"And you must be Vanessa! Vanessa Smith!"

Emma pointed and held Regina's hand to make their fake marriage seem real. Regina was mumbling cursing words through greeted teeth. Emma's palms were sweaty and shaky.. weirdo.

She couldn't understand the reason why but every time Emma touched her she felt her entire body tightening uncomfortably...

The bimbo girl snorted annoyingly and shook Emma's hand. She then turned towards Regina, examined her from head to toes and then lowered her sight towards the two palms holding onto each other strongly. She smirked looking back at the two women and approached them even closer.

"You might fool the others but you can't fool me! I know exactly what's going on here!"

Emma narrowed her eyes trying to read Vanessa's face desperately... The beautiful woman standing across her looked extremely mischievous to be serious right now.

She had no idea if Vanessa actually knew about the cops interfering in that case. She looked way too caught up into drugs and partying to actually give a damn about her property.

She must be aware she thought... it was her fucking hotel after all! At least someone would have informed her about the entire situation. Emma smirked nervously and glanced over Regina. The brunette woman didn't look like she was bothered or concerned at all.

Of course... Regina was a pro. She was pretty good at reading peoples faces and thoughts. She was working for the behavior analysis department after all. Reading peoples minds was her specialty.

"So would you mind to spend a couple of minutes with us so you can inform us about what's going on? Our boss has already informed us about the two kidnappings but we would like to listen to your opinion about the entire thing."

Vanessa smiled innocently and petted her dog lovingly. She then followed Regina and Emma outside in the gardens and sat down on a bench looking around the huge trees that were surrounding them.

"So... do you have any idea if there's any chance that someone in this hotel that's working for you could be suspicious? We literally have no idea how to start looking for a suspect so you sharing your opinion about your employees would be extremely helpful!"

Regina pointed and sat down next to Vanessa. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her lap all professionally. Emma was trying her best to focus on Vanessa's face expressions and words but she found it extremely hard. All she could do was to focus on Regina's face and delicate moves.

"Ughhh... so... I don't like coming here very often so I hardly know anyone that's working here! My dear friend Michael is taking care of all the placements. If you ask me of course..."

She made a pause and leaned towards Emma and Regina like she was about to share an important secret.

"I think the chef is kinda suspicious."

She finally whispered and then made a bubble

gum with her juicy lips.

"Why? Something happened?"

Emma whispered back and looked at Regina nervously.

"I heard that she's dating extremely older man! she's always into someone and she never sleeps alone. Every night a new boyfriend is sleeping over her room! Oops! Don't tell anyone that I told you that! Jessica and I were gossiping last night on the phone and I promised that I wouldn't say a word! So please!"

Regina and Emma looked at each other and it was like they had just communicated by using their body language only! Vanessa didn't look like the kind of person who was actually willing to help or at least care about the reputation of her hotel!

She was way too immature to understand how much serious the current situation was! She kept bubbling and bubbling about Jessica afterwards when Regina finally stood up realizing that their conversation with the owner of the hotel was extremely time consuming.

Vanessa was in no place to communicate with the two detectives properly.

"Okay sweetie that's enough! Thank you! We'll make sure to do the best we can to find the missing couples!"

Vanessa smiled at them encouragingly and tapped Regina on the shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you girls! If you need any extra drinks just tell the barman that I'm buying everything for ya! Mwah!"

She sent a kiss towards their direction and run away holding her puppy tight inside her arms. Emma glanced over at Regina and broke down in loud laughter.

"She might be hot but she's dumb as fuck!"

Regina nodded and then started pacing up and down making Emma's head keep turning around all the time.

"So what do we do now? We don't have any clues that can help us start investigating this case except the couples personal objects! That woman is in no place to run a business with that attitude! She's not even useful to us!"

She shrugged her shoulders and finally sat back down resting her head on her palms.

"Have you ever thought that she might be lying?"

Emma asked while she started rubbing her temples softly.

"She was not lying! Her hands and shoulders were way too calm and relaxed. Usually when someone is lying his shoulders are tensed and his palms curled up into a fist. Plus her voice and breathing were steady! She's way too dumb to be considered as a liar!"

Emma kept looking at Regina impressed. She had never thought about all these body language characteristics that could make her previous interrogations a whole lot easier.

"Wow... I have no idea how you're able to remember all that! It seems complicated. Did you even finish college? Did you even study all these psychological facts? Or did you just use your magic?"

Regina frowned and looked away rubbing her palms together.

"I don't have magic anymore miss swan. My magic left me as soon as I ruined storybrooke."

The blonde woman looked at the brunette surprised! Regina actually worked hard to learn all these things. The former queen had actually worked hard to earn her current job... she was human!

"Oh... I'm sorry! It must be hard."

She mumbled and stared right inside Regina'a eyes.

Regina avoided the eye contact and looked from

The other side of the garden, specifically towards the vast fountain that was decorated at the corner of the left side of the garden.

"It was at first. I guess I'm used to it now... I like my life the way it is."

Emma cleared her throat and was actually ready to finally open her mouth and start a conversation about the past and all those incidents that happened back then but she didn't even get the time to think about the way she was going to start her sentence when Regina stood up abruptly and looked over Emma's shoulder.

"What is it?"

The blonde woman asked whispering at Regina when the brunette started running towards the back door of the hotel. Emma gasped alarmed and took a deep breath. She hated running. Running was probably the worst part of her job.. she hated running around playing cats and mouse with the criminals.

"WAIT! WHAT THE HELL?"

Regina didn't even bother to turn around and inform Emma about her observation. She kept running... she grabbed the door handle of the back door and rushed inside the hotel aisles fast as a thunder.

A tall man was running faster than her speeding up slowly as he was reaching the stairs that led inside the cookhouse. Emma finally entered the hotel breathing in and out deeply when Regina grabbed her gun pointing towards the tall man.

"Your hands up where I can see them!"

The brunette woman yelled at him and the older man stopped running right away. He raised his shaky hands up facing the wall.

"Turn around!"

Regina said firmly now, her voice cold and calm at the same time. The older man obeyed her not risking his life. He turned around facing at her.

He was tall, with red beard and shaved head. His face was covered up with piercings and tattoos. His clothes were nothing important. He was wearing an ordinary white tshirt and a pair of blue jeans. His face was all sweaty and red.

"What the hell is going on?"

Emma asked quite annoyed looking at Regina!

The brunette woman approached the taller man slowly, still pointing the gun towards the man.

"Who are you? I wanna see you ID card!"

The man with the red beard cleared his throat nervously and slowly pulled his identification card outside of his pocket. Regina immediately grabbed the plasticized card and and narrowed her eyes to read it.

Michael Brown

36 years old

Chief of the hiring department

"Vanessa told us about you!"

Emma said looking at Michael who was currently out of breath and leaning on his knees.

Regina nodded but kept point her gun towards his direction.

"Why were you running?"

"I heard the conversation..."

He spelled and breathed deeply.

"So?"

Emma asked and Regina looked at her annoyed. Sometimes it would be best if emma would let Regina do the asking questions part by herself.

"I heard that Vanessa mentioned my name... I also know why you girls are here... I was pretty sure that you were gonna hunt me down afterwards anyway."

"And you decided to make yourself seem a whole lot more suspicious by running away! All I wanted to do was to ask you a couple of questions. In case you know anything mister Brown you better spit it out now. You don't wanna lie to me though."

Regina smiled innocently finally placed her gun back into her purse. She crossed her hands underneath her chest waiting for him to speak.

"Well... I doubt there's anyone here that wants to harm the reputation of the hotel. I can still arrange a meeting with the rest of the employees in order to talk to them and make sure that they have nothing to do with this."

"Yes. You do that. Is there any chance we can find out more things about the missing couples?"

Regina asked again retaining her poker face.

"Ugh... I ordered the cleaning ladies to not clean up the rooms of the kidnapped couples in order you guys will be able to look at their stuff in case you can find any clues there. I can give you the room keys right now."

Regina nodded agreeing with him.

"Okay you better give us the keys now and arrange that meeting! Next time I see you you better not run away again."

Michael shook his head in docility.

"Last but not least... where were you last Friday night on 6PM?"

Emma decided to ask. As soon as she finished her sentence Regina looked at her condescendingly.

"Miss swan I don't think thing it's time for the interrogating part yet. Keep your questions for later on. Mister Brown as soon as you finish the meeting give me a call!"

She handed her card over Michael and winked at him. She then started walking away. She could sense that Emma was furious now. The blonde woman run behind her and grabbed Regina's wrist.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

She asked irritated.

"Watch your language Swan!"

Regina said through greeted teeth and rolled her eyes.

"Uh yeah? You humiliated me right in front of that man Regina! Can you stop making me seem like the stupid one that has no reason to be here please? I don't care if you like it or not but we are in this together! You better start taking me seriously!"

"Whatever."

She was about to walk away when Emma pulled her behind and yelled annoyed.

"STOP THAT! I'm talking to you don't just walk away!"

"Or what?"

Regina asked and narrowed her eyes playfully...

Emma was about to speak when Regina's phone started ringing.

The brunette lowered her sight and focused on the shiny screen of her cellphone. She walked a few meters away still staring at the unknown call. She took a deep breath and answered.

"Who is this?"

Her voice steady and cold.

"I'm coming..."

A voice echoed from the other line. She was pretty sure that It was a man's voice but she couldn't say to whom that voice actually belonged.

"Excuse me? Who is this?"

She asked again as her breathing became more fast and unsteady. She could feel her heart beating faster and faster in agony. It couldn't be him... no... he was still in prison. There was no way. She just wanted the bad thoughts to go away.

"I'm coming for ya!"

The call suddenly ended and his last phrase almost made her jump in surprise. Emma stood right next to her looking at her worried.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes! Yes! I'm okay..."

"Who was on the phone?"

The blonde woman asked examining Regina's pale face.

"Probably a kid who wanted to make a prank call. Let's go investigate Sarah's and Fiona's room."

The brunette tightened her fists and walked away tensed. Emma frowned as she followed her... there was literally something wrong with miss Mills...

What was it anyway?