They arrived at Imperial Park in Pascal's car. A police car was parked at the entrance, sealed with yellow tape.

"Well, the park's deserted," Zoe noted after they crossed the gate.

"Let's have a look around," said Pascal.

They strolled past a small pond and arrived at the crime scene. A closed trunk was placed near a park bench smeared with blood.

"This looks like the experimental gear of Spring Labs," Pascal said, crouching on the spot. He opened the box.

"Hold on, Pascal," Zoe said as she bent over.

Pascal saw what she pointed at, lying a few meters away from the trunk. "I see it."

He brought out his handkerchief, picked it up, and gave it to her. "Nice ring. Wonder who it belongs to. And it looks expensive."

Zoe stood straight and inspected the ring. It was pure gold and had intricate designs etched on its surface.

"Well, nothing unusual in the Spring Labs trunk. Just the specimen collecting stuff," Pascal said, standing behind her.

Zoe folded the ring in the handkerchief and kept it in her pocket. "I guess we have our first clue. Let's keep looking."

"Where is the policeman that came with that car outside?" Pascal asked.

"Yeah, I wonder where he is," she said as they both looked around.

A few miles away, five trees stood close to each other in a barricade format in front of the dark-colored fence on that side.

Zoe pointed to the arrangement. "Look, Pascal, wouldn't that be a suitable place for a marksman to hide?"

"Yeah, it's possible," he said, then faced her. "You think a marksman did this?"

She shrugged. "Could be, because I can't see why innocent people would be suspects for a crime clearly committed by an experienced killer."

"That's because an important person is now in the hospital," someone said.

They faced the speaker who stood meters away, walkie-talkie in hand. It was Stevie.

"That's the justice system in this neighborhood...not as fair," he said further, replacing the device in his belt case.

"Well, that's a bunch of baloney," Pascal said. "You looked through the whole park, Stevie?"

"Yeah, Zoe, nothing unusual...I've seen cases like this one...no clue at first," he replied.

"And something pops up later?" she asked.

"Not at all...the case just gets closed."

"Well!" Pascal exclaimed. "That's just too bad. I think we should take this trunk back to the precinct."

"Yeah, it could be analyzed for fingerprints," Stevie added.

"You boys grab the trunk. I'll take one last look around," Zoe said.

After putting on plastic gloves, they carried the trunk by the handles on the side.

Zoe jogged to the five-tree arrangement. Earlier, she had noticed slight movement in the thick branches that seemed intertwined.

Her eyes darted around the roots of the tree as she checked for anything she could find.

Something silver caught her eye. A necklace.

"Zoe, did you find anything? Stevie said he has a ziplock bag where we can put the ring," Pascal called out, his voice growing louder.

She swiped it from the ground and shoved it in her jacket. "Not really," she said as she turned. He was a few steps away.

"Are you alright, Zoe?"

She smiled. "Yeah, let's go. I'll give you the ring in the car."

They got to the precinct, which was less crowded now, and headed to Marco's office.

"Well, looks like you two had fun," he said when they walked in.

"Quit the jokes, Marco. We got a clue," Pascal said and dropped the transparent bag on the table. "We didn't use our bare hands."

Zoe folded her arms as she leaned on the wall close to the door. "That should help the actual detectives on the case."

Marco picked the bag and raised it. "This is pure gold...very expensive. Well done."

"So can we be..."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Don't even think about it, Pascal," Marco cut in as he put down the bag and picked his pen. Then pointed at them. "You two get a case next week, understood?"

"That's if a case comes up," Zoe muttered.

"Uh...Zoe, what was that?"

"Understood, HPO Marco," she said aloud.

"I guess we can take our leave now," Pascal said. Marco nodded. "Zoe, let's go."

"Did you notice how he stared at the ring...like he wanted it for himself?" Zoe said to Pascal as they strolled through the row of cubicles.

"No, but I noticed how you glared at him...like you wanted to punch his face."

She chuckled. "I did feel like it, but I can't lose the job I just started."

They got to their table, and Pascal stared at his watch. "It's almost lunchtime."

"We might as well eat out. I'm sick of coffee and biscuits."

Pascal laughed. "Same here."

"I know a place. Let's go in your car."

Zoe directed him to her dad's diner, where they ordered some food and waited at a table.

"Why are they staring at us?" Pascal asked.

"'Cause we look like secret agents...and some of them know me," she said with a smile.

Tonia arrived at their table with their order. "Here you go, Detective Zee and her friend."

"Thanks, Tonia."

"Tonia? That's a nice name," Pascal said, staring at her smiling face.

"Thanks, sir. Enjoy your meal." With that, she took the tray and walked away.

Zoe took a spoonful of pudding. "Mmm! This is so good," she said with food in her mouth.

Pascal swallowed. "You still haven't told me how people around here know you."

"Okay, my dad owns this place."

His eyes widened. He put down his spoon. "No way! What?"

"Why are you so surprised?" she asked as she sipped from her can of chilled cola.

"I didn't think you would bring me to your dad's place for lunch."

"And it's on the house," Arno said, a few meters away from their table.

"Oh! Pops...how's it going?" Zoe said as she got up and hugged him. "Pascal, meet my dad, Arno Hernandez."

Pascal rose from his seat. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," he said and shook his hand.

"The feeling is mutual, Mr..."

"Pascal...Pascal Duarte."

Zoe sat down. "Come join us, Pops."

"Yeah, have a seat, sir," Pascal urged, sitting.

"As good as the pudding looks, I have to decline. I have an outing," Arno said and peered at his watch.

Zoe swallowed again. "With your friend?"

"Yeah, enjoy, you two. And remember, it's on the house," Arno said.

"Thank you, sir."

"Nice meeting you again, Pascal," he said.

"Enjoy your outing, Pops," Zoe said.

Arno bent over and pecked her cheek. "Will do, my little rebel."

Pascal continued to eat until he walked out of the diner. "What did he mean by 'little rebel'?"

Zoe took the last spoon of her pudding. "I was rebellious as a kid."

Pascal smiled. "Is that so?"

"The truth," she said and sipped her coke.

They talked for a few more minutes about childhood days and exchanged stories.

Then Tonia came to clear the table.

"Looks like we have to go now," Zoe said after peering at her watch.

"I have to say, this pudding was amazing. I think I will be coming here more often," Pascal said to Tonia, who smiled.

"Looks like the diner has a new customer. Here's a tip, Tonia," Zoe said and put a closed hand into her apron as she wiped the table with a napkin.

"Thanks, Zoe. Come again soon, Mr. Detective. We will be expecting you," Tonia said as she carried the tray and scurried away.

Pascal rose from his seat. "Let's go now."

"You can go. Let me say hi to my aunt in the kitchen. I'll meet you in the car."

Her first Thursday at the precinct was over. Zoe stepped into her apartment and locked the door. Then headed into her room and came out in a tee shirt and jean overalls.

"Oh shoot! I'm out of coffee," she said, peeking into her fridge in the kitchen. "And a few packs of chips left. No bread or cheese."

She came out and stared at the wall clock above the TV positioned in front of the sofa arrangement. "Okay, I can do some shopping. It's just two minutes after nine."

Suddenly, thunder clapped, and the power went out. She groped in the dark for her flashlight. "I will go...even if...it...rains."

She found and switched it on. Then grabbed her coat from her room. The power came back on. "How nice!"

The Wayten Supermarket was the closest to the apartment, according to Pascal. It was located three blocks away.

Zoe had neglected the need to stock up on food as she hadn't bought anything from a store since she moved in.

The drizzle started as she stepped out of the building. "Wouldn't mind a little water on my hair," she said as she continued her walk.

Then the rain increased in its downpour. She had to seek shelter in the shade of a closed store. She stood for ten minutes, waiting.

"Oh no, this rain won't let up."

Just then, in the front lights of the hardware store across the road, she sighted someone limping. She squinted. A burly man holding

his arm like he was in pain. He collapsed.

Without thinking, she ran out of the shade to where the stranger was. The downpour had reduced to a drizzle. "Are you alright?"

The stranger moaned. She noticed where he held his arm. "Gosh! You're bleeding!"

She tried to lift him up. "Let me take you to the hospital. There's one close by."

"No...hospital...please," he managed to say.

Alarm bells rang in her head. "Okay, let's go over there," she pointed to the shade from where she saw him at first. "Si," he agreed.

She supported his weight on hers as they trudged in the rain to the shade. She let him down on the floor carefully and took off her coat. "Please stay here. I have to get some things. I will be back."

He held his arm and winced. "You will not meet me here. I have to keep moving."

She covered him with her coat. "Where are you going and where are you coming from?"

"Señorita, I have to go as far away as possible, or they will kill me," he spoke clearly this time, his Mexican accent evident.

Zoe sighed. Her mind racing with questions was against what she was about to do. A gust of cold wind blew across the shade.

"Can I take you to my house? So we can clean up your wound. After that, you can continue your journey."

"No problem," he groaned in pain. "Gracias."

She brought out a bandanna from her pocket.

Who are 'they,' and why do 'they' want him dead? Could it be connected to what happened today, she thought as she bent down and tied the area above his wound.

"This will reduce the bleeding." She rose to her feet. "You can wear the coat to cover it up, but you have to walk normally."

"So your neighbors won't suspect. I can do that," he said.

With her help, he got on his feet.

Zoe's heart raced when she got to her building with the stranger. She came across no one she knew on the way to her apartment.

She looked around the hallway and quickly unlocked the door. "Get in," she said to him.

Then took one last look outside before locking the door. She heaved a sigh of relief.

"Okay, before anything," she said, facing the stranger who was already seated on a chair in the small dining area. "What is your name?"

"Juan Carlos. Call me Juan."

"Call me Zoe," she said and approached him. "Take off the coat, let me get the first aid box from my room."

She came back and could clearly see his muscular arms and chest.

She brought a lamp to the table. "Place your arm on the table like you want to arm wrestle."

She lifted the short sleeve off the wounded area and looked closer. Her heart skipped.

"There is a bullet in your arm, Juan."

He winced as she pressed the area with one finger. "It's not too deep. I can feel it."

"I thought it was a scratch."