Blaster's apartment building badly needed fresh coat of paint. The interior was even worse. Peeling wallpapers, the sour stench, and littered floor made her wished she were somewhere else. His apartment was, thankfully, on the fourth floor. Manda didn't think she could move any longer with her condition.

"How are you feeling? Is your back hurt?" Michael asked when they reached the fourth floor by the elevator.

"I'm fine," she assured him, not wanting to admit that she was exhausted.

He studied her face. "Manda, once this case is over, we should have a talk privately."

His serious tone made her nervous. "I don't think we have anything to talk about."

"You know we really do need to talk."

She didn't want to have a talk. She'd already figured out what he wanted to tell her: She wasn't worth his friend, and that they shouldn't be partners ever. She was the one who had suggested they shouldn't be friends in the first place, and he had the right to decide not to be one. Only she didn't realize it would hurt so much when the reality hit her right in the face.

"Okay," she replied before she could stop herself. She chided herself silently for her impulsiveness.

"Do you have a lock pick?" Michael asked her when they stood outside Blaster's door.

"Yeah, but I can see we don't need it." She pointed to the door. It was ajar.

"I didn't think the police would have find out his identity by now," he said.

"The police could have find that out from his prints. Maybe Summers or Janice has talked to the cops."

"Janice, maybe. But Summers?"

She put a finger against her lips to silence him when she heard a sound coming from inside the apartment. If they could catch whomever in there red-handed, they might find their culprit. She pushed the door open about an inch, but it flung wider at the same time. She stifled a gasp, finding herself face-to-face with a person in black overalls and ski mask. The intruder's blue eyes widened in surprise before he pushed them out of his way and sprinted out of the room. Her back crashed against the wall, and she winced at the impact.

"Are you okay?" Michael rushed toward her, steadying her on her feet.

"I'm fine," she gasped. "Just get him. I'll wait here."

Seeing that she was unharmed, he didn't waste another minute and rushed out of the room. Manda took a minute to steady her breathing, and ease the stinging pressure on her chest before she started walking into the room. The living room was a mess. Chairs were overturned, newspapers, and magazines scattered on the floor. She wasn't sure if Blaster was a slob, or someone had ransacked his room. She put on her gloves as she examined the room in a fleeting glance. She went to a writing table at the corner of the room, searching through every drawer. Newspapers, overdue bills, grocery lists, and scraps paper filled the hollow space. She found a piece of paper with a list of names on one column, and a list of figures on the next column. Gambling bets? It seemed Blaster had been continuing with his loan sharking business after he was paroled. She studied the names and none of them she recognized. She put the paper aside and continued searching. She wrinkled her nose in disgust when she found a loaf of bread covered with green fungi at the end of the drawer.

"Oh, sheesh!" She threw it away into the wastebasket.

She paused and stared at the wastebasket for a moment before pawing through it. The sound of the doorknob being turned made her stop midway, wondering if the intruder was coming back. Instead, Michael entered the room, red faced, and out of breath.

"You didn't get him, huh?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I followed him about two blocks before he turned around the corner and disappeared into thin air. I did try to search for him, but no luck. That guy must have been in pretty good shape to run like that."

"You think you're out of shape?" She tried to be inconspicuous as she studied his powerful muscular form.

"Hey, it's been more than a month since our last sparring session," he said defensively.

And there won't be anymore after the talk. She turned away from him, feeling a wave of sadness, but she pushed the thought aside and concentrated on her current task.

"What are you doing?" he asked, approaching her.

"Finding clues."

"In a wastebasket?" He sounded doubtful.

"It's the least likely place anyone would think of searching. Besides, I might get lucky. Oh!" She picked up an envelope that one usually put in film roll to be developed.

"I'd say you're in luck." He watched her opening the flap and dropped the contents into her hand. Two rolls of film landed on her palm.

"It's dated yesterday." She read the writing on the envelope. "And he died last night."

"You think that intruder was trying to find these?" he asked.

"Possibly. Maybe he's the one who murdered Blaster, and if he is, then something inside this film could prove his guilt."

"This is just speculation, which is why we need to develop them ASAP. Let's get out of here before the police comes."

"Wait, we haven't finished searching through the apartment."

He sighed. "Okay, but we have to make it quick."

Michael went to search the bedroom, while Manda went to the kitchen. She didn't find anything interesting a while later and decided to quit when Michael came into the kitchen.

"Look what I've found," he told her, handing her a photograph.

It was the photo of a young woman, who looked vaguely familiar with dark hair and fair skin. Manda flipped to see the back. There was a small note written at the bottom of it.

"Leena? Roy's maid?" Manda looked up at Michael in surprise.

"Looks like she was Blaster's girlfriend, too."

Manda sighed as she and Michael stepped out of a five-story apartment building.

"I guess she isn't in. Where do you think she could be?" she asked him. After they had found Leena's address at Blaster's apartment, both of them headed here right away.

"Maybe he knows," Michael said, nodding toward a grumpy person standing at the foot of the bottom steps.

"Uh-oh, Chief Ramirez."

"You two, again." The man gave a scowl as both of them approached him.

"Hi, chief," Manda said in a cheerful voice.

"Don't hi me. I know what you are up to. I thought I've told you to stay out of this."

"What are you doing here, chief?" Michael asked.

"I should be asking you the same thing. What are you doing at Leena's apartment?"

"We weren't doing anything," she answered simply.

"Don't lie to me. My men had seen you two entering Blaster's apartment, and now you're here."

"You were following us?" Manda asked with a hint of anger.

"You have been too nosy. Besides, we've been watching Leena's apartment for days. She's disappeared after we interrogated her for the Hasbrough's case. Now, if you two know where she is, you better spit it out."

"If we know where she is, we wouldn't be looking for her here. Right?"

He growled. "Get out of here."

Both of them didn't waste time getting away from him. Manda patted her jacket. Those rolls of films were so important that she could almost feel them burning in her pocket.

"Let's go back to Apple Point and have these films developed," she told Michael once they were out of Chief Ramirez's earshot.

-o-

"We'll get the film back in two hours," Manda told Michael when she stepped out of a photo shop.

"Good. So, what'll we do in the meantime? Find Leena?" Michael asked, walking alongside her toward his Land Rover that he had parked next to the sidewalk.

"Right," she answered, surprised that her voice sounded strained. All she wanted to do right now was lie on her bed for a long, long time, but she couldn't tell him that.

"Maybe we should take a rest for a moment before pursuing her," he suggested gently.

"I still don't understand how Leena could have anything to do with Roy's murder, or even Blaster's," she told him, trying to change the subject.

"Her disappearance is very suspicious," he admitted. "It's like she doesn't want to be found."

"But why didn't she leave before the police interrogate her for Roy's murder?"

"To avoid suspicion, perhaps." He shrugged. "She wouldn't know Blaster would be killed. And we still don't know who killed him. It could have nothing to do with Roy, just... someone who had gambling debts, and refused to pay him."

"Or maybe someone who hated him. Or someone he had blackmailed. He had been arrested for extortion before," Manda added.

"Michael, hi!" A woman's voice called out from behind them.

Manda turned to see Angela, and Mrs. Hasbrough, walking toward them. Angela beamed when she saw Michael. She was wearing black floral printed dress, and a pair of sandals. As usual, Angela's presence did little to Manda's comfort. Mrs. Hasbrough swept back a strand of blond hair from her face as she studied Manda and Michael curiously. The woman was wearing bright yellow top, with matching jacket, and short black skirt, including her usual tan high-heeled pumps. Manda had to remind herself again that Mrs. Hasbrough was almost reaching fifty.

"Where are you two headed?" Michael asked Angela after they shared a hug.

"To the gym. Mrs. Hasbrough is also a regular there."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "In your condition? Is it safe for the baby?"

She waved off his concern, with a small laughter. "It's all perfectly safe. They are having an exercise program for pregnant moms." Then her face grew serious. "How's the investigation going? My arraignment starts tomorrow morning. The police still think I did it."

"We're working on it," Michael assured her. He told her about the possibility that they might have found the evidence at Blaster's apartment. When Angela looked confused at Blaster's name, Michael quickly explained that he was Leena's boyfriend.

"Don't get your hopes up yet until the films are developed," Manda told her.

"I know that," the young woman said haughtily.

It always irked Manda how Angela treated her like a kid.

"So, the photos are not yet in your possession?" Mrs. Hasbrough asked her.

"In two hours, they will."

"Have you set the date for the wedding?" Michael asked Angela.

"No, not yet. Sam wanted to wait after the hearing - that is if I am found not guilty by then. If I'm not..." She shrugged, and gave a forced smile. "...I guess we'll have a wedding in the prison cell."

"We'll find the culprit," he promised.

"I hope so. Thanks, Michael. You're such a wonderful friend." She kissed him on the cheek.

He blushed, and mumbled his reply.

"Let's get going, Angela. We're going to be late," Mrs. Hasbrough told her.

They said goodbyes before both women turned around and headed the other way. As Manda watched them walked away, something kept nagging in her brain. As much as she tried to think what it was that nagged her, it kept moving out of her reach. She sighed, and turned back around toward Michael's land rover. It suddenly occurred to her they had missed lunch. It was already almost three in the afternoon, and her stomach was growling in protest.

"I guess we'll go for lunch," Michael remarked with a small grin.

Manda felt her face reddened, embarrassed that he could hear her stomach making weird noises. She climbed into the jeep, or rather he helped her climbed into the jeep. A moment later they were on their way to the mall, and he took her to a pizza place.

They killed their time eating, and discussing about the case.

"So, do you think that whoever murdered Roy, murdered Blaster, too?" Michael asked her, taking another piece of the pizza from the pan.

"I can't think up a reason why it should be someone different. At first, I had thought Blaster murdered Roy, but now that he's dead, I get the feeling the murderer is one and the same person who killed both men."

"So, that left us with Kingston, Helen, Summers, Leena, and Mrs. Hasbrough. Blaster could have known all of these women. Kingston told us he knew about the notebook."

She frowned. "But -"

"I know Mrs. Hasbrough claimed she didn't know him, but what if she lied to protect herself. What if all of these women lied to us?"

"There could be others, too. We didn't exactly cover all the names from the notebook. We should include Angela in the suspects' list, too."

"Angela doesn't know Blaster. Didn't you see how she reacted to the name earlier?" he argued.

"I know, but... she could be a good actress. She hid things from you before, so why should it make a difference if she pulled the same act on you again?"

"She's not as bad as you make her out to be. She was brought up to be a perfectionist, and I suppose, I couldn't blame her for making that decision years ago," he said quietly, but she could see the reminder was a painful experience for him. Even after he and Angela had broken up for years, he still defended her. He might still care for Angela, but Manda didn't trust or like her. She decided to keep her opinion to herself.

She pulled out her notebook from her pocket and flipped through the pages. "Okay, so far, the only suspects who had the opportunity to kill Roy are these four people," she said in an attempt to get back to the main topic. She showed him her notes.

8.55 am - Kingston entered Roy's apartment.
9.10 am - Kingston left apartment with Roy
12.01 pm - the maid arrived
12.30 pm - the maid left the apartment
1.35 pm - man with dreadlocks (Blaster) broke into the apartment
1.49 pm - Blaster left the apartment
7.50 pm - Roy returned to his apartment
8.30 pm - Angela entered the apartment
8.46 pm - Angela left

"Chief Ramirez told us Roy's death was estimated between eight to nine pm," Michael told her. "And I've done a little research on malathion. The poison can react immediately to several hours."

"So, Roy must have to be in his apartment to drink that brandy. The only time he was in the apartment was in the morning, before he left with Kingston, and in the evening."

"If he drank that brandy in the morning, Kingston would be the only suspect we got. By evening, his condition would get worse and he died. But if he didn't drink the brandy in the morning, we still have these four people as our suspects."

"Angela said she saw him holding a glass of brandy when she arrived at his apartment," Manda reminded him. As she spoke, the nagging feeling that she felt still lingered like splinters. "Anyway, let's list down the people who had access to Cythion."

"Anyone could get it from the gardening market," he pointed out.

"I know, but let's just list them down anyway. We have Kingston, Mrs. Hasbrough... or rather her gardener, Bill, and Angela. Who else are we missing?"

"Someone planted that poison for Angela." He frowned, looking dissatisfied that she had included Angela's name to the list.

"That's what she'd claimed."

He sighed. "This is getting us nowhere. Let's finish our lunch. Hopefully, those pictures will bring us light on the case."

By the time they finished, it already had been two hours, and Manda left to get those photos back, while he waited in his jeep.

"So, have you opened it?" Michael asked after Manda had climbed into the jeep.

"Not, yet," she replied, holding two bulky envelopes that she had gotten from the photo shop against her chest. "We'll look at them together at my place."

"Good idea," he replied with a small amused smile.

Manda frowned, wondering what he was smiling about, but she didn't think of it further as her mind switched back to the photos in her hands. She was itching to open the flap and look inside. She wished Michael would drive faster back to her house.

-o-

"I can't believe we have a flat tire!" Manda exclaimed fifteen minutes later. "Great timing, Mackenzie."

He scowled at her, crouching next to the flat tire. "It wasn't as if it was my fault. How should I know a nail had stuck into the tire?" He got up and pulled out his jacket, tossed it onto his seat. He went to the trunk and lifted his toolbox before he set it down next to the punctured tire.

"Will it take long? I really need to go to the bathroom," she said, glancing at her watch.

"Depends. You can take a cab if you want. I'll meet you there."

"Then I'll have to wait for you." She pouted.

"Is it so important to look at those pictures together?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No," she replied, feeling her cheeks grew hot. Their eyes locked for a moment before she turned away. "I'll take the cab," she mumbled.

"I'll see you later. Watch your back."

She nodded. Ten minutes later she was at home. The front lawn was a mess, and the steps of her porch and the front windows were charred by the explosion. She entered through the back door, and remembered to lock it after she entered her house. Moving into the kitchen, she placed the envelope on the counter before heading to the bathroom.

When she came out a few minutes later, she grabbed the envelope from the counter, and opened the flap. That was when she realized there was only one envelope. She must have left the other one in Michael's jeep during the distraction. Oh, well, Michael will bring it later. She was about to pull the contents out when she finally got what had been nagging her for a while. Taking the pictures with her, she rushed back to the living room, and went to the box of videotapes. She took the one that showed the maid. She popped it into the VCR and rewound the tape. As she waited, she reached for the phone and dialed Michael's number.

"Michael, I think I know who did it!" she exclaimed as soon as he answered the phone.

"What? What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Roy's murderer. I think I know who did it. That is I can confirm it after I watch the tape," she rushed on. She picked up the remote control and pushed the play button. She fast-forwarded it till the maid entered the scene.

"Slow down. How can you tell?"

She scrutinized the screen closer, and almost jumped up in excitement. "I knew it. It's her! It's -"

The sudden silence told her the line had been cut off.

"Michael? Hello, Michael? Drat!"

She was about to press the hook switch again when she caught a movement in her peripheral vision. Someone else was in the room with her! She gasped in shock, and that was before something cold and hard slammed against the back of her head until her world turned black.