Ghost Peppers - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Penelope stepped through the front door, feeling the weight of her first day as a detective settle on her shoulders. The lingering images of the crime scene refused to fade, each one clawing at the edges of her mind. Jackie looked up from the kitchen, her face lighting up as she walked over to greet her.

“Well?” Jackie asked with a smile, pulling Penny into a warm embrace. “How was it, Detective?”

Penny leaned into Jackie’s embrace, savoring the familiar warmth. “It was intense,” she admitted with a half-smile. “And strange.” She took a breath, her mind flashing back to the crime scene.

Jackie led her to the couch, sensing the exhaustion in Penny’s voice. “Tell me everything.”

Penny hesitated for a moment, the words tangled in her throat. Then, she began to recount the day’s events. “Jackie,” she started, her voice trembling slightly, “Alice Carter was dressed in a red lingerie set.”

Jackie’s expression shifted from curiosity to concern as she reached out and placed a gentle hand on Penny’s. “Red lingerie? That must have been… difficult to see,” she murmured, her voice steady.

Penny nodded, her pulse quickening. “It just…it caught me off guard,” she admitted, glancing down, almost as if speaking the words would lessen the weight of them. Her mind replayed the vivid image: Alice Carter, lifeless, arranged with disturbing care. The lace of the lingerie, bold and striking, etched itself into her memory.

Then the realization hit her, sharp and undeniable. She looked up at Jackie, her concern showing through. “Jackie,” she said slowly, her tone tinged with something between disbelief and unease, “the lingerie she was wearing... it was exactly like the set you gave me. A few weeks ago.”

Jackie’s grip on Penny’s hand tightened imperceptibly, though her face remained composed. Her green eyes softened with concern as she leaned closer. “That’s… unsettling,” she said, her voice low and steady. “Are you sure it was the same?”

Penny nodded, her stomach twisting. “The same shade of red, the same lace pattern. I… I didn’t realize it at first, but now I’m sure.”

Jackie’s other hand moved to cover Penny’s, a quiet strength passing through her touch. “Whatever this means, Penny, we’ll figure it out together,” she said softly. Her tone was calm, soothing, a steady anchor in the storm swirling through Penny’s thoughts. “You’re not in this alone.”

Penny took a deep breath, trying to let Jackie’s words settle the chaos inside her. “It just feels… personal,” she said, her voice quieter now. “Like someone’s sending a message.”

Jackie didn’t flinch, her gaze steady as she brushed a strand of Penny’s hair behind her ear. “You’re doing your job, Penny. Sometimes, that means uncovering things that are hard to face. But you’re strong, and I believe in you.”

For now, nestled in her home and wrapped in Jackie’s arms, Penny allowed herself a small, reassuring peace. Jackie’s presence dulled the sharp edges of her thoughts, even as the haunting questions lingered in the shadows, waiting for their moment to resurface.