9.

I carried out an analysis in a spectrophotometer to distinguish the components of the powder. I printed the report and I realized a subsequent of that one found on the victim's clothes. The composition was identical. The only possible transfer could only be borne by the killer. Another piece that was going to be placed in a framework not so positive for Mr. Black. It would take more hours for DNA sequencing. The fingerprints found on the handrail corresponded, we had a name.. Matthew Black. Straightaway I proceeded with dark fiber found on the stairway. I set off a series of tests and centrifugations to extract DNA. We had taken others post -it notes from the Black's office. I tested them for fingerprints. They were all of our suspect. I was ordering for date where this was possible. There were some from few weeks before the murder. They seemed appointments.

A. MC . 4:00 pm
A. MC . 6:00 pm
A. MC . 8:00 pm

I paused to think about it, and I plugged it immediately.. he had appointments with Alicia in different hours. I was beginning to wonder why. I wrote down on the transparent blackboard all the progress and I went back to look at the floor plan of the building. No doubt he was involved, most likely he was the murderer. I typed the name of the suspect in the archive and started a scan in every federal database. I was just waiting for the confirmation from the evidences. The dynamic left no room for doubt. My boss would have passed to me soon and then we will go to query the secretary. She knew more than she gave us to see. I lowered my gaze to my hands and I was prey of another flashback. The wind in his dark hair, the sandalwood colony, his intense eyes, his face close to mine and my heart was beating crazy hectic for contact with his body. That silence, he was so close to me, and the time stopped completly when I was in his arms. The air escaped away from my lips. My mind was still completely lost.

Mac leaned his face curious, he was watching me silent and motionless.

When I realized that he was physically there and that it wasn't an hallucination, I went into the total panic.

"Oh, Mac" I started to laugh, to blush, while I was trying to settle a tuft of my hair.

He kept looking at me curious, he was not saying anything.

"I thought you had been here soon and in fact .. I was expecting you" I raised my hands in a surprised expression.

He slipped a thin smile.

I looked at him frowning and I leaned an hand on the counter casually, I slipped. I was near to make a mess by the colossal dimensions. All reagents were going to pour on the surface. I was so close to compromise the evidences with my being clumsy. Once again, Mac Taylor was there ready to grab me. He took me by the wrists. I crossed his eyes and lost myself again. My heart banged violently in my chest. The scent of his cologne gently pinched my cheeks. His fingers touched the exposed part of my body and this sent me into fibrillation. I hatched my lips, but no sound came out of them. That contact made me blush further.

He tilted his face, his gesture was enough to bring me back to the present.

"Excuse me, I'm clumsy" I smiled.

"You seem distracted Jo, maybe you should take a break" he said while he was letting his fingers gently slip away from my skin.

"I'm fine.. I lose a few shots sometimes, but I have my Clark Kent ready to save me" I gave him a pat on the shoulder and I concluded with a smile of fortune.

"You're stumbling dear Josephine Danville, heheh .. you like him!" the inner voice interjected "Oh what a romantic comparison.. he's your Superman, you're cooked without remedy of Mac. Admit it, admit it!"

I absented myself again, I was too busy to strangle the inner voice. How she was damn nagging.

"Admit it .." they were the same words of Mac Taylor.

Simultaneously a warm shiver ran down my back. Oh was not good at all. I had to at all costs put an end to all this.

"Admit what?" I asked as I looked at him, I was smiling awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Admit that you need a break" he repeated frowning.

"Did you was really thinking, that he was asking you to admit that you're attracted by him? Haha" now she had begun to kidding me. I was officially going crazy, maybe the idea of a break was not too bad, I had to consider it seriously.

It recreated an awkward silence broken by a strong beep from the laptop behind me. Once again, a loophole, I smiled solar.

"You know that I will not" I gave him a fun wink and I went to the monitor.

Mac was at my side, while I was flipping through the results of the database search "no results.. he is clean as you can see".

He said nothing, he was listen to me carefully.

"However .. there are some progress" I said extending an arm over his back to take the reports of the analysis. I showed them to him, he grabbed them and he compared them with a grimace that always fascinated me. I discovered myself to observe him in secret again. What the hell is wrong with me? "He is your boss Jo, stop it now!" I was trying desperately to regain the control of my person.

"The composition of the powder is the same" he said putting an end to my inner conflict.

"Exactly" I said with a smile, and I just showed him the post-it notes "take a look at this, Mac".

"They seem appointments.. and these are some initials.." he was tracing the contour with the index finger.

"Of our victim" I anticipated his thoughts.

"The dust places him on the crime scene" he concluded staring at me.

"The directional fingerprints on the handrail show that has walked on the emergency ramp" I showed him the photos.

"Great job Jo, Adam is analyzing all the surveillance's footages in our possession".

I put my hand on the counter and I smiled naturally. He looked at me, maybe he looked confused, he returned back to smile, curving his lips. When my eyes came to rest on the whitish surface, his fingers accidentally touched mine. I held my breath, a warm shiver ran down my back and my heart simultaneously decided jumped in my chest, I was losing several beats. The ground under my feets seemed to disappear, and a simple contact was enough. I drew back my hand, I was afraid of what I began to feel of the whole situation and I bit my lips.

"I'm going to prepare me for interrogation" I said for justify myself.

He arched an eyebrow with a suspicious expression, but he just nodded and stared at me.

"Jo what are you doing?" I kept saying to myself as I walked towards my office. I pushed the glass door and I took off my coat, I dropped it on the swivel chair. Oh I don't need this "is pretty darn wrong".