Chapter Six

Henry & Meers

{Henry's POV}

On my suspect list I have Colin, Ivy and Jane but that's it.

Why Jane? She may be young and innocent but I cannot strike out the fact that she lied to me about Colin being the only one who argues with Benjamin. Basically, everyone in that house do have a motive but Ivy's motive stands out. Fortunately for her, she wasn't present at the scene of the crime so then who murdered him?

I have questioned all the hospital staffs and they know nothing. I believe the next thing to do is to think outside the box. And by that, I mean any friend connected to the family. Number one on that list is Laurel.

*

Laurel and I sit in the interrogation room. Cameras all around, observing her body language and gestures.

“How are you connected to the family?” I start off easy.

“I know them very well because Ivy is my best friend.”

Laurel appears very confident. She can be this confident but I'm sure to break her and extract everything she knows.

“So you must have known about Benjamin's death.”

“Yes,” she replies.

“And you know he was poisoned first, then murdered, right?”

“I'm aware of that.”

“So what do you think about that?”

“Uncle Ben was murdered by someone close to him. He was poisoned in his own family house and the same poison was used to kill him when he was hospitalized.”

Smart move. She's quite an interesting suspect. I expect her to lose her confidence at this point but it's like she knew I'd ask her that question.

“Do you have any idea who must have committed this crime?” I ask.

“We all have ideas, don't we? If you're asking me this, I believe that's the job of the police department.”

“We do have our own ideas but I want yours. Maybe it can help us, don't you think?”

“Colin is in prison for this crime, so naturally, he must have something to do with it.”

Damn! I expect by now, she'd be stammering in fear. How overconfident!

“Personally, I don't think Colin is the murderer.”

“So then, who is?” She asks.

“Hey! I do the questioning here, okay!”

“I just want to know what you think.”

“That's not why I called you here!” I flip out before relaxing. “Laurel, it'd be nice if you can coorporate.”

“Look officer, let me come out to you now. I also believe Colin is innocent.”

I arch my eyebrow.

“Because I know the person who poisoned uncle Benjamin and the one who murdered him are different.”

Interesting. She does know something about this after all. I was beginning to think I'm wasting time on her.

“Ivy is your friend, she must have told you something, right?”

“Yes she did,” she says without blinking.

“Can you tell me what she told you?”

“She made me promise not to tell.”

Oh wow! I must align with this lady. She could help me in many ways possible.

“What can I do so you break your promise?”

“I don't break my promises,” she admits. “But I can help you.”

I exhale with relief. “You have no idea how much help I need to crack this case.”

“But first, you have to help me.”

“Hmm, I'm all ears.”

“Call Ivy to this room while I execute my plans, will you?”

Damn! Is there a post vacant in the police force? I might need to recruit one more person.

“If you don't mind, can you tell me what plans you're making?”

“I need to keep Ivy as far away as possible from her house.”

“Alright, we can work together.”

I don't want to drag this further. I already know she won't tell me anything no matter what I do or say to her.

“Thank you. I think I'm done here.” She stands to leave.

“Sure.” I say while I try to wrap my head around this interrogation session.

She's very good at mind games I must confess. If I can't get the truth from her, maybe I can get it through her cooperation.

{Meers' POV}

I get a call from Laurel. She asks to meet her at a location she will share to me after I end the call regarding the case she presented a while back.

I arrive with my car to pick her up, then head out to the location. We end up in front of a single family detached house, in other words, her friend's house where we are to collect evidence from her younger sister while her friend is away. I wonder what this plan of hers is.

“You came!” The youngster exclaims.

“Ivy is at the police station with Ofiicer Henry so you don't have to worry about her coming here anytime soon,” Laurel says. “This is Mrs Meers and she's Colin's laywer,” she introduces me.

“So what is this about Laurel?” I ask.

“Don't worry ma'am, we'll find out soon,” she answers me then turns back to face Jane. “Are you with Colin's phone?”

“Yes,” she replies and hands over an android phone to Laurel.

“As I promised you Jane, I'll tell you what's new,” Laurel says. “Colin didn't poison uncle Benjamin and in case you're wondering, Ivy didn't kill him either. There's someone manipulating the situation to suit his or her selfish interest.”

“So who did?” I ask.

“Colin told me that he left the coffee he was preparing for uncle Benjamin unattended to to pick a phone call from an unknown number.”

“So… you think that's when his coffee got poisoned?”

“We can't be so sure yet but that's most likely what I infer.”

“So you're saying that the person who called Colin at that time also poisoned…”

Laurel interrupts Jane, “may have something to do with the poisoning incident.”

“Great! That's the new lead we need,” I cite officially.

“Are you satisfied now Jane?” Laurel asks.

Jane smiles, “thank you for clarifying that. I almost believed she was involved with his death.”

“She wasn't,” Laurel reassures.

Somehow, I still have my doubts. Anyway, what Laurel is doing is actually the best. No matter what, Jane should not see her sister as the enemy.

“Jane, I'll see you soon okay. Just stay low-key. And… Ivy isn't as bad as you think.”

“Thank you Laurel, thank you so much. I feel relieved now.”

We leave the house with the phone.

“Laurel, you are the most reasonable person I have ever met.”

I don't usually commend people but what Laurel did today impressed me a lot. She would make a good lawyer.

“Thank you so much Mrs Meers,” she says with a big smile on her face.

“That's enough now. We'll have to take this piece of information to the police.”

“No! Not yet!”

“Why?”

She hesitates. “Ivy is my best friend ma'am, she may not be the best human but I still care about her. If the police must be involved, I request that we just invite Officer Henry. It'd be safer for everyone if we trace this number without any police trouble.”

“If that's what you want, fine.”

“We should go now.”

We walk towards my car parked by the side of the road.

“You sacrificed an important job offer that could have boosted your career for someone as simple as Colin.”

She looks like she isn't sure whether to smile or not.

“After this madness is over and we win the case, I'll compensate for that.”

“Oh ma'am! Thank you very much!” She gets super excited. “Wait a minute, I have to call Ofiicer Henry, he can release Ivy now.”

I hide a small laugh.

{Henry's POV}

The Ivy before me looks so indifferent like she's always been. I also see how uneasy she is, shifting her head up and down and around the room. I try to get her to look at me but there's only much I can do.

“What's the issue Ivy?” I ask. “Are you still affected by the death of your uncle?”

“The period of grieving is over, so is whatever effect his death had on me,” she replies so clumsily.

“I see. So you are not bothered about any of this investigation going on.”

“Don't put words in my mouth officer.”

“Okay, let's say you actually do care about your uncle and you're bothered about his death, why would anyone want to murder him?”

“He may have plenty of enemies spread across the country. You know how much he likes to travel a lot, he may have made some along the way, given how inquisitive he was.”

“You seem to hold some resentment towards him.”

“Don't try to make this an issue and put me in the spotlight. Everyone who knows uncle Ben feels some kind of resentment towards him, Colin most especially.”

“Why Colin?”

She grunts. “I've told you time and time again, Colin should be jailed for life for this crime! Whether I'm affected by it or not, it doesn't help bring justice for uncle's death.”

I watch her closely. Other than beating around the bush, she is really determined on putting all the blame on innocent Colin.

“Personally, I do have my doubts about Colin involvement in this case.”

She huffs. “Who else is capable of such a thing? You've gone through his history and you know what kind of life he lived before I took him in, right?”

“You've dated Colin for over a year, how come you're just realizing now that he is capable of murder?”

“Yes! I know him better than anyone else. I've always had this hunch but I tried to push it away. You already know Colin grew up in the streets. I'm the one who made him become who he is today.”

“So why did you date him?”

“What!” She clearly feels disrespected.

I know that's a rude question to ask but Ivy is the most unreasonable and insensitive person, ever.

“Did you ever really love him?”

I've asked her this question once before but she managed to avoid the topic. Now that I have all the time in the world, let's see how she avoids this one.

“Are you questioning me regarding this murder case or about my lovelife?”

They say, birds of the same feather flock together but I can't say the same for Laurel and Ivy.

“Well, I'm asking you nicely,” I reply to her rude remark.

She rolls her eyes. Why isn't Ivy the murderer so I can just take her in handcuffs and throw her in the cell Colin was in on his first day?

My phone rings. It's Laurel on the line. I pick up. “Hello.”

“It's done, you can release Ivy now,” she hangs up.

Finally! A new lead and I won't have to bear this crappy excuse of a lady.

“Alright Ivy, since there's no making any progress with you, no need to keep you here anymore.”

“Good!” She gets up and leaves.

Good riddance!

{Meers' POV}

We arrive at an apartment of a technical geek downtown. An old friend of the city's police department. I know him because I've worked with him once during a case I handled on a robbery attack. His hacking skills are excellent but I can't say the same about his home management skills.

We step into his junkyard of an apartment, Laurel, Officer Henry and I along with Alex to meet him already working on his computer.

“My old friend,” Officer Henry greets.

“Nice to see you again officer,” Mork replies, still looking at his screen. “Where is the phone?”

Laurel drops the phone on his desk before him.

“In this situation, I can't track the location unless we get the line connected,” Mork explains before he turns to us. “Oh ma'am! You're here!”

“Yeah,” I give him an awkward smile.

He never forgets the people he has or once had a working relationship with. He'd be a good replacement for Albert Einstein if he had white hair instead that dirty brown fur on his head and maybe worked more on taking care of himself.

“Okay, umm… so what do we do?” Alex asks.

“Good question. We have to call the number. If the person picks up the call, I'll be able to track the location,” Mork says.

“Won't that be too much of a risk? We may have the upper hand now but if we give ourselves out like this to whoever receives the call, that will blow our cover,” I tell them.

“Okay, so I'll make the call,” Laurel suggests.

“Let me do it,” Alex insists. “It'd be safer if someone with no connection to this case makes the call instead. You've already gotten too involved in this matter.”

“I agree with him,” I second.

Laurel locates the unknown number by the time the call came through to Colin and she recovers it. Alex dials the number with his phone and places a call. After several trials, a woman finally answers the phone and Mork starts working on his computer to track the location.

The woman on the phone speaks Irish/Gaelic so it is difficult to understand what she's saying. Alex replies in English and they have some sort of conversation, only that they can't understand each other. Officer Henry, who is a native keeps nodding as the woman speaks.

“Got it!” Mork shouts excitedly and Alex ends the call abruptly. I could hear him sigh for relief.

“So did you get anything officer? It seemed as though you understood what the hell she was saying,” Laurel says.

“We have the location and this woman can help us,” Officer Henry says.

“How?” I ask.

“Well, we won't know until we meet up with her, right?” Officer Henry replies.

I immediately regret skipping Irish lessons back in school.

“Give me a second.” Officer Henry takes the phone from Alex and steps aside. He calls the number again to talk to the woman.

They communicate in Irish so we can't understand a thing they say. After their conversation, Officer Henry ends the call.

“We have to meet up with this woman A.S.A.P”

{Henry's POV}

We arrive at the location Mork, my friend gave us. It won't be difficult to identify the house where the woman lives. It's a small town and houses here are scanty. It seems people recently started moving here becasue there are lots of building projects all around.

“Will you be able to recognize this woman if you see her?” Alex asks me.

“We have her house address and she probably lives alone,” I reply him.

We stand in front of a small bungalow, the house looks old but surely rigid. The paintings are washed unlike the newer houses around so this definitely is her house.

“Wait here,” I tell them.

I walk to the veranda and knock on the door. A middle aged woman, probably a widow opens for me.

“Dia dhuit bhean uasail,” I greet.

(Hello madam)

“Fáilte, conas atá oifigeach agat?” She answers.

(Welcome, how are you officer?)

“Táim ceart go leor go raibh maith agat.”

(I'm fine, thank you)

“Tar isteach agus suigh le do thoil.”

(Come in and take a seat please)

“Bith go raibh maith agat.”

(Thank you)

We enter her house and make ourselves comfortable. It seems like I'll be doing all the talking. She walks to the kitchen with intentions to prepare something for us but before she gets the chance to start doing so, I speak up.

“An feidir leat cabhrú liom le do thoil?”

(Can you help me please?)

She turns to me. “Is feidir liom,” she replies.

(Yes I can)

I believe she will help us a great deal. She seems warm and welcoming.

I explain the situation and why we are invading her privacy to see her and she listens attentively. She gives us the information we need. She tells us - or me rather about a man who she works for once in a while back in the city. He used her phone to make a call at the exact day and time I provided her.

“Cé hé an fear seo?” I ask.

(Who is this man?)

“Is é a ainm Kelvin,” she answers.

(His name is Kelvin)

I turn to the others, “who is Kelvin?”

Laurel and Alex briefly glance at each other before they face me again.

“It can't be Kelvin!” Alex mutters.

“Well, I am not surprised at all,” Laurel says, rolling her eyes.

“What are you both whispering about?” I ask.

“Hold on.” Alex brings out his phone and shows me his friend's picture. “Ask her if he is the man in there.”

I show the phone to the woman. I haven't even gotten her name yet.

“An bhfuil sé an ceann?” I ask her.

(Is he the one?)

“Is ea,” she affirms.

(Yes)

I look at the picture closely to capture his face in the side of my brain memory meant for special suspects.

“He's the one,” I tell the others.

“Go raibh maith agat as cuidiú linn bhean uasail,” I thank her. “Tá brón orm as a bheith drochbhéasach. An féidir liom a fhios d'ainm?”

(Thank you for helping us madam. // I'm sorry for being rude. Can I know your name?)

“Is é mo ainm Martha.”

(My name is Martha)

“Go raibh míle maith agat go mór Martha”

(Thank you very much Martha)

# # # # #

Hey readers, it was a bit difficult getting this last POV but here it is. Irish language is so damn hard yunno. Lemme know if you also like Irish like I do, k

Q&A

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