Chapter 5: The Body

The floor felt cold. The sound of the rain made the windows shake. Through the boards in the window, the flashes of lightning illuminated the room. He was gone. They were alone. Regina moved her feet and hugged her legs. The chain on her ankle made a metallic sound when she moved. She wished she was wearing socks because the clothes he gave her weren't enough to aisle her body from the low temperatures. Maybe if she asked him, he would let her change or lend her a jacket to put on. Regina heard the girl next to her sobbing. Her name was Iris, she was younger than her and arrived about a month ago. Iris had a black eye and prominent eyebags because of the lack of sleep.

"Why are you crying?" Regina asked with a hoarse voice. She had probably cached the flu already.

"I miss my home." Iris said, sobbing.

Regina reached Iris with her arm and caressed her shoulder. "You said they were looking for us. Don't be afraid."

Iris kept crying while Regina comforted her. Suddenly, she noticed that her friend was not there. Where could Penny be?

When he opened the door, both girls maintained silence. He sat down for a while in a chair. In the dark, Regina swore she heard him crying. Eventually, the man approached the girls and gave Regina Penny's hairband. At that moment, she knew her friend was not coming back.

Miles shook Kay's shoulder, trying to wake her up. "Kay... Kay!"

The young detective moved onto the couch and knit her brows. "What...?" She said with a sleepy voice. Kay looked at Miles. He had already dressed. "Miles, what...?"

"We have to go. Dress up."

Kay turno on her phone. It was four past ten in the morning. She stood up and yawned while rubbing her eyes. "What the fuck happened?"

"They found a body. In Jackson." Miles answered.

Kay perked up instantly. She took her bag and ran into the bathroom to dress up. Miles was feeling anxious, so he sat down and tried to breathe. He had to call Phoenix. Fuck. Quickly, he reached his phone and looked for the agent's contact.

"Please, Wright, pick up..." He murmured when he heard the first tone.

Phoenix was sleeping in his bed. The sudden sound of the ringtone woke him up. He was used to calls in the middle of the night, so he reacted fast. He read "Inspector Edgeworth" on the screen and answered instantly.

"Special Agent Wright."

"Wright I am picking you guys up in fifteen." He said rapidly. Phoenix almost didn't understand him.

Phoenix got up and approached Maya and Apollo. The two of them had woken up for the noise. "Okay. What happened?"

"A body."

When Phoenix heard that, he moved his hand, telling Apollo and Maya to get up and start getting ready. "May I get more details?"

"Wright, I have no time to..."

"Details, Edgeworth. Who called? Where's the body? Whose body is it?"

Miles felt frustrated. His anxiety was starting to hurt his chest. Everything that was on his mind was arriving at Jackson as soon as possible. A one-hour drive? He could make it thirty minutes, but he had to leave now. Before the press got there, before the people got there before anybody else arrived there.

"We will talk in the car," Miles said and instantly hung up. When Kay was ready, they both left the apartment.

Before Phoenix could say anything, he heard Miles hang up the phone. The agent looked at the screen. "Go get dressed up. Edgeworth is coming in fifteen."

"I'll take my things and call Ema," Maya said while searching her phone in the sheets

"Whose body is it, Mr. Wright?" Apollo asked.

"I don't know. Go and get ready." Phoenix ordered.

Apollo and Maya nodded and ran to their room to get ready. They knew things were serious when Phoenix put on his authoritarian voice. Sometimes, he sounded almost like Superintendent Andrews, and that was scary. Phoenix got into the bathroom and took a deep breath. He washed his face as usual and then dressed up. The raindrops tapped the windows, so he chose to wear his FBI jacket and raincoat. He was feeling frustrated due to the lack of information. Was it too hard for Miles to answer him? He clicked his tongue. Phoenix did not want to get angry at him, but his own impatience overwhelmed him in this situation. When Phoenix was ready, he ran down the stairs. Apollo and Maya met him in the street minutes later. Maya was carrying an umbrella, and the three waited under the rain. It was still nightime and there was no one else in the street. Miles was punctual. He pulled up so the FBI agents could get in the car. Phoenix sat next to him. As soon as everyone had their seatbelts on, Miles started driving. He tried to go as fast as he could. Kay, Apollo, and Maya were still sleepy. Kay rested her head in the window, looking at the raindrops falling down the glass. It was so relaxing she started to close her eyes.

"Would you explain to me now what's happening?" Phoenix asked in a low voice.

Miles sighed. "They found a body in Jackson."

"Keeping information to yourself is not helpful," Phoenix complained.

"You won't even let me explain myself." Miles knit his brows. "The Sheriff called me. He said a man was driving back home and saw something on the side of the road. He stopped and saw the body of a young girl."

"And then?"

"He called the Sheriff. Now, they are waiting for us."

"Is that man with them?"

"What?" Miles asked.

"The man who called the Sheriff."

"I don't know, Wright."

"You didn't ask? That man could be our kidnapper." Phoenix didn't notice, but he was raising his voice.

Miles went silent. He counted to ten and made sure he was breathing. "It's four in the morning, Wright. The only thing I know is that we have to arrive in Jackson as soon as possible."

"You should've asked. We have to interrogate him, and we don't even know who is he or where he is!"

"Stop telling me what I should or shouldn't have done."

"Hush your mouth you two!" Maya screamed out of frustration, waking Kay up. "I have a crime scene to examine, so please, let's just get there."

Phoenix turned around. "But, Maya, I..."

"Nick, let him alone," Maya said.

Phoenix resigned himself and leaned on the window with his arm. Miles looked at him out of the corner. He understood Phoenix, of course, he did. They were both hurried, frustrated, and angry about the possibility that the body could be one of the girls.

They arrived in Jackson at 5 a.m. The sun hadn't even risen, and the sky was still cloudy. Miles drove heading the town's limits, where there was only a road surrounded by trees. The lights of the Sheriff's car indicated the place. He parked the car and zipped his jacket. The rain was not as heavy as an hour ago, but it was still drizzling. Maya put on her gloves and gave the camera to Apollo. Then, they got out of the car. The yellow seal was already around the area. Two officers were placing temporary fences in case some cars passed by. The Sheriff was there, at the edge of the road. Next to him were an official and a man dressed in a gray suit. All of them carrying umbrellas.

"Inspector! You arrived fast." The Sheriff said when they trespassed the seal. "Sorry for the hours."

"No problem, Sheriff."

"Come, we found it here."

The Sheriff led them behind his car. Not so far, between some trees, there was a girl's body in the ground. She was placed facedown. Her face was hidden by her long brown hair, wet due to the previous rain. She was wearing a long blue dress. At first sight, the corpse was surprisingly clean. Miles thought that if no one had told him the girl was dead, he would have thought she was sleeping. Maya was the first one to approach it. Carefully, she removed some hair from the victim's face, revealing her identity. Her eyes were closed.

Maya sighed. "It's Penny Nichols." She confirmed with a sad tone. "Apollo, put on some gloves. Give me my things and take some photos."

Apollo nodded and followed Maya's instructions. The Sheriff crossed his arms. "Poor girl."

"Sheriff, can we talk with the man that called you?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah, yeah..." The Sheriff sounded sad and defeated. "He is over there, come."

Phoenix and Miles followed him. Kay stayed with Maya and Apollo, helping them find clues. The man in the grey suit was leaning on the Sheriff's car with his arms crossed.

"Mr. Payne, these two gentlemen wanna talk to you."

The man seemed very calm. But Miles and Phoenix could tell that he was angry. He was wearing big square-shaped eyeglasses, the remaining hair on the top of his head was wet and the wrinkles of his forehead were marked. He looked at them with a startled gesture on his face.

"FBI?" He asked, noticing Phoenix's jacket. "Do you think I murdered her?"

"It is one of those..." Miles thought. He then looked at Phoenix, and he looked at him back. Both were expecting the other to start. None of them knew that. Miles looked away, thinking that Phoenix wanted him to ask the questions he didn't ask in the call as a punishment.

"Mr. Payne, I'm Miles Edgeworth, Inspector Miles Edgeworth. I work in Atlanta, solving cases all around Georgia. My partner here is from the FBI. We just want to ask you about how you found the body."

Partners...? Phoenix didn't know why, but that word made his morning.

Wiston Payne looked at them again. "I am an attorney, and I work long hours. I was coming back from my office in Athens. While I was driving, I saw the girl lying on the floor. I thought she was drunk. Ya' know, girls these days... They don't respect the word of God."

"Oh, no. He is even worse…" Miles had always thought that the worst kind of witness was the one who judged the victims like they deserved to be killed. He might not be religious, but Miles could not stand people using the word of their god to judge others.

"So I pulled up, and I approached her. I asked several times if she was okay, but she didn't move. Then, I called the Sheriff and went to the station. And after that, I led them here."

Miles nodded and put his hands inside his jacket's pockets. "Around what time was that?"

"When I stopped the car, it was almost four."

"He called at three fifty. I called you immediately after that, inspector." The Sheriff pointed.

"You seem nervous, Mr. Payne... Did you touch the body?" Phoenix asked.

The man put on an angry expression. "Why you ask? Of course, I didn't. Why would I?"

"So, I can assume that we will not find your fingerprints or DNA on it."

Phoenix was pressing while Miles looked at him with a neutral face. Wiston Payne was feeling intimidated by both of them. They were making him nervous. He had nothing to hide and never committed a crime, not even a little infraction. But, at that instant, he felt like confessing multiple murders. It was noticeable how the two policemen played "good cop-bad cop" with him. In his forty-year career as an attorney, Mr. Payne had never seen such a skilled couple of agents. He sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"Yes, you can assume that. May I go? I want to have breakfast with my wife."

Phoenix did not say anything else, so Miles answered. "Of course. Thank you for your help."

Mr. Payne looked at them. "Thank you. I hope that you catch him."

"We will," Phoenix affirmed.

Winston Payne walked away. Two officers let him pass through the police tape and got into his car. Phoenix and Miles looked at how he disappeared in the distance.

"He's a nice guy." The Sheriff said. "He can be weird sometimes, but he is a good citizen."

"Thank you, Sheriff."

Miles and Phoenix remained there while the Sheriff (se iba)

"It's not him," Phoenix affirmed.

"Of course not," Miles said. "Our kidnapper is too smart to expose himself to us."

They stayed silent without looking at each other. Eventually, Phoenix turned to him.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know, Wright." Miles shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what to think."

Silence again.

"He didn't hide the body," Phoenix said pensively.

"What are you suggesting, Wright?" Miles asked, interested in the idea but still looking away.

"He wants attention."

It was then that Miles faced him too. "Elaborate on that."

"No one has seen him, right? There are no eyewitnesses. He has been cautious and silent, kidnapping the girls in the middle of the night. He leaves no clues, no blueprints, nothing. He doesn't want to be noticed. And now, during a storm, he places a body in a place where cars pass around. Anybody could have seen her."

"They could have placed it in the woods, letting the water and mud cover it. But, he wanted us to find the body." Miles followed Phoenix's sentence. "Maybe he wants everyone to see what he did. He even might feel guilty for killing her."

The silence invaded them again. But, it wasn't an awkward silence, but a moment of compliance.

"Edgeworth, I..."

Before Phoenix could say anything, Ema arrived. She was driving the van from the scientific forensic lab so they could carry the body to the morgue. She parked next to Miles's car.

"Mr. Edgeworth!" She said as soon as she got out of the vehicle. "Maya called me."

Miles walked towards Ema. Then, pointed to the officers that she could get in. "Come, she is already taking photos and examining the scene."

Then, Miles led Ema to the scene. Phoenix followed them. Maya was taking things from the hair of the victim with tweezers. Kay waved shyly at her and Ema smiled back. Then, she put on some gloves on and kneeled next to Maya. When she recognized the victim, she felt sad. Penny Nichols' kidnapping was a murder now. She was used to death, but when it was about young girls, Ema was sensitive.

"Sorry for the delay." She was a forensic, and in that situation, she had to be professional.

"Don't worry. I took photos of everything but just started to collect clues." Maya said, unbothered

They extracted DNA samples from Penny's hair and nails. After that, they carefully turned the body around. Her dress and half of her face were dirty from the mud. Her glasses were broken and partially buried in the ground, probably because of the body's weight. Around her pale neck, a red mark surrounded the flesh.

"She has been strangled with a cord," Ema said and looked for threads. "We will proceed with the autopsy later, but I can assume asphyxiation was the cause of death."

Miles took a step back, disturbed. Phoenix noticed and looked at him. As Miles felt Phoenix's eyes on him, he composed himself because he did not want to call his attention. The agent thought about how, minutes ago, they both had worked together, and the dynamic did not feel forced but smooth. And, for Phoenix, it felt nice. He wished he had not fucked up earlier.

With the first lights of the morning, some cars started to pass by. The officers had to tell the people to turn around and use another path. The Sheriff placed his car near the scene so no one could see what was happening.

"She has marks on her right ankle," Maya said, twisting Penny's right foot. She had bruises and scratch marks on the area. "Looks broken."

Ema approached the legs and palpated both feet. "It's just the right one. The other one is intact. Apollo, take a pic of this."

As he did not want to keep looking and doing nothing, Miles decided to talk to the Sheriff. "We should tell Mr. and Ms. Nichols once we finish here."

"Yeah… The National News are gonna go nuts." The Sheriff said. "I can call them to the station later."

"Tell them we have news about their daughter," Phoenix said, joining the conversation. "We have to be discreet."

"They will call the reporters anyways," Miles complained. "This town is so nosy. I am surprised that none of them has shown up already."

Ema and Maya took pieces from the soil under the body. They put everything in plastic bags, including Penny's glasses. When they had finished, Ema brought the van, and they placed the body in a bag. Then they carried it on a stretcher to bring it in the back. Ema got in the vehicle, and Maya sat in the copilot seat.

"Once we get the autopsy report, I'll call you Mr. Edgeworth," Ema told him through the open car window. Miles nodded.

The drizzling had stopped a while ago, but the clouds were still dimming the sky. Phoenix checked the weather on his phone. The rain would maintain for the rest of the day, and another thunderstorm had been reported for the middle of the day.

The Sheriff and the officers started to remove the seal and the fences. In a matter of minutes, the road was like nothing had happened.

"Y'all should have some breakfast, Inspector." The Sheriff told them. "We are going home now. See ya' in an hour?"

"Yes, Sheriff. Thank you." Miles said.

The cars left then, and Miles sighed. He looked at Kay. She seemed tired. Apollo was checking the photos in the camera.

"I think we should go now," Phoenix said.

They went to the same dinner they had already gone to a few times in the town center. It was early, so they were the only ones there. The waitress greeted them with a smile as she remembered their faces. Her name was Jordan, and a pin in her uniform indicated it. Their tiredness was pretty noticeable, so Jordan served them coffee. Apollo and Kay ate breakfast like they hadn't eaten in a week. Phoenix ate quietly, and Miles' did not feel like eating. Every time he had seen a corpse, the smell and the images haunted him for days. Even after a decade of being a policeman, he could never get used to it. On this occasion, things were the same, if not worse. He was so committed to the case that finding one of the girls was dead, felt like a failure. Miles was also confused by Phoenix. They had fought again in the car but later had acted like a team, a real team. He knew the agent was committed to the case too, and wanted to find the girls as much as he did. But he also knew they would be awkward or annoyed with each other later, and lately, he had been caring about it.

"Are we talking to the Nichols now?" Kay asked. After she ate, she recovered her energy and was fresh as a lettuce. "It's gonna be tough."

"It's always the worst part." Apollo sighed. "Have to talk to Ms. Andrews, Mr. Wright?"

"No, I'll call her when we get back."

Kay looked at them, intrigued. "Whose Ms. Andrews?"

Miles paid attention to the conversation.

"Superintendent Andews is my superior. The boss. She is in charge of our department." Phoenix explained. "We have to keep her updated. Now that we have a murder case… She might ask for reinforcements."

More people on his station? No, Miles could not handle that. Almost thirty people were working on the case, including officers, Sheriffs, and local police. "We should go, it is almost time." He said and took his wallet to pay the bill.

In the Sheriff's office, Gumshoe was sitting in a chair while reading a file. When he saw Miles and the team coming in, he waved at them. "Hey, pals."

"Hello, detective Gumshoe. Chief Fey called you?" Miles asked.

"Yeah… Poor girl. I told Maggey, she was upset about it too." He got up and approached them. "Mr. Wright, I've been checking the profiles you asked me to, and I found something rather interesting." He opened the file and showed them. It was a list of names and summer camp photos. "Billy Jonhs was a volunteer at "Camp Kiwanis" last summer. It is a summer overnight camp in Athens. Guess who attended?" Then, the detective pointed at one of the photos.

Miles also took a look. He was surprised when he saw the girls.

"Iris and Regina…" Phoenix said. "Thank you, detective. This information is indeed helpful."

"You're welcome, pal! Hope this helps. I have to go back to Atlanta now. I'll try to call the camp and will update you later."

Phoenix took the file and smiled. "Alright, thanks again."

Miles found himself upset again. Phoenix did not tell him about this.

When Gumshoe was gone, the Sheriff entered the office. "The Nichols are waiting."

They headed to the room where Penny's parents were waiting. The door was closed, but they saw them through the windows. They were sitting in a faux-leather couch. Margaret Nichols was shaking her leg nervously, and John Nichols had his arms crossed. Ms. Nichols was wearing home clothes and black sneakers. Her husband, however, was in a full black suit and shoes. Miles was not sure if he wanted to do this. Apollo and Kay said they would wait outside, so it was between him and Phoenix to handle it.

"You can go first," Miles said. "People seem to like you more."

Phoenix chuckled. "They still see me as an outsider. You are like their hero."

"Still. You are going to talk first, anyway."

"Are you going to complain if I do?"

Miles knit his brows. "Just get in there, Wright."

Phoenix sighed and then opened the door. The Nichols got up as they saw them coming in. Miles closed the door behind him and asked them to sit down. Phoenix sat in a chair in front of them. Miles remained standing next to the exit.

"What happened?" Ms. Nichols asked, nervous.

Phoenix hesitated. He lied if he said that this situation was not difficult for him. Seeing how parents broke when they received the news about their child being dead. But he was an FBI agent, and he would feel bad later. Phoenix remembered his daughter at that moment, and the empathy for the Nichols overwhelmed him suddenly.

He looked at Miles, and Miles nodded at him. "We are so sorry to communicate this to you, Mr. and Ms. Nichols…" As soon as he started, he got a lump in his throat. Luckily, he could keep a calm voice. He paused. "We found Penny near the woods this morning."

When Margaret Nichols understood what the FBI agent was saying, she broke, crying hard. She covered her face with both hands. Her sobbing resounded in the room. Some officers stopped by the windows when they heard her. They all looked with pity.

John Nichols took a deep breath. "She was…?" He asked in complete shock.

"Yes, em… Her body is in the morgue now. Once we get the autopsy done, you will be able to see her. You don't have to worry. Our forensics will treat her well."

Phoenix felt like his heart ached. The case was becoming too personal for him. Miles took a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to Ms. Nichols, who thanked him between sobs. The inspector kept on a neutral expression. Maybe it was a coping strategy, but his brain had decided to recall every time he saw a mother cry for their children. Ms. Nichols remembered him to Neil's mother, a black kid murdered that spring.

Phoenix gave them a formulary. "If you don't mind, we need your sign to proceed with the autopsy and further investigation. Is a consent contract."

John Nichols took the file and signed it without hesitation.

"We will be able to bury her?" Ms. Nichols asked while trying to wipe her tears.

"Yes, of course," Phoenix responded. "We will leave you alone now. Take your time. Go home and rest. The Sheriff will update you tomorrow."

John Nichols hugged his wife and they stayed in silence.

"We are going to catch him," Miles said impulsively. "We promise."

The rain had started again, and some lighting could be noticed in the distance. They got in the car, and Miles started to drive to Atlanta. The animated chat between Kay and Apollo was missing this time. It was only eight in the morning, and the team felt tired. For Miles, encountering a body in a kidnapping case was a failure, something that could have been averted or stopped before happening. He hated the person who was doing all of this because they were smart and yet made no mistakes. Miles was also irritated because of what happened that morning and what happened with Gumshoe later. Phoenix gave him confusing signals and mixed feelings, something his brain and logic could not interpret, and frustrated him.

"Are we going to talk with Max, then?" Miles asked.

Phoenix looked at him. "He's a suspect now, so I think we should."

"We'll discuss it later, then."

"Alright."

When they arrived at the station, there was no one else there besides Captain Fey, who was waiting in her office. Kay and Apollo sat in their chairs, defeated. Miles went to talk to Mia, and Phoenix waited for him in Miles' office. The decoration was minimal. There was a chessboard and a cartoon toy on top of a long table behind the desk. Phoenix noticed that Miles had no familiar photos on the table, just a pot with a tiny cactus and a can full of pencils with Portland's badge. He took the pot and looked at the cactus closer. Phoenix thought it was cute. When Miles stepped into the office, Phoenix put the pot in his place. The inspector did not sit but just stayed in front of him.

"You are the boss, so explain your plan," Miles said with arms crossed.

Phoenix observed him and then proceeded to explain. "I think we should go to North Carolina. Max is a freshman there. Now that he is related to the case, we need to talk to him."

"You think he is involved?"

"No. But maybe knows things that we don't."

Miles thought about it. It was not a bad idea. The distance was an obstacle, but he would try to make an effort. "When?"

Phoenix had not thought about it yet. "I don't know, hadn't thought about it. Until this morning, I didn't know there was a reason to go."

"We can leave on Friday," Miles suggested. "It would be better if we go when he's not in class."

"Fine, I can get us a flight."

"Okay, then."

They stayed in silence. After a few seconds, Phoenix stood up. "Alright, I'll go get my work done."

"Wright," Miles called before Phoenix left. "Next time you should tell me if you find anything. Even the most minimal detail."

Phoenix looked at him. "Only if you do the same, Edgeworth."

Miles rolled his eyes. "As you wish."

Phoenix smiled and then left the room, closing the door. Miles sat in his chair and found himself chuckling. They finally agreed on something.

Every night, before going to sleep, Phoenix Wright called Superintendent Andrian Andrews to update her on the case. After that, he called his daughter. That time, Ms. Andrews was more serious than usual, and Phoenix looked down at the floor of the room like she was right there, telling him off.

"The president called. She was upset to hear the news, Agent Wright." She said, "Should I send reinforcements?"

"No, superintendent, it would not be necessary," Phoenix explained. "There's this boy… Billy Jones. He knows the girls. Inspector Edgeworth and I will go to talk to him this weekend."

"I see… How is Miles Edgeworth behaving? I've heard he can be weird."

Phoenix knit his brows. "What do you mean?"

"You know… he's too rigid and cold. He is brilliant, of course, but not very social." She said.

Miles could be lots of things, but Phoenix would never think he was weird. He might be stiff and asocial. They may not be friends and fight sometimes, but Miles was passionate about his work and considerate and kind to people. And Phoenix appreciated those qualities. More than he would have thought the first time they met.

"He takes his work very seriously," Phoenix said. What else he could say? "Edgeworth is more than that"? No, confronting Andrews was not an option

"Good. Anyway, as long as you can work with the inspector, it is fine with me. I am not expecting you to make friends in this mission." Andrews said. "Send me the autopsy report as soon asy ou have it. Tomorrow President Anderson will meet Georgia's governor to make a public statement. So keep that in mind. Keep working hard, Wright. And don't fuck up."

"Yes, boss."

Adrian Andrews hung up right after. Phoenix sighed, tired. He sat on the bed and called the first phone number on his contact list. Then he made a video call.

"Hey, Mr. Wright!" A ginger woman waved at him on the screen. "How was your day?"

"Sincerely? Pretty tough. Is Trucy in bed already?"

"No, she was waiting for your call. Trucy, it is your daddy." The woman turned the phone, and a young girl appeared.

"Hi, Daddy!" She said with a big smile.

Phoenix smiled softly. His daughter's voice always cheered him up. Trucy was wearing her blue pajamas, ready for bed. "Hello, honey. How was your day?"

"Today was a very long day, daddy. I had a test. Math"

"Math test, huh? Athena told me you studied a lot."

"I did! But, the questions were confusing…"

Phoenix remembered Penny Nichol's body. Consequently, sadness invaded him. He couldn't even imagine what he would do as a parent if someone told him that something had happened to his own daughter. "I am sure you did well, darling. Did you show your art project to the teacher?"

Trucy smiled. "Yeah! She loved it!"

Phoenix smiled. His heart felt warm, and all the bad things that made Phoenix feel sad disappeared in that moment. "I am happy to hear that. What do you have for tomorrow?"

"We are going to start planning the Halloween party. I am going to dress as a magician!" "Amazing! Athena could help you with the costume." He said, excited.

Phoenix softened his smile. He could talk to his daughter all night long.

"You had a good day, Daddy?"

Phoenix put on a sad smile. "Yes, but Daddy is very tired. It has been a long day for me, too."

"You should go to bed, daddy." Trucy yawned. "I am tired, too."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow. Good night, Trucy."

"Good night, daddy."

Afterward, the ginger girl took the phone. She walked away from the living room and stayed in the hallway. "She is doing good, Mr. Wright. You don't have to worry."

"I know… But I miss you both."

"Aw, Mr. Wright." She said, "We will reunite soon. Maybe on Thanksgiving?"

"I don't know, Athena… I don't know if I would be able to go to New York, and I don't know if I want you two here. The things are complicated."

"Well, we don't have to think about it now. Get some sleep, Mr. Wright. Talk to you tomorrow."

Phoenix smiled. "Okay, okay… Good night."

Miles was in his bed, trying to sleep. He had been turning around for an hour. The past experiences with death decided to visit him that night. When he saw the dead body of Penny Nichols strangled, Miles remembered the first time he saw a dead girl. He was 23 years old, a young detective in Portland. A girl from his sister's high school was killed by her ex-boyfriend. He was scared about Franziska, so he prohibited her from going out for a whole month until they found the guy. That was the first time Miles took a case personally and promised himself he would never do it again. But he always did. Even with all the therapy in the world, Miles could not help it. Sometimes his empathy was painful.

He took a deep breath and decided to take a sleeping pill. Miles had some left in the bathroom. When he reached the bed, he set an alarm just in case his neighbor didn't wake him up the following morning. Miles noticed he had a text from Phoenix. The FBI agent had sent him the airplane tickets. He smiled, grateful. Now he had something less to worry about. Phoenix could be annoying, but he had to accept that he was helpful. That thought was comfortable enough to make him fall asleep in a matter of minutes.

Miles didn't know, but at that moment, a man was standing at his door. His heavy breathing could be heard from the inside of the apartment. The man waited and waited until he was confident enough to do it. With a smile, he passed a letter under the door.

"See you soon, Inspector." The man whispered and then left quietly.