Detective Jillian Green had taken a quick stop at Luxury Palace and was having fries, grilled chicken, salad, and a diet cola. She studied the three notes from Bree, Roxanne, and Mr. Daniels, and compared them with Trish’s. They were as different as day and night. If only there was a way to prove that Trish had a hand in the looting and locate Jack Al, then it would be case closed, she thought, then bit into her chicken and accompanied it with some cola.
She decided to let the Police Commissioner in on her progress so far. She wiped her hands roughly with the napkin then got up and walked out of the cafe. Once outside, she phoned her boss.
“Hello, Chief? Yes, it’s me. Things are looking good. The jackal is definitely the man behind the $100,000,000 robbery, and a hunch tells me that one of the employees, a Miss Trish Mae, is his accomplice…no, I haven’t traced his whereabouts. In fact, that’s the only piece left to complete…,” she paused, then observed two teenage girls reading Seventeen magazine.
She looked at the magazine and smiled. “...yes, Chief, I’m still here,” she continued, as she walked towards the girls, then flashed her badge at them and pointed to the magazine. They hesitantly gave it up and went away.
“Chief, I’m holding our man’s whereabouts in my hands. According to a teenie mag dubbed Seventeen, the jackal now resides at Rangers Avenue with famous model Lilly Anne Smart and is her squeeze. It states further that they work at Elite Fashion Studios…yes. Send some backup over at the studios, Chief. I’m on my way there. Okay, bye,” the detective concluded, then went back into the cafe, paid for the food and left a tip, then rushed into her car and drove off to her prey’s lair.
Murray arrived at an empty house that was locked. He cursed and tried to force open the glass front door. Bud barked fiercely and appeared on the window. He snarled at Murray and was just aching to break free so that he could give him a taste of his razor-sharp incisors and canines.
Just one look at the ferocious animal and his sharp teeth made Murray back off and stop struggling. He decided to approach the matter from a different angle and decided to leave the premises when he noticed a young man looking at him suspiciously. He didn’t want to be sued for trespassing.
Roxanne got tired of mourning for past losses and got up, straightened her dress, then walked back into her workplace. There was one person there she owed her gratitude and life to aside from Bree. When she entered, she ignored all the stares and went up to the uppermost floor of the company. Once there, she made for the third door from Mr. Reynolds’, with the golden tag MR. CHARLIE WRIGHT on it and knocked it softly.
“Come in,” came his faint reply. She slowly got in and on seeing her, Charlie stopped what he was doing and stood up to receive her. He adjusted his coat and exclaimed “Roxanne!” As she walked towards him after shutting the door. “Please have a seat,” he offered, while indicating the vacant seat before his desk.
“Thank you,” she whispered with a shy smile as she sat. Charlie cleared his throat with a smile as he sat.
“You look lovely,” he complimented her.
“Thank you,” she repeated, while studying his sweet and sincere facial expression.
“Should I order you some coffee? It’s a few minutes to coffee break,” he suggested.
“No, thanks,” she replied softly, with her eyes glued to him. He wanted to ask her what she was doing there but he didn’t. He was enjoying the moment.
“I was planning to come visit you after work, to see how you’re faring,” he said calmly.
“That’s so considerate of you,” she replied, and leaned forward then cooed, “Charlie.”
“Yes, Roxanne,” he replied in the same tone.
“I have come here to tell you something,” Roxanne said.
“And what could that be?” Charlie asked, trying to erase negative guesses such as she was getting engaged or no matter how much she tried, she just didn’t love him.
Roxanne got up and walked towards him, then unexpectedly stooped and kissed him. Charlie was astonished. Though he was flabbergasted, he was enjoying it.
“Thank you, Charlie. You’ve been there for me since the beginning, but I have adamantly been refusing to accept that I love you too,” she confessed after the kiss.
Charlie was taken aback. He slowly stood and held her hands while looking at her with a broad smile.
“That day in your office when I said I don’t have feelings for you, I was in denial. The truth is, I was afraid of getting hurt. I was afraid that you could run off with some girl behind my back,” she admitted, while looking into his eyes. He kissed her hands then hugged her.
“You don’t know how happy you’ve made me, Roxanne. I’ll be your man and you’ll be my woman. There’s no other if it’s not you,” he said gently.
“I’m glad to hear that. Let me not distract you. I’ll just leave and leave you to your work,” Roxanne said, then started to withdraw. Charlie’s grip on her remained firm but gentle.
“No! You’re not a distractor, you’re my motivation. If you go, so will my drive. Stay. Sit here,” he said, then let go of her and indicated the seat she formerly sat on. Roxanne laughed.
“You have a way with words,” she said as she sat.
“If the woman of my dreams is with me, I can play a grammatical flute and words dance to my tune,” Charlie said as he settled on his seat gleefully.
Roxanne clapped, then said, “Bravo!” She smiled at him, he smiled back, then continued with his work happily.
“Wonderful! Now, Jack, I want you to lift Lilly with an expressionless face. Show calm, show grace, show strength, without showing weakness. Understand?” Simone instructed. Jack Al nodded, then began lifting Lilly.
Detective Jillian’s car stopped outside the studio’s parking lot and moments later, several NYPD police cars stopped behind hers. She got out with an air of justice surrounding her. Her crew, consisting of three policemen and one policewoman, emerged from their cars.
“Listen up, guys. We’ll go at my signal. Ready…let’s go,” she instructed, then stormed into the fashion house and flashed her badge at some random janitor.
“Detective Jillian Green, New York Police Department. Direct us to Miss Lilly Anne Smart,” she spoke, in a firm, intimidating voice. The janitor nodded absent-mindedly, then led them to where Lilly and Jack Al were.
The shots were getting more fun and relaxing. Simone called for a short break, for his models to recollect and rejuvenate. Lilly was wiping her face and neck gently with a face cloth. Jack Al stood by and watched her.
“Lilly,” he called softly. She turned to him. “I just want to say that it’s a pleasure working with you,” he added. She smiled.
“I feel the same. Working alongside a good friend is really interesting. Are you thinking of taking up modeling as a career?” She asked him. He scratched his brow lightly. The door of the room burst open.
“NYPD! Everyone, freeze!” The detective shouted, while she and her crew made a sudden entry. There was a bit of panic, but everyone managed to stay calm. “Especially you!” She said, while walking towards and pointing at Jack Al. He cursed, then stood behind Lilly.
“What’s going on here?” Simone asked after getting his tongue back.
“Excuse me, detective. I would like to know the reason for your unexpected visit,” Lilly repeated, after glancing at Jack Al.
“I’m sorry about this, Miss Lilly. It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, by the way. I’m your biggest fan,” the detective replied, then took out her notebook and a pen. “Can I have your autograph?” She requested.
“Sure,” Lilly replied, then quickly signed her notebook.
“Thanks. I’ll treasure this. Now to answer your question, the man behind you is a dangerous wanted criminal. A gangster to be specific, who stole $100,000,000 from Wise Enterprises,” the detective said, then said to the policemen, “Cuff him, boys!”
“Criminal?” Lilly repeated as she turned to the man she thought would marry her later on.
“Yes, that’s right, and further, he’s a damned liar who used an alias Max Johnson during his heist,” the detective added with a disgusted glare at Jack Al, who was trying to resist arrest but the power of three superseded his one-man struggle.
“Please, Lilly. Let me explain,” he begged. Lilly shook her head in surprise.
“You lied to me that you have no job but the truth is you’re a damn…this is too much,” she said, then waved her hand and walked away from him.