Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Chapter 1

Alec Su: Police cop under the I.D. of the Night Hawk

Vicki Zhao: Under the I.D. of 1011

Fan Bing Bing: A faithful friend of Vicki’s under the I.D. of 732

Zhou Jie: Fellow police cop under the I.D. of Fire Eagle

Aaron Kwok: Another friend of Vicki’s, I.D. 810

Other minor characters: Vivian Chen (cop), Gigi Lai (superintendent), Julian Cheung (cop)

who's going to betray who? who's going to kill who? who's going to fall in love with who? (i think this point is quite obvious, isn't it? *grin*) and will it be a sad or happy ending? you will FIND out for yourselves! in order to create more mystery, i'll have to rewrite my chapters *sigh*...anyways PLEASE support this story!! thanx for your encouragement so far!

Vicki’s eyes were haunted as she stared at the floor of the court. Her lawyer had sank deep into the seat, not knowing what else to say for her. She began to shiver. She had escaped the worst but…being imprisoned for ten years…she’d much rather die. How was she to survive…being jailed up for ten years…when she was so active and loved her freedom so much?

The thought scared the living daylights out of her. She raised her eyes and looked briefly at Alec, who avoided her gaze. She could literally feel her blood turning to ice. You, she thought bitterly. And to think that I…she could go no further…tears were shimmering in her eyes but she absolutely refused to let them fall. No! She mustn’t let them fall, mustn’t let all these people see her weakness!

Just a month ago she had been sitting on the sofa with Alec, kissing him with all the passion and love she had in her, and now she was to be imprisoned for life…and due to him. She was still in a state of shock, hardly believing that he could have done THIS to her. He was the last person she would have expected to deceive her like that. She closed her eyes briefly, feeling her head spin with the conflicting emotions inside her.

Then she felt herself being handcuffed and led away. Just before she left the courtroom, she cast one last bitter glance at Alec, who sat motionless as he watched his ‘girlfriend’ being led out. He felt nothing; he was numb all over. It was as if someone had torn his heart out and stopped him from feeling anything…anything at all. Because she was GONE. Gone from his life.

*One year earlier*

Alec opened his eyes to see Vicki’s still form beside him. The moonlight shone on her, making her look almost ghostly white, for she was exquisitely fair. Her eyes were closed, but he knew from instinct that she wasn’t sleeping. “Vicki.” He raised his hand and caressed her shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him, her eyes huge and black in her beautiful face. “You can’t sleep?” she asked, putting her arms round him and drawing him near. Alec laid his head on her chest, feeling the warmth of her body. “Mmm,” he murmured, too comfortable to talk. Vicki was his life. He wondered how he could have lived without her before. Although they had only known each other for six months, he loved her with everything that was in him to love. She was so beautiful, so adorable, so simply irresistible. He was the most fortunate person in the world to have her as his girlfriend.

He felt Vicki’s body tremble and he looked up to see her staring at the half-moon, a frightened look on her face. “What’s the matter?” he asked, concerned. Vicki closed her eyes briefly and shook her head. “Nothing’s the matter.”

That was Vicki. From the moment he first met her he knew that there was something she was hiding from him, but he couldn’t tell what. After all, he knew everything about her that was to know; her parents were divorced, her mother was in California, her father in India. She was working as a salesgirl to earn some money to send to her parents. As for her character, he knew her inside out. What was there to hide? Absolutely nothing.

“I love you,” she whispered, touching his face with the tip of her fingers.

Alec caught hold of her hand and gently kissed it. “I love you too,” he said. How he loved her. He often wondered whether there was a limit to love…because he loved Vicki so much that he would do anything for her, even die for her. “Is there anything troubling you, Vicks? Please tell me.”

“No, there isn’t anything to tell. Don’t you know everything about me?” Vicki replied. She slipped out of his embrace. “I’m going to get a drink of water,” she replied in answer to his inquiring look.

The apartment was silent and dark. Vicki walked to the kitchen and switched on the lights. Her hand shaking, she reached up into the cupboard for a mug and filled it with steaming water. She needed something hot to clear her brain.

Ring, ring. She almost jumped, so edgy was she.

“Hello.” Her voice was tense, almost to the point of cracking.

“Vicki.”

She pressed the receiver closer to her ear. “Bing Bing.” Relief washed through her.

“What have you been doing?” Bing Bing asked, her voice sharp. “We haven’t heard from you for almost a month!”

“I’m ok, Bing Bing. Everything is fine, don’t worry. Why are you calling me so late?”

“I couldn’t get off sooner. Look, you have to contact us soon, ok? We’re all worrying about you.”

“I will.” Vicki took a sip of the hot water. “Go and rest. I’ll call you up tomorrow.”

“Just make sure that you do.” Bing Bing put down the phone on the other side. Vicki continued to stare at the receiver, her brain screaming at her. Don’t contact her. Don’t. You can do it some other time. Not tomorrow. It’s too soon.

“Vicks?”

She spun round, the receiver still in her hand, to see Alec standing at the doorway. “Who rang?” he asked, coming into the kitchen. Vicki put down the phone. “My friend Bing Bing. She called me up so late because she needed to ask me something important.”

Alec didn’t ask what it was. He was much more concerned about Vicki. “Vicks, are you sure you’re all right? You look so pale.”

“I’m all right.” Vicki put down the mug and covered it. She went over to him and took his hand. “Come, let’s go back into the bedroom.”

As Vicki lay in Alec’s arms that night, she couldn’t help but think of the phone call. Immediately her body tensed. No! she thought. I can’t! She turned and looked at Alec’s sleeping face, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Why did I have to fall in love with you? She asked silently. It wasn’t meant to turn out like that. I wasn’t supposed…

The moonlight shone in through the window, lighting up the streaks on the face of the girl who struggled hard with herself and found herself unable to overcome the love in her heart.

Chapter 2

“I’m sorry, Alec. I just have to go. My friend’s father is dying of cancer and she needs me right now,” Vicki said, keeping her eyes on the suitcase she was packing. Alec stared at her for a moment, then asked, “What about your job?”

“I’ve applied for leave. Don’t worry about me, Alec, I’ll be all right. I’ll call you up everyday,” she said, flashing him a dazzling smile. Alec sighed deeply. He knew how stubborn Vicki could be and decided not to argue with her any longer. “Well…in that case…remember to call me up,” he warned. Vicki nodded and looped her arms round his neck. “Alec, you’re really cute when you’re worried, but this time there’s really no need to be,” she told him.

Alec stared at her, enchanted by her beauty and her big, incandescent eyes. Heaven, how he loved her. “Take care of yourself,” he said gently. Vicki smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Don’t worry, sweetie! I will,” she promised. “Now I have to continue my packing. You’d better leave for work,” she warned. “You don’t want to be late.”

Alec groaned but knew he had to. “Ok. You’ll be around when I come back?”

“Absolutely.” Vicki watched with a smile as he picked up his keys and turned to give her one final hug. “Bye, dearest,” he said softly, kissing her. She kissed him back and pushed him gently to the door.

The moment she heard the lift approaching to take Alec down, her expression turned from smiley to serious. She rushed to the phone and placed a long distance call with bated breath.

“Hello.”

“Aaron, it’s me, Vicki.”

“Vicki!” Aaron said, his voice sharp. “Where have you been? We’ve been so worried about you, and wondering what you have been doing!”

“I’m catching a plane to Australia today, Aaron. Can you meet me at the airport? I’ll catch up with you and Bing Bing and update you on everything.”

“Ok. What time?”

“I’ll probably reach Australia at night. Look, you’ll have to check yourself, ok? My flight number is SQ 157. Got that? I’m leaving now. See you.” Vicki put down the phone and went into the bedroom. Her eyes fell on the neatly made bed and almost instantly they filled with tears. Alec…she thought, wiping her tears away in the most unladylike manner. They would be separated for much longer than he thought.

* * *

Alec opened the door of the apartment and walked in, eager to spend a nice, quiet evening with Vicki. He threw the keys down on the table nearest to him and called out, “Vicks, are you there?” when no one answered him, he went into the study, fully expecting to see her seated before the computer. But no one was there. The bedroom was empty; every room in the apartment was empty. He ran into the sitting room, his face filled with alarm. “Vicks!” he called again.

Silence.

For once he noticed the note stuck on the door. He tore it off and read it.

Dear Alec, I’ve left for another country. I will be back soon. Don’t worry about me.

That was all? He looked down at the note in frustration and read it again. ‘I’ve left for another country’. Why didn’t she tell him which country it was? And why didn’t she tell him WHY she had to leave? His brow furrowed. There WAS something she was keeping from him…he just couldn’t tell what. Well, she’ll be back soon, he thought. There’s no need to worry.

And never in his life was Alec Su more mistaken.

Chapter 3

Alec slammed his fist onto the table. His mailbox was empty. “Where the hell can she be?” he asked angrily. “It’s been two months and she hasn’t emailed me once!”

Zhou Jie, who was sitting on an armchair reading a book, now looked up with a resigned sigh. “Alec, I’m afraid you’ll just have to face the fact that she has clean forgotten about you,” he said discouragingly. “No woman I’ve ever known would keep their boyfriend waiting for an email for two months.”

Alec stared at him. Vicki had forgotten him? “No!” he said, his voice harsh. “Vicki wouldn’t forget me! She wouldn’t!” he ran his fingers through his hair and slammed his fist onto the table once more. “She wouldn’t forget me! She loves me!” he repeated, trying to drive the fact into Zhou Jie’s head. “Why won’t she mail me?” he cried furiously. “I know she hasn’t forgotten me…I know it!”

With a shrug, Zhou Jie watched his friend with a disturbed expression in his eyes. He had never seen the cool, calm, collected Alec in this state. Zhou Jie himself had only met Vicki once, but he had liked her. Now it seemed as if she was not the girl he had thought her to be. During the past two months Zhou Jie had watched as his friend grew from anxious to worried to frustrated to plain mad without even being able to attend to his work at the office. The superintendent, Gigi, told Alec that if he didn’t get down to work soon she would have to suspend him. And yet Alec didn’t care. All day long he thought of Vicki, and at night he dreamt of Vicki. Nothing else was on his mind.

The phone rang and Alec groaned loudly. “Jie, you take it for me. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now.” He lapsed into a brooding state while Zhou Jie got up to pick up the phone. “Hello?” he said cordially. He listened for a while, then his eyes brightened. “Vicki!”

Alec, hearing Vicki’s name, practically leapt out of his seat. “Is it Vicki?” he demanded, trying to snatch the phone from Zhou Jie.

“Vicki, where have you been?” Zhou Jie said, avoiding Alec. “We’ve all been thinking of you!” He listened to the answer and laughed. “Well, it’s great that you’re ok. I’ll pass you to Alec now.”

Alec grabbed the phone. “Vicks?” he said excitedly.

Vicki’s beloved voice came through. “Alec, it’s me. I’m sorry for not having contacted you, but I’ve been far too busy without any spare time. And I’m sorry for just leaving like that, too. Forgive me?”

“Vicks, where have you BEEN?” Alec said, tears almost rising as he heard her voice again. “I’ve missed you so much! It’s been two months, when are you going to come back?”

“Possibly next week. Alec, I’m sorry. I’ll fly back as soon as possible.” There was a pause, then she said, “Hold on for a minute.” Alec waited with a feverish impatience. As he waited he heard a male’s voice in the background. “You can’t go back by next week, Vicks, I don’t know if you can handle…”

“I will. Don’t doubt me so much,” Vicki was saying to the man in the background. “Just send me to the airport and everything will be fine.”

“Look, Vicks…”

“Aaron, don’t argue any longer. You take care of yourself, ok?” Vicki came back to the phone. “Sorry about that. As I was saying…”

“You HAVE to come back!” Alec interrupted. “If not I’m going to die with all this solitude! Vicks, you must come back!”

“I will, I will. I’ll come back by next week. I miss you too, Alec, very, very much. But now I can’t talk to you any longer; this call is causing me a bomb. Look after yourself, I’ll email you my flight number and when I’ll be back, ok?” Vicki said goodbye and put down the phone. Alec continued to hold the phone to his ear, a worried but yet relieved and joyful look on his face. Zhou Jie, who had been listening to what Alec said, now shook his head mournfully. “She’s got you totally, Alec.”

“And I’m content,” Alec returned. He was.

* * *

Vicki walked out of the airport, trembling slightly with the splitting headache which had attacked her the previous night. She was still having it now, but she tried her best to cover up the overwhelming pain in her head.

“VICKI!”

She turned round and saw Alec tearing up to her. She managed to smile, although inwardly she was wondering why…why did things have to be like this? She could come to no conclusion.

Alec threw his arms round her and hugged her tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair and enjoying the feel of her in his arms. It had been two months…so bloody long! Where could she have gone? “Vicki,” he murmured, pulling her even closer. He was so preoccupied with his joy that he didn’t realise she was trembling, until some of his senses came back to him and he felt her shaking. “What’s the matter?” he asked, holding her at arm’s length and surveying her anxiously. She did look pale and sick…had anything happened to her?

“Headache,” Vicki said, smiling faintly at him. She tried to control the emotions bubbling inside her…she shouldn’t be so happy to see him again…but after a hard struggle she gave up and pressed herself against him again. “I missed you so much!” she said emotionally, burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms round him.

Alec hugged her back and dropped a few kisses on her hair. “Don’t ever go away again like that. I wouldn’t be able to stand it a second time,” he said in her ear. Then, finally noticing some people looking uncomfortable, he pulled away. “Let’s go home. It’s more private there, and you will be able to tell me what you’ve been doing in these past two months.”

Chapter 4

That night Vicki had the same terrible headache. She lay quietly for a few minutes, hoping that being still would soothe the pain, but it didn’t help. She began to toss and turn, and finally sat up, holding her head and trying to keep the tears from falling. Alec was woken up by her tossing and sat up too. “Headache again?” he asked, taking her into his arms. She nodded, a stifled sob coming from her. Alec sighed. He felt extremely helpless.

Vicki clutched him. “Alec, promise me that no matter what I do you’ll love me!” she said, her eyes wide and frightened.

Alec looked at her, puzzled. “Of course, Vicks. I will,” he said, wondering why she looked so scared. “I’ll get some painkillers for you, ok?”

The moment he left the room, Vicki curled herself up into a tight ball on the bed, sobbing quietly into the pillow. I can’t be with you, Alec, she screamed in her mind, I can’t be with you.

* * *

“Museum in England robbed…two very valuable paintings stolen…” Zhou Jie shook his head as he read the newspapers. Vivian, who was sitting opposite him, looked up and stared at him curiously. “What was stolen?”

“Oh, two valuable paintings. The police are trying to investigate the case,” Zhou Jie replied. He looked across to Alec, who sat doing his work quietly. “Do you think we would be able to handle it, Alec?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“Huh?” Alec asked, distracted.

Zhou Jie repeated his question and Alec shrugged. “I don’t know, right now I’m more taken up with other stuff.”

“Like his girlfriend,” Vivian laughed. “Alec’s whole life evolves round his girlfriend, right, Alec?”

Alec chose not to reply.

* * *

“Everything is set and ready, Vicki,” said Bing Bing over the phone. Vicki twirled a pen round on her fingers, frowning. “Are you sure? Good. We should be able to handle it all with ease…no, no danger at all. You know how to deal with all this…you’ve dealt with it several times before. You and Aaron take care of everything, I’ll handle the situation over here.”

“Are you sure there is absolutely no danger?” Bing Bing asked softly.

Vicki laughed softly, but there was hardly any merriment or joy in her laughter. “Trust me, Bing Bing,” she said, taking a sip of the hot coffee she had made before Bing Bing called. “There is absolutely no danger.”

“And your trap has proved to be successful.”

“Yes. Very successful.”

“Ok. I’ll call you and update you on the latest developments later on.” Bing Bing put down the phone.

Vicki sat by the phone, sipping her coffee. Everything had been successful, and Bing Bing, one of the most efficient people on her team, would be able to handle everything without much ado. And as for her trap…yes, it was successful too. She laughed bitterly. Very successful.

Oh, she was almost beginning to hate that word.

* * *

“Two friends of mine will be arriving from Australia soon,” Vicki told Alec later on in the evening as they sat together on the sofa, enjoying being together. “Their names are Aaron and Bing Bing.”

“Hmm,” Alec said, his cheek against her hair. “And how long will they be staying?”

“I don’t know. Quite a long time. They’re not Australians…they emigrated to Australia a few years back.” Vicki laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes tightly. “They’ve decided to come and visit me.”

Alec pulled Vicki up and hugged her close. “Ok. I’ll take care of them,” he said with a grin. “Baby-sit them and accompany them to the toilet to see that they don’t fall into the toilet bowl.” Vicki rolled her eyes at this lame joke, and Alec pressed his lips to hers. As she kissed him she felt even worse than before, and the knowledge that he loved her with all his heart was making her conscience scream at her. But what could she do? She was too deeply into it…

So deep that she couldn’t get away. There was no way out for her. But in the meantime, couldn’t she at least enjoy and cherish the love she and Alec shared? Let me be happy for now, she begged silently. Let me be happy for now. Alec, I love you so much…so much…

“Love you,” Alec murmured against her lips.

She pulled away from him and buried her face in his shoulder. “Love you too,” she replied. You wouldn’t love me if you knew what I was, she thought. You would despise me. But I don’t want to think of it. It scares me. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s all.

Chapter 5

“Bing Bing!” Vicki exclaimed in feigned delight as she threw her arms round a slight, sharp-faced young woman. Bing Bing hugged her briefly and released herself. “Good to see you again, Vicki,” she said. Behind her, Aaron came up. “Hi,” he said to Vicki, giving a hug. Vicki’s eyes glowed with warmth and honest delight as she hugged him, for he was a dearly beloved friend. “Alec couldn’t come and meet you. He’s busy at headquarters,” she told them as she picked up one of Bing Bing’s suitcases and carried it to the taxi she had previously booked.

Bing Bing frowned. “I think you’re getting too attached to him, Vicki,” she said. “It would be a good idea if you part from him for a while.”

Vicki’s face grew stormy. “I’m not parting with him!” she said fiercely. “I left him here for months the last time and he almost went mad. I’m not leaving him again!”

“Vicki!” Aaron said, shocked. Vicki immediately calmed down and looked ashamed of herself. “I know…I shouldn’t be talking like that. But I know what I’m doing. You can trust me.” And, seeing the disbelieving look Aaron and Bing Bing exchanged, she insisted, “I do! I do know what I’m doing, and everything is perfect.”

The atmosphere in the taxi was very tense. Aaron and Bing Bing could foresee danger in the future, and Vicki was brooding over what Bing Bing had just suggested. Should she leave Alec and try to get rid of the feelings she felt for him? Or should she just continue to stay with him? She didn’t know what to do! For once in her life, Vicki Zhao was completely unsure of what she should do next. At length she turned to Bing Bing and took hold of her hand. “Have you taken care of everything?” she asked.

Bing Bing nodded curtly. “Yes.”

“Don’t be angry with me,” Vicki pleaded. “I’m sorry for what I said.”

“Do you love him, Vicki?” Aaron asked quietly.

Vicki grew pale. She wished that she was anywhere but here, in this taxi, at the moment. Bing Bing and Aaron were watching her with sharp eyes, and she wished devoutly that she had never met Alec Su…never known about him. “I know what I’m doing,” she answered. And that was the end of it.

* * *

Alec and Zhou Jie were both introduced to Bing Bing and Aaron, and almost immediately sparks flew between Zhou Jie and Bing Bing. They spent a lot of time together, talking and laughing, and Vicki had never seen Bing Bing so happy before. Aaron didn’t hit it off with either Alec or Zhou Jie, but at least he got along with them. Alec noticed the protective way in which Aaron looked after Vicki, and observed the intimacy between the two of them. Before long, he grew hot with jealousy. Who exactly was Aaron Kwok to Vicki? That was the question he asked Vicki when they were alone together in their apartment two nights after the arrival of Bing Bing and Aaron.

“He’s just like an older brother to me,” Vicki told him. That night she was white with another raging headache, and had just taken some painkillers. Alec was beginning to feel worried about her. No normal person should have a headache every other night. There WAS something that Vicki was hiding from him, but since she obviously did not want him to know what it was, he didn’t ask her anything.

“An older brother? Then why does he keep touching you?” Alec demanded.

“Alec!” Vicki cried, her eyes filling with tears. “Please don’t bother me now. My head aches so much, I don’t want to argue with you!”

Alec looked at her in despair, at a loss for words. Vicki saw it and took his hand, caressing it gently. “I love you, Alec. Please don’t think that Aaron means anything else to me, because he doesn’t. I love you,” she repeated, lifting his hand to her lips and kissing it.

With a sigh, Alec relented. “All right,” he said, sitting down next to her and taking her into his arms. “I’m sorry for accusing you like that.” He kissed her cheek and held her close. “Do you think Zhou Jie and Bing Bing will be able to make it?”

Vicki’s knowledge of Bing Bing’s character enabled her to know that Bing Bing was not in love with Zhou Jie, but she didn’t want to say this to Alec. Instead, she shrugged. “Who knows?” she said, not quite liking to lie to him – although she had been doing that quite often. She wondered if she had been wrong in bringing her two friends to Taiwan. Anything could happen.

That night, as she laid in bed, she turned over and took hold of Alec’s arm. He looked down at her, smiling. “What’s the matter, deary?” he asked, bending his head and covering her forehead with kisses.

“I want to be near you tonight,” she whispered. Alec drew her nearer to him and rested his head on her chest. She made him feel so wonderfully secure. He closed his eyes and breathed a prayer of thanks to God for bringing such a marvellous girl into his life.

Vicki, too, closed her eyes, but she didn’t pray. Instead, she just hoped that everything would turn out according to plan…

Alec lifted his head and covered her mouth with his. Please let everything turn out fine, Vicki thought as she kissed him back. Because I love him so much. So very, very much. And I’m not supposed to love him. I can’t love him if I want to proceed on with my plans. But I DO love him! Her thoughts became even more incoherent as he kissed her with increasing passion. I love him, I love him, I love him. I want to be with him. I can’t. Oh, why must life be so cruel?

* * *

BANK ROBBED LAST NIGHT

At 2:30 a.m last night, a gang of robbers broke into one of the most famous and leading banks in Taiwan. With their faces covered, they killed the security guards and took away more than US$ 600,000. None of them have been able to be identified.

“Alec, Zhou Jie, Vivian, Julian.”

Alec put down the newspapers and looked over at Gigi, the superintendent, who was standing before him. “Come to my office at once. I must speak to the four of you.”

The four of them knew instantly what she wanted to talk to them about, but they simply followed her quietly and without question to her office. Once there, they seated themselves and waited for her to speak. “I’m sure you know about this robbery already. I want you to investigate. Especially Alec. Find out all you can from the scant evidence they have found. Evidently this gang of robbers have been smart. They have left scarcely any trace of themselves. But I trust the four of you.” She paused and looked to see if they were listening. They were, very closely.

“Can I trust you?”

“Yes, mam,” the four replied as one.

“Good. Now go and do your best.”

Chapter 6

“You must be very careful on this case,” Bing Bing said anxiously to Zhou Jie. “You and Alec must take very good care of yourselves!”

“We will,” Zhou Jie assured her. “We are pinning most of our hopes on Alec. He’s the shinning light of our office,” he laughed.

Bing Bing lighted a cigarette and puffed into it. “Well, look after yourself. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”

Zhou Jie smiled genially at her. “Nothing will!” he said confidently.

That afternoon, he and Alec visited the scene of the robbery again. Gigi had been right in saying that the gang of robbers had been very smart…they had left behind almost no evidence. A policeman came up to them and handed them a package. “The clues,” he said. “Really very little…they were a cautious lot. Must have used gloves and all the rest of it.”

Zhou Jie and Alec looked thoughtfully at the objects in the package. A watch wiped clean of any fingerprints and a cigarette. That was all.

Zhou Jie examined the cigarette closely. “It’s an unusual sort of cigarette,” he remarked. “I have never seen this brand before.” Alec agreed, looking closely at it. Neither of them had ever seen this kind of cigarette before.

“This watch…” Alec frowned. “Why shouldn’t there be any fingerprints?” he wondered. “It couldn’t have been left there by accident.”

“It’s an unusual watch too,” Zhou Jie remarked. “One of a kind. You don’t see it around.”

* * *

“Witnesses…Sunny Chan and Edison Chen. Were hanging round McDonalds at 2 a.m until 3. Saw the gang of robbers dressed in complete black. Could give no further information,” Vivian read out. “Except that the leader of the gang was well-built and not very tall. According to the evidence, George Hsu is a prime suspect because he was seen hanging around with that watch before, and has mysteriously lost it.”

“Isn’t George Hsu a renowned lawyer?” Julian demanded.

“Yes,” Alec answered. “Everything points to him now. He had that watch, he’s not very tall and he’s well-built.” He frowned. Somehow, he knew that everything wasn’t so easy. If they had been smart enough to leave so little evidence, they would be smart enough to hide their leader, too.

* * *

“Have you made any progress?” Vicki asked, reposing comfortably in Alec’s arms that night. Alec sighed and shook his head. “No, not yet. Just that George Hsu might have done it. We have questioned the witnesses, but neither of them can tell much. This is really a very difficult case. All of us are waiting for them to strike again,” he admitted with an ashamed laugh. Vicki couldn’t but laugh too. “You are horrible! Waiting for them to rob another bank?” she asked, smiling.

“Yeah! Maybe this time they wouldn’t be so sure of themselves!” Alec answered.

Vicki smiled up at him. “All I can say is I hope the best for you!” she said.

* * *

Zhou Jie shook his head mournfully as he took a bite of the cheesecake he was sharing with Bing Bing in the shopping centre. “I admit I’m at a dead end. I have no idea what to do now,” he confessed to Bing Bing, who laughed. “I don’t know how to help you,” she said. “Let’s go for a walk outside once we’ve finished the cake. I want to smoke, and I’m too considerate to do it in here.”

Zhou Jie only smiled in reply. He had long since given up trying to persuade Bing Bing not to smoke. She was far too determined for him.

Bing Bing’s mobile rang, and she picked it up. It turned out to be a friend whom she had lost contact with, and she chatted eagerly to her while Zhou Jie continued to think over the case. Bing Bing’s voice broke his train of thought. “Zhou Jie, will you please take out my writing pad from my handbag for me?” she requested. “I need to write down an address.”

Zhou Jie nodded and opened her handbag. In his search for the writing pad, his eyes suddenly fell upon a piece of paper. #04-08, World Shopping Centre. (Made this up myself) He found the writing pad and handed it to Bing Bing, thinking no more of the piece of paper. Bing Bing hurriedly scribbled down the address. After a few more minutes, she ‘hung up’. “Can we go out now?” she asked, seeing that Zhou Jie had already finished the cake.

The two of them walked out into the open, and almost at once Bing Bing lighted a cigarette and began to puff. Zhou Jie glanced briefly at her and would have turned pale if his training had not taught him to remain expressionless. The cigarette was of the same brand as the one in the package. Instantly he had his suspicions.

* * *

“Where are you going?” Alec asked as Zhou Jie dragged him along the pavement.

“To World Shopping Centre now!” Zhou Jie replied shortly before bending his efforts in walking as fast as possible. Alec gave up and kept silent as he prodded after his friend, wondering why he had ever bothered to befriend a hyperactive person like that.

#04-08…#04-08…#04-08…

Zhou Jie found it in record time and pulled Alec inside. It was a shop which sold all sorts of things. As Alec became fascinated with some bracelets, Zhou Jie went towards the section which sold watches. And there it was, hanging there almost smiling triumphantly at him.

He had been right.

In a flash, he knew everything.

And a pair of eyes followed him as he grasped Alec’s arm and led him out of the store…

Chapter 7

* * *

“What is the matter, Jie? Why are you acting like that?” Alec asked concernedly.

“I have something to tell you, but it’s too public here. Let’s go to my apartment instead, ok?” Zhou Jie said breathlessly. Alec nodded, his face full of bewilderment and confusion.

Ring, ring.

“Uh…sorry,” Alec said, giving Zhou Jie an apologetic smile.

“Alec!” Bing Bing’s frantic voice came over the mobile. “Vicki has just fainted! I think she has been too stressed out lately. Please come. You have to come. I don’t know what to do!” her voice was on the point of hysteria and Alec turned white immediately. “Ok. Hold on. I’ll be there in a sec.” He turned to Zhou Jie. “Sorry, Jie, what you have to tell me can wait for another hour or so. I have to go now!” he patted his friend’s shoulder before dashing off.

Could wait for another hour or so? But…

* * *

“What’s the matter with her?” Alec asked worriedly, looking at Vicki’s still face. “Bing Bing, call the ambulance, quick!”

“Alec…” Bing Bing said quickly. “Why don’t you try waking her up first? There mayn’t be anything wrong with her…maybe she has simply passed out.” She went to the kitchen, soaked a cloth in cold water, then brought it out to Alec. He ‘rinsed’ her face with the cold water and slowly Vicki’s eyes fluttered open. “Alec…?” she said half-wonderingly.

“Vicki!” Bing Bing cried out in relief, flinging her arms round Vicki and holding her tight. “I was so frightened!”

Vicki’s eyes darkened as she saw Alec. Had they been on time?

“Vicki,” Alec said in tones of such evident relief that she was satisfied. When Bing Bing let go of her he speedily took her place. “Don’t ever do that to me again! I was frightened out of my wits.”

Bing Bing left them quickly, but Alec didn’t notice. He was too preoccupied with his girlfriend. “Are you ok? Do you need to have a rest?” he asked, studying her face closely. She smiled faintly and shook her head. “No…” grasping hold of her hands, she pulled him closer to her and kissed him hard. “I just want…” she murmured against his lips, “I just want you.”

Alec kissed her forehead and her nape, then pulled down part of her shirt to reveal her bare shoulders. Kissing the white, smooth skin, he felt Vicki’s breath on his neck, and she bit his ear gently. I want to spend the rest of my life with her, Alec thought. She means everything to me. I will never leave her.

But sadly, resolutions made are usually not kept to.

* * *

His lips caressed hers and kissed her slowly, his tongue searching her mouth. She remained still, touching him occasionally with her tongue, then letting it slide gently into his mouth. His hand stroked her body and ran through her hair, causing delicious shivers up and down her spine. She lay with her eyes closed, still kissing him. Then she moaned, pulling him so close to her that they were straining against each other. He bent down and kissed her feverishly. She groaned and he took himself away at once.

He hung over her, panting for breath. She, too, was perspiring and her lips were red and swollen with the recent exertion. “I love you,” he murmured, his voice hoarse with desire. She tightened her hold on him, finding his lips and kissing him with everything in her. “I love you,” he repeated, lost in his pleasure and in the woman beneath him.

His hands explored her body as he sought hungrily for another kiss. Their lips met again and yet again as passion consumed the both of them. Until both had to gasp for breath. Then his lips found its way down her as she moaned softly and stroked his back, tears squeezing out of her eyes at the pleasure of the feeling.

Vicki bit his upper lip and opened her mouth, letting her tongue slide into his mouth. They kissed until their lips were sore and heavy from kissing, but still they didn't stop. Slowly, gradually, they cooled down and Alec lay full-length on Vicki, his face resting on her neck. He breathed in deeply, then lifted his head to rest his lips on hers. After a while Vicki lay on him instead. She ran her lips lightly over his chest, feeling his pounding heartbeat. He moaned and little shivers rippled through his body. She moaned and encircled his body with her arms, hugging him and stroking his back.

Then, suddenly, the phone rang. Both of them tensed, and he sat up, rubbing his hair. “Don’t answer it,” he said.

“It won’t stop,” she said. Sighing, she got up from the carpet and walked over to the kitchen. Picking up the receiver, she took a deep breath before saying, “Hello.”

“Vicks.” Aaron’s voice came through. “Your friend Zhou Jie has just committed suicide.”

Vicki’s expression hardened. “He has?” she said softly. Aaron made a sound in his throat. She stood still, knowing what it meant.

“Who is it, Vicks?” Alec asked, coming up to her and wrapping his arms round her bare body. Softly kissing her nape, he waited for her answer. However, she didn’t. Instead, she said into the phone, “How?”

“Poison. There’s a bottle of poison next to him and only his fingerprints on the bottle. He’s in his apartment. I’ve already notified the police, and they’re going to his place as soon as possible.”

“How do you know about it?”

“Went with a few friends to his place and saw him dead on the floor. I’ll probably be a prime suspect…but they won’t find anything connected to me,” Aaron said, laughing harshly. “Bing Bing’s really hysterical here; hasn’t cried so much in her life.”

Vicki put down the phone and turned in Alec’s arms to face him. “Zhou Jie is dead,” she said quietly.

As she expected, his face turned completely pale with the bombshell and his arms dropped from her body. He stared numbly at her, unable to register the fact. Zhou Jie was dead? But how? Hadn’t he gone out with him only that afternoon? Thoughts swirled helplessly round Alec’s head as he looked at Vicki, who had turned her face away and was rubbing her eyes. “How?” he demanded, his voice sounding unfamiliar and strange.

“He committed suicide, Alec.” She, too, sounded strange.

“But he has no reason to commit suicide!” Alec cried out. “Oh heaven…how?” he buried his face in his hands, trying his hardest to stifle his sobs. “There must be some mistake…it can’t be…” he insisted, eaten up with grief for his best and dearest friend. Vicki reached up and took his hands away gently. “Alec…” she murmured, her eyes full of sympathy and sadness. He grabbed her to him and hid his face in her hair, sobs shaking his body. It was unmanly to cry…inexcusable in a tough police officer, but the loss was too nerve-wrecking and heart-wrenching. Vicki held him close, offering him as much sympathy and support as she could. At last he raised his head, his eyes red with his tears. “Where is he?” he asked, a barely perceptible quiver in his voice.

“In his apartment.” Vicki’s voice was soothing. “Shall we go there?”

“Yes.” Then a thought occurred to him and he said hesitatingly, “Bing Bing must be feeling very bad over this. She and Zhou Jie…liked…each other.”

Vicki took his hand and led him to the room they shared. “Come, dress yourself and I’ll drive us to Zhou Jie’s apartment.” Alec obeyed in silence, for he was still hopelessly confused and upset.

The journey to Zhou Jie’s place was very quiet. Alec stared aimlessly out of the window, still trying to reconcile himself to the loss of his friend, while Vicki stared stonily at the road ahead. Finally they reached there and she held him tight as they took the lift up to his apartment. The door was open and the apartment filled with curious people wanting to look at the dead body. Bing Bing was standing just outside the apartment, crying. When she looked up and saw Vicki, she let out a strangled sob and ran to her. The two girls embraced while Alec walked unsteadily into the room. Vivian was there, and so was Gigi. Vivian was kneeling down by Zhou Jie’s body, her vision blurred with tears, while Gigi was inspecting the apartment for any further evidence. Alec stood motionless, staring down at the body on the floor with brooding eyes. “How did this happen?” he whispered. Vivian looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen with crying. “How could this have happened?” she sobbed. “How?” she reached out and touched Zhou Jie’s hair, her hand trembling. “Why did he commit suicide?” she cried.

Julian pushed his way through the crowd and froze when he saw Zhou Jie. “Oh my…” he uttered softly. “Jie?” he whispered softly, incredulous and disbelieving. There was no way that Zhou Jie could have committed suicide. He had been such a level-headed person with a happy, united family and a regular job. He had no reason to kill himself! And he hadn’t been that type of person either. There had to be some mistake.

Chapter 8

Aaron came towards Vicki, his hands outstretched. She took them in hers and looked up at him. “They won’t suspect you, Aaron, all of us know you couldn’t have murdered him. He HAD committed suicide,” she said fervently. Aaron smiled feebly and, leaning forward, whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened and she looked at him, beset with terror. “No…no!” she gasped.

Aaron nodded earnestly. “This is serious, Vicks…you have to leave,” he said solemnly. He tightened his hold on her hands. “Vicks, listen to me…you have to get away from here. You have to.”

Bing Bing stood watching them, her face deathly white. “Really?” she demanded. Aaron nodded.

* * *

Vicki went into the kitchen and made two cups of tea. She walked out and placed one cup on the table before Alec. She sat beside him and, after putting down her own on the table, wrapped her arms round him and leaned her head on his shoulder. She couldn’t help but muse over what Aaron had told her. He was right…she had to leave. There was no way she could remain here in such a situation.

She felt Alec’s arms going round her and closed her eyes, allowing herself to indulge in a brief time with him. Neither spoke, but Alec could feel Vicki’s body trembling again. Something was worrying her, and he wished intensely that he knew what it was.

Vicki raised her head and took his face in her hands, looking tenderly into his eyes. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his in a soft, gentle kiss. She wanted with every ounce of her being to remain by his side forever. But why did life have to make it so difficult? It was too much of her to want to be with him. Too much.

* * *

TWO DAYS LATER

“Vicki left a message to say that she will never come back,” Vivian said, her eyes downcast. Ever since Zhou Jie’s untimely death, the whole office had been silent and strained, and Vivian had not been spared. “She came to see me yesterday afternoon when I was absent from work and told me to tell you this.”

Alec stared uncomprehendingly at Vivian. “Where has she gone?” he asked, completely at sea.

“She didn’t say. She just said that she never wanted for things to turn out like that, and that she wanted to get away from you,” Vivian said without the least bit of curiosity.

Alec sank into his seat, not understanding Vivian. But…when he left home that morning, she had been there with no word of going away. Vivian had to be lying. Zhou Jie’s death must have made her a little crazy. He lifted the phone and dialed the store where Vicki worked, glaring at Vivian. “She’s at work,” he said positively. “Don’t lie to me like that!” Vivian merely shrugged and returned to her work. Alec waited with bated breath for someone to pick up the phone.

“This is…”

“Is Vicki Zhao there?” Alec interrupted, no time for pleasantries.

“No,” said the woman on the other side, sounding annoyed at being so rudely interrupted. “She quit yesterday.” She hung up.

Alec frantically dialed home. No one answered although he waited for five minutes. He put down the receiver with a sick feeling in his stomach and looked at Vivian, who was seemingly oblivious. “Are you telling the truth?” he asked, his voice a little more than a whisper. Vivian nodded mechanically.

* * *

“Aaron!” Alec yelled, pounding on the door of Aaron and Bing Bing’s rented apartment. He threw himself at the door in savage intensity. “Open up!” he shouted.

The door opened slowly and Bing Bing looked out. “Aaron is gone,” she said. “He left this morning.”

Alec grabbed her shoulders. “Where’s Vicki?” he demanded.

“She left with Aaron.”

“Where did she go?”

“I don’t know,” Bing Bing said, unruffled by the fierceness in Alec’s eyes. Alec released her and took a few steps back, his eyes wide with horror. “No!” he said. He glared at Bing Bing. “You’re lying! You know where they are!”

“I said, I don’t know!” Bing Bing said, raising her voice. “And I think I should let you know something. Vicki has never loved you. She loves Aaron, and they’ve gone away to escape from you! She’ll be marrying him soon.”

Alec couldn’t believe his ears. “No!” he shouted. “Vicki won’t do that to me! She loves me! She loves me!” he stepped forward. “You’re a liar to say she doesn’t love me!” with that, he grabbed Bing Bing again and shook her.

“Alec, stop it!” Bing Bing screamed, raising her hand and slapping him. It was a shock but it did him good for he came to his senses immediately. “I’m sorry,” he said, ashamed of his display of feeling. “But she won’t do that to me, she won’t!”

“How much do you know?” Bing Bing asked scornfully.

“Enough to know that she’ll never leave me! She doesn’t love Aaron…no!” The thought that she MIGHT love Aaron was too much for him to bear. He spun away from Bing Bing and ran down to his car, not caring that he shoved some people out of the way and earned for himself curses on himself, his son and his grandson. All he thought of was Vicki. She couldn’t have left him like that. She wouldn’t…couldn’t…would never do such a thing! They were all lying to him. She had simply gone out shopping. She would be back soon.

But…maybe…just maybe…

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