Chapter 1

She felt uneasy. 

In the quiet dark of the night as she waited for the Uber to arrive, her heart thumped in her chest. The tall brunette shivered in her short long sleeved dress. She hugged her arms to her chest, as if to protect herself from the cold. Why did he have to leave his phone with her? Why did he involve her in this mess? She should have cut off all contact with him a long time ago. 

As she checked her phone again, she felt the presence of another, staring and watching. She punched in the emergency number, prepared to dial the moment she saw something out of the ordinary. 

Shifting from one foot to another, she swallowed hard. As soon as she heard footsteps approaching, she stopped moving. Was it them?

Shaking all over, she began to walk down the street, rummaging through her purse for her keys. On seeing the headlights of an approaching vehicle, she waved her hand hoping it would stop. The vehicle pulled up, tires screeching against the asphalt, much to her relief. 

The passenger's door suddenly pulled open. Arms grabbed her from behind, lifting her up and pushing her into the vehicle. Her screams muffled in her attackers' hands and the door slammed shut. 

"Be a good girl and you stay alive."

She pressed her mouth close and locked eyes with the man in black, knowing there was no way to escape this. Especially not after seeing his face.

***

Today was the first time Charlie Brown loved Friday. She signed in later than usual, collapsing into her seat and grinned at the empty desks. For the first time in three years, no paperwork. If this keeps up, she might let her hair down and go clubbing. 

Digging into her bag, she picked up a fantasy novel she had purchased the day before and flipped open to the first chapter. She had barely finished the first page when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Placing the book down, she looked up to see her partner, Jake Spencer. 

"Nice haircut," she greeted him with a grin. 

"Don't make fun of me." Jake's ears turned a bright shade of pink as he ran his hand through his blond buzz cut. 

"It looks good on you." She rose out of her seat, reaching to touch his hair. "Honest," she added. 

"What are your plans for the weekend?"

Charlie made a gesture of drinking. "Probably wear that cute dress I bought last month too. Would you like to come with me?"

Jake nodded, giving a bright smile that warmed Charlie on the inside. When they heard familiar hurrying steps, they looked up. 

"Not to ruin your plans or anything," William said, gesturing behind him. "Harroway wants to see you two. Now." 

"No," Charlie whispered, a sense of foreboding filling her. There was only one explanation for Harroway wanting to see them.

Jake groaned aloud. "I knew this wasn't going to last. Come on, let's get this over with."

With great reluctance, she left the department office. Jake tagged along like a shadow, giving a small smile to the agents that walked past. 

"Agent Brown, Agent Spencer." Supervisory Special Agent Harroway dropped a large file on the table that took half the room. "We have a murder case on our hands." 

"So much for drinking," Jake murmured, bringing a smile to Charlie's lips. 

"The crime took place at eight p.m two days ago and it's got Cosa Nostra all over it."

"Oh, not again," Charlie groaned. 

Organized crimes never seemed to decrease. Instead, they grew larger in number each day. Despite the risks, they still went on committing crimes while involving in such diabolical crimes giving the squad a non-stop headache. 

"Let me know what you and your squad find. Dismissed." 

Picking up the file on the table, she followed Jake out of the room. The file felt heavy in her hand as all her plans for a fun weekend poofed into smoke. Resigned, she sighed. 

"Let's get this over with."

File crooked in the pit of her arm, Charlie pulled her hair back into a bun. They met up with William and scoured through the file. 

"We have here Miss Diane Wilson, twenty-four years old who works as a bartender at a strip club in New York. She was reported missing two weeks ago and found dead in a ditch near Hilliard Bridge, Philadelphia on Wednesday at eight p.m," Jake recited, pulling out the pictures gathered by Evidence Response Team. 

Charlie looked through the pictures, noting the evidence in each scene. The corpse laid askew and naked, missing all four limbs. Her curly brunette hair fanned out under her. Her chest was crudely sewn up in one picture and in another, it was cut open and filled with bags of illegal drugs. No matter how many times she saw something like this, she could not stomach how someone could do this to another person. 

"How did this kid get involved with the Mafia?" Charlie heard William murmur. 

She wondered the same thing as she looked at the picture the murdered victim took a month before. Diane Wilson was quite the pretty lady, and probably had a number of men wanting to take her out. 

"What was she doing in Philadelphia?" She tapped the picture of the disfigured corpse. 

"Looks like you two have to go to New York to find out," William said, gathering the pictures together. 

"Road trip!" Charlie pumped her hands in the air. "Should we get pizza on our way?"

Jake nodded and asked William, "You aren't coming with us?" 

"My wife wants me home tonight. You can't argue with the missus." 

"That sounds totally made up," Charlie chuckled. 

William smirked. "Try getting hit by a chancla. Don't get married, kids."

"You sound too happy to be giving such advice."

"Keep your phone on, please, and with you at all times," Charlie pleaded, knowing how hard it could get to reach him.  

"Okay."

Once the preparations were made, Jake and Charlie set down for New York.