"I just asked myself if I am crazy.
We all said No."
~Unknown
One year and two months ago...
Months passed ever since Eugene Barbell's body was parachuted down over Ariana's yard on her birthday, wrapping up the ten Big. B. murders and disappearances in a grim style.
To say they're wrapped up, though, is far fetched. The murderer was still out there and untraceable. He only sent those letters full of personal vainglory, then left. He seemed, from afar, everything but remorseful.
Out of the four victims that survived, only three lived in peace ever after, like the survivors of a Hunger Game but without much memories. Virgo Styles was missing.
He never arrived at Ariana's birthday party but he never returned back home either. He simply vanished, which worried his family so much since he was haunted by epilepsy on top of it all.
The national police forces never ceased looking for him but many doubted he was even still alive.
The murderer must've gotten to him, they thought.
They were somehow resigned to the fact that the killer would send his body in a gruesome way, and they couldn't do nothing. This would start back again.
Ariana, meanwhile, was certain it had something to do with her suspicions. She was sure he remembered everything that happened to him, and the killer.
Christmas arrived. Ariana had been engaged to Joseph for months now and they moved in together in her house a small time prior to snow falling.
And snow fell big time that year, tucking them all inside their homes.
"Damn it, I've always been too short to put the star on top of the tree," Ariana said as she struggled around the Christmas tree they set up in the living room. Joseph was watching her covering his mouth with amusement as he picked up a box from across the room.
She was wearing fuzzy, cozy Christmas socks and a knit oversized sweater and she looked like an angel.
"Oh, you shorty," he came around giving her a playful slap on the rear while he caught her from behind. He put up the star on the top of the tree for her, in the end.
"All done," he breathed in the crook of her neck and she moaned. The TV plasma was on in the living room and the news post sang on the background.
"-UK weather: Snow hits Britain as temperatures plunge to minus 4 degrees. We're going to start seeing temperatures recover during the week but they're still going to be below average," the lady on the news said.
"It's good you're so hot that you're going to keep me warm." Joseph was nibbling Ariana's ear as they were simply making out near the tree.
"We're going to take down the tree Jo, and tomorrow's Christmas." Ariana was letting loose in his arms. Ever since he moved in with her the house had become livable, tolerable. She used to get drowned in the loneliness.
Joseph had been a bit reticent at first to move in with her, despite being addicted to her. It felt strange to him to move in to his rich fiancée's because he was the man, and he didn't want to be taking advantage of her. But she won the debate.
Joseph had a serious job now, though, and he was saving up for when they'll move in to a house to which they'll contribute equally. This house was beautiful but somehow too big and fancy for his comfort. A bit hollow.
He missed having to trot sideways because the hallway was too stuffed or never finding anything at all because of the mess.
"Breaking news: Missing famous mountain climber Derek Brown dies at 27. He was found dead on a Cairngorm Mountain slope at about an elevation of 900 m above sea level, believed to have died in a skying accident. A goodbye note found in his rental cabin says otherwise."
Hearing that Ariana gaped her mouth and dropped her hands off Joseph. "Oh my God. Dominique!" She grabbed her phone and dialed Dominique, her arm trembling.
"That's Dominique's husband?"
"Shhh. Hello! Dominique!" Her friend picked up and Ariana was speaking to her, consoling her, while someone rang the doorbell.
Joseph rushed to answer the door thinking it must be the police, only to open it and find Simon standing there dressed like an Eskimo.
"Hey." He smiled, his glazed over blue eyes crinking. Joseph frowned. That guy looked way too handsome, he thought.
"Simon... Did we expect you?" Joseph smiled, shaking hands with the guy. He looked down at his tattooed hand.
"Nah, I just thought I'd pass out on Ari's couch."
"Oh ok, then come in I guess. I've recently moved in so I feel strange being the one inviting people in..." Joseph was scratching his head as he drew himself aside, letting Simon in. Simon walked in bringing the winter with him, leaving trails of snow, water and mashed ice from his heavy boots in his wake.
"Sorry for that," the guy pulled down his heavy Russian cap, revealing his messy hair. Heck, he still looked like a model, Joseph thought. "I'll clean it up, just give me a second." Simon hung his heavy layers of wet clothes in the hanger inside the rickety style cupboard in the anteroom.
At first Joseph didn't really believe him when he said 'he'll clean it up.' But in a minute or less he came back with a mop. The guy was seriously going through with it.
"Well, I guess that's nice of you to clean up," Joseph laughed it off as he went into the kitchen, bringing around some beers. "Want a beer?"
As he was mopping, Samuel looked up with a strange smile.
"Nope. I'll drive if Ariana needs me so I won't drink while I'm here."
Joseph almost cursed under his breath. What's this guy doing in his house sticking to his fiancée like that? Oh wait, it wasn't even really his house.
"Don't worry, I'll drive. I'm her fiancé." Joseph widened his eyes and raised his brows as he emphasized that last word.
"Oh. I just thought you wanted to drink-"
"Oh, Simon!" Ariana came in the salon looking very much surprised. She put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm cleaning, you see." Simon wiped his brow and smiled at Ariana. Joseph felt awkward. Ariana went right ahead and inspected his floor work.
"There's a spot left," she said, but she looked wistful.
"No guys, I'm officially the slob in the room." Joseph drank as he watched the scene unfold.
"Where? Where's tha' spot?" Simon was actually alarmed. Ariana laughed then.
"Right there." She gestured to a spot that was barely noticeable even when light refracted through it. "Now guys, I can see that you two can barely stand each other."
Ariana went to stand right in the middle of the distance between them with a smirk while Simon was completely abstract and Joseph feigned ignorance. "But I have to leave. There's a possible new case in the air and it's one of my best friends' husband... He committed suicide but I believe he was murdered." Ariana stamped her feet while she was putting on a puffer jacket that reminded Joseph of a comforter.
Simon rose his eyebrows.
"But Ariana, it's Christmas eve, give it a rest." Joseph came in front of her trying to reason with her as she was fitting her red mittens.
"This is about a friend, I'll rest tonight." Ariana breathed through a smile while she clicked her heel.
"Look at the weather, Ari. It's a blizzard out there. Besides, I just came, we could all three play some Xbox instead?" Simon suggested with a cocky face.
Joseph thought of how he'd rather cuddle in two with Ariana.
"I'll be back tonight."
"Where exactly are you going?" Joseph touched Ariana gently on the shoulder.
"I don't know. Maybe I'll go skying."
"I'll drive you," Joseph stated.
"You drank," Simon pointed out.
"I'm going alone," she said, darted away in a rush, and let the front door shut behind her.
*
Present time, London...
"Although it sounds SF to me, we believe he possesses the ability to erase other people's memories at will." Jacob said and leaned back against the chair.
Erase memories?, Ariana was processing the thought.
This was about Simon now... Simon who was more like a brother to her than her own brother.
"I've known Simon for ten years..." she stated more out of shock, her head in her hands, knowing the more she delayed this, the worse.
Simon was innocent anyway and they must have it wrong. She didn't believe any of that erasing menories SF shit.
"We met when I started my swimming courses. Eventually he became my swimming coach in his free time."
Jacob nodded. He'd of course met Simon before on different occasions but didn't know too much about their relationship. He noted down the fact that Ariana and Simon are good at swimming.
"Who's the witness you were talking about?" Ariana gestured as she remembered she forgot to ask.
"Virgo Styles," Jacob told her watching her reaction carefully.
He expected she'd be surprised due to the fact that he had been missing for more than one year now, but despite a gleam of flicker in her blue eyes for one second, she didn't seem surprised at all.
Sitting across from Jacob, she thought of how the last shade of Virgo Styles she saw was that letter, promising her to honour her birthday invitation.
And then he disappeared and they assumed he was kidnaped. They never thought he could've just walked out of their lives.
So Virgo Styles really remembered.