"How are you guys doing? Is Winter causing you any trouble?" She asked, her voice was a little distorted as if she's outside in a windy place.

  "We're doing well. She's been very nice and even painted so many canvases already." I put the phone on speaker and dropped it in my lap before grabbing the canvases from off the table. I flip through them and one caught my eye. A brilliant mixture of radiant colours, gold, red and black. It seems like she used several techniques to paint as some of the paint was sprayed onto the canvas and some was painted using various sizes of brushes. I don't think she intended to paint anything in particular but I could make out various forms that looked like certain objects and animals. It's like those abstract paintings that you see in the museum where there would be a person who analyzes the message the artist meant to leave. Sometimes there will even be a psychologist who analyzes the psychological and mental state of the artist when he or she was painting a certain piece.

  "This deserves to be an an art museum. I've seen a huge five by five meter canvas with only a single blue dot in the middle and it was on sale for something like ninety million dollars. Winters piece deserves to be put in that ones place." I shook my head at the ridiculousness of how art is preceived by some people. Anyone can paint a dog. I'll never understand who decided to put that simple painting up like it's som kid of masterpiece.

  Yasmin chuckles. "I know it's ridiculous. Winter always had a talent for painting. Send me a picture of this new one you like so much."

  "How's the printing going?"I asked. I still feels like a dream. She said it's going to be about a hundred thousand copies. When my previous books sold more then ten thousand copies I would throw a big party. Technically it's not all that big since he old people I invite are Leon and Yasmin who bring a bunch of there own friends. It's not like I don't have any other friends. I had many in high school and throughout my university years but I wasn't ever that close to any of them. We all sort of lost touch once we graduated and everyone went their own separate ways.

  "Cameron, I'm discussing with the marketing team. In two days time we'll start the distribution." It sounded like she just stuffed her mouth with a donut. "Oh and Cameron you're going to have a fan meeting soon in the mall get ready for it." the sound of her chewing made it hard to understand what she's trying to say.

  "What fan meeting? When?" I've never held a fan meeting before in my life. It not like i didn't have any fans before but still. This is all new to me.

  "I'm going to be organizing you one very soon I'll send you the details later on but I just want you to be prepared." She explained.

  I nodded but I realized she wasn't here to see. "Oh okay."

  "See ya." She hangs up. She's so busy with all this printing and packaging. I don't know if I can ever self publish I'm not patient or skilled enough. I m envy people who can do it all.

  Winter started to laugh hysterically and I almost flinched myself into a heart attack. Some kid just cracked a joke and it looks like it's the funniest thing Winter has ever heard.

  I tap on my chest to ease the shook and picked my phone up with my other hand. I haven't heard from Leon ever since he stormed out the house to question Jake. He's been ignoring my calls and my messages. I'm guessing he got to nowhere because if he found evidence or got a confession he would've told me about it.

  What looks like an expensive pen was left on my counter. I pick it up and inspected it. I don't think I've ever seen Leon with this pen. He always loses his pens so buying an expensive one is just a waste. I place it on top of his laptop so he wouldn't forget to take I next time.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Oreo jumps on my lap. She probably needs to lose some weight. I can take her for a walk with Winter. It's better to walk after eating such a breakfast.

  "Winter, we're going to walk Oreo lets go." I put Oreo to the side and got up. I started to yawn uncontrollably as I headed towards my coat hanger.

  Winter follows me and grabs her backpack. She pulls out a Rubric cube out of her bag and holds it up.

  "So I don't get bored." She messes the colours up and immediately starts solving it.

  That kind of hurt. I hope I'm not that boring. She doesn't have many mood swings but when she has one it takes you off guard. One minute she's a cute little angel and the other moment she's as grumpy as grumpy can be.

  We just walked around mindlessly as Oreo sniffed around. Winter seems to have a sixth sense. She hasn't even looked up once but she never ran into a pill or a person even while solving her cube. I can't even think properly or concentrate on the most simplistic tasks.

  She's way too talented.

  Pain radiated through my forehead and I rubbed it with my palms which helped ease the pain. I bumped my head with someone else's.

  "You should look ahead of you." The teen shoots on the top of their lungs and rubbed their forehead the same way did.

  "Sorry." I whispered. Technically both of us have to be at fault for this to happen. If he was also looking forewords that this would've never happened.

  A hand was placed on my shoulder and I subconsciously began to slide into a fighting position.

  "No way. This is a dream of mine." It's the same teenager but instead for a sour look on his face his eyes sparkled along with his teeth. "You're my hero!" He puts his hands on the sides of his head and then rubs his eyes with a look of disbelief displayed on his face.

  I smiled. It's kind of refreshing to know that I could be walking right next to someone who loves my book and I may never know until something like this happens. "I'm honoured to be someone you look up to but I'm no hero I'm just a writer." I chuckled at his fanboy demeanour.

  He glances around to see that me and him where the only ones there. Expect for Winter and Oreo but I doubt that mattered to him. Once he confirmed that no one was listening he comes closer and holds his hand up to cover the side of his mouth."I can keep a secret. Even though everyone already suspects it but I want to confirm it myself before I go." He looks around the whispered in my ear. "You're the real gladiolus right?"

  I laughed awkwardly. Is that the reason he's my fan? Because he's confusing me with the real gladiolus? That kid of makes me upset. "I'm really sorry to disappoint you but it's not me." I said with a bitter look on my face as I grabbed winters hand ready to walk away.

  He frowns and crosses his arms. He looks back at me and just shrugs his shoulders. "It's okay I still got to meet my favourite author of all time." He waves me goodbye.

  "Thank you." I said before helping Winter with Oreos leash then walked away.

  When I returned back I found yet another coded message and immediately took the initiative to decode it. This isn't the last code or target of gladiolus as its still coded. He's yet to send me the uncoded messages he wrote about last time. But why is he doing this? I still can't wrap my head around it. Why I'm the target and why he chose my book out of the thousands of other crime novels out there. Why is trying to toy with me like this?

  "How would it feel when the criminal is victim to his own crimes? You must never torture the innocent. It seems like only I can stop him. The suitcase killer that is."

  Now when I think about it gladiolus must have experience with hacking or some sort of tracking and information device. I mean it's been years and the police have yet to even have a proper suspect for the doll or the suitcase killer.

  How is this gladiolus guy more skilled at tracing and locating those criminals? He must be someone who has access to such information and technology. Intelligence services or maybe even someone like Viola.