“What’s our next step?” Bosco asked Charmaine as they walked into the police station together.  “The girl said her was not Kenneth Ma.”

Charmaine didn’t know herself.  She had thought all along that Kenneth Ma was the man they’re looking for but the girl’s statement threw them off guard.  Charmaine had suspected the girl had been too high at that time to make any concrete identity on her attacker.  Yet, she proved her wrong by being able to identify certain aspects of what happened to her.  The first being that she knew drugs were thrown into .  This was confirmed by the doctor who advised them the time between the first pill given to her and the larger dose was more than fifteen minutes apart.  The second was the smell.  She explicitly remembered the smell of the two men as being entirely different.  The girl has sensitivity to the odor of cigarette smoke.  She remembers clearly that when Kenneth Ma first walked over to her, the odor of cigarettes on him overwhelmed her.  However, with her , she didn’t detect a trace of that odor.  Thinking about it again, Charmaine sighed with resignation, “I guess we have to start from the beginning and review all our notes.”

Bosco slammed a fist onto the table, “I thought for sure we were on the right track.  Dammit!”

Charmaine felt the same way as Bosco but instead of acting out her frustration she merely smiled encouragingly at him.  “Don’t worry.  We’ll get the guy.”

Natalie hurried in and giving Bosco a puzzled look she smiled hesitantly at Charmaine, “You have a visitor.”

“Who is it?” Charmaine asked as she headed in the direction of her office.

“It’s Raymond Lam,” Natalie said and there was a tinge of disdain in her voice.  “I told him that you were out but he insisted on waiting for you.  He said he has something urgent to discuss with you.”

Bosco looked over at Charmaine and said through gritted teeth, “I’ll get rid of him for you.”

“No,” Charmaine said quickly and turned to Natalie, “I want to talk to him too.  Can you bring him into my office?”

Flashing Bosco another puzzled look, Natalie replied, “Sure,” then went to get him.

Bosco followed Charmaine into her office and stood rigid by the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

Charmaine quirked her brows at him, “What are you doing?”

“I’m here to protect you in case anything happens.”  Seeing the amusement on her face, he added, “You don’t even know why he’s here and I bet he’s up to something.  It’s better for us to be prepared.”

Charmaine laughed softly and said, “You have a wild imagination Bosco.”  The arrival of Natalie and Raymond stopped further arguments from Bosco.

Raymond walked through the door and ignored Bosco.  He went straight up to Charmaine’s desk and took a seat in front of her and gave her a warm tender smile.  They stared at each other for a few seconds before he turned his head and with displeasure saw that Bosco and Natalie were still lingering in the room.  “I want to talk to your Madame alone,” he said politely.

“Anything you have to say you can say to all of us,” Bosco seethed, as he remained fixed in his stance by the door.

Before Charmaine had a chance to say anything, Raymond said, “Fine, I have nothing to hide.”  He sat back down on his chair and smiling sweetly at Charmaine said, “I missed you.”

“What are you trying to pull?” Bosco grounded out as he walked to stand beside Raymond’s chair and glared down at the other man.

“Bosco,” Charmaine began and quickly stood up to walk over to them.  She placed herself between them and said, “He and I are dating.”

Bosco was shocked by the news and he and Natalie looked at each other with the same shocked expressions.  Bosco pulled Charmaine to the side and said, “Are you crazy?!  Is he forcing you in some way?  Tell me, I’ll help you get out of it.”

Charmaine shook her head and a smile formed on her lips.  “I am not crazy and there is no force involved.  We’re together because I want to be with him.  I love him.”

“I don’t believe it,” Bosco said and his eyes raked Raymond over with annoyance.  “He’s only using you.  Have you forgotten that he’s a playboy and he’s good at charming women?  He’s going to break your heart one day.”

Raymond merely chuckled at Bosco’s insinuations which earned him another scathing glance from Bosco.

Charmaine was touched by Bosco’s concern for her and she knew that it would take him some time to accept Raymond, just as she did, but she was confident that he will eventually.  Squeezing Bosco’s arms she said, “I know what I’m doing and I trust him.  Now don’t you trust me?”

“I do but…” Bosco said and some of his annoyance had begun to drain from him.  “I’m afraid you’re going to get hurt.”

Raymond walked over to them.  He placed an arm around Charmaine’s shoulders and looked directly at Bosco.  “I will never hurt her.  You have my word.”

Bosco was taken aback by the genuine sincerity in Raymond’s eyes.  Plus he knew there wasn’t anything he could do to change Charmaine’s mind.  If he continued in this vain, he was going to lose one of his very best friends.  He could only hope and pray that Raymond Lam meant what he said.  With a wavering smile, he extended his hand to Raymond, “I’m going to believe you for now but if I suspect anything at all of you I’m going to come after you.  With my gun!” he added the last quietly and forcefully.

Raymond laughed and shook Bosco’s hand.  Seeing a future good friend in Bosco, Raymond joked, “I’m sure your Madame would be the first to turn a gun on me if she suspects anything of me.”  Bosco managed to smile and relax.

Natalie, who had remained quiet throughout it all, suddenly spoke with a brilliant smile, “I think we should celebrate the occasion.”  She looked expectantly at Charmaine and asked coyly, “What do you think Madame?”

Raymond looked down at Charmaine and met her eyes.  Her eyes reflected the same intense emotions he had for her.  With a content smile that he was finally with the woman he had been yearning and searching for without knowing it, Raymond said, “I think Charmaine agrees with you.  My treat.”