Seventy Six

CHAPTER 76

Public cemetery, New York City.

"Your face looks as gloomy as the sky this afternoon."

The voice came as Alicia was standing in front of someone's funeral. Marble Cemetery, a public cemetery in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, was chosen as the final resting place for a woman named Karenina Portman.

That woman, not only managed to become Alicia's favorite lecturer. But far from that, the woman who was more familiarly called Mrs. Portman by her students had made a deep impression on Alicia. Just like losing a sister, Alicia couldn't control her feelings of loss now.

Alicia then exhaled heavily before crossing her arms over her chest. "If only I had realized right away that something was wrong with her, maybe she wouldn't have ended up here now," she said guiltily.

But Ace immediately put his arm around her. Letting the dark-haired girl slide under his muscular arms. "You still won't change fate even if you catch up with her."

Again Alicia could only sigh.

"Let's go! How about some ice cream at Uncle Chuck's to cheer your heart up?" He smiled at Alicia who did not look away from Mrs. Portman's grave. "I'll order you two cups of caramel ice, dear."

Alicia just nodded her head in resignation. After all, nothing could make her feel better than that caramel ice right now.

The clock was ticking and the only way to heal the wound was to catch the perpetrator himself. No other obsession consumed him more than that. He would find the culprit; he had to find him.

"Caramel ice sounds good too."

The two of them then left the cemetery and immediately headed to Uncle Chuck's milk and ice shop. Because caramels were Alicia's only hope, so that she could calm her own feelings even for a moment.

And as soon as the two cups of caramel ice landed in front of Alicia, she was taken aback. "Did you really order me two cups today, Ace?"

The man with tanned black hair simply nodded and flashed a confident smile. "Let's cure your feelings with these caramels, darling."

Suddenly, Alicia's chest warmed up, until she unconsciously smiled again and her sorrow slowly faded away. She was truly grateful to have Ace in her life. Someone who was willing to go through danger, just for a strange girl like Alicia.

The blue-eyed girl recalled her memories of Ace. How Ace had bragged in front of Alicia on the first day; what an annoying guy. But then in the end, it was Ace who was willing to enter a dormitory hall full of flames just to make sure he was safe.

Looking back on it all, she suddenly felt better.

Until Alicia remembered that she had recently lied to her boyfriend and walked back into danger.

"Hey?" Ace touched Alicia's hand and snapped her out of her reverie. "What are you thinking about, Alicia?" he asked worriedly.

But Alicia hurriedly argued, "Oh, no. Nothing." then she went back to awkwardly scooping the ice cream in front of her. Don't let Ace know about that.

After that, Ace was silent for a few seconds. Before he finally pushed his iced coffee cup away and cleared his throat deeply. His eyes looked at Alicia straight on, so the girl immediately felt intimidated. "Alicia,"

Alicia was looking back at him now.

"I want you to stop thinking about that woman from now on," Ace said commandingly. He then continued, "I don't want you to think about walking back into danger just to catch the culprit."

Like a bolt of lightning in broad daylight, Alicia was shocked by Ace's words. Did he really know about this?

"I know you care about her," Ace continued with concern. "But I'm not going to let you get hurt for the umpteenth time."

"I just---" Being honest was something that kept pressing in his mind. But Ace's look was so sincere that he failed to tell the truth. "I miss her a lot," she lied.

Ace then grabbed one of Alicia's hands and held it tightly. "It's going to be okay, sweetheart," he said soothingly. He then smiled and melted the girl in front of him. "Now, let's finish your ice cream and I'll take you home."

***

"So, you're accusing me of being a murderer?" Ace then chuckled scornfully. He even raised his leg haughtily in front of Nicholas.

"You were on the VVIP guest list at the theater and were also present at the meeting at the Sunshine Cafe," Nicholas explained. "You were at the scene when the two victims were murdered."

Ace raised one eyebrow and shook his head. "But that doesn't prove anything, detective." He folded his arms across his chest and showed a cold look. "You're accusing me because you hate me, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?!"

But the young man who was now sitting in his father's office with the status of replacing him as CEO was looking at Nicholas with a challenging gaze. "You still like Alicia, don't you?"

"Hey! This business has nothing to do with that girl!" Nicholas exclaimed in displeasure. "Let's not change the subject, Mr. Blake."

"Fine then," Ace said sarcastically. "Can you show me proof that I'm guilty?"

Nicholas held back his anger. His patience was being tested by a man younger than him now. "You. There. At the scene. When. They. Both. Dead!" he spelled out emphatically.

"First off, I did intentionally watch the play that day, because they invited me." Ace raised two fingers into the air and formed a V now. "Secondly, I attended the meeting because they were my colleagues." He gave a short snort. "Your accusations really sound baseless now. Am I not right?"

Trying to restrain himself from being provoked, Nicholas asked again, "Where were you before the work meeting started?" He grinned. "You went somewhere to scapegoat someone, didn't you?"

But Ace laughed instead. "Haha, are you kidding me? I was just enjoying the day with Alicia before going to Town Square." He then put his feet down and got up from the sofa. "If you want, you can check it out yourself. Ask Alicia directly about my alibi just now."

It wasn't meant to be sarcastic, but rather to challenge the young detective. She knew Alicia would not accept it when Nicholas made Ace the most suspected person in this murder case.

Alicia would think Nicholas was doing it out of personal business. He couldn't go and make that happen.

"Why are you silent?" Ace asked. He stuffed his hands into his pants pockets and walked towards his oversized chair in the room. "You like my girlfriend so much, you wouldn't dare do it, would you?"

"Watch your language, Ace."

"You should watch your manners, detective Nicholas," Ace snapped sarcastically. "Open your eyes and realize that Alicia is my lover!"

Feeling cornered, Nicholas got up from the sofa. He pointed at Ace's face with his hand. "I'll bring that evidence to you and I'll make sure Alicia hates you forever!" []