Another day, another case...
The morning sun streamed through the blinds of eloise's small office cubicle, casting slanted lines across her cluttered desk. Stacks of case files, a half-empty cup of coffee, and an unopened protein bar sat beside her laptop. Her eyes skimmed through the latest updates from the previous case—Marco was officially charged, and Teresa had entered counseling.
Yet, despite the resolution, a sense of unease clung to Eloise. Something felt… off.
Her instincts had never been wrong before.
"You look like hell."
Eloise didn't have to look up to know who it was.
"Good morning to you too, Rios," she muttered, taking a sip of her now lukewarm coffee.
Rios strolled into her cubicle like he owned the place, his usual cocky smirk plastered on his face. He leaned against the table, arms crossed.
"Been pulling all-nighters, Rubio?"
"Just trying to stay ahead," Eloise replied, rubbing her temples. "Unlike some people who think solving cases is about instinct alone."
Rios raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Instinct's what keeps me alive, sweetheart."
Eloise shot him a glare. "And observation is what catches the killer."
"Touché." Rios shrugged, stepping closer. "But sometimes, gut feelings matter more than data."
Eloise's lips twitched. "And sometimes, blind confidence gets you killed."
"Fair point." Rios chuckled, but his eyes sharpened. "Anyway, I didn't come here to banter. We've got a situation."
Eloise's posture straightened immediately. "What happened?"
Rios handed her a file. "Fourteen-year-old girl. Kristine Alonzo. Disappeared after school yesterday. Parents filed a report this morning."
Eloise flipped through the file. Kristine was an honors student, active in extracurriculars, and described as responsible by her teachers. But something stood out—
"She missed a tutoring session the day before she vanished," Eloise murmured, eyes narrowing.
"Yeah." Rios nodded. "Her mom said it's out of character. Kid's never missed a day before."
"Where was the tutoring supposed to happen?"
"Local library."
Eloise mind was already racing, piecing together possible scenarios.
"We need to talk to her friends," she said, her voice firm. "And check surveillance around the area."
"Already working on it," Rios replied, his expression serious. "But I have a bad feeling about this one, Rubio."
☆☆☆
Rubio and Rios sat across from two of Kristine's classmates, Mia and Andrea, in a small interview room.
"Kristine's never done anything like this," Mia said softly, her hands twisting in her lap.
"Did she mention anything unusual lately?" Eloise asked gently.
Andrea glanced at Mia before speaking. "She… she said some guy was texting her."
Rios straightened, his expression sharpening. "What kind of guy?"
Andrea hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.
"It's okay," Eloise said softly. "You're helping us."
Andrea bit her lip. "She never told us his name. Just said he was older. She thought he was cool. Said he… understood her."
"Did she meet him?" Rios asked, his tone clipped.
Mia nodded reluctantly. "Once. At the library."
Eloise and Rios exchanged a glance.
"Do you know if she was supposed to meet him again?" Eloise pressed.
Andrea's eyes welled with tears. "She said… she might."
☆☆☆
Back at the precinct, Eloise's fingers flew over the keyboard as she analyzed Kristine's phone records and social media messages.
"Got something," she murmured, her eyes narrowing as she pulled up a series of conversations.
Rios stood beside her, leaning in to read over her shoulder.
"Username: Shadowline92," Eloise muttered. "No real profile picture. Conversations started innocently enough—homework help, shared interests."
"But it escalated," Rios finished, his jaw tightening.
Eloise's eyes darkened as she read further. "He manipulated her. Made her feel special, isolated her from her friends."
"Classic predator," Rios muttered, his voice laced with anger.
"Wait…" Eloise's eyes narrowed. "He sent her a location pin the day she went missing."
"Where?"
Eloise clicked the link. "An abandoned warehouse near the outskirts."
"Damn it." Rios was already moving. "Let's go."
☆☆☆
The warehouse stood like a forgotten relic, its metal frame rusting and walls covered in graffiti. The setting sun cast long, eerie shadows across the cracked pavement.
Rubio and Rios approached cautiously, guns drawn.
"Stay close," Rios murmured.
"Don't have to tell me twice," Eloise whispered, her eyes scanning every corner.
A faint noise echoed from within.
"Did you hear that?" Eloise asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rios nodded, signaling for her to follow as they moved deeper into the building.
They rounded a corner and—
"Kristine," Eloise breathed.
The girl was huddled in a corner, her face streaked with tears, eyes wide with fear.
"Police," Rios announced softly. "You're safe now."
But before they could approach, a figure emerged from the shadows.
"Not so fast!" a cold voice drawled, grab Kristine by the neck.
The man was tall, mid-30s, with an unsettling calmness in his eyes.
"Let her go," Rios ordered, his gun steady.
The man's lips curved into a cruel smile. "You're too late."
Eloise's eyes darted to Kristine. "It's okay, Kristine," she whispered softly, her tone soothing. "We're here now. Look at me, sweetheart."
Kristine's eyes locked onto Eloise, her breathing ragged but steadying.
"Step away from her," Eloise said softly, her voice laced with quiet authority.
The man's grip on Kristine's neck tightened, but Eloise didn't waver.
"You don't want to do this," she murmured, her tone calm but firm. "It's over."
Rios' finger hovered over the trigger, ready for any sudden movement.
The tension was suffocating.
Then—
"Drop it!" Rios barked as the man's hand twitched toward his pocket.
A flash of movement—
Bang!
Rios tackled the man to the ground, disarming him with practiced ease.
Eloise rushed to Kristine, pulling her into a protective embrace.
☆☆☆
Hours later, back at the station, Kristine was reunited with her family. The relief in her mother's eyes brought a lump to eloise's throat.
"You did good, Rubio," Rios murmured beside her, his voice softer than usual.
Eloise glanced at him, surprised. "You actually complimented me. Should I mark this day on the calendar?"
Rios smirked, but his eyes were sincere. "You kept her calm. Kept us all calm."
"Just doing my job," she replied, though her heart swelled at his words.
"Maybe," Rios murmured, his tone quieter now. "But you're damn good at it."
Their eyes met, a rare moment of understanding passing between them.
"Thanks, Hel," Eloise said softly.
"Anytime, Eli."
And for the first time since they met, the silence between them felt… comfortable.
But Eloise knew better.
The calm never lasted long.