"Hey mate. Wait, man."
"What Jack? Let's finish this already. I want to sleep."
"Really you gonna sleep?"

Mark folded his hands and stood by facing me. Brilliant. he does know that I gonna say something.

"I met Susan" "Who is she?"
"What? Do you forget her? She studied in our school." This man forgets everything but his... Does he haven't forgotten her?--I have doubts.

"Uff, is this more important than the case?" "Err, she was like a model now." "So what? Go and try your luck. But Jack, try only if you truly like her. Don't hurt a woman's heart."

This sage and his morals. I should have said openly. Won't you understand my point?

"Then what about a man's heart?. I told her that I like her. But after some outings, She likes you. Am I joke to her?"
"Mate"
"No, no don't say anything. It's not matter to me, now. What I want is your happiness." Uff, I dodged his advice now.
"What happiness?"
"You turned her down that day like a gentleman..." I can see my Mark's anger. Okay, time to shut my mouth.

"Can't you start a new friendship with her?" "Umm, Mark that's my dialogue." "I.KNOW."

Enough. Change the track.
"Mark, listen most offside people are back. I think we need alumni, boys will be happy."

I knew he is irritated by me.

"Why particularly boys?" "They'll be delighted to see those models".

"Go Back to business, before you get another slap."
"I'll continue this in our weekend, mate." "You won't stop right?" Mark's ears got reddish. Why sudden anger on this poor soul.

"Okay, let's speak with them-we can collect suspects. uhh. Mark stop, that's a Wall, you'll get...bumped." Mark walks straight into it. "SHIT. I knew it. Third time today." "Why is it always you?" I asked to avoid my chuckle, 'I can't stop it man-I'm sorry' ended up crackling much to his annoyance.

"Laugh it out.. I got bumped into a Christmas tree, lined up trolleys, and now a wall".

''Ohh...man. why? You are a martial artist. You alright, there mate?" I need to investigate someone too.

"Am dead already."
"Then, I think you'll survive this case. Someone is on fire that's a spirit."

I ended up teasing my already dead man. I felt a head...slap.
"Ahhh. it's hurting boy."
"WE. ARE. HERE. FOR. CASE."

Don't shout mate... My ears.
"Let's play RPS. The lost will ring the bell", I insisted while rubbing my wounded head.

Both showed 'stone'.
"again"
Both showed 'paper'. "again"
Both showed 'scissors'
"shit happens again"
••••••••••••

The battle of harmonious RPS ended in the 6th round- Mark showed paper, which can wrap my stone."Aish"

"What, mate- again?", Mark asked, about to start the next round.

"NO"-- I want his win. But couldn't show him, let's fake my anger. I changed my scissors into stone.

"YOU win", shouted while running to ring the bell- Yet stood in the middle to see Mark's smirk. His small smile made my day.
A gentle smile played across my face while pressing the doorbell.

Grumpy Watchman wakes up. The poor man riding the polar express applied the brake--Intruders. "Who are you?..."
"Uncle Bob, it's us". I ran into Uncle Bob. The poor man didn't see our car while we passing him at the gate. I opened and closed the gate so as not to disturb him.

"Jack and Mark-any problem kids?", embraced us in a bear hug. "Just a case...Uncle Bob...loose it up but don't stop". "What?"

He stopped hugging us.
"NO, hug me", I insist clinging. My fav. Uncle. "He likes hugs in winter, you knew that Uncle", Mark teased the pink-tainted Uncle Bob.
"When he'll grow up? Now you lemme go man", Bob cried. Mark laughed while imagining embarrassed Bob's face. Then shook his head to dissent our Uncle's request. "You don't love me?" I whined like a toddler to make it worse. "Jack, I have work. See you later my boy", with that Bob ran away from us. Sleeping is your work, right?

═───────♡───────═
At Greathouse Mansion.

Tessa tossed in her bed couldn't sleep, hears the phone ringing in the hall.
She was the one who announced that their Vineyard vault burnt to her father.

Mr & Mrs. Greathouse couldn't depict what happened at their farmhouse. The farmhouse was just the name but it was a storage area for the Vineyard.

'Why & Who' were the only words swirling in their minds.

They decided to go to the spot but were stopped by the Melodic classic doorbell ringing twice.
Mr. Greathouse opened the door-they prefer privacy at night.
Every staff will be at staff quarters-an annexure building half a kilometer away from the mansion.

'Uncalled' Police Officer Jack accompanying Mark. "Is Lucy in quarters?" Jack queried, completely forgetting his purpose. "No, Jack", Mrs. Greathouse denied apathetically while looking for her coat." "Fine, then Ma'am, our headquarters ordered that everyone in the Greathouse must stay in".

"In what?", Oliver-Mr. Greathouse raised a question. "To stay in the mansion is an order", I sent them the digital G.O.
"Check your mobile, the G.O is sent".

"Our Vineyard vault burnt. we.need.to.go.there." Jack saw Mrs. Greathouse's blazing face.

"Ahh, Ceci we can't go anywhere. He's right. It's for our safety." "Olive, We should know at least what had happened", Cecilia demanded her husband.

"Mrs. Greathouse, a quarter of your Vineyard caught fire. While people were engaged in putting it off...the fire damaged the electric outlet of several cooling units-resulting in a short circuit in the Vault. So, the fire erupted in the cellar indeed."

"Who in the hell start the fire?" "Cecilia! Stay calm please," Oliver stopped the charging Ceci, who erupted and aggressively took long strides towards me 'Why she is shouting at me?' Hold her Oliver.

Even though I was amused at her ranting-- in not so positive way, yet felt her sorrow and decided to stay calm.

"That's what we are doing, 'Investigating' Ma'am." I double-quote my purpose here.

"Are our wine bottles fine?"
"Are our people. Umm, staff fine?"

Mother & daughter spoke at the same time but Tessa shifted the word people to staff, as a result of her mother's cold stare.

She listened to my explanations patiently, alien to Ceci. I didn't notice my Boo amidst this couple of calamities.

I can see my mate's sudden movements in my peripheral vision. Until now, Mark was in his world of the probability of possible cautions, which leads to fire.
Now, heard new strange thuds of his heart while hearing her vulnerable sweet voice.
'Hey! think about the fire and you're here for the case.' Mark controlled his mind wanderings.

"They are safe. But the wine will be unfit to drink, as you may have known. The taste and flavor were contaminated by fire." I concluded their inquiries.

"It's not a big deal, we'll be alright, thanks for informing us", Oliver politely asked us to get out.

"Alright. I'll inform you of our process, Sir." Oliver mindlessly nodded at that then guided his shrieking wife into her room.

"It's not a big deal? Oliver? Are you out of your mind-- we have millions of cases at that cellar. It's a BIG loss", Cecilia's rant is hitting hard on everyone's eardrum.

'Poor Oliver' 'how he's living with her?' With their departure, at once Tessa ran and hugged her brother--Jack.

" Boo... You should have done this after your father opened the door." "Next time, remind me." Tessa knocks my head.

"Boo, it hurts, why is everyone hitting me?"
"Due to this", she pointed towards my head. "Your damn dummy brain" "Ahh" Tessa started laughing while I couldn't help but join.

'Both are laughing at their own jokes '...Mark silently chuckled at them then walked away, to avoid her. But, We both siblings not by the same mother, followed Mark to make him more annoying.

"Mate, talk to Tessa, I want to inform my heads. Jack from Police Detective reporting", I started my reports on the phone. I even left them alone. Will they be good?-- like not killing each other?

"Hey, can you hear me now?.. Mark nodded.

"Ohh. In the morning, I was a stranger?"
"Why? avoiding me on the road?" Tess's rant is now almost equal to her mother's.

"You didn't even reply to me for the last two years."
"You are avoiding me for who's sake?"
"Why in the world? I'm always the one, who holds our friendship?" Tessa erupted like a volcano. I can see her mother is small compares to Tess.

Mark decided 'You can't do this anymore', after her steady breathing hit his ear. Tessa needs time to regular her breath after her outburst, it's hard for her to breathe normally. Ohh, Mark remembers her very well... I see.

"It was the result of four years gap between our friendship." I couldn't hug you like Jack did-- I can't forgive easily.
"Yup, I knew I couldn't keep in touch, but for that, you can't do, like this!", Tess retorted back by pushing Mark back but just moving a bit.

'He's still strong' this thought made Tessa smile. I can see Mark's 'I'm done with you--look'.
"Can't you see how I'm doing with this shit, don't.repeat.this!" Mark yelled at her face. The clear anger (or scare) behind that strawberry red face of him.

Tessa is unfazed by his actions. Is she smirking at him? "Will meet you soon, Bunny, then stop doing bossy around. You aren't my mom, you can't win her at bossiness" Alright, time to stop'em.

"Enough Boo, get in" I waved at Tess to get inside the Mansion then Waved at Mark to follow him. "He can't see your waving", Tess said out of her rage.

"Dang it, I know that. You should get sleep, go. We can speak and fight later."
I intervened in your banter to stop not to blow up more.

I'm doing a big-brother job as a side business.

Mark walked off to the car, after hearing Tess's-he can't see you.

"Boo" "Listen I knew that you are trying to help."
But the word was not damn Right!
"For that, YOU CAN'T BE MEAN TO HIM."
Tessa backed off a bit. "Err, am sorry Jacky."

"Alright, Boo. It's okay. Be calm with him. Give him some space."
"You want me to stay away from him?" Tessa was taken back by my words.
"No, stay close to him but don't talk much. He's not okay nowadays." He's no more like him, how he was used to be.

"You two better get out", she bid bitterly bye then ran to lock up her house's main door.

She ran even faster to get into her balcony. "Why are you running like a madwoman?"

Oliver asked after she shut her room. "Went already? This girl will never grow up.

Tess stood on the balcony, to see Mark's departure.

" Mate? You alright?" I nudged the statue called mate.

"You knew it already."
"Mark, I told her to stay silent for once", teasing his mate is a lifetime job for Jack.

"Does Heart has eyes?" He put on his earbuds then fazed out in dark --the only bubble where he can be himself.
"Yes, Heart does have eyes." I declared while starting the car. Only if you start seeing via those eyes that connect your hearts.
I knew that you were struggling to see something, so for once, I will keep shut.
"Take me home, Jack." "We are going to be okay, mate."
"Pick me up tomorrow I planned something for the case." "Uhh, sure"
Is he the cop or me?

Tessa saw Mark resting on the car window... He's exhausted.
He does hide something. I will find it soon.
"What's the time?" Tessa turned around to check the Wall clock.

It says 2:26 AM, the dusky dawn of Christmas.

"Merry Christmas Mark" Tessa breathed the words when the car passed the giant gate.