Excellent night, yeah? He asked, the dead, old man lying infront of him.
"Don't give me that cold stare, i had my reasons to do what i did," said the killer, to the dead body as if it was listening.
He looked across at the single item that had not yet been damaged. A pristine wooden chessboard, clearly in the middle of a game. Flash backs of what happened about 10 minutes ago started to kick in, a shiver went across his spine. "It was important," he said, reassuring himself.
As if remembering to take out the trash, he took out his gloves and began cleaning. Silently concentrating on the wreckage before him, he started cleaning everything he touched removing the trace of his finger prints, the door knobs, the chess board, he put the chairs back in place, he put the glass of wine that he used, in the bag that he brought with him, he looked around for any spots of blood, but there were none.
The rope was a good idea, he thought to himself, there was not much to clean, as he did'nt touch much, and whatever he touched was either cleaned or was in his bag.
Satisfied with the bit of spring cleaning he had done, he walked to towards the chessboard that was neatly set on the table, he carefully grabbed the bishop. Gave a last stare to the man lying infront of him in the same position that he was before, mouth open, no breath, no movement.
"Checkmate, old man." he said as he began to leave the house.
================================================================
It was quiet. Eerily quiet, thought Eloise, as she inserted her key into the mahagony door. The neighbours were out of town for a wedding, and practically no one was outside at night in a neighbourhood full of old people.
As she opened the door, she found another abnormality. The television was not on. It was inconceivable that her father would miss the big game tonight.
Panic began to take control, as she called out, "Dad? Are you home?"
No reply.
Fear trickled in, as she went further into the house. Door after door was tried, room after room was explored. All of them empty. All of them unfathomably normal. Until at last, the study was left. And as she entered, a foul smell attacked her nose, and at the very same time, she saw it.
Her father was slumped on the sofa, seemingly asleep.
But something was off. He was not snoring. So she took his pulse. There was none.
Fighting the impulse to faint, she tried to reach the telephone, each step impossibly difficult.
Finally, she picked the phone up.
================================================================
As she picked the phone up, meaningless static greeted her. Frustrated, she banged it down hard, and returned to her desk. As she sipped her hot coffee, she pondered over what had happened two years ago. The house was very clean, she thought, and as she did so, took out a notebook and began writing in it. The book was of shoddy craftsmanship, but it was filled with all of her scribbles and musings, that had now taken up three of those notebooks.
Once she was finished, she looked at her watch and was shocked to see that it was 9 AM already. She got up and quickly walked out of her office.
================================================================
Objection, this information is not pertinent to the case!"
Eloise sent a sickly sweet smile to the prosecution, who was gripping at his files,
white-knuckled. Besides her, Sebastian, who helped her organise half the data for the case,
chuckled under his breath.
"Your Honor, Mr. Ellis' current behaviors tie in directly with whether or not he has had a history
with intoxicating substances.", she then added with a look towards the prosecution. "This
shouldn't be something I have to spell out."
The judge nodded.
"Objection overruled. Continue your questioning."
Eloise inclined her head in gratitude, then turned toward the accused in the witness stand again.
"Returning to where I was, Mr Ellis, when you used to live in Scottsdale, did you frequent a
pharmacy in your neighbourhood?" Eloise inclined her head again, but this time in mock
sympathy for the human scum sitting before her. The wounds on his mother and sister… they
were so horrific they still sent her blood boiling, and to cover it up, he had the audacity to fake
medical certificates and sue his sister for aggravated assault under the influence.
Talk about the call coming from inside the house.
"I.. I had an extremely weak immune system so, yes. I did.", the perpetrator muttered, avoiding
her eyes.
"And did you, perhaps, buy medicine prescribed for ADHD?", Eloise inquired, still with that faux
pitying smile.
"Yeah. My sister has ADHD I got them for her," said Ellis, trembling nervously.
"where are you going with this-" Eloise interrupted, and turned towards the judge.
"Your Honor, when we investigated Mr Ellis' past record in Scottsdale, we got to know that using
his sister's prescription as a scapegoat, he frequently bought ADHD meds in bulk. We have the
pharmacy's reciept records and security footage with which to prove it."
Eloise paused to take a breath, as the evidences were handed to the judge. The jury were
murmuring amongst themselves, sparing suspicious glances at Ellis in the stand, who now
looked like he wanted to melt into his seat. All of those were great signs. But she wasn't done just yet.
"Furthermore, when we asked for a drug-specific search in the Ellis family's apartment about a
week ago, we found information.. extremely pertinent to this case that was undiscovered
before."
Sebastian was close to fully laughing now, seeing the prosecutor's face turn red with every word
that left Eloise's mouth. Under the floorboards just outside the bathroom, about twelve empty
bottles of prescription ADHD meds, and one bottle halfway done. Not a single one of them had
the sister's fingertips on it.
Eloise finally dropped the facade and smiled fully.
"Do we have permission to bring in our witness, Detective Brennan, to the witness stand?"
================================================================
Eloise and Sebastian were out of their seats as soon as the bang of the gavel resonated
throughout the courtroom.
"Miss Josie Ellis, convicted for aggravated assault under the influence, not guilty." Those words
were like the sweetest nectar poured in their ears, echoing even as they robotically shook hands
with the reporters.
"That was an awesome job back there, El.", Sebastian sighed as he slumped back against the
car seat, the two of them finally free from the endless smiling and waving. "Seriously."
"Yeah, but you were the one who pulled, like, five all nighters to get all the evidence from the old
town together.", mused Eloise, starting up the car. She turned to Sebastian and smiled. "But,
seriously though, Seb. I owe you one."
Sebastian pulled a face that was none too flattering, shaking his head."Don't get all sappy on me, Davidson. Although…I won't mind a dinner or coffee." Sebastian shrugged, even as mirth still coated his features. "On you, of course. Are you free tonight?"
Eloise almost replied in the affirmative, until she remembered the text she got from her aunt last
night. She groaned, resisting the urge to bang her head against the steering wheel, and resorted to saying:
"No, I've got a family thing."
"Ah," Sebastian nodded, overly sympathetic to be sincere. "A family thing. Darn."
"Shut up, Brooks"
================================================================
Eloise kicked her shoes off in one direction, and threw her purse onto the bed before flopping
down on it herself, too tired to care about her blazer creasing. The endless briefing when her
and Sebastian got back to the firm took up any stamina that was left in her. With a groan, she
hauled herself back up to her feet, hobbling to the bathroom.
The nagging little voice in the back of her head was due to start again, and she was almost
about to turn back to her bedside drawer which opened and closed each night, when her phone
let out a bright ding.
She didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved, and cast all those thoughts away to
read the message on the lock screen.
Aunt Bridget
Hope to see you tonight, Eloise !
Eloise sighed, scratching her hair loose from her ponytail. She already didn't want to go to her
aunt's dinner, knowing there'll be more people there than she can bear on a Thursday, and after
the corporate formalities, she was even more opposed to it.
But….
In her peripheral vision, she saw the picture frame of her and her father on her bedside table.
… they were still family. One of the few connections she had left to her father.
That tugging in her subconscious threatened to start again.
Resigned, Eloise set her phone down. She can decide after she takes a long, hot shower.
================================================================
Laying in her bed, staring at the ceiling, hair scattered, arms open wide providing admittance to the indecisiveness.
Her brain had enough knowledge to know how essential it was for her to be part of that dinner, but still, it was stubborn! and was coming up with excuses again and again, and as soon as she would be near to accepting that excuse; her heart would present an emotional, yet valid statement! and she would again be at stage zero. She just couldn't decide.
While she was in the middle of this battle between her brain and heart her ears sensed a voice, a pretty known ringtone, it was her phone.
"Again?," asked Eloise, herself.
Ughhh!! she grunted and lifted herself. Grabbing her phone she saw the name "Auntie Fiona" shining bright on the screen, she gave one stare at the phone and the other at her own reflection in the mirror.
Picking up the call she heard a delicate, extremely sweet voice.
"Hello sweetie, how are you?"
"I'm good, what about you?" Eloise tried her best to sound as delicate as her auntie, but she couldn't.
"I just wanted to know at what time will you be here, it's just that Auntie Emily, Uncle Jhones and the kids are already here while Stefan and others are on their way. So.. just wanted to have an idea about you. You're coming... right?" Asked aunt Fiona with a need of reassurance and a little hope.
"Oh yes, I am, I am, I'll be there soon." A rapid reply left her mouth. It was obvious that she didn't want to hurt her favourite aunt, her father's closest sister. She threw the phone on her bed and walked towards the wardrobe.
Approximately after 30 minutes, Eloise was standing in front of the mirror, she corrected her red lipstick, fixed her black nap dress, used a tissue to remove the little dirt from her black boots, wore a silver bracelet, shackled the chains of her necklace, moved her light curls behind her ears and weighed them with black pendant earrings.
She stopped for a moment; had a look around, "where is my watch?" She asked herself. "Oh wait, It's in my bag, now where is my bag?" she turned around and looked for it, it was lying on the floor, next to the bed. She wore her watch, after giving one last look to the mirror, she left.
On her way out she carried her coat and bag, placed the coat on her shoulders and finally left the house.
===============================================================
Her car came to rest in Infront of the two-story bungalow which was painted navy blue and white, she parked the car and started walking towards the house, she had a purse in her hand and a coat on her shoulders. As she was passing through the wide lawn, she noticed everything was the same, fragrance, same comfort, and atmosphere as always.
Before she could knock on the door, the door banged open itself, and two kids came running outside and one of them bumped into Eloise. "ELOISE YOU'RE HERE!", She looked at them both with a pleasant, soft smile. They both had brown eyes, and blond hair and they were both unidentical twins.
She sat on her knees to demolish the height difference between them, "Hello! Jason", said Eloise, looking at the boy, Hello! Jenna, said Eloise, looking at the girl, "what mission are you both on?" Asked Eloise, frankly.
"We are solving a case, just like you."
"Oh really! and what is that case about?"
"Well..."
"ELOISE! I thought you'd never come." Jason was about to explain, but Aunt Emily almost came running and hugged her tight, and Jason's details remained unexplained. She only passed a warm smile in response.
"Come on in why are you standing outside?" Her wholesomeness was crystal clear, "everybody was waiting for you." All of them then started walking inside, she hung her coat on the rack before entering the living room.She met everyone individually, and when she was done she realized someone was missing.
"Where's aunt Fiona?"
"She's in the kitchen with mummy" answered Jason, while having a bite of a doughnut.
"Alright, I'll be in the kitchen then."
=============================================================
The table was set, and everything was ready. The aroma in the atmosphere indicated the presence of the delectable food, the feast was spread wide, on the dining table, the lightning of the room was making it more enthralling! The fantastic aroma was allied with the loud noises of utensils, the clicking sound of spoons and plates when rubbed together, and the splash of the liquid in the glasses accompanied by the uproar of cheers. With them were the laughter and light whispers. These all things combined were giving this spectacular moment a portrayal of a "Perfect Family" gathering.
Everyone was delighted and complete except for one, 'Eloise.' she was noticing everything, she was wholesome no doubt, but she wasn't complete, she was empty, and her emptiness came from a fact that she was still unable to find the killer of her father and she blamed herself for that.
Dinner was done, now everyone was playing board games. Eloise on the other hand was standing on the terrace, where there was a huge glass, that showed the inside of the living room, she could see everyone arguing over the game.
"Here's your coffee." said stefan, offering the coffee mug.
"Thank you! stefan" said Eloise with a smile.
"So... how was the dinner? did you enjoy it?"
"Yes! it was splendid. I loved it, everything was amazing," said Eloise while taking a sip of coffee.
"But... you miss him, especially right now," he completed her sentence, "and I do too" he was looking in the air as if he was talking to himself.
"I never had a father," Stefan continued,
"But he never made me feel that way," he took a deep pause.
"He completed that space Eloise," he moved his head in her direction, facing her completely.
"I miss him every day, every moment and i know my pain is nothing compared to yours but I just want you to know he's still with us, he's still looking at us, you just have to feel it," tears filled his eyes.
"I don't know how to comfort you, Stefan. I know how close you and dad were, and I'm thankful for every word that you just said to me, but tell me how can i be okay with literally no answers, everybody just keeps telling me to let it go and there's nothing that i can do, but i want answers, my father never had any enemy, why would anyone even want to kill him?" she took a deep breath.
"Look i know you're going to say that he would want me to move on too and all of the stuff that everybody says but... he was my father - the only one i've ever had after mom, he was my everything, i try to pretend that i'm okay but honestly i'm not, i'm losing my mind, i want to know what happened, why it happened. don't you want to know?"
"Eloise, no one is asking you to stop looking for the murderer, we all believe in you," he pointed to himself. "I believe in you but we don't want you to lose yourself in the process, you're isolating yourself, for two years you've missed every family dinner, you were not here even on thanks giving and christmas, everybody is worried, i am worried, mom is worried, she lost her brother, she can't lose you too."
"I know, that's why i'm here today," said eloise as quietly as possible as if realizing her mistake of making her beloved people worry because of her, after all they were in pain too.
There was silence for a minute until stefan decided to break it.
"You'll find him, you know... the killer, you're one of the best lawyers out there, justice is always served when you get involved," said stefan passing a warm smile.
Eloise passed an empty smile in return, as if she didn't deserve that huge compliment, she was questioning her capabilities. Two years and no justice have been served, will she really find that person? she asked herself.
================================================================
It was 2 am.
She was fully exhausted, work then dinner, but still, she had her head under the papers, she was making notes, ripping papers again and again like a maniac. Suddenly she threw her pen on the table and her diary on the wall aggressively.
"WHAT IS IT THAT I AM MISSING," she screamed.
"How is there no single lead? Everytime i try to see things differently, i end up at the same place, 'DEAD END'."
With her head in the hands, she was sobbing, she was tired, angry, and helpless. She ended up resting her head on the table.
================================================================
She woke up with the bright sun rays right on her face, penetrating through the windows. She slept on the table and didn't even realize that. She woke up, with the pain in her back, tried to focus on the wall clock, and held her head with disappointment. "I'm late again," she mumbled to herself.
Standing next to the table, she was trying to dial a number, with coffee in one hand, and phone in another.
"Hello Sebastian, yeah I'm good, how are you?, Great!, umm I was hoping you could do me a favour? Well... it's just that I'm going to be a little late so.. can you attend my 9:am hearing today?"
*pause*
"Oh! thank you so much!"
while talking, her eyes landed on the weird paper among her files, an envelope-looking thing, she placed the coffee on the table and picked it up, it was a letter with no address and name,
"yeah Sebastian I'm sorry but can we talk later, I'm in the middle of something, yeah- yeah I'll be there by 10. No... No everything is completely fine, I'm okay. Thanks again okay bye! see you soon."
"What is this," asked Eloise from herself. She flipped it around once again to find a name or any contact but there was nothing. She opened it and started reading.
Dear Ellie,
I'm aware that it's far too long for me to approach you, I didn't want to, but you're in pain and I can't bear seeing you suffer like this anymore.
You were and you are the light of my life Ellie, the only one I truly loved and I truly had, I want to help you and I want you to acknowledge the fact that I will do whatever it takes to see your darling smile again. And remember I'm always watching over you, my dear, I never stopped.
Ps:
You'll always be the reason for my betterment whether I'm dead or alive.