Echoes Of Silence

Chapter 2

Sebastian Randers and Paul Davies walked out of the room trying to piece together the facts of the case while thinking over the ending of their conversation with Mrs Summers.

"I know she ran away."

Sebastian sat up straighter as Mrs Summers stared at them with hard eyes, the shaken woman from earlier disappearing.

"What do you mean by that?" Sebastian asked cautiously. "How do you know?"

"Because I heard her.....on the phone two days before she vanished. It was after Mr Hills had gone to work and I was heading toward their room to clean, just as I was about to open the door which was already slightly open, I heard Sasha–um Mrs Hills talking on the phone." Mrs Summers stopped speaking and began to fidget.

"What was she saying?" Sebastian asked. She remained silent, looking guilty. Obviously in conflict of whether or not what she was telling the detectives meant betraying the trust of her employer and from the way it seemed, her friend. "We need to know ma'am, so we can help."

Mrs Summers looked at them and sighed.

"She doesn't need your help detectives, but I'll tell you anyway since it doesn't really change anything." She stated blankly looking resigned. "Mrs Hills was talking very quickly and quietly so I couldn't really hear much but I did hear her saying that if it doesn't work she was going to die, that she can't take it anymore and more things along that line of speech before I entered the room because I felt bad for ease dropping, although I have no idea who she was speaking to. Two days later, she's going out with the children without Mr Hills to buy 'ice cream' with three duffle bags and a tight hug for me from all of them...so yes, I'm pretty sure she ran away."

"But why would she run, what could she not take anymore?" Paul asked.

Mrs Summers face tightened and she looked away.

"I don't know."

She lied. It was obvious to everyone in the room but no one could call it out,she was currently the only link to the dead body and if she closed up....things will be difficult.

Paul opened his mouth, the look on his face signalling that he was about to say something that could potentially annoy the older lady, he didn't have the best track record when it come to dealing with people, despite the pretty face.

"Did Mr Hills have any enemies?" Sebastian quickly interjected, shutting Paul down. "Anyone threats or attacks?"

"No, none that I know of. In fact despite the fact that there are rumours that he is involved with the darker side of business, that's what they are...Rumours.  Mr Hills was too much of a paranoid and cautious man to even consider getting involved with the underworld, he didn't even have any friends, he particularly cut his family off from the outside world with the exception of official matters. No one every came to the house even for work, it made the kids kind of sad. And both of the kids grandparents were dead and they had no other relatives." She said,finally looking at the detectives. "He was a man with no friends but also no enemies. Look I've told you all I know"

"So there's no one we can speak to, no one knowledgeable around that can shed some light on this?" He inquired gently, eyes calculating.