-At Wulf's office-

Erica's POV

It's been two days since that happened. The gruesome memory is still vivid in my mind.

Everything . . . . .

"...ca....rica.......Erica!"

I snapped out of my thoughts on hearing my uncle calling my name several times. I replied with a stammer, "Y-Yes?"

The blonde, sturdy man just stared at my very being with a blank expression. Then finally, he spoke, asking whether I was listening to him or not.

A drop of sweat formed at the bottom of my cheek, masked with a troubled look on my face. Nonetheless, I couldn't merely ignore the fact that I was being inattentive.

"Umm....," I started but words wouldn't leave my mouth, making a short pause.

"Sorry, chief..... I ....wasn't."

Just as my sentence ended, someone let a scornful 'hmpf' which made a vein of anger pop on my forehead. Yet I tried not to make the situation any worse than this.

'You can do it, Erica. Just tolerate this once!!!'

While trying to calm myself, the phone rang with a loud 'kring' before uncle Wulf picked up and answered, "Yes, Wulf Archer speaking from ADA."

My curious eyes fell on the man talking on the phone. Our chief grimaced as his left hand was tightly gripped onto the receiver of the office-phone while the other was tucked into his pocket.

"Okay. I'll send two of my 'kids' there. Yeah. Right."

It was the last conversation we heard before Chief Archer hung up. His voice laced with exasperation and constraint. Dan's eyes crack opened, but only the slightest bit -enough to see the red orbs glowing despite the bright fluorescent lights- and waited for the chief to speak.

"Haahh~," uncle Wulf let out a resigned sigh with his eyes shut, furrowing his brows. He turned around to face us then -his hazel eyes piercing through our souls. I swallowed the lump in my throat as his eyes shifted between me and my partner.

"It's another murder case . . . . . a similar one again," uncle spitted out the words with such distaste, as if they were poison, and banged hard on his office table which made me jump.

"Eep," I gasped. Never have I experienced the furious side of my funny and overprotective uncle. Unconsciously peering at my arrogant partner beside, I realized his fiery orbs burned with dozens of unexplainable emotions. Yet those pair of rubies was dangerously alluring me.

I quickly averted my eyes, flustered at my own thoughts. What was I even thinking!!?? I vigorously shook my head in self-denial before facing the situation at hand. The chief then ordered, "Dan. Erica. You two will be taking this case." Then he paused and turned towards Dan, "I'll be counting on you then, Dan . . . ," and then to me, ". . .also you, Eri."

Dan, who kept his cool, left without uttering a word while I, on the other hand, first bowed with respect to my senior and boss before leaving.

On my way, I wondered why my uncle mentioned the case to be 'a similar one'. 'So what he meant was somehow connected to a serial murder case,' I thought, trying to figure out in my head. Got carried away by my own presumptions, I didn't even realize that we were already in Dan's black Ferrari.

'H-He's rich...(￣◇￣;)'

-At the crime scene-

Dan parked his car outside an ordinary two-storied bungalow which was painted all creamy-white except for the mahogany window sills and frames. A single row of rose bushes ran along the fence from the inside, allowing the metal barriers to hide within. A cobble-stoned path led the way to the entrance door as we passed through the black metal-barred gates; short trimmed grass on either sides of the narrow lane. It looked so magical on the outside. Who would've thought 'this' was where we would be heading.

The place was a whole lot different, but it reminded me of somewhere familiar. A place I wished I had never went; even the evil that lurked from every tip of the house.

As I was dwelling on my own thoughts -still standing in front of the gates- someone called for me from the doorway. Incidentally, I knew who that was; that irritating yet irresistible voice.

I raised my head eyeing at that person, which was none other than 'Mr. Aubergine head'. Not long after, he parted his lips to blabber.

"Are you gonna stand there all day," he asked raising his voice. "Stop being a nuisance and drag that heavy body of yours right here, pipsqueak..."

'W-W-W-W-WHAT DID HE JUST SAY!!!!!?????? (╬｀益') '

I was at loss of words and the anger slowly ate away my 'nice and kind' appearance. That anger was left to spread inside when two policemen sniggered as they walked past me from behind.

'HOW COULD HE DO THIS IN FRONT OF THESE PEOPLE!? AND I'M NOT HEAVY! (ノ°益°)ノ '

Dan's POV

We arrived at the crime zone. I could've done this investigation alone. Why exactly do I have to babysit his niece when we're facing this crisis!?

The place was just a regular home of a well-paid citizen; still new with a small garden and a patio. I was already at the entrance door when I realized something was missing. I furrowed my brows before letting out an exhausted sigh, and turned around.

"Are you gonna stand there all day," I shouted, enough for her to hear.

"Stop being a nuisance and drag that heavy body of yours right here, pipsqueak..."

With that said, I went inside. The narrow hallway was packed with police officers and other attendants needed at the crime zone. I walked further in to reach the living room, where the victim was killed.

The place was mess. Almost all the furniture was destroyed and had claw marks on them. The thick, cerulean curtains, hanging down from the high ceiling, were torn to shreds. What's worse was the woman victim. She was sprawled over the carpeted floor, bathing in her own blood. Her limbs were broken and bones fractured. No ordinary human being could've caused this much causality.

The culprit was either a bear, or someone -maybe something- that has the strength and ability to tear open a person's flesh in mere seconds.

Even though this was a hot bed of crime, there wasn't a single sinister figure spotted in this neighborhood. With a slight frown on my face, I scanned every corner and edge to find anything suspicious nearby. As I did, my eyes landed on a certain long ponytail.

'Why's she burying her head in the toilet . . . .(￣△￣ ს) ,' I wondered -narrowing my eyes- as a drop of sweat formed on my cheek.

Letting out an irritated sigh with my eyes both shut, "I knew she was useless . . .," I mumbled, then carried on with my work alone.

Erica's POV

I couldn't believe my partner would be this mean and arrogant, and BOSSY!!! The only regret of becoming a detective is HIM!

While complaining to myself, my legs took to where I had to be. From afar, my eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing before me -just a few paces away. I stormed straight ahead -the anger still boiling inside- but what was waiting for me inside wasn't pleasant at all.

A dead body, the fresh blood and chaotic scenery. The sight of a dead rat was enough to make me screech. Staring at the corpse, I couldn't take it anymore and frantically searched for the latrine as I covered my mouth.

"Omph-! Ueegghhh!!!!! *Cough-cough-cough* . . . . Ugh, I shouldn't have eaten anything on the- Omph!"

I've always thought I'm strong enough to handle these . . . Guess I'm still incompetent as a detective.