I closed my eyes.

Detective Joseph Morelli and all around pain in the ass.

You see, I cannot tell you the amount of hatred I have in me for this man. Morelli grew up in the same neighborhood but 2 streets over. His father was the town's alcoholic who tried to come home and beat his wife. But Mrs. Angela Morelli was one tough cookie and didn't take shit from no one. People like to say that out of all the Morelli boys, Joseph was one of the good ones. But I knew better.

The summer before senior year, my sister and I worked at Tasty Pastry, the local donut shop in town and popular hangout spot. One late evening, my sister and I were asked to close the store. While I was in the back kitchen locking the rear door, Morelli was walking in the front. I could hear my sister telling him we were closing. When I made it to the front, he was leaning over the display case while my sister was moving toward the broomstick behind her.

"Well…well…well, it looks like I'm getting lucky tonight." You could smell the beer on him. Probably from the party his cousin was throwing.

"Look Morelli we're closed. So take your sorry ass somewhere else." By then Valerie had made her way to me all the while holding the broom.

"Look cupcake, I came to get something warm and sweet. Looks like I found two and I bet she's warm and you're sweet."

"Yeah, like we never heard that one before."

I remember that summer, when we weren't working, Val and I were at the local gym learning self-defense. Girls around the neighborhood were being assaulted so our dad made sure we knew how to defend ourselves. So when Joe decided to hop over the display case, he received a swift kick to balls. When he was bowed over, Val swung the broom over his back. We both exchanged glances and shrugged our shoulders. We "helped" a groaning Morelli out the door. Our dad came minutes later; we had to step over him to get to our dad's car. After that he never openly bothered us again. Not to say he hasn't tried.

I never understood what people saw in him and I still don't know how he became a detective.

"Yes Detective Morelli, what do you need?"

I slowly turned in Agent Manoso's arms, ending up pressed against his chest as we both stared at Morelli. Whose face was slowly turning red.

"I'm I interrupting Ms. Plum?" he spoke through clenched teeth. And I mentally rolled my eyes at least I think I rolled them in my head.

"Yes you were detective." I could feel the rumble in his chest when he spoke. It was like my body had a mind of its on as I slowly molded into his body. His hand left tingles when it came to rest on my hip. I can actually see the vein on the side of Morelli's neck plump up.

"What are you doing here Morelli?"

"I came about the body Cupcake."

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that? Plus we're in a professional setting and you should be calling me by my name."

"OK Ms. Plum, I'm the lead detective on this case and I came down here to see what you found. When were you going to send me the report."

He started to walk towards us, but Agent Manoso stepped from behind me.

"You are no longer needed on this case. It's mine now." I couldn't help hear the double meaning when he spoke.

Morelli's face was the color of my namesake at this point, "And who the hell are you? I'm the one that was called onto the scene, I tagged and collected evidence."

I knew he didn't collect any evidence. He was very squeamish when it came to blood. So I knew for a fact he had a rookie collect the evidence. That explains why I always found more than they did on any case he's assigned to.

"Special Agent Carlos Manoso, Detective Morelli your services are no longer needed."

I watched the standoff with raised brows, I wasn't sure what was happening but I was slowly suffocating on testosterones.

"Alright guys, Detective Morelli if that's all you needed then you can go."

Morelli stormed out my office barely missed the door swing back at him. I shook my head as I walked back to my desk. I gathered my notes and saved the photos and autopsy reports on a flash drive. I placed the covering back over the body and called to the morgue to send it back.

"So? Is there something going on between you two?"

"Uh, NO."

"You sure? Cause his actions say otherwise."

"He wishes. Been trying to get in my pants since he learned how to walk."

"Babe," he smirked.

"I don't know why though. I mean after what my sister and I did, he shouldn't have any desire to be with me. But I guess he's one of those guys that think refusing equals playing hard to get."

"He hasn't tried anything has he?"

"Once but like I said my sister and I handled it."

I removed the lab coat, and replace my flats with my heels. Underneath the lab coat I was dressed in a light blue selveless blouse with a light grey pencil skirt.

"It's time for me to go, but I will give all the information I have on the case. Also I'll attach a card to the folder so you'll have my contact information if you need to call."

When I turned around he was right behind me.

"Thank you, but Chief Juniack wants to see the both of us, but let me walk you to your car afterwards."

I gathered my things and locked up the office, while the morgue guys rode the body out.

We walked through the basement, Carlos (what he told me to call him), began to tell me why he was called in on the case. Back in Miami, there were 3 women kidnapped and murder with similar to the women laying dead back in my office. The killer wound fixate on a poem or quote and then go on a killing spree. He guided me through the maze of cops with his arm around my waist. When we reached the door to the chief's office we could hear raised voices going back in forth.

I knocked twice on the window, but Carlos just opened the door.

Morelli was standing to our right with a sour look on his face.

"That will be all detective, and the next time you come in my office with your bullshit issues. You will be signing parking tickets well into the next year. Dismissed."

Morelli did another dramatic exit this time slamming the door shut.

"Sit...sit, Agent Manoso I see you've met the best Forensic expert in Trenton."

"Stop it Uncle Joe," I knew I had a full raging blush going on. And I knew for a fact Carlos had that sexy little smirk on his face.

"So Steph, I wanted you to know that Agent Manoso is going to head this. But I want you to be the liaison from this department. So I'm counting on you help solve this case."

"Thanks Uncle Joe, I won't disappoint." My insides were a bunch of nerves, sure I've helped solve cases before. But I would be working with Carlos. I didn't want to mess this up.

"You'll do fine Babe." And just like that, his little nickname eased some of my worries.

"OK so get out of my office and go work on this case."

I got up to leave but not before giving my uncle a hug. We walked in silence until we reached my little black Mazda MX-5 Miata. I nervously shuffled the papers from my hands to his. I unlocked the car and tossed my bag on the passenger seat.

"Nice ride."

"Yeah it was a graduation present from my parents, of course I had to make enough for the down payment and pay my own insurance."

"I'll go over your notes and make some of my own."

"How did you know about the poems?

"I didn't know for sure until you pulled the piece of glass out of the body. Plus I was standing in your office for awhile Babe, be careful with those headphones."

We said our goodbyes and I made my way home. I lived in a little cottage on the south end of my Dad's property. After I changed out of my work clothes, I made my way to my dad's house.

"STEPHANIE!" I was met with the thundering noise of my twin brothers running towards me.

I ended up on the floor tangled in little boy legs and arms.

"Guys let me up!"

"Steph...Steph What did you see today?" "Huh...huh was it gross?"

"Come on guys you know I can't tell you anything," I leaned towards them, "But someone's heart is missing."

I launched at both of them with my hands shaped in claws and they ran off screaming. I was 15 when the twin terrors were born, and at 11 they lived up to their name.

"Pumpkin stop terrorizing your brothers."

"OK dad." I stepped over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Where's mom?"

"Regina went to the store, the twins are eating triple the amount you did growing up."

"Ha..Ha, did I get any mail sent here?"

"Yeah over there on the counter."

"Was this letter in with the other mail," the envelope looked a little strange compared to the others, plus it didn't have a return address.

"Yes why?" My dad came to stand by my side.

"Don't touch it dad, I'll be right back."

I ran out the back door to my house. I quickly emptied out my purse and looked through my papers. I finally found the black card tucked into the pocket of my skirt.

I fumbled for my phone and dialed.

"Babe."

"Carlos I need you."