“This is a crime scene for crying out loud,” Alex said. “You need to-”

“Now if you two would run along for a second, I'll come and find you soon,” Wade said.

Alex and Chris obeyed. To not do what he said would have been unthinkable. They walked beyond the gate and stood, waiting. What for, Alex did not know, but it was the right thing to do. Two minutes later, Wade joined them.

Except Alex thought someone had joined them. A man was it? What man? And what had they been talking about? No, she couldn't remember that either. The victim stabbed himself then… Chris and her walked over here and… Why had they done that?

“I’ve got a splitting headache,” Chris said.

“Snap. Maybe we’ve had enough for today. Look, I’ll run by the lab in the morning.” Alex said.

“Sounds like an idea, good night Alex.”

They both left, Alex not acknowledging Drew who was stood to the side of the forensic tent, a dozen tissues stuck up his nostrils like tusks. What a wimp. It wouldn't do his reputation any good if he reported her, but he could she supposed.

But it was no good thinking about that now. The man had said go home, go to sleep. No, there wasn't a man, was there? There wasn't a man and his name certainly wasn't Wade.

- Chapter 13 -

Skin deep

The voice called out again.

“Come to me Henry Fellows.”

Henry entered a long hallway, every area of wall space covered with vivid paintings of modern art. It opened to a circular room, at least thirty metres wide, that was doused in a blanket of ivory stone. Tables broke the sheet of white, each crisp tablecloth garnished with a tall vase of red roses. At the centre, hung an elegant chandelier that cast mosaics of light around the room, causing the glasses arranged on the tables to constantly shimmer and sparkle.

She stood, waiting for him, at the top of the steps.

She was perfection.

Dressed in a white sheet, her makeshift toga barely covered her perfect porcelain skin. Dark brown locks fell either side of her face, her chiselled cheekbones even visible from where Henry stood across the room. She glided down the steps towards him, but refused to meet his gaze as she came closer, playing hard to get, teasing him.

“Henry Fellows. How lovely to meet you,” she said, the words soft as they escaped her perfect ruby red lips.

He tried to speak, but found his tongue tied in knots.

“I have been waiting for you for such a long time,” she said.

Without warning, she dropped the toga, her perfect form revealed in all its glory.