Cat had changed into black tights and a long knitted jumper that sat mid-thigh. Her hair was now out and hung in long curled locks almost to her waist. She was almost unrecognisable except for those glasses and the way she smiled almost constantly. He wasn't used to someone who was so outwardly happy all the time. Mulder was scanning the page, stepping aside to let her into the room. She closed the door behind her and started eagerly explaining what she had found while looking around for him that afternoon. "I was asking around a few restaurants like you asked me to this afternoon and really, in my female opinion, nothing looked worthy of catering to a wild bachelor party. Most of the restaurants are black tie. There are cocktail bars and clubs, but most had jazz bands or symphonies, not exactly what I thought these guys would have been big into. Anyway, I was at this restaurant, extremely formal and expensive. You know you couldn't buy a bottle of wine for less than $200, expensive. Anyway, this picture caught my eye."

Starring at the photo hadn't offered Mulder too many clues so he locked eyes with Cat, eager to hear what she was saying and certain she had found a chunk of the missing pieces to the puzzle of this case.

"The waiter saw me looking at this and clammed up. He wouldn't tell me what it was about, said it wasn't anything that I would be interested in. He tried to take it away from me but I managed to pocket it before I left. By the way I may have booked us a reservation for dinner at nine tonight." She looked at her watch then coyly up at him "I'm sorry, it's just that he wasn't going to cough up the info so I had to distract him." Mulder looked nervously at her. "I told him I had just got engaged and was here to celebrate, so I made the reservation and while he was tapping in the details I stole the picture."

Mulder looked back at the colourful image in front of him. The only word on the page was 'Merewif' and the picture was of what looked like a giant aquarium. It was only partially lit, giving the illusion of being deep under water. The bow of a large ship wreck was visible in the picture with gems sitting in the surrounding golden sand. Amongst the twisted metal of the ship's hull was a woman, although you could only just make her out as she peeped through the bars in the low light. Her hair was the most obvious thing about her, seeming to go on forever it must be well passed her bottom if she was standing out on dry land. The metal bars and ropes delicately covered most of her upper body but it was fairly obvious by the odd curve you could see, that she was naked from the waist up. Starting at her naval was a bright mass of scales that became lost behind pieces of ship only to reappear in what looked like a fin where her feet should have been. She wasn't looking at the camera, her eyes turned away as if she had been snapped unknowingly by a diver passing by.

Cat pointed at the word on the page. "'Merewif,' that means Mermaid right?!"

"Yeah, it's the old English word for mermaid." Mulder finally got a word in. "It seems unusual that the most expensive restaurant in town would be giving out photographs of alleged mermaid sightings."

"I don't think that's what it is. I think it's an advertisement." Said Cat

"An advertisement? For what?"

"I don't know an underground strip club or maybe working girls. Let's just say this picture is the first and only thing I have seen today that would appeal to a bachelor party."

Mulder tapped the photo against his hand and took his bottom lip between his teeth as he thought. "I need to talk to the owner of that restaurant." He put the photo on his bed and moved to grab his jacket and badge.

"Wait" Cat stopped him with a hand to his lower arm. "These people are caviar and lobster people, I'm telling you Fox, the starters at this place cost $85. I'd have to save a week's worth of wages to be able to afford a meal here."

He pulled his arm away from her "So?"

"So, I don't think the sheriff has advertised your involvement in this case and I was thinking seeing as how most of the information you have been given has been censored so much. Really, how much information do you think the patrons of a place like this will be willing to cough up for you? Especially if it is some kind of 'female entertainment' show."

He inhaled deeply through his nose and then blew it out his mouth. She was right he could wave his badge around all he wanted no-one was going to talk and he didn't have enough evidence to start handing out warrants. Especially in potentially a room of judges and lawyers. "What are you suggesting?"

"Why don't you take me to dinner? We have a reservation; just rub shoulders with a few of the guys at the bar. See if anyone has heard of a mermaid show."

He looked a little sea sick at her. "I don't have a black tie"

"I'm sure it will be easy enough to find someone in the hotel who does."

She had that giant smile on her face again. "Ok, but I hope you realise I may get fired if the FBI has to foot the bill for dinner at this place."

She laughed "I'll order the salad."

"And the iced water." He added.

"It's a date." She tapped him on the shoulder "Pick me up at 8.45. I'm two doors down. We can walk to the restaurant from here, it's not far."

What a place this was. Never in his life had he acquired a suit and bow tie so quickly. A quick call to reception was all it took and someone was knocking on his door with a freshly dry-cleaned suit in his size, in as little time as it took him to shave and dive through the shower. He knocked on Cat's door, adjusting his tie as he waited. It felt like it was cutting off his air supply. His white shirt was crisp and charcoal jacket sharp. He hadn't been this dressed up in years. Cat pulled the door open to greet him. She wore simple makeup and her hair long and curled. Her dress was forest green. It gathered under her breasts and then fell for miles to the floor. "What's wrong with your tie, Fox?"

"Argh the damn thing is trying to choke me to death; I must have knotted it too tight."

She smirked and took a step into his personal space, replacing his hands on the tie with her own. "Let me."

He extended his neck, tilting his chin and focus up towards the corner of the door frame giving her full access to his collar and bow tie.

She moved her fingers slowly watching him curiously as she loosened the silky fabric. He hadn't even blinked when she opened the door, she may as well of been wearing sweat pants and now they couldn't be standing any closer. How easily it would be to tilt her mouth just a little further up to his. Her thoughts were definitely taking a dive for the gutter and disappointingly he was looking like a twelve year old boy whose ugly great aunt was adjusting the tie he had been forced to wear for a cousins wedding or Bar-mitzvah. It was that moment that she realized that while they had been jovial since they had met, he never once looked at her 'in that way' and if he wasn't going to while she was standing this close to him in her best dress he wasn't likely to ever look at her like 'that'. She wondered what or who had his un-divided attention. Was the case really that big of a deal to him?

"Let's go." He said instead of thanks and left her standing there on her step fingers still tingling from running the tie over them. She stepped out and locked the door then hurried behind him to catch up.

When she reached him she hooked her hand through his elbow "Slow down, Fox. The restaurant isn't far, we'll make our reservation. I told them we were engaged remember, you are going to have to pretend you find me attractive." She threw her line over the side of the boat.

He looked over at her and then up and down as if he just noticed she was there. Then without saying anything he looked back ahead and kept walking. As they walked in awkward silence she reeled in her line. Her hook was still there but the fish had stolen her bait. Where was that rock to climb under again?

When they finally reached the door of the restaurant he paused as he took the large golden handle. "You look nice, Yusuf."

She decided on a better kind of bait and re-hooked the line. Adjusting her shoulders back to push out her chest she smiled sweetly at him. "Thank you, Fox. And if you call me that again I'll order the lobster." She pushed the door for them and walked into the restaurant first.

The host at the desk recognised her instantly "Ah, Madam, I have your table ready. Follow me please. Good evening Sir." He tipped his head at Mulder. "Right this way please."

Mulder followed behind Cat and the host taking the opportunity to scan the restaurant as they walked around the candle lit tables. There were sparkles coming from diamonds in the earrings of the woman and off the shine on the men's shoes. The profiler in him was on auto pilot, taking in body postures, facial expressions and types of groups. He looked at faces trying to place and memorise them as he went. He was concentrating so much on the room he almost walked into the back of the host when they reached their table. "Madam." He pulled out a chair for Cat and she sat down, keeping her back straight and chin forward. Mulder took the seat opposite nodding politely to the host, trying to encourage him to leave. Luckily he took the hint and with a click of his heals and nod of his head he left the pair to their menus. Cat picked up the drinks menu, settling comfortably in their little charade while Mulder was marinating over his vigilance of the room. A door caught his attention.

"I'm going to have a glass of wine." Said Cat, peering over the top of the menu and noticing that Mulder hadn't even picked his up yet. "Fox, are you going to have a drink?"

"No" he replied not looking over at her. He began to stand, "There is a door over there with 'gentleman's lounge' written on it. I'm going to check it out." He leant down on the table bending down slightly to focus on her briefly. "Order me a ginger ale or something." And then he was walking away from her again. She watched him disappear into the crowd as the waiter approached the table.

"Would you like to order a drink, madam?"

She watched Mulder close the door of the Gentleman's lounge behind him and looked up at the waiter standing at her side. "I'll have a vodka thanks, neat, no ice."

The host looked surprised "certainly Madam and for your companion?"

"He'll have an iced water."

"Certainly Madam, coming right up."

An hour and three vodkas later she was still sitting alone at their table watching the wax of the candle melt into tidy drops over the edge of the silver centre piece. Her chin was resting on her hand, elbow planted on the table as she looked up at the empty seat opposite her. The ice in his water had melted causing condensation to form on the outside of his glass. Vodka fog had started to cloud her brain making the reflecting light from the candle form pretty patterns in the drops of water. She leapt back into her chair when Mulder suddenly appeared, taking his seat and almost toppling the glass of water as he did.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He said as she relaxed again. "We've got to go."

"What! No!"

He looked at her confused. "Pardon?"

"I got all dressed up." She noticed her words were slurring slightly from the alcohol. "You dragged me here, I got all dressed up and then you left. I've been sitting here for an hour waiting for you, Fox. The least you can do is let me eat."

He frowned over at her "Have you been drinking?"

"Maybe" She looked down at her napkin and started shifting the cutlery nervously.

"Well I think I just found a lead…."

"Tut!" She put her finger up to his face at lip level, stopping him from speaking further.

"You can tell me over dinner."

"Cat"

"Tut! You owe me dinner!"

The waiter appeared then "Are you ready to order?"

"Actually…" Mulder started

"Yes" Cat interrupted, picking up her menu to hand to the waiter. "I'll have the fish." She gave Mulder the death stare.

He carefully picked up the menu and briefly scanned the price list instead of the food, when he reached the lowest he matched it with the food item. "Ah, I'll have the fish too thanks."

"Very good" The waiter took both menus and tucked them under his arm "Anything else to drink?"

Cat looked up at him and smiled that huge smile of hers "Yes, another vodka please, Charlie."

"Neat, no ice." He smiled back finishing her sentence for her.

Apparently they are friends now, Mulder thought as he looked down at his drink. "I'm good thank you." He forced a smile and the Waiter left them to their awkward silence.

Mulder sipped his warming water wondering if he was going to be charged for it. He wasn't sure if she was going to let him finish a sentence so he decided not to be the one to start one.

Cat cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "So, Fox, tell me more about yourself."

"Why?"

"Because I've had a lot of time to think this evening and it occurred to me that I've told you a lot about me but, well, I don't really know that much about you." The waiter arrived with her drink and she took a deep sip settling back into her chair to await a response

"I think I would much rather tell you what I found out about our case."

She swallowed another mouthful of vodka. It felt like fire in her belly, giving her magical powers. "We can get to that when dinner arrives, can't we just be two people out at a nice restaurant for the next twenty minutes."

His phone rang then saving him from an appropriate response. "Mulder" He answered.

'Agent Mulder, its Jim Winter speaking.'

"Yes Sherriff."

'I hope I'm not disturbing you?'

Mulder looked over at his tipsy companion. "Not at all how can I help?"

'We have another missing tourist. It seems he hired a boat last night and hasn't met his arrival time at the hire company. His friends were expecting him back this evening and when he didn't arrive they reported him missing.'

"Was he alone?"

'Ah no, Agent Mulder he had a female companion.' The sheriff replied awkwardly.

"Sheriff what can you tell me about an island called 'Merewif'?"

'Well it's a private island off the coast here.'

"And you didn't think to tell me about that given that it is most likely where these missing men were the night they were murdered."

The sheriff took a long time to answer. 'It's a private Island, Agent Mulder. Outside our jurisdiction and I also told you I don't think those men were murdered.'

"So why are you telling me about your missing tourist tonight. Are you afraid they had an 'accident' as well?"

'I'm merely extending a professional courtesy considering your investigation.'

"Thank you Sheriff." He hung up.

Cat was almost through her vodka but her magical powers felt like they were fading. Her interest in Mulder had been replaced with her interest for what was said in that phone call. "What was that about?"

"Another missing tourist." Mulder stated flatly.

"And what is 'Merewif?'"

Mulder sat back in his chair looking smug "Didn't you want to hear about my childhood first?"

She smiled smugly back at him. "You know while I was here, alone, thinking, for a whole hour, alone." She repeated "Something interesting did occur to me about the water samples I took today and the sargassum shackles. I think it might really help with the investigation"

"Really, and what might that be?"

She tilted her empty vessel and watched the last drops of liquid run across the bottom of the glass "You first. What is Merewif?"

Mulder's eyes narrowed and he grinned "You are a 'hard headed woman'."

Another Cat Stevens joke; he really was original in his attempts at teasing her, like she hadn't heard it her whole life. She looked up at his cheeky face "Are you looking for a hard headed woman?" She threw a line of the song back at him seductively.

He laughed. "I already have one."

She looked surprised. Did he mean her? Was he finally nibbling on her hook? She felt excited and determined to try and reel him in with her vast intellect. "I told you that I found no evidence of that breed of Sargassum in the bay and how unusual that was given the fast reproductive cycle of that particular weed. Well, your partner's autopsy report included an analysis of the water in the victim's stomachs and it occurred to me that the trace elements were slightly different to the samples I took from the bay today."

Mulder looked interested but lost "So.."

"So, I don't think they died in the bay. I think they were killed somewhere else and their bodies were dumped here for us to find."

Charles the waiter appeared with their meals. Mulder and Cat had been leaning over the table towards each other so they could speak quietly and sat back suddenly when he appeared. He placed each meal down in front of them and then took each of their napkins and laid them over their knees. "Enjoy your meals Sir." He nodded to Mulder "Madam" He nodded at Cat.

Both leant back in towards each other, intent on carrying on with their conversation and not be distracted by the heavenly aromas that now sat between them. "I think you are right." Mulder whispered. "I met a group of men in the lounge. They are here from LA to visit this exclusive private Island they called Merewif." Cat leaned in a little further. "Apparently one of the restaurant owners in the bay also owns this private island which features a gourmet seafood restaurant, exclusive resort and a few private lagoons. But the main feature is a club. A club with a very large aquarium equipped with a sunken ship and exotic sea life, including and I'm not making this up, mermaids ." Cat was stunned into silence. "I think that is where our bachelors were the night they died." Mulder sat back into his chair.

"Can we get out there?"

"Its $5,000 just to be allowed ashore and with that kind of price tag I'm guessing it isn't easy to sneak in undetected. I'm not one to enjoy night boating activities, but we can have a go at getting out there in the morning. I want to stake out the harbour tonight; watch the water traffic and see who is coming and going. I also need to find out who owns it so I can have a chat with them in the morning." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit redial. Scully's phone went straight to message. "Scully it's me. I need you to look up some information for my on a private island called Merewif. Call me when you get this message." He flipped the phone shut and returned it to his pocket.

Mulder looked down at the work of art that was his meal. "I don't know about you but I can't ignore that smell anymore." He picked up his fork and broke a piece of the delicate fillet of fish that lay across his plate. It was just about the best seafood meal he had ever tasted and he didn't realise he was that hungry until he had just about finished the meal in a few small minutes.

Cat ate more slowly eyeing him curiously. "So, Fox."

"Sorry" he mumbled around a mouthful "I didn't realize I was hungry."

"That's ok, it is delicious."

"Mm" he went back to concentrating on his meal.

"I was just thinking now that business has been discussed we could get back to the pleasure part of the evening."

"Huh?"

"You know you were going to tell me more about yourself." She seductively removed a long piece of fish off her fork with her teeth.

Mulder was almost finished "Not much to tell." He didn't look up at her but slowed the rate in which he shovelled the food into his mouth.

She avoided what she really wanted to ask him with a 'safe' question. "Have you always worked for the F.B.I?"

"Yip"

"Family?"

"Hmm, we don't have enough time to cover that one." He smiled up at her taking a long sip from his glass.

"Love life?"

"Oh we definitely don't have time to cover that one." He wiped his mouth with the napkin off his knee. "We really should go. I need to get down to the docks." He pushed himself up from the table. "I'll get the bill."

She had known him less than 48 hours and already hated his nasty habit of walking away from her without finishing a conversation.

Two hours later they both sat in a small car park that over looked the main beach and wharf of Sunset Bay. Mulder held a small pair of binoculars over his eyes slowly scanning the shore line and the small garage across the way from them that housed the boats for hire in the Bay. It was very quiet. They seemed to be the only people out tonight. Cat's eyes felt heavy, the magical powers of the vodka had now turned into a sedative and she was succumbing to its effect quickly. She had bunched up her cardigan and pushed it against the window as a makeshift pillow to lay her weary head and was almost asleep when he spoke, startling her.

"You don't have to stay with me you know. I'm happy to take you back to the hotel."

"No, I want to stay. I can help keep you awake." She replied not attempting to open her eyes.

"I think you were already asleep, Yusuf."

She opened one eye to confront him "You could always tell me more about your family and love life. That'll keep us awake for a while."

He gave her a tight lip smile "How about you get some sleep, I've got things covered here for a while."

She smiled and nestled herself further into her cardigan. She was almost asleep before she could finish her sentence. "That's what I thought."

It wasn't long before the day was breaking and the kink in her neck woke her. She slowly raised her head and grimaced at the ache that radiated all the way down her spine. Blinking rapidly she tried her best to adjust to the intensity of the morning sun peeking out from its resting place beyond the horizon. The sound of crashing waves and squawking seagulls reminded her of where she was. A few gentle neck stretches eased the tension enough to allow her to look over to the driver's seat where Mulder lay snoring. He had pushed his seat right back and down into a lying position. His arms were crossed over his chest and long legs stretched deep under the dashboard. She moved the little amount of saliva there was in her mouth and then yawned. God, she was uncomfortable. She hadn't slept in a car for years, what on Earth was she doing out here? Moments like these called for a cigarette, lucky she stashed a few in her purse for emergencies. Grabbing his coat off the back seat she quietly pulled her door open and stepped out into the cool morning air. His coat was too big for her by a mile. She could wrap it almost completely around herself. It was snug and heavy and smelled like him. She wrapped her arms around her breasts, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Trying to imagine what it would be like to have him wrapped around her instead. Now she really needed that cigarette. Digging deep into the secret compartment of her purse she found what she was looking for accompanied by a lighter and with a little flick she was breathing in the bitter taste of disappointment. As she exhaled the smoke, she glanced at the beauty that surrounded her, from the lush plant life, to the blue of the sea and gold of the sand. This would be the perfect place to fall in love she thought, dragging on her cigarette again. Suddenly the car was vibrating against her hip. No it wasn't the car it was the pocket of his jacket, his phone, she soon discovered. Without thinking she flipped it open. "Hello." She whispered not wanting to wake him.

'Hi!' A very surprised Scully answered. 'I'm looking for Agent Mulder.'

Cat kept her voice low "Ah, he's asleep, hang on." She crept around to her side of the car and leant over the seat.

The sound of the upholstery shifting like the springs of a mattress and ruffled sheets was all Scully could hear and then a muffled female voice again "Fox. Fox, wake up."

"Huh?" A very sleepy Mulder replied

"Wake up, you have a phone call."

There was more scuffling of upholstery on Scully's end followed by the clunking of the phone as it obviously exchanged hands.

"Hello." A half asleep Mulder answered.

'Good Morning, Fox.'

It was strange hearing her call him that and so it took him a few minutes to gather his bearings and remember where he was. He looked outside at the beach and at Cat who was now leaning on the hood of the car in his jacket dragging on a cigarette. "Scully?" he sounded disorientated. "What time is it?"

'It's a little after eight.'

"Sorry." He dug his thumb and forefinger deep into his morning eyes and yawned "I didn't get much sleep last night."

'Really!'

The fog of his dreams was passing and he suddenly realised how all of this might sound. "I've been in my car all night." He tried to explain. "Dr Stevens and I decided to stake out the bay."

'Ah huh.'

"I suspect our victims were visiting a private island just out from the bay here and well…." He felt like he was rambling. "Scully this isn't how it sounds."

'Oh and how does it sound?'

"Well." How did it sound?

'Not even you would be that stupid, Mulder. You asked me to call when I got your message.' She quickly changed the subject.

"Thank you. Yeah I did." He still felt guilty, although he didn't know what for.

'Well. I got your message.' She didn't sound like she was in the mood to beat around the bush. He could hear shuffling of paper on her end of the line.

"Are you at the office already?"

'I couldn't sleep either so I thought I'd come in and see if the lab results were back on those scales you sent me. I also have better access to information regarding the island you wanted me to look into.'

"Are you tidying my desk?" he sounded nervous.

'I may have rearranged a few things, yes. Honestly, how could you find anything in this desk.'

"I'm not going to be able to find anything when I get back am I, Scully?"

'Well…'

"You better not have touched my pencils. It took me months to get that many stuck in that roof."

'Do you remember how tall I am, Mulder?'

"Well, you are lucky. Don't mess with my pencils, Scully."

'I had the janitor remove them.' She sounded far too amused.

She couldn't see him smile secretly "Scu…..!"

"Do you want to know what I found for you, Mulder, or would you like to mourn the loss of a few number four pencils."

"Tell me what you've got."

Cat pulled open her side of the car and got back into the passenger seat. He had forgotten she was standing out there. He looked over at her briefly and then concentrated hard on his partner's voice on the other end of the phone.

'The scales were made with very fine silicon. The colour and kind you might find in a fishing lure. The interesting thing is that they also contained epithelial cells.'

"So in theory, Scully, if it was a mermaid we were looking for would this be what their scales would be made of?"

'No. More like what you would expect a fisherman to have if he hooked his finger with the lure.'

"Oh"

'Sorry to disappoint you but what I think you have are woman in very elaborate, very expensive mermaid costumes. They've taken these scales, embedded them into their skin and then added a little body paint. Judging by the detail I'm sure it looks very effective.'

"It does."

'What? Have you seen them?'

"No, a very blurry picture though. Which brings to my next question – 'Merewif', what did you find out about that?"

He heard his chair swivel as she moved on it and sighed simultaneously. 'Not much. Whatever goes on there is a very well-kept secret. The only thing I can tell you is that it is owned by a man named Arnold Gables, a New Yorker who made his fortune on Wall Street. He is a self-proclaimed eternal bachelor who also owns a few restaurants in the bay where you are staying. He purchased it a little over a year ago and unfortunately that is where most of the information stops. The only thing I could find from Gables financial record was purchases of building materials, I assume for the construction of living facilities on the island. But what was unusual was the purchase of extensive aquarium paraphernalia, sourced mostly overseas. Perhaps the mermaid costumes were acquired then too. Anyway, I've sent out a few feelers to see if I can gather more information on the aquarium and costume materials.'

"What you said pretty much confirms the information I received from a group of men I met at a restaurant last night. It must have been Gable's restaurant. This guy has convinced these people he has real mermaids and maybe someone got upset it was a scam. He must be running a pretty high class peep show on this island, exclusive to those high up enough to be able to pay for it and keep it secret."

'There's more than Mermaids in that aquarium, Mulder. Whatever made those lacerations on our victim's chest and back was a very large sea creature of some kind. There wasn't enough trace evidence to identify an exact species but I think it was an eel of some kind.'

Mulder looked over at Cat who was busy trying to act like she wasn't listening to his conversation. "An Eel? That's what Dr Stevens thought." Cat looked over at him suddenly interested that her name had been used. Mulders phone bleeped signalling his battery life was coming to an end. "This phone is going to die, Scully, I need to get back to the hotel and then I'm heading down to the docks to hire me a boat. I need to see this island and talk to this Gables." His phone bleeped again, pleading to be plugged in.

'Can you get something for your nausea or do you want me to fax a script to one of the local pharmacies?'

"No, I should be able to get something over the counter, it shouldn't be a problem. It isn't too far out."

You could hear the uneasiness in Scully's voice as his phone bleeped again like a timer ticking down to when she wouldn't be able to contact him again for a while. Her intuition told her it would be longer than he thought too. She wished she was going with him. 'You shouldn't go alone, Mulder. I think I should send another agent to come with you.'

"I don't have time to wait for another agent another man is missing. I need to get out there this morning." He tried not to sound like he was arguing with her but the battery bleep had him on a time limit.

'You don't know how to drive a boat and you are heading out into open water to a possible homicide with no available back up and probably limited communications. You can't go by yourself.'

*Blurp Blurp* the phone struggled

"I'll be fine Scully, the local law enforcement here love me, I'm sure they'll be glad to help me out." He lied, "and Cat can come with me…" That's where the struggling battery gave out completely.

Continued in part 5