The Piper's Call

Chapter 15

I decided that this week, I'm going to do a double bill of TPC. These chapters read better together, with no weekly gaps. Hope you enjoy! 

Chapter 15- Secrets and Lies

Nina's P.O.V

It's not that I didn't like Helen's company, quite the opposite, but I feared that her idiocy had rubbed off on me. I stared blankly at my room walls. The writing seemed to have multiplied.  And yet, it didn't make any more sense. What was happening to me? I needed to see everything in steps but it was all jumbled. My thoughts felt like a James Bond martini- shaken, not stirred. 

I didn't turn around to greet the dark figure in the door. Whoever it was, they weren't making themselves useful so they could leave for all I cared. "What the hell have you done to your room?" was the outburst that rang out. Charlie. Distinctly unhelpful.

"Case notes. Helen is OK with it." I added the last part without thinking, Helen's opinion didn't really count in terms of this case, but it still felt right to acknowledge it. 

Charlie entered the room, still gaping at my written interpretations on the wall. "It's a mess!"

"I can assure you that it all has a perfectly logical order." I sighed and proceeded to analyze the scant details that we did have. Eliza Reynolds and her father were the biggest leads we had, and we knew almost nothing about them. I was convinced that if we just had that one piece of evidence...everything would become clearer.

 Charlie flicked the suicide note that was pinned on the wall nonchalantly. "Nice. Sweet. You ever tried badminton? Or shopping? Any hobbies that are a bit more...that don't involve kidnap."

 I gave an exaggerated eye roll, an action I had oftern seen Charlie do around me. Funny, he didn't seem to appreciate it. 

"Why are you bothering to do this anyway? It's what we have police for, dear." He ruffled my hair and  I immediately felt the familiar tension entering my body. I vowed to rip his hand off if he tried that again. And anyway, wasn't the answer obvious? One glance at his vacant expression told me otherwise. And to think, this man was in charge of educating an entire generation. 

"Everyone is always searching for a purpose to their life. But there isn't just one purpose for everyone, like most things, it's open to interpretation. Everyone has an individual purpose, if you don't live up to your purpose... you might as well not live. What's the point of life if you don't use it for something remarkable?" That caused Charlie's eyebrows to shoot up.  I pressed on. "There must be a reason for me here. A purpose. Why I'm here and Dad isn't. And this case feels like it's going to lead to something bigger, something huge. My purpose." 

I stopped for a few moments, transfixed at the thought. Whatever was coming, I knew it was big. Charlie seemed lost for words, his mouth flopped open and closed for a few minutes. Then he grinned stupidly and continued, "So, how's Helen?"

"I am finding her competent. She does not annoy me too frequently, only every few hours." 

Charlie sighed deeply before replying with, "That's not what I meant. She's not returning my calls, has she talked about me?"

This was normal behaviour for Charlie. His brain was wired differently to mine, his wires, I believed,  were faulty. They seemed to place an inordinate amount of attention on the opposite sex. "She hasn't. Her phone appears to be in working order, if that's what you're asking. Frankly, she can't seem to live without checking it every two seconds."

This answer didn't seem to satisfy him. I turned my attention back to my notes, studying the suicide note that Mr Reynolds left. One more piece of evidence, I told myself. One little piece and it would all click into place.