CHAPTER THREE

Detective Sophia started investigating the case with immediate effect. Her colleagues nicknamed her 'The Action Lady'. 

Her childhood was never easy. She was often bullied by her seniors in high school, grew up under an overbearing father who wanted her to be perfect, lost her mother at the age of 5, and had been in a few relationships that never worked out. The last one did, but they divorced due to her passion for her job, which kept her distant from her spouse. 

When she received the information at 4:00 pm that she was in charge of the case, she immediately called her partner, Luke Martins, and explained the situation to him.

'Hey Luke, I understand you just took a week off but something just came up. You need to resume tomorrow' 

'oh! Let me guess, the case of a couple that was attacked on the night of their anniversary?' Luke asked. 

'Yes it is, let's meet at Greenwood Hospital tomorrow by 8 am. Meanwhile, I will look into the details of the person who placed the call that night right now' 

'Alright, I will. See you tomorrow boss' 

'See you tomorrow' she ended the call. 

She was about to leave the precinct when she received the information, but, decided to stay back a little to look into a few things before leaving.  

After looking into a few files brought to her concerning the case, she decided to go home to rest so she will be active the next day. 

The city was just starting to stir, the hum of early morning activity filling the air. Cars honked in the distance and people bustled about, going about their daily routines. Despite what happened the night before, the people had no choice but to go on with their life, they forced themselves to believe that everything is alright and nothing like that can happen again.

As the sun began to rise, Sophia was already up and out of bed, lacing up her running shoes and hitting the pavement. She ran at a steady pace, her mind focused on the day ahead and the case she was currently working on. Her morning run was a time for her to clear her thoughts and mentally prepare herself for the challenges ahead.

After her run, Sophia showered, dressed in her favorite suit, and headed to the Greenwood General Hospital where she was supposed to meet with her partner, Luke. Luke was already there waiting for her in the cafeteria located at the hospital's entrance. 

'Hmm… You arrived a bit earlier than expected' she chuckled as she sat down on the empty seat opposite Luke. 

'A good morning would have been better you know?' he grinned as he shook his head. 'I had to find ways to appease Jessy, because she was already making plans for our trip to Paris when your call came in' 

'Awnn… I'm so sorry about that. So tell me more, Mr. Romantico, what did you appease her with?' Sophia blushed as she winked at him. 

'No, No I'm not telling you more than that. Let's go to work Action lady' He said as he stood up trying to avoid her early morning banter. 

'Alright, let's go see how Mrs. Catherine is and get some information from her concerning what she saw' 

They asked a nurse who was passing by to direct them to where Mrs. Catherine was receiving treatment. 

As Sophia walked into the hospital room, she was struck by the sterile and clinical atmosphere. The walls were painted a bland shade of beige and the tile flooring gleamed under the fluorescent lights.

In the center of the room stood a hospital bed, complete with metal rails and a collection of wires and tubes leading to a variety of medical equipment. A bedside table held a monitor that beeped in time with the patient's heartbeat, and a stack of medical charts sat next to it.

Despite the clinical atmosphere, there were a few touches of home in the room. A small vase of flowers sat on the windowsill, bringing a touch of color and life to the otherwise sterile environment. On a nearby table, there was a stack of magazines and a book, offering the patient something to do during their stay.

As Sophia approached the bed, she noticed that the curtains were drawn, blocking out the bustling hospital environment outside. A soft light shone from a lamp next to the bed, casting a warm glow over Catherine's face.

She was struck by the sight of Catherine lying there, her eyes open but unseeing. Her gaze was fixed, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, and Sophia couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

Catherine was hooked up to a variety of machines, the beeps, and whirs filling the room with a constant hum of activity. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, but otherwise, she was still, her body unresponsive.

Sophia took a step closer, peering into Catherine's open eyes. They were cloudy and distant as if she was lost in a world of her own. The effect was unsettling, and Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that she was looking into the face of someone who was already gone.

Catherine's skin was pale and her hair was a tangled mess, and Sophia couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for the life that was now lying still before her. Despite the medical equipment and the hospital room, there was a sense of intimacy to the moment, as if Sophia was the only one who could reach out and touch her, bringing her back to the world of the living.

She glanced at her partner who was standing on the other side of the bed then at Catherine. 

"Mrs. Robert? I am Detective Sophia Richardson and I want to help you out. I understand it has not been easy for you upon hearing about the death of your husband, but with your help, I believe I will be able to help you take down the monster that did this to your husband" she believes that Catherine can hear her even if it appears she was out of this world. 

'She had been like that since she heard the news of her husband's death, not wanting to talk to anyone' A nurse who came in to check on her said. 

'Hmmm… But is she responding to treatment?' 

'Yes, she will become conscious before the week runs out hopefully' She said she wrote some things on the file she held in her hand. 

'Alright, please give me a call on this number once she wakes up' she quickly wrote her number on a piece of paper and gave it to the nurse. 

'I will' 

'Thank you' she said as she left the room with her partner. 

'What do we do next, action lady?' Luke said as he opened the door for Sophia. 

'Let's pay a visit to the guy who made the call that night. I am sure he has something to tell us, and I was able to get his personal information' she said as they made their way to Sophia's car which was parked at a nearby parking garage. 

As she got into the car, she brought out the file which she looked into the night before. 

'Ahh, yes, this is it, The dispatch rider for Gaby Pizza lives at Gregory Crescent with his Mum' 

She returned the file to her bag, tightened her seatbelt, and zoomed off to Gregory Crescent.