So Mysterious

Ryan's been keeping secrets.

There were rays coming through the large window, hitting him square on his bare back, exposed to it by the crumpled sheets that gathered around his lower back and waist. At first the heat was a welcome warming sensation on his cool skin, but as he stirred in the sunlight, the warmth grew hot and he eventually moved himself, opening his eyes to the sight of the empty white bed. He inhaled, intent on smelling the scent of his own body only to find the scent of another person lingering on them, and it was so distinctly feminine.

It startled him awake and he rolled over. He panicked at first, thinking he had been kidnapped before looking about the room and remembering. Of course he wasn't home, he knew exactly where he was. He wiped a hand down his face and frowned, realizing she must have already left, again. It was just like her to leave before him. Rarely did he ever get the pleasure to waking up to her beautiful eyes.

Ryan stood up and searched about for his boxers. He pulled them on and headed toward the door to the master bedroom. He turned the gold handle and peered out into the long wide hallway. He could smell the remnants of her cooking earlier that morning. He inhaled deeply trying to guess at the exotic breakfast she probably had eaten before shutting the door and turning to the steps that led down into the master bathroom.

She was simple and he liked that. Her counter was bare, expect for a black vase that had a single purple orchid in it and a cup by the sink closet to the door containing a toothbrush, his toothbrush. He opened the glass door to the shower and turned the knob, the water falling down from the strange fixture she had. It was attached to the ceiling and sprayed down like a waterfall. He didn't mind though, it was good enough for him to shower in.

He spends some much time here that she gave him his own closet. She of course, never would ask him to move in, but she stocked his closet in shades of shirts that were his favorite colors and silk ties and nice slacks and Italian shoes that all seemed to be his size and fit perfectly. After his shower he walked up into the bedroom and across the large space into his closet on the other side. Her closet door was shut, like always. Today he decided on a light lavender shirt and purple tie with grey slacks. He dressed in the room and looked in the mirror before heading back into the master bedroom.

Ryan wandered out into the large expanse of the hallway, staring out to his right that over looked the large circular driveway. The glass windows were large and beautiful and he smiled. It was peaceful in the morning. He reached the stairs and climbed down the cascading marble steps into the entryway before heading off the kitchen via the long path that ran along the back windows. The peacefulness of the large pool and calm waters of the dock made him feel relaxed and at ease as he strolled by the glass windows and large double doors. He turned down a hallway and entered the expanse of the kitchen. It was, of course, perfectly clean and neat, a single yellow note attached to a container with a blue lid.

I made these for you. Dinner is at six, join me if you want. ~ A

He smiled as he picked up the container. Pancakes. Chocolate chip pancakes to be exact. He laughed. Somehow she always knew what he liked without him ever telling her. He tucked the note into his pocket and looked out the back window to the drive of cars. She'd taken her red Ferrari today. That was just like her. Ryan opened the lid and stuck a pancake into his mouth. She was a good cook but he already knew that. He was more than likely coming back for dinner tonight, and maybe (if he was lucky) desert. He reached in for another pancake and his phone rang.

"Wolfe," he answered into the phone. The voice on the other line was Natalia's.

"Ryan, where the hell have you been? I've called your house three times and you didn't pick up!"

"Well I have now," he said, avoiding the Where-have-you-been question easily.

"Well good," Natalia mocked, causing Ryan to sigh. "H needs you at a crime scene, out in the Gables Convention Center."

"All right, I'm on my way," he said and before Natalia could comment at all. He carried the pancakes under his arm and opened the door that led from the kitchen to the connector of the driveways. He had parked the hummer in front of her house and he turned left, walking to the front o the mansion and staring up at it. He never asked her how she got her money but he figured it was her secret to keep. She didn't have to share if she didn't want to. That stopped him from asking.

He unlocked the door to the Hummer and climbed in. There was his kit in the front seat, just where he had left it the night before. Setting the box of pancakes on the seat next to him he turned the engine over and drove around the circle, heading down the long driveway to the gates.

A single gunshot to the temple. That's all it was. There it was, a young man with a shaved head lying in the middle of the convention center's floor with a gunshot to the head. He sill looked very much alive, minus the bullet hole in between his eyes. Ryan lifted up the tape and entered the scene, catching Walter's attention as he entered the area.

"You got here quick," he commented with a grin, "Want to tell me where ya been?"

"I was at breakfast," Ryan lied smoothly, "Chocolate chip pancakes are in the car, if you want some."

"Oh, hell yes," Walter said with a big grin. Ryan grinned with tight lips before setting his kit down next to Walter's and crouching down and looking over the dead guy.

"So what do we have here, Walter?" Ryan asked.

"Besides the obvious?" he joked with a smile, "Name's Kyle Keeton age 25. He's a photographer with Jailhouse Photography."

That name sounded familiar, but Ryan couldn't figure out where he'd heard it before.

"So how'd he end up here, with a bullet hole in his face?"

"Head," Natalia corrected, walking up to them, "Bullet hole in his head. Hey, Ryan where were you this morning, I called your house like seven times."

"He was getting pancakes!" Walter called to them as he headed back in with a pancake in hand. Ryan secretly thanked him for answering that question.

"Oh yum," Natalia said with a smile, "Should have called me, I would have joined you."

All Ryan could do was nod in agreement as he unlocked his kit and pulled out his tweezers. The small red fiber caught his attention and he picked it up off the man's jacket and held it up.

"Maybe we can get something off that," he said, stuffing it in his bag.

"It won't do you any good," came the call of Calliegh's voice, "That bullet came from at least 50 yards away."

"That means it had to have come through an open window or the glass to hit him," Natalia stated.

"A hired hit?" Ryan asked, straightening his tie. Calliegh smiled.

"I like the new tie Ryan, it fits you."

He felt the unmanly blush threatening to rise to his cheeks and he cleared his throat and smiled.

"Thanks Cal," he answered. He shifted under the weight of Natalia's gaze.

"There's something different about you today, Ryan," Natalia said, her eyes narrowing. Ryan shrugged.

"I had really good pancakes for breakfast," he grinned.

"I guess so," Natalia muttered. Ryan turned and walked toward the car. Just then his cell phone buzzed and he looked down at it. It was from a number he did not recognize. He flipped it open and paled.

Ryan was a secretive man, but his life was just about to get that much worse.