THE MIRROR EFFECT

Chapter One

James Ordel was a good-looking detective with a strong sense of justice.
Detective James Ordel is a man who enjoys his job as much as he enjoys his morning coffee at Tete's Coffee Shop. Nothing beats a good cup of café au lait in the morning.

Sarah, the owner of Tete's Coffee Club, was both a  motherly figure and friend to Detective James, who was a frequent customer of the shop. For the past ten (10) years, James had gotten his morning coffee from the shop before going to work at the precinct.

James had delicate features and a slender and lovely face. Because of the feminine features he possesses, James could easily be mistaken for a woman. To appear more manly, he had needed to grow a moustache or at least the shadow of a moustache. As he drank his morning coffee, James usually talked to Sarah.

Today was going to be a sad day for James Ordel, who was about to enter Tete's coffee shop for his morning coffee. He was nudged on the shoulder and when he turned he saw Joe, his partner. Joe was a middle aged man who during his time on the force had lost his zeal for justice, Joe believed that justice did not exist. Joe had full black hair  riddled with gray hair, his face was full with wrinkles making him look older than he was. He had a mini-pot belly giving him a  cute old man look, he was clean shaven and had an average build. Joe  had sad looking eyes.

"You've finally arrived, There's our main suspect."
Joe said pointing at Talia, Sarah's daughter, and identifying her as a prime suspect in a murder. James was taken aback when he noticed the yellow police duct tape that had just been placed around Tete's coffee shop.

James realized he had just walked into a crime scene where a murder had just taken place. Talia was apparently a prime suspect. When James entered the shop, he discovered Sarah had been murdered.

Because he had some history with the deceased, James Ordel was assigned to handle the case. Sarah's body was badly mutilated. Further examination of the body revealed that Sarah was poisoned first, then stabbed twenty-five (25) times, five in the neck/throat, seven in the chest, eight in the abdomen, two on each leg, and one in the face, removing an eye from the eye socket.

The footprints around the body were made by a high heel shoe, indicating that the crime was possibly committed by a female; the violence of the attack, as shown on the deceased's body, indicated that this murder was personal. James told Joe, his partner, about his speculation and preliminary deduction.

As a result, Joe became increasingly convinced that Talia was the perpetrator, as she was the only one who benefited from her mother's death. In the event of Sarah's death, she would inherit the Tete's coffee shop as well as a trust fund worth millions of dollars set up for Talia. Suspicious. Almost too suspicious. Talia was an obvious suspect, according to James. Too obvious, infact. Why would she hang around until morning after murdering her mother the night before, with no alibi prepared for when she was most likely arrested or interrogated by the police? James thought to himself. Something deep in James' gut felt off, a feeling he couldn't quite put his finger on.

During interrogation, Talia admitted to James and Joe that she suspected her mother of having been involved in underhanded dealings. Apparently, her mother Sarah knew a secret that someone was willing to pay a lot of money to keep hidden. James inquired as to whether she was aware of who this individual was. Talia only stated that she knew the person was female and that she only knew this because she once witnessed her mother and this mysterious person meeting. Joe remarked on how convenient it was that a female suspect of unknown origin who appeared out of nowhere, as provided by Talia, was the alleged real suspect in the murder. He (Joe) didn't think she was telling the truth. Talia, on the other hand, was thought to be innocent by James. Someone else must have murdered Sarah in order to conceal and protect whatever the secret was, as it was worth millions of dollars.  Also during the integorration Talia continuously affirmed her innocence and denied any involvement in her mother's under the table dealings.

James and Joe later discovered during the course of the investigation Sarah and Talia were deeply involved in a sex trafficking and drug smuggling ring. This meant that Sarah most likely had a large number of enemies.  Joe, who was the oldest of the two partners, wanted to meet up with his partner James to discuss the new development in the case about the Tete's coffee shop . He always admired James's Passion for his job Which he had lost. James reminded him of his younger days when he still had the fire and believed in justice. Joe always thought James was naive. Joe thought to himself  how James was too pretty and idealistic to be a detective.

Joe met up with James in Camil restaurant. Camil was a beautiful restaurant painted black, red and white beautifully blended together, it was  frequented by many customers  mostly by  law enforcement because the Camil was owned by  a former retired sergeant in the force and the layout of  the restaurants granted privacy to each customer. So most cops  came to the Camil restaurant to discuss their  cases while grabbing lunch. Joe and James arrived at the camil restaurant. Camille, a middle aged woman who was  the current owner as she inherited it from her late father . Camille approached their table.
Joe greeted,"Hello, Camille. you know me. The usuals."
  Camille smiling said "Yes I do , the usual- pancake with maple syrup and Coco tea" she turned to James and asked "What can I get you?".

James replied just "Coffee,  Café au lait precisely."

Camille left to ready their orders. As she left James said to Joe " I think there's more to  Sarah's death that meet the eyes, with her involvement  with the blackmailing scheme, sex trafficking and drug trafficking scheme. the list of potential suspects has increased exponentially not including Talia, the most obvious suspect."

"Hmm. James you truly believe Talia is not guilty, even though you have discovered her involvement in the sex trafficking and drug ring."

" Yes, Joe I do believe she is innocent , I do not know as much as I thought I did but I do know that Talia loved her mother. "
Camille approach the tables with the their orders,  placing the Order on the table she smiled at James dropped his coffee and a plate of fried eggs and bacons and said to James on the House , before she left she winked at Joe as she dropped his Order- pancake with maple syrup , "added some eggs and the Coco tea as per your orders."

"James all evidence  points to Talia I follow where the evidence leads me" said Joe and during the recent  search of Sarah and Talia home the murder weapon was found there   hidden in Talia's jewery box a 7 inch kitchen knife with bloodied finger prints. I bet you if those bloodied prints are run against Talia prints  I have Little doubts that it will be a match.  James  thought to himself that if truly Talia was truly innocent with all evidence pointing towards her, then who ever committed these murder committed the perfect murder