sliced bacon in the frying pan.
Emma stepped inside the kitchen with a deep scowl on her face. "Bitch? Really? Do you have to call me that?"
"You are my bitch, honey. You should get used to it by now."
"You are crazy."
"Thank you for the compliment, the non-crazy one among the both of us."
Emma laughed. "Funny. What are you doing?"
"Preparing dinner. You must be hungry, right?"
"Yes. I am very hungry." Emma nodded her head quickly like a child who was asked whether she likes barbie dolls. She sat down on the high stool and leaned towards the counter table. "What are you making for dinner?"
"Rice and bacon."
"Wow. What time did you close for work?"
"Uh... Thirty minutes ago if I'm not mistaken. Why do you ask?"
"You should have ordered something for us to eat instead of working yourself up like this, Abby. You must be stressed out from work today. Ugh, I feel so guilty now."
"You seem to be getting something wrong here, Emma." Abigail turned to face her friend. "I am not making this for you but for myself."
"What?"
"However, you will be able to eat a little from it. So you see, you don't have to feel guilty about anything."
"You are crazy." Emma said again.
"Thank you, bitch."
Emma and Abigail have been friends for a pretty long time. Long enough for them to know almost everything about each other. Including the bad and good aspects of their lives.
They are working-class ladies who can very much provide for themselves. It has been Abigail's dream to be a doctor while Emma's was to be a detective and both worked towards it, eventually, they achieved their aims and now living their dreams like it is no one's business. Technically, it is no one's business.
Abigail lost her mother when she was seventeen years old. And as for Emma? She never knew who her parents were. They died when she was only a year old. Well, the bad aspect of their lives is now in the past and they refuse to dwell in them again.
Abigail and Emma found consolation in each other when they were little girls. They grew up loving each other like sisters. They were each other's only family even if they weren't related by blood. Besides, family is not only about being related by blood. It is about the bond, connection, understanding, and love. And these two girls possess all of those features with each other.
They could easily get an apartment of their own. After all, they earn enough to provide the basic things for themselves. But, the thought of being away from each other was heartbreaking and both didn't want that.
Abigail dished out the food in two plates and handed one over to Emma.
"Hmm, smells delicious," Emma stated as she sniffed the air. "I just hope the food taste as delicious as it smells."
"You talk as if this is your first time eating my food." Abigail scoffed.
"You are not usually perfect when it comes to cooking, Abby. Your food will be delicious today and tomorrow it will be awful. You can't blame me for having doubts now. Can you?"
"You know, it's very expensive hearing these honest words from you."
"What do you mean?"
"You can't cook. And the last time you tried, you almost burnt down the house. Remember?"
"Tsk. Whatever."
"No, keep talking. I am so ready for you. Come to think of it, you should have taken your bath first before eating dinner. Argh, you are so dirty." Abigail scrunched up her nose in disgust.
"Really? Do you have to shame me like that?"
They both laughed over the silly joke and continued eating.
"So," Emma cleared her throat, taking a bite of bacon. "how was work?"
"Work was amazing. Stressful, though but I'm used to it already."
"I understand. Aha, that reminds me. What about that favorite patient of yours? What's her name again? Uhm..."
"Tara." Abigail piqued in.
"Yeah, Tara. How is she?"
"She is fine. But her condition appears to be getting worse. I'm really worried about her. She is getting weak by the day but acting to be strong."
"She must be a brave child."
"She is." Abigail agreed. "I saw Robert dropping you off. You didn't tell me you both are an item now." She wiggled her brow.
"That's because we are not an item. Always get your fact right, girl. We are only partners and nothing more."
"Is that so?"
"Stop giving me that look."
"What look?"
"That look you usually wear on your face whenever you want to get words out of my mouth. Stop it." She said, a smile playing on the side of her lips.
"Okay. Fine." Abigail threw her hands up in the air as if in surrender. "I can't wait for the both of you to start dating and then I will say 'I knew it.' I will keep rooting for_"
Emma shut her friend up by shoving a piece of bacon in Abigail's mouth.
"Eat and stop talking."
Abby chew on the meat, pouting as she fakes glared at her detective best friend. A sister from another mother.
•••••
The next morning, Abigail hurriedly had her bath, brushed her teeth, and got ready for work.
She grabbed her car keys from the cosmetics table and went out of her bedroom, descended the stairs, and goes into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.
She was surprised to find Emma making two cups of coffee in the kitchen while going through her phone.
"Emma?"
Emma turned to face Abigail and smiled, "Good morning. Why are you looking like you've just seen a ghost?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm making a cup of coffee for you and me. What is so surprising about it that you are looking at me like that?"
"Nothing. I'm... surprised. That's all."
"Why?"
Abigail simply shrugged and collected one cup from the table and then took a sip. "Hmm. Not bad."
"Not bad?" Emma scoffed. "I might be bad in the kitchen but I f**king know how to make amazing coffee. Okay?"
"I'm off to work," Abigail said as she gulped the last drop of coffee.
"Alright. Be careful."
"You too. Have fun... catching criminals." She winked.
"I will."
•••••
Abby stepped out of the elevator and headed toward her office when she heard someone call her from behind.
"Dr. Abby,"
She turned around and found one of her colleagues, Sandra, staring at her with a mischievous smirk on her face.
Sandra was another person who hated Abby just like Dr. Marshall. She was likewise a doctor with black wavy hair, brown eyes, and full lips. In other words, she is beautiful on the outside but ugly on the inside. Will you still consider her beautiful?
Sandra has been working in the hospital longer than Abigail. She was even the one who put her through during intern. Sandra was one year older than Abigail.
She is very much single but has a cute seven years old son. She loves her son to death and will do anything to make him happy.
However, she hardly brought him over to work. And that's only for one reason; she doesn't want him to witness her other side that wasn't loving and caring.
Sandra is a vicious and ambitious woman who can do anything to get what she wants - and also for her son, of course.
Abigail forced a smile to her face, "Good morning, Dr. Sandra."
Sandra huffed, rolling her eyes "Quit the act, nice Dr. Abby. No one is here with us."
"Listen, Dr. Sandra. I am not in the mood to fight with you. I don't have that time, okay?"
"Are you indirectly calling me jobless?"
Abigail didn't say anything.
Sandra stepped closer to her and look her from head to toe. "You really don't know how much I hate you. Because if you do, you would have quit working here!"
"I did nothing wrong to you, Dr. Sandra. Why the hatred? Huh?"
"Did you just ask me that?" Sandra balled her fist. "Every f**king time, Dr. Abby this, Dr. Abby that. I am sick and tired of hearing your name in every ward! Why did you have to outshine me? Why!?"
"Do you want to pick a fight with me this morning?" Abigail asked, tilting her head to the side. "I understand the hatred you have for me. I don't blame you. You were once my senior and look at us now, things have changed. You can't blame me for being better than you. Can you now? As I said, I'm busy." Abigail turned to leave when Sandra said from behind, halting her step.
"I heard you are close to the patient in ward 302..."
"What are you driving at?" Abigail growled. Sandra was crossing the line. Does she want to threaten her now?
"Nothing. I only wanted to confirm and it seems like it's true." She gave out a wry chuckle, pushing a strand of black hair to the back of her ear. "You are just coming into work, right? Then I guess you haven't heard."
Abigail furrowed her brows and took a step closer to Sandra. "Heard what?"
Sandra grinned menacingly, biting her bottom lip.