Kapitel 347: real estate to die for

Jos adjusted the braid of her pigtails one last time as she studied her reflection. A frown curved her lips as her eyes moved over the pale pink layers of fabric that fell into a heap of endless ruffles down her tiny body. "Don't you think this is a little bit of an overkill?" She spun in a slow circle casting a panoramic view through the wall-to-wall mirrors of the room.

Chary tilted her head, her eyes studying the reflection of the angelic child before her. "What do you mean? You look adorable." She walked over and ruffled the frill and lace of the puffy sleeves on Jos's dress before carefully adjusting the matching floral headband that held back Jos's double braids. "I always wondered what it would be like to have a daughter." A wistful smile curved her lips as she continued to toy with the costume.

Jos cupped a hand over Chary's to still her movements. Her sad, shimmering eyes stared up into Chary. "I understand… believe me I do… but I'm not really a child." She took a step back and held out her arms. "And I don't believe this will make me seem more like one. If anything, it's going to make it hard to work." Her pleading eyes moved from the dress back to Chary.

The sound of the doorbell brought a sigh from Chary. She gave Jos an affectionate pat. "Well, it's too late to change now. You look amazing. Don't worry so much." When Jos only grunted in response and continued to fumble with the many layers of fabric, Chary gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Just keep in mind even though this is your first official job, you've been doing this exact same job for years now. And you'll not be doing it alone this time. We'll be here to help you the entire time."

Jos nodded a frown still spread across her cherub-like features. "I'm not worried about the job itself…"

Chary smiled down at her as she took her hand and lead her through the house. "Don't worry about the evaluation either. As I said, we'll be here to support you the entire time."

Jos focused on the pink bows resting on the top of her glittery slippers as she replied. "Maybe so… but Triton doesn't like me much… I wouldn't be surprised if he failed me as punishment."

Chary's grin widened. "Well, can you really blame him? You and your friends caused him quite a bit of troubles." Her attention moved toward the front door as a second ring rang out. "Coming." She called out.

Jos sent her a skeptical look. "You know that wasn't all that happened there…"

Chary shrugged. "You're not with either of them now, so what does he have to hold against you." She gently lifted Jos's chin and sent her a warm smile. "Worry about that part later. It's show time." She waited until Jos let out a defeated puff of air and nodded. Chary pulled open the door. "Welcome! My name is Cary, Sia's spouse, and this is our daughter Lynn." She said as she stepped out of the way to allow Scylla and the middle-aged man beside her in the house.

The man studied her and Jos carefully as he walked inside. With a pleased nod, he extended his hand. "Timothy Haden. It's nice to meet you." His attention moved to Jos, bending to her level. "That is an exceptionally lovely dress, Miss Lynn." He complimented as he reached out to shake the child's hand as well.

"Thank you!" Jos forced a sweet yet shy smile as she fumbled nervously with her shoe. She held out the corners of her ruffled dress and gave an awkward curtsey. Her eyes moved over to Scylla. "My mommy picked it for me for my birthday."

His sharp gaze moved back and forth between the two women before moving back to Jos. "And how old did you turn, dear?"

Jos forced her smile to widen in child-like excitement. "Five!" She twirled causing the ruffles to spin out around her. "I'm finally old enough to go to school!" She watched as his eyes narrowed calculatedly before he quickly masked his intentions and stood.

"A lovely child you have." His eyes moved back and forth between Scylla and Chary. "May I ask… Is she either of your biological child?"

Chary clasped her hands over Jos's tiny ears. "We do not like speaking of such things in front of her, sorry."

Scylla stepped up to him and placed a delicate hand on the man's elbow. "Are you ready to see the home, sir?"

His gaze moved back down to the small child. He held his hand out to her. "Would you like to do the honors, dear?"

A wide smile curved Jos's face causing it to look even more heart-shaped. "Yes!" She clasped his hand and skipped toward the kitchen. She explained various aspects of the home in her sweetest voice not releasing her hold on his hand as they moved through the house.

"You're a great saleslady." He chuckled, a new light of excitement radiating from his eyes.

"So, does that mean you will be making an offer?" Scylla asked sweetly.

He eagerly nodded. "Yes, I believe I shall." He adjusted his tie as he cleared his throat. "I'll need to step out to make a quick call, then we shall get things started." He sent Jos a wink as he turned toward the front door.

The three women were quiet as they waited for him to step out. Scylla's smile faded the second the door was closed. "If the reports are correct and he's our man, he should be returning with the tools he needs to incapacitate, bound, and torture us…"

Jos ran to the wide bay window and watched the man as he moved around outside. She pressed her face and palms against the glass as any child would do as she studied him closely. "He really seems to be on the phone…"

Chary rubbed her chin. "Maybe that's why the FBI has had so many problems catching this real estate reaper. He is working with someone else."

Scylla thought it over for a few seconds before replying. "Though that does complicate things a bit, we should still be able to handle it… Even if it's a small team, they're all human after all."

"He's headed back this way." Jos announced as she stepped away from the window.

He cracked the door, holding his phone away from his mouth. "Would it be possible for my inspector to swing by before we begin signing things? I realize it's something usually scheduled later, but as I said earlier, I'm in a bit of a hurry."

Scylla turned to Chary for confirmation, before turning back to him and nodding. "That should be alright. Um… how far away is he at the moment?"

A sly smile curved the man's features. "Oh, he's just a few blocks away. It turns out he had another job out this way earlier. How lucky for us, right?" He set a large briefcase inside the door before turning back out of it and closing it behind him.

Scylla's smile faded as she crossed her arms over her chest. "He's definitely our man, and he's working with others. Shall I turn it in now or wait?"

Chary sent Jos a wide smile. "It's your call. We can have them arrested right here and now, not a hair on any of our heads ruffled… or…" Her smile widened wickedly. "We could have a bit of fun…"

Jos pursed her pink, glossy lips. "We continue forward. We have no proof yet. If we turned them in now, then it would be easy for them to slip through the fingers of the law again." Her eyes shifted to the briefcase. "We need to catch them in the act…" She moved toward the case and bent down beside it, but just as she was about to flip the latches the door opened once again. Her eyes moved up to the man as he stepped inside.

"Tsk, tsk. You shouldn't go through other's belongings, dear." He lowered into a squat and handed her a sucker before ruffling her hair. He stood and lifted a bottle of wine in his other hand. "I thought we could have a celebratory glass while we wait."

Scylla nodded as she turned toward the kitchen, sending Chary a knowing glance. Chary sent him a smile as she took the bottle and followed Scylla. "Let me give you a hand, honey." She followed Scylla into the far corner of the kitchen. "This has to be our guy, right? It's too convenient, everything is falling into order too well." She whispered.

Scylla leaned against Chary affectionately as she whispered. "We'll leave it to Jos as to when to turn it in." A smile curved her lips. "Besides, I thought you were looking forward to this part?"

Chary wrapped her arms around Scylla's waist and placed a kiss on her shoulder. "It is, but I don't want it to get too far out of control on Jos's first mission."

Scylla snuggled into Chary's embrace. "You've seen what she's capable of. She'll be fine. You're just getting apprehensive because she looks as she does right now."

Chary let out a sigh. "I suppose you're right." She gave Scylla a quick kiss before releasing her. She found a corkscrew and began pouring wine into the glasses Scylla had gotten down. Movement in the other room caught her attention. She looked up in time to watch Jos's stellar performance as she led two men into the kitchen by the hands.

"Look, mommy! Mr. Tim-o-flea's friend is here." She sang out, mispronouncing his name in an adorable childlike fashion. "He says he's here to play a game! Can we go play, mommy? Can we?"

Scylla smiled sweetly down at Jos. "I'm sure that is not what he meant sweety." Her faux worried gaze moved to the two men. "I'm sure they have other work to do."

The new man smiled widely as he retrieved an electric meter from his pocket. "It's alright, really. Kids help with this all the time." His cheerful smile turned to Jos. "You ready to play, sweetie?"

Jos poked out her bottom lip at Scylla. "Please, mommy?" She wiggled excitedly causing the many ruffles of the dress to sway.

Scylla sent Chary and questioning look before nodding. "Very well, Lynn, but please don't play too hard." She sent Jos a warning glance.

Jos clapped in excitement. "Oh goody!" She turned her full attention to the man and let him lead her away.

Timothy moved toward the kitchen counter and lifted one of the wine glasses but didn't take a drink as he watched them leave the room. "What a lovely child." He moved his attention back to Chary and Scylla. "Now that she's out of earshot, you wouldn't mind answering right? Which of you is her actual mommy?"

Scylla sent Chary a startled glance as she reached for her hand and clasped it tightly. "I-I am… Why?"

A calculative smile curved his lips. "No reason, I was just curious is all. I always find these things so… interesting."

"Lynn, is it? I'm Jeff." The man said barely able to restrain his excitement. "It's a beautiful home. Which room is your favorite?"

Her bright eyes turned up to meet his. "Oh, that's easy. The mirrors one." Jos tightened her hold on the man's hand as she skipped eagerly toward the back rooms.

Scylla leaned drunkenly against an unstable Chary as Timothy refiled their empty glasses. "Might as well finish off the bottle. I very well can't be caught driving through town with a half-empty wine bottle in my back seat. Now, can I…" A blood-curdling scream from the back room cut his words short. His hand froze mid-pour as his shocked eyes focused on the hallway.

Scylla stood and brushed off her tailored dress suit. "Do you think that's our signal?"

Chary shrugged as she shook off the pretense of drunkenness. "I guess… though I did warn her to keep it down since we're in a residential area after all…" She casually checked the time on her watch. She continued watching the seconds tick by as another masculine scream echoed down the hallway.

Timothy's shocked gaze turned manic as he pealed his attention away from the echo of his partner's screams to the women in front of him. His mouth all but dropped as he took in the sober coolness of the two. "You… you planned this! It's some kind of trap!"

Scylla simply smiled back at him shyly as Chary chuckled, finally looking up from the watch. "About time you figured it out, Thomas Langery… Or do you prefer to go by 'the real estate reaper'?" she lifted the discarded wine bottle and busted it across his head knocking him unconscious in one hit. She stepped around the corner of the counter with a frown. She fisted her hands into her hips as she stared down at him in disappointment. "Well, that was anticlimactic. I really didn't expect him to go down with merely one hit…" Another scream shook the house drawing her attention away from the heap of a man on the floor. She lifted a brow. "Sounds like she's having a bit too much fun."

Scylla scoffed as she walked past Chary and the unconscious man. "Well, what do you expect handing her a file on two men who target families with young children and make it a game to rape and torture the mothers, slaughter the pets, murder the fathers… all while making the children watch before finally abducting at least one of the children." She gave the man a good kick with the point of her high-heeled shoe. Her upper lip snarled in disgust as she continued. "The last child who was found had been raped and tormented so brutally that the sick fucks might as well have killed her." She blew out an irritated huff as she tried her best to push down her own rage. "Let's get this finished. I'm getting tired."

Chary chuckled as she grabbed both of the man's legs and dragged him down the hallway behind Scylla. "I know it's been an exhausting day, but you look amazing. I can't wait to peel that dress off you later tonight."

"Maybe after we wash these scumbags off our hands first." She gave an overexaggerated shudder as she continued toward the back room.