Chapter 3: Come and Go
"You see, but you do not observe..."
- Sherlock Holmes, A Scandal in Bohemia
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
PART III
Starting from this chapter, Mr. Hamish will now share his thoughts with you. Please follow him in his journey as he solves his second case together with his not-so friend, Detective Keswick. His mind or his thoughts might be a little bit confusing but I hope you can get along with him. Today, he's investigating a serial murder in a secured— or you can call it: private subdivision, where you can't get inside unless you're one of the homeowners or working at the subdivision. He claims that the victim they found just now is the third one. Currently, they are looking for the second victim by knowing if there's any connection between the first victim and the third victim.
"The first victim was Ms. Ashel Rioval, a medical student like Ms. Alcas. They were attending the same school in the same class since they were in grade school. But then, they part ways by attending different class when they started college," Detective Keswick said.
I can't even imagine we're discussing here near the crime scene. I can't even concentrate on what my companion is saying. I see so much things in my surroundings. I can hear, see and smell unnecessary things and well-beings that is unwanted and unwelcome to my senses.
Birds tweeting, trees swaying and dancing in the air, new and old houses that I can even determine how old they were since the day they were built, cars that are parked in front of the houses— and because of this, I know what kind of person who owns it, then there's dogs barking, cats lurking around, smelly rats panicking and running away from humans—, "Do you have any cigarettes in your pocket?" I calmly asked.
"I have. But I won't let you smoke, kid," Keswick said, emphasizing the word 'kid'. Well, I'm 20, old hag.
"Well then, a lighter, do you have one?" I asked.
"I also have one. But again, I won't let you smoke," he said as he leaned his back to his chair and crossed his arm, "Now, let's continue what we're talking about."
I crossed my legs and rest both of my arms in front of my table and entwined my forefingers and calmly said, "I'm afraid I may not grant your wish, as of now."
"Oh, wow... great," Keswick said as he nods his head slowly, "Now you're blackmailing me, huh? Nice one..."
I smiled and leaned my back to my chair as I cross my arms and mimics his nod, "Yes, good thing you know that word. Ha-ha!" I sarcastically laughed.
"Ah... Ha-ha-ha," he also laughed in his monotone voice. In just a second, he threw his lighter in the small table between us— prepared by a maintenance working in here a while ago, and made me catch a piece of cigarette.
"Great, now I can empty my mind," I said in my relief. Cigarette... the only thing that calms me.
Keswick shakes his head while watching me smoke my cigarette and murmured, "Tsk, it's still 8:30 in morning but here he is, smoking and decreasing his number of life he has."
"Yeah, tell me that when you're not 6 years older than me anymore," I said and inhaled my cigarette. As I exhaled, I asked him, "You don't seem afraid continuing your job."
He reached for his lighter and also lights his cigarette and started smoking, "You mean detectives are being chased down by some guys?"
"Yeah. As fas as I know, the first detective who mysteriously killed by these guys was a friend of your who left a message before he was shot. After his message was leaked and spread in the whole city, most detectives closed their agencies right away. But here you are," I said and inhaled my cigarette and exhaled it. I puffed my cigarette on the table and rest my arms on my arm chair.
Keswick exhaled, letting out the smoke from his mouth and said, "Well, I only have myself. My parents were dead when I was 18 years old because of their diseases. My wife died in a car accident together with my son, Daryl. Now that I'm all alone, what am I scared for? If that man will shoot me, then so be it. I have nothing to lose."
"Oh, I shouldn't have asked you that," I said.
"No, no, it's fine with me—."
"But not with me. I'm not into those kind of dramas. You know, people come and go. All we have to do is welcome them and when the day come when they want to leave you, help them get out of your fucking life and say goodbye," I said.
"Yeah, acceptance. But it's hard to lose someone you're already used to their presence," Keswick said and inhaled his cigarette and exhaled it again, "Have you ever lost someone you treasure?"
I shrugged my shoulder and said, "No. How am I going to lose someone when there's no one I treasure?" I said and slightly laughed.
He smiled and said, "Maybe for now, you don't have one. But when that person you love the most finally comes in your life, that's the time you'll realize that helping them leave you is one of the most hardest thing to do."