Chapter I

If there was one day that Ayumi hated, no one knew it, because she was always in the office every single day of the week, in the seven there was. Not that you would know because she would not move hard enough to reveal her sinister presence in the building, let alone in her lovely office. Lovely office, for a starter, the vivid decoration was not her taste. Red, red rose, and yellow; a four-wall glass office with the possibility of looking through them, and examining the rests of the workers. The crystal door was on the left side of the front wall, the black desk squared from the door to the other side of the wall to the right, curved down to the left side onto the back wall. Her long buffy chair was in the middle, and she was moving back and forth, doing what she did best, assuring people of their most dreamy wedding desires.

"Yes….I know….do not worry…we are on it. Well, you can always change your designs for the wedding place and hour. That won't have much effect if we place the decorations earlier than the specific day….Of course not…if you change your mind, give me another call, and we will sit to take care of it, right away." She hung up the phone and returned to her previous task. People tend to feel relieved after such long conversation with an undecided customer. Ayumi was the difference. She did not have to breathe, she was doing it while she accomplished her work on schedule, and her orders on time.

Most wedding planner business should have a bridal shop next to it, or a bridal sponsor to assure the bride of a wedding dress, in the case of emergency. Kimmy Wedding Planner did not depend on a bridal shop or sponsor to grow up their business. Their unwavering services spoke for themselves, and their fortunate reputation spread like dust leaving behind by the iron train of charcoal. A lot of customers preferred them over others. Simple, she did not care who walked into her business. She only cared for their demands and their satisfaction. The Chinese visited her a lot, and she had learned much from their culture. She had the files about every culture and every citizen in or out of the country. Besides she loved her self-employment, it was not a chance for her to sit back and enjoy life. She worked hard as much as everyone else.

"We have Mr. Moto on line 2. He is asking for you. He seems in a good mood." Cassie knocked at her door, and she signed her to enter before she told her the reason.

"Mr. Moto, it is nice to hear your voice. What can I do for you?" She picked up the phone and Cassie walked out the office with enthusiasm to continue her devoted work.

"Hello Ms. Ayumi, I am sure you remember me. I call today for my daughter. She has the plan for marriage in one month, and I want you to take care of the decorations and everything." His thick voice projected confidence, and his decision was unnegotiable.

"Of course, we will provide our service the moment you desire. Your daughter will remember her wedding for many days to come." Ayumi assured him in the phone while keeping her eyes on the plan she had in the month coming.

"Of course, I sent something over to thank you for my wedding. My wife thought it might bring memories for you. She appreciated her friendship with your sister. Greet her for us." Mr. Moto confessed to her.

"Without fail, I will and thanks again for thinking of us." She dropped the phone down without some much a peek, and returned to her respective task.

 

Morning, afternoon, and evening did not have much difference for Ayumi either. However, the visit of the two inspectors in the afternoon, around 3:00 PM, was big to miss and to ignore. She did not see them coming, because she had important schedules to prepare, order to place, and confirmation to do other than watching through her office glasses. Cassie knocked, and she waved her open hand to let her in. She pulled the crystal door and let the officers had the pleasure of meeting the harshest woman they would never meet.

"Hello, ma'am, can we talk for a moment?" The simple voice meant less to her, but she could guess the man who talked was no less than in his twenties.

"Keep talking, I have much to do." Ayumi kept putting her work together and getting her folders in the right place over the shafts she had in the back wall of the office.

"Did you have any employee named Sissi Vella?" A mature voice took over this time, and Ayumi glanced at them once, before returning to her desk. Her simple glance was brief but enough to tell her much. A 25 years-old young man who just joined the detective section at the Police department. Uncomfortable with his black tie under the blue costume he was wearing, a fit trouser to move freely, and a pair of loathers. New generation, they did not have much taste for fashion. A 40 years-old mature detective with officer background, and experiences with criminals who could not care less if Ayumi looked at him as long as she answered his questions. The gray color was their signature, and the black, clean pair of shoes revealed their old timers preference.

"No. Who are you?" Ayumi replied with no tone and a quick answer.

"I am detective Mick and this detective Deluxe. We are here to tell you that the woman in that photo who worked here for some times was found dead or to be precise calcified.  She was burned alive." Mick held the photo and Ayumi this time turned her round head in their direction to identify the victim.

"Yes, I know what it means, and no, I do not know her." Ayumi’s eyes did not stay on the pictures as she intended to finish her work for the day. Mick did not believe in emotionless people, he was not going to take the avoided glimpse from her. She was human, and all human had emotions. She was no exception.

"I insist you look at it again. It is important. We saw her in the pictures on the board when we came out the elevator. Would you deny it now?" Deluxe was here to start his first day, but seeing how Mick insisted, he wanted to back him up. Mick had always been the best choice, to begin with the newbie in the Department. Many of the best detectives in the Department learned from me, and he was proud of his career and his pupils.

"If you want, you are free to ask my employees, but I do not know her." Ayumi, intimidation, she ate that for five whole years before she could sit in that office. Mick was too late in his attempt. With his scolded hand, he put the picture back in his inside suit and tapped Deluxe to prepare to leave.

"No, thank you. We are good. Good luck with your work. Our card if you feel something to share." Ayumi pivoted her flaming eyes to Deluxe. He could have sworn he saw fire in her eyes. Frowned brows, flaming eyes, grimaced lips; Deluxe had never met a woman in that caliber. She could heat up your inside without lifting a finger, and even after you were gone, you might feel her crushing presence over your skin and soul. Mick slapped the back of his head to wake him up, and Deluxe followed him at the elevator to leave the building.

"She knows her well." Mick certified to Deluxe who dreamed of Ayumi lips.

 

"Cassie, come to my office, now." She did not change her tone at most of the two presences that were in her office. It was like nothing occurred and the journey continued like she was working before the two men disturbed her without reasons.

Sissi Vella, who was she? Certainly, not a person of interest. She would not be able to complete the orders for her or to finish the preparations for this wedding coming up? 

"You call." Cassie slid her head with her hand between the door and the wall. She was waiting for her to give her permission to come in.

"Yes. What do we have for later?" She asked with precision in her voice and authority.

"One more check of the Valery family birthday. Do you have something in mind?" Cassie felt curious, and she started to worry about Ayumi.

"No. Can you take care of it?" She slid her solid hand over the top of her chair to pick up her black leather jacket, she fit her burst into her short sleeve in it, and her plastic pants covered the boot she procured last Christmas for herself. She left her usual bag in the office and grabbed the sports bag she had, to go to the gym.

Chapter II

 

"Go home, Leffy and mother might need you. I am going to take a taxi." At the second she pushed the main door of the building, Carlos ran to her, but she explained to him what he should do for the afternoon. He nodded and put her in a taxi. Next, he hopped into the black BMW he drove her in the morning and melted into the hellish traffic to hurry home to the Kimmy family.

The taxi driver crossed the road, made turns, went straight, and pulled over before the gym on Pine Ridge Road. Not necessarily in front of the gym, rather at the proximate of the series of businesses there were in this whole part of the construction. Kmart, Publix, Chinese Food, Walgreens, and the gym. The door squeezed and she stepped in quietly and stood there for an overview of the gym. She was not here to workout. Well, she was, but her hard work out only included improving her boxing style and her footwork. In the boxing section, it had everything a boxer needed to enhance his raw skills, his speed, his breathing, and his endurance. She guided her movement to the left where she headed for the changing place and the restroom. As far as she was concerned, she was the only one in the gym, the small talk did not go well with her during that time. Two long bars to sit, twenty to thirty closet of choice for her clothing bag, and the restroom stuck to the bathroom after a good hour of exercises to take care of your heating sweats and your vital needs.

She returned her brown hair gathered on top with the help of a nice spaghetti string. Her fiery red eyes were only brown mixing with the fury of the sun, straight sharp nose covering her little strawberry lips. Her holed cheek bone transformed her delicate face into a mechanic form, but with her magic oval figure. Her long neck was as visible as the two red gloves she held under her classic pit, her Spartan shoulder only promoted her chronic burst in front of her chest, and her hourglass curves and flat belly joined with her iron legs transcended her confident posture before everyone. Every girl in the gym who dreamed of being strong had seen Ayumi in her infinite glory.

"There she is, you won't believe this. She is awesome. Give me a second." One guy in the blue ring jumped from the ropes around and ran toward this catastrophic female representation of beauty and power.

"Hi" Ayumi looked up and recognized one of the guys who gave lessons at the gym for boxers. She smiled a little. "I do not know if you remember me, the name is Lester. I have a friend here who…" She gave him the box gloves, and she exposed one hand to help her fit them properly. He did of course, and she knocked him in his left shoulder. "…Wants to have a challenge. He wants to fight you. Of course, I tell him no but…"

"Alright, I will fight him. I need the practice. Tell him to watch out, I am in a mood." Lester was not sure of her words. Mood, Ayumi had been coming to the gym for sometimes, no one had ever seen her spirit. For everyone who had met her, she did not have any.

"Name?" She demanded as soon as she got into the ring.

"Bob, it is a…"

"Ayumi, let get on with it." She interrupted him. She usually did not ask for a name. Lester felt sorry for the guy. He was going to have his butt kicked back to him.

"Alright." All the gym gathered around to

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.04.2017
ISBN: 978-3-7438-0690-0

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
I dedicate to everyone who reads it and send me a real feedback. Thank You and the Next One is Coming...Soon...