"No� Sam?" Phoebe said quietly in shock.
"That's right. Apparently, you were the last person she spoke on the phone with. A rather strange conversation you had with her".
"W� how?" Phoebe mumbled and looked at the detective.
"That's what I'm here to find out".
"I wish I could help you�"
"But you can't? Hmm� strange. For some reason you were there. Humor me."
"Well, as you probably know, P3 is owned by my sister. It was pretty inevitable that we would be there" Phoebe said and looked at him.
"And you were the first one to find her?"
"Yes".
"How did you find her?" he asked and followed Phoebe with his eyes as she paced around the sofa.
"A gut feeling" she said, avoiding his eyes.
"I'm sorry, a gut feeling? You don't really expect me to buy that, do you?"
"That's what happened detective. Hasn't it ever occurred to you that there are such things? Such as pre-telling what was about to happen? Basic instincts" Phoebe said and looked at him.
"What was your connection to the victim?" he asked.
"Sam?" she asked.
Persey nodded, awaiting her answer. He kept rushing her with his eyes. Trying to pressure her into saying what he wanted to hear.
"Sam� Samantha� was a friend of mine. We met recently at a� at school".
"Aha� and a, we found this, she was holding it tight to her when we found her" he said while taking a small transparent bag out of the inside pocket of his jacket.
Phoebe's face paled to the sight of the emulate.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"A� no� It just hasn't grown on me yet".
"If it's any consolation, it doesn't grow on anyone Miss Halliwell".
"Yeah�" she smiled, confused.
"All right, well, if there is anything you think that could help us, please contact me" he said and handed her a small business card.
"Detective," Phoebe followed him to the door, "who did this?" she asked.
"If I knew, they would be behind bars for good".
Phoebe nodded and closed the door behind him.
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
"Piper Halliwell?"
Piper lifted her head from behind the counter and looked at a tall man. He smiled.
"I'm detective Persey. We've talked on the phone yesterday".
"Yes, it's nice to meet you" Piper said and shook his hand.
"So, I gather you and your sisters were witnesses to the murder?" he said and followed Piper with his eyes as she walked out of the bar and towards him.
"No; not witnesses. We were the ones who found her, yes".
"How did you find her?" he asked.
"A� I was taking out the trash and found her there".
"Really? Well, I've checked and apparently, one of your employees had already taken the trash out earlier".
"Oh?" Piper looked away from him; and turned a bit red.
"Yes. So?"
"Well, you know how clubs are� trash piles up really quickly. I do run a decent place, you know?"
"What I can't seem to get out of my mind is how exactly you and your sisters were there� it looks like a bit more than just the right place at the right time".
"I told you that I went to throw out the trash, when I saw what�, when I saw what I saw, I called my sisters" Piper said and looked at the detective.
"Why didn�t you immediately call the police? Or at least called 911?"
"Look, just as questioning people and accusing them of the most appalled crimes is your nature, calling my sisters when something goes wrong is mine" Piper answered, it looked to her like a very witty comeback.
"Nice save� however, I hate to disappoint you Miss Halliwell. You and your sisters really should have coordinated your versions before talking to me. See, your sister, Phoebe, claimed it was a gut feeling that made her go back there".
Dammit Phoebe!" Piper sifted between her teeth.
"Sorry?" he asked.
"I didn't say anything�" Piper said and noticed Prue walking down the stairs and towards her.
"Right�" he said and turned around as Prue approached them.
"Hey" Prue said and then turned to the detective.
"Prue, this is detective Persey. Detective, this is my sister, Prue".
"It's a pleasure" he said and smiled.
"Yeah� listen," she said and turned to Piper, "I need to talk to you".
"If you don't mind, I would like to ask you a few questions, Prue" said the detective and looked at Prue.
"Can it wait?" Prue asked.
"Well, not really. See, I am in charge of a murder investigation. And I try to work as fast as I could to find who did it" he said.
"How can I help you? I'm sure Piper had already told you everything she knows.
I know just as much, if not less".
"Somehow, I doubt that's the truth. So, if you don�t mind�"
"I actually do mind, I have important matters to discuss with my sisters about and I'll appreciate it if�"
"Miss Halliwell," Persey interrupted her, "I don't assume you'd be trying to avoid me".
"Hardly, detective" Prue answered.
"Well, well� I'm sure you wouldn't mind taking a trip down to the station with me?"
"First, detective, with all do respect, the station is up north from here and yes I'd mind, we have a family situation that needs our attendance immediately".
"Miss Halliwell�"
"Detective, am I under arrest?" Prue asked fiercely.
"No".
"All right then. Have a good day detective. I'm sure you can find your way out by yourself" Prue said and took Piper's hand, marching somewhat proudly towards the stairs.
~~~~~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
"Phoebes?" Piper asked as she entered the Manor, together with Prue.
"I'm in here," Phoebe said while in the kitchen.
"Phoebe, wha� what are you doing?" Prue asked.
Phoebe picked up a small tube and tweezers.
"I am trying to find out who the killer is".
"I am not sure that tweezers would help much�" Prue said; watching Phoebe place some green herbs on a small plate.
"Phoebes, the killer doesn't have to be demonic. We have already searched The Book" Piper said.
"Yes, and you and I both know that sometimes that's not enough" Phoebe answered, focused on the herbs and the liquid inside the tube. She set herself a target, and kept moving swiftly around the kitchen, collecting all the ingredients needed; a feeling of clodness overcame her.
"Phoebes?"
"I won't let him take away another witch" Phoebe said and walked towards a cauldron with boiled water.
"W.. w... what do you mean another?" Prue asked.
"A� I sort of met another witch�" Phoebe said and poured half a cup of boiled water into the plate.
Piper looked at Prue with question and asked, "Where? Why didn't you tell us?"
"I don't know why, all right? I just� he murdered her today. I've just got off the phone with her and�"
"Okay, first of all, who was she? And secondly, how do we know it's a he?" Prue asked.
"We met in school. I'm sorry I didn�t tell you, I just�"
"Could you stop with the damn potion for a second and talk to us?"
Phoebe placed the cub down and looked at her sisters.
"Phoebe, I don't even know where to start�" Piper said and looked at her.
"I do. Just tell us everything you've been holding back" Prue said firmly and looked at Phoebe.
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
"Okay, come on� come on� come on!" Prue said as the crystal hung over the map.
"Anything?" Piper asked and walked towards her.
"Not yet� but I have a feeling�" The crystal fell down on the map.
"We got him. Let's go, let's go!" Prue said and hurried towards the front door.
"wait, shouldn't we call Phoebe first?" Piper asked.
"No, she should rest" Prue said and grabbed Piper's jacket and hers.
~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~
"So, we haven�t really planned what we're gonna do, since you don't have any powers�?" Piper said rashly as she and Prue walked down the empty street.
"You're gonna try to blow him up� or freeze him. And keep freezing him� till we�"
"Till we what?!" Piper asked. Prue shushed her, as they turned right into an alley.
"Murderers, dark alleys, you're just asking for it, aren't you Prue?"
"No!" Prue yelled and ran towards a man who lay on the ground.
Piper looked at it in shock as it orbed right above her.
"Piper! Freeze it!" Prue called and lifted the man's head of the ground.
"It's going to be okay" she said and looked at the man.
His face looked incredibly peaceful.
There was a large red scorch on his chest. Just like the one on the woman's.
~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~
Phoebe took a deep breath and covered herself further in the blanket.
She reached her hand out onto the empty side of her bed, and suddenly opened her eyes in shock.
"C� Cole?" she jumped up and looked at him, having trouble swallowing.
"Hey Phoebe" he said quietly and looked at her.
"Wha� wha� what are you? How did you�?" Her heart raced quicker than ever.
"Prue!" she yelled suddenly.
"No! Phoebe, don't" he said calmly and sat up.
She stood up and slowly paced towards the door.
"Phoebe, please. I'm not going to hurt you," he said and kneeled on the bed.
"You� you're not real" she said, convincing herself.
"Yes I am Phoebe. I'm back".
Phoebe stopped in her place and said, slowly, with hesitation, "you come back after all this time and expect me to act like nothing has happened?"
"No, Phoebe" he said and stood up.
Phoebe looked at his dark image. Her heart raced quickly then ever; she had to fight off the desire to kiss him, to hold him close to her.
"I'm sorry I left. The circumstances were just too much".
"Wasn't I enough?" she asked firmly.
Cole looked away from her; "I've missed you" he said and turned to her.
