BELLA’S POV
“Bella” I was going down from my car when Cedric ran towards me while calling my name. 
“Are you sure that the sender was here?” I frowned while asking because this area was thirty minutes away from where Claire’s body was found.
“The sender who sent you the cryptic message was not here,” he answered, which made me frown even more. Does it mean I wasted my time going all the way here?
“But there is an eye witness here who saw the last person holding the cellphone,” he added.
“Where?” I asked immediately.
“I will accompany you to her,” Cedric replied, and then he walked first.
Despite my confusion, I continued to follow him until we arrived at the investigation team tent, where my co-detective was questioning a woman.
“Sir, how many times do I need to tell you that I am not the owner of that cellphone?” The fact that my co-detective was questioning the woman irritated her, as could be seen by my observation.
“She was the girl who saw the guy who left the cellphone on the bench. She went there and opened the cellphone. On that way, we were able to trace this location,” Cedric whispered. I nodded before I fully entered the tent.
“Detective Bella,” my co-detective called me after he stood up. His voice made the girl look in my direction.
“Miss, are you the one they kept on talking about? Are you the team leader?” she asked while approaching me. She also pointed out my co-detective’s location.
“Good afternoon,” I politely greeted her and bowed down.
“Good afternoon too,” she replied and bowed down to me too.
“Is there already a sketch to the person we are looking for?” I asked the other officers when I shifted my attention to them.
“There is Ma’am. Give it to me,” the officer said, then one of his subordinates gave him a folder.
After he accepted the folder, he instantly handed it to me. I immediately took it and opened it. My eyebrows met each other because I did not see a suspect’s face. I saw his back.
“What is this?” I made an effort to control my emotions so as not to frighten the eyewitness who is still with us. Still, I can’t help but be frustrated because of what is happening in this case.
“When the eye witness saw him, he was not facing her. So, those are the only thing we can used as basis to the suspect’s identity. We also had the estimated height, hair color, and other details we can use in proceeding to profiling,” he explained to me. I nodded and looked at the woman.
“Thank you for your cooperation. You may now go, but we hope that you will still cooperate if ever we need you to go in the headquarters,” I calmly stated to the eyewitness.
“Thank you,” she politely replied and immediately took her bag on her chair and left the tent in a hurry.
“You, follow the eye witness, make sure she will not notice you. And you, do a background check to her. And you, tell everyone that we will have a meeting on the headquarters. Finish your tasks and I’ll wait for you there,” I ordered in sequence.
“Yes, Team Leader.” They replied in unison. I nodded and then left the tent.
I was about to hop in my car when I saw the sunset. I stopped and leaned on my car to witness it. All the stress I was feeling earlier was changed into a slight smile. I remembered what my father used to tell me every time I was waiting on him outside our house while witnessing the sunset. He always advised me to do not to let my day end with stress or negative feeling because I might carry it over the next day. I should remember that even the sun is happy despite its setting because it knew that it will still appear the next day. It’s like an illustration of the phrase, “the best is yet to come.”
***
“Are we already complete?” I asked after entering the meeting room here in the headquarters.
“Yes, Bella. We are complete aside from the person you asked to look after the eye witness,” 
“Okay, let’s start the meeting,” I instructed and sat down in my chair.
I let them present first their gathered data and information based on the initial investigation of the location earlier, so I can catch up with what happened there. I was seriously listening to the presentation when I noticed that Detective Gutierrez peaked in the room, so I became alert. However, when he saw me, he signalled me to continue what we are doing, and then he left.
“Okay, just like what was on the paper in front of you. I formed teams, so we can work fast and efficient. I am expecting a progress report tomorrow afternoon,” I authoritatively announced, and then they all nodded as their sign of agreement to me.
“Team A will be responsible for CCTV Checking. I want you to dissect the footages up to the smallest details. We have to get everything we can get on those CCTV footage. Next, Team B, you are assigned to do the profiling. Get the information to Bautista since he was handling it. After doing profiling, check the possible people’s background and see if they have relationship with the victim, or with Christopher Ramirez or by any chance involve to that organization case. I also want you to check Mr. Ramirez’s alibi. Next is my team. We are the one who will do background check to Ramirez’s family competitors. I am looking about this possibility, so we will be the one focusing on this. Do you understand you assignments?” I said. I can’t help but catch my breath because of how long the precise instructions were.
“Yes, Ma’am,” they replied in unison.
“Meeting adjourned!” I announced and walked towards the meeting room’s exit.
After I leave the meeting room, Detective Gutierrez’s secretary approached me, “Ma’am, Sir Gutierrez want to meet you on his office,” she politely said.
“All right, I will just go there,” I smiled. She bowed her head and then leave.
I could not help but hold the back of my head because of the exhaustion I am feeling right now. I did some stretching first before I walked towards Detective Gutierrez’s office.
“ Good evening, Sir,” I politely greeted him after I entered.
“Oh, you arrived Detective Soriano, please sit down,” he said and pointed to the vacant chair in front of his table. I slightly had a goosebump because of how serious his tone was. I don’t hear that tone frequently.
“What do you need from me, Sir?” I straightforwardly asked him. I'm rushing because I want to get home right away to get some rest since I have things planned for tomorrow.
“I want you out of Mr Ramirez’s case.” My jaw almost dropped because of what he said. What? Why?”
“W-what?” Only one word escaped from my mouth since I was shocked.
“I want you to stop investigating this case Bella,” he seriously repeated what he said.
“But why?” I confusedly asked him.
“It became clearer that the organization who killed your parents are involve in this case. Do you think they will hesitate to do the same thing to you?” Detective Gutierrez’s voice raised, but I could still hear his worry.
“ I pledge my life on this job, I am not scared to die,” I bravely replied to him.
“How about Ryle? Do you really want your sibling to be involved in this mess?” he asked.
“My personal feelings are different to what should I feel about my job. I will not stop doing my responsibilities just because I am scared about my brother’s safety as well as mine.
“You know how dangerous the wall you are trying to climb, Bella. Your parents already died, even your friend, Claire. Do you really think they will stop if you continue solving this case?” he asked and looked directly into my eyes. 
I clenched my fist to make me calm down a bit, “ that was my point, Sir. Many bloods were shed already because of that organization, so I won’t let it slide again and run away from their crime.”
“Bella, I understand what you felt. But look what is happening right now, they kept on slipping away from you. There was no progress on your investigation. Your case could be considered close since it did not have any direction,” Detective Gutierrez straightforwardly replied. I was stunned for a while because of what he said.
“Did you really heard what you said, Senior Detective? With all due respect, Sir, the case can only be tagged as close if the culprit is already at the prison and was sentenced accordingly,” I firmly said with emphasis on each word. He was momentarily stunned after I spoke. After a while, a smile formed on his lips which made me confused.
“ You and your father were really alike especially in your work ethics. I just hope that you will not end up the way he died,” Detective Gutierrez commented with awe in his eyes.
I stood up and said, “don’t worry about me. You will not see me in the morgue until I caught all the members of that organization,” I confidently replied.
“ Listen, Bella, always stay on guard. Remember that you should chose the person you are trusting wisely. You know how a so-called friend could stab you from your behind,” he warned me, then turned his back on me.
“I will remember that. I will leave now,” I said, but I did not hear any reply from him. That was my cue to walk away from his office.
After I left Detective Gutierrez’s office, I slightly looked around the headquarters to see my co-detectives. I don’t know, but Detective Gutierrez’s last phrases had a certain effect on me, especially since I am starting to think that there is a snake in the group I am leading.
TO BE CONTINUED!