Partners

Chapter 17 : Forever & Ever

In an old basement, there was a light bulb hung from the ceiling, swinging.  It was a secret studio.  Someone was making the handcrafts, singing some melodies.

"Forever and ever I'll love you.  I swear by the stars up above you.  There never will be any other.  I'll love you forever and ever..."

*****

Chase' teeth were chattering.  She held the trench coat closer to her body.  A black SUV pulled over to the curb.  

"Finally!" she got into the passenger's seat, "That took you long enough!" 

"Mind your attitude, darling." Fetcher said, "Or I'm not gonna be here tomorrow." 

Chase glared at him, handing him Starbucks americano to him, "That's no cool." 

"Thanks." Fetcher took over the coffee, "The kids were having a hangover." 

Chase thought that she had misheard, "They were hanging the clothes." she interpreted Fetcher's sentence in her way, "Nice kids!" 

Fetcher shook his head, "They went home drunk last night; therefore, they're grounded for three months."  He took a sip from the cup.  

Chase burst out laughing, "Grounded for three months?" 

"They are under-aged!  Or you'd like to try parenting yourself?" 

She mocked, "No, thanks. Not really my thing."

*****

Chase got out of Fetcher's car and about to walk into the headquarters before someone called. 

"Chase!" Clarence called from his SUV, a few car behind where Fetcher had temporarily parked just then. 

"Morning!  What's up?" she walked toward the car as Clarence opened the car door on the passenger's side to beckon her in. 

"We've got a case!" Clarence announced once Chase got into the car.

*****

On Will Rogers Beach, it wasn't crowded for the first time.  There were no tourists but policemen and a crime-scene-don't-cross tape.  Chase and Clarence got out of the car and walked to the bodies.  

They were couple.  Or to say, a bride and a groom.  The woman was dressed in a white wedding dress.  The man was in a wedding suit.  Both of them looked like Halloween models.  There was blood came out from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses.  

"They don't look like a happy newly-wed to me." Jane sighed, "I wonder what happened to them." 

"Probably the third man with heavy jealousy." Donnter chimed in, "Well, I'll go talk to CSIs to see if they've got anything cool."  

Clarence doubted the definition of 'cool' in Donnter's dictionary. 

"Come on!" Chase waved her hand at her current partner, "Doctor likes me the most." 

Clarence made sure not to step on any footprints that had been marked by CSIs.  He groaned, "I hate beach crimes!  There are so many footprints!  How are we gonna find the killer?" 

Chase ignored his lament, squatting down, "Hey, Doc!  What caused this horrible bleeding?" 

Cedric shook his head, "I don't know yet, but it's definitely the cause of death."  He frowned, pushed up his glasses, and leaned closer, "I've never seen anything like this before." 

"I have." Chase said, "From the movies, from the TV series." 

Cedric looked up at Chase, "So you've got any idea of this unknown poison source?"