Chapter two

I dreaded work today.

Reynolds could have told me before assigning someone that I was going to get a partner! But no, he just lets Cullen get his greedy hands on the case and allow him to interrupt MY investigation while I am up dancing on a pole! Somehow I didn't think it was very fare.

I stopped into Starbucks before heading to head quarters. I honestly started to waver my trust for the bureau, the least they could have done was introduce us to each other, we could have probably got somewhere last night instead of letting the suspect get away. If they even try to pin it on me, I'm going to be pissed.

As soon as I got into the building I noticed a few people giving me weird looks, I just blushed and kept my head down, praying to god that I just had something on my face and not someone talking about last night. I walked up to my office only to be stopped by Reynolds, the paper in his hand, his dark brown eyes looking more stressed than ever, "He killed again!"

I frowned, grabbing the paper from his grasp before gasping. Not only is there a front page picture of me dancing, but there's also a picture of the victim. Kate. My heart sank at the sight of her smiling, alive. She was such a nice girl, she didn't deserve to die! None of these victims deserved to die! It just made my passion in my work grow that much stronger, "I know her…"

Mass murderer struck again!

Early morning a girl by the name of Kate Smith was found brutally murdered outside the club where she works at, by what looks like the style of the same murderer that killed five in the past five weeks, this putting the death toll up to six.

What was the Federal Bureau doing while this girl begged for her life you ask? Isabella Swan, the leading detective to the case was found in the same club, dancing on a pole in front of the audience. It's times like these where we question the authorities-

I stopped reading there, not wanting to go on. I hate the media. I hate them just as much as I hate the murderer who's killed mercilessly at random. They pay their bills by printing out stories that ruin people's lives, or just make things worse. For example, Kate. I just got head way that she's dead, her parents probably don't even know she's R.I.P, they'll most likely find out in by reading the daily! It's not right. I hate them.

"Why didn't anyone call me!?" I yelled.

"We did, twelve times." A velvet voice came from behind me. I turned around and glared at my new partner in crime.

"Then why didn't I get the message?" I hissed.

"Well, first we found her at three in the morning, second, your cell wasn't on, and third, you were probably asleep." He glared.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms, "Sir, why didn't you try my home phone?"

Reynolds frowned, "Well maybe if someone's cell or pager was one then we wouldn't be having this conversation now would we?"

Opening my mouth to argue, Cullen stood in, "Sir, would I be able to get a copy of Kate Smith's profile?"

"There's a copy on each of your desks, I want you both to go over it and see if there is anything remotely similar to any other victims, I don't care if you're here all night, I want answers!" Reynolds snapped. He's a good boss when he's not cranky, but when he is, all hell breaks loss…

I nodded furiously before turning and walking to my office, I only too aware that Cullen was hot on my trail. I continued to walk to my office until I stood directly in front of the hard wooden door, his footsteps stopping just behind me. I turned, "Why are you following me?"

He frowned, "I guess he didn't tell you."

Oh god what…"Who didn't tell me what?"

Cullen half smiled, "Reynolds is making us share an office…"

"What?!" I yelled. I can't believe this! I've solved A LOT of cases to get to where I am now, now I'm back to sharing?! This is bull shit!

"Don't scream my ear off!" He snapped, "It's not my fault, Reynolds thinks that it's better to work on this case together rather than actually being on different levels."

I know he's being reasonable, but I woke up in a crappy mood, I needed to let my frustration out somehow, "Fine." I huffed, I just proffer to let it bottle up until it blows up in my face.

Cullen opened the door, holding it for me. I muttered a thank you, though glaring at him as I stomped through the office. Great, now this room is that much smaller because the already put a desk down. That is so not fare! I went straight to the desk, grabbing the folder and sitting in my chair, completely ignoring the fact that I'm sharing an office with a supermodel fellow executive.

My desk was swamped with the case files, my white board on the wall beside my desk full of possible connections to the past five victims, now a new member to join the group. Frowning as I grabbed the new folder on my desk, grabbing the photo from the front and pinning it to the wall with the other five pictures. Cullen decided to make himself existent, "Well, interesting way of solving a case there Swan."

I rolled my eyes, "It's better all out in the open, if it's cramped in a filing cabinet then I'd be looking for the one document or lining for the next hour."

Even though I couldn't see him, I could hear though his words his smirk, "Yeah, you know, god forbid you're human."

I turned around and mocked a laugh, "Very funny." I glared.

"I know." He smiled smugly.

"You do your own investigation and I'll do mine. If we get any big piece of information, we'll share. Deal?" I try to reason, getting us on some basic ground.

"Deal." He extended his hand, I did the same. As our hands entwined I spark ran through my hand and up my arm, making me flinch back immediately. Cullen must have felt it too, considering that he did the same. Huh, must be static electricity.

We went off to our separate ways, well, technically separate sides of the room, but still it was close enough. I went over and over again as I tried to pin point any small indication or slip up the killer might have made. I have to admit, he's done a pretty good job at covering up his tracks, I'll give him that. I went to the map beside the white board, the map being the map of Seattle. I had a pin on every side point of where the murder took place, a piece of string following all around the colored object. First the church, then outside of the mall, an alley, skate park, a high school, and now, the club. All having a three mile gap between one another. If our prediction is correct, then the next will be in Space needle, this time I'm certain we'll catch the killer…If Reynolds hasn't hired another FBI agent on this case too to make this room more claustrophobic and the hunt that much harder.

I frowned, each one of these victims' lead completely different lives and different personality. Kate being a exotic dancer, Tim –the first victim- being a dentist. Completely different, nothing in common apart from both being dead and murdered by the same serial killer. I looked over the notes one last time. All the girls, I've noticed, were single and in there early to late twenties, the men being all engaged, but still in their twenties like the girls. It's the only match up they've all got.

Maybe the killer was engaged and had a mistress, it all blowing up in his face and decided to kill people that reminded him of it…I thought, though I'm most definitely wrong, I just watched CSI the other night and it had the same story line to it. I was actually surprised how much watching those old reruns that people actually use those story lines. I've court a few people from my obsession with watching them shows…

Scanning through her profile, I noticed that she had a roommate, Ruth Smith, her sister, living in apartment building 8, Thompson St. I guess I'm going then.

Writing down the address, I looked over to Cullen, his head down and analyzing two pieces of paper. I guess what he doesn't know won't hurt him…"Hay Cullen."

Catching his attention, he looked up, "What?"

His emerald eyes intense, managing to make me blush like a school girl, "I forgot a case file at home, I just have to run and get it."

He seemed to eat it up, he nodded, going back to analyzing the documents. I rushed out of the room, I hate lying, even to strange gorgeous men that I don't even know. The traffic wasn't all too bad, same as any at ten in the morning. Thompson street wasn't hard either, considering that it's one of the main streets of Seattle, I guess dancers make good money.

Parking in the parking lots beside the hotel, I closed and locked the doors of my car, walking over to the white set of apartment buildings. Ruth's apartment building was only on the first floor, I didn't even have to use the buzzer considering it was the first facing our to the apartment building. I knocked on the door, waiting a few moments before a voice echoed through the air.

"Who is it?" A cracked voice spoke.

I gulped, this is probably a bad time for her…"Federal agent."

She looked through the peep hole, "Show me your badge." It was most probably the most asked question I've had in my life, right up there with the 'how are you?' question being thrown around on a day-to-day basis. I kept the badge hung over the top of my jeans, easy to get in and off. Grabbing it, I flipped it over and put it up to the key hole, showing her that I was, in fact, an FBI agent.

After a little jingle, the plaster door open, reveling a girl with pale blonde hair and puffed red eyes. Quickly, she whipped away the stained dry tears from her cheeks and nodded, "Come in."

I smiled apologetically, the worst flaw of me being what an FBI agent is that I have to be firm at times. I can't be firm, even when I'm angry I swallow it down and keep a calm posture, never letting too much of my emotions show, then again, it's always clearly obvious how I feel, I'm a crappy liar. Like for example, when I saw the picture of me in the lingerie I was forced to wear last night while trying to catch the killer, but of course, the media doesn't show the part where for why I was there, they just show that I was and think I'm Wonder Woman and could catch the killer that I was trying to find. Nope, they didn't see that of course.

Ruth -at least I think it's Ruth considering that she has most of Kate's appearance- guided me towards the couch and sat me down, "Um, would you like something to drink?" She offered, her voice sounding like she struggled to keep it.

I shook, "No thank you, I was wondering if you'd be able to answer a few questions. Is that ok?"

She gulped, nodding. Flashing her another apologetic smile, I got out my small note pad and pen from my brown coat pocket, "Where were you?"

"Um, I'm a nurse at the Settle grace hospital, I work the graveyard shift." She answered.

That's a bit different, "What do you feel about Kate's job?" I asked out of curiosity.

She frowned and looked down, "I begged her to find a different job. She only did it to pay the bills…she had a lot of…boyfriends too…"

"Any come back to the house?"

Shaking her head before answering, "No, she was a good big sister. She didn't bring any guys home," She smiled sadly; "She didn't want to set a bad example for me, even though I'm twenty. But I've seen a few of the men when I go to pick her up after shifts."

"Any of them giving off a bad vibe?" I interrogated.

She nodded, "All of them did, they were all drunk."

Of course, "Did you pick her up last night?"

I instantly regretted asking her the question, her bottom lip quivered, her eyes filling with tears as she nodded and turned to stare out the window, as if thinking the gray swirls in the sky were the most interesting thing in the world, "I was the one that found h-her." She chocked.

My heart instantly sank, "I'm so sorry."

Instantly she shook her head, "No, don't apologize. I saw her beside the dumpster, h-her t-throa-throat w-was…I'm sorry."

As I saw the girl break down in front of me, I instinctively went over and sat on the sofa beside her and put an arm around her small frame, she instantly turned and cried into my shoulder. I never was one to be very touchy before I got this job, but afterwards, it was second nature. Most of the victims' family or friends I'd normally comfort while interrogating them, though Reynolds thought that it was unprofessional, but I couldn't help it. It's in my nature I guess.

The picture of the crime scene was burned into my mind, just like every crime scene picture or sight I've seen. Never to leave. Every victim's throat, a piano wire wired tightly around it, so tightly that it nearly decapitates the head, though not one of them had their heads full detached.

After a few moments, another knock echoed through the walls of the apartment, "I'll get it, ok?"

Her head lifted and shook, "No," She sniffed and whipped the tears with her blue long sleeved shirt, "I'll get it."

I let it go, nodding. She breathed in deeply before getting up, her hands gripping anything she could get hold. Only a few moments later, she came back into the room, her cheeks flushed as she walked in, a familiar bronze haired man following behind her, his hand on the crook of her back, helping her through to the couch.

Damn! How did he know I was here? "Cullen."

"Swan." He acknowledged.

There was a silence, I wasn't sure if it was an awkward one, but Ruth seemed to think it was, "Do you know each other?"

We both broke our stare and looked over to the distressed blonde standing in between us, "Yes." We spoke at the same time, looking back up to each other before looking away awkwardly.

"We're partners on the case." I responded.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Miss Smith, my partner didn't know." He apologized.

I frowned, "Didn't know what?"

He frowned back at me, "That I asked her questions last night. I have all the notes on my desk at the office."

I was speechless, my cheeks flushed and my head hung down. Crap, I messed up. "I'm sorry for the intrusion Miss. We'll be leaving now." Cullen covered, I looked but, trying to say thank you with my expression rather than words.

"Oh, it's no problem at all." She smiled.

I looked up, "I'm sorry about the inconvenience."

"It's no problem. Sorry about your shirt." She pointed at the wet patch on my sleeve.

I shrugged, before smiling warmly, "I give you my regards."

She smiled sadly, "Have a nice day."

I nodded, following my partner out of the apartment and into the apartment. I felt bad, no, ashamed at how unprofessional I was. I not only went behind a fellow agents back to get some glory details, but I also brought some unwanted memories back into Kate's mind, she just lost her sister, the only close family she had, and I made it worse.

Just as I was about to turn to get to the door of my car, Cullen court my elbow, yanking me around, "That was a very unprofessional move you just pulled Swan." He glared down at me.

I didn't glare back; I knew I deserved it, "Don't you think I not know that?"

"Well you mustn't, considering that you went behind my back to go interrogate the poor girl."

My head hung down, "I didn't know that you already interviewed her…"

"Wasn't it you that said that we should ask each other if we need help?" He demanded.

Hesitantly, I nodded, I could hear him grunt in disproval, "Then why?"

I shrugged.

"You know Reynolds thought very highly of you, I guess he's wrong." His tone cold, making me feel even worse, like a kid getting scold from the principal for chewing gum.

"I'm sorry…" I apologized.

"That doesn't make up for-"

I cut him off, "Don't you think I'm already beating myself up!?"

Edward didn't respond. He just sighed, "Whatever. See you back at the office." He said, getting into his silver Volvo before driving off.

I watched him leave the car port before getting into my car. I slammed the door, banging my head on the steering wheel, ashamed of myself. I didn't know why, but his words cut deeper into me then I thought possible. Every word being like salt to an open wound. It shouldn't have hurt as much as it does. I could feel moisture fill my eyes; I haven't been this recluse since…since.

As the warm salt water ran down my cheeks, staining. I pulled out of the drive way, going directly back to the head quarters.