A Week Later
ROBIN sat on his chair furiously tapping his pen as he looked at his board. What kind of sheriff was he? He was solving a murder case and after a week he had nothing, he was still in the beginning.
All he knew was that Josh was the last person who met her before the killer. Sarah had told Lisa when the presumed killer rang the bell and Erik passed by her house at the time of the murder.
He started feeling hopeless when someone knocked.
"Come in.", he said and in came Peter, a fellow policeman. He was one of those who were working at the crime scene. The police had gone to the house gathered all they needed and finally left days ago. But they hadn't opened the place up for people to visit.
"Good morning sir.", the man said.
"Peter, good morning. Have you got anything?", Robin asked.
"Yes sir.", Peter said.
"Well go ahead then.", Robin said gesturing for Peter to sit.
"So we had found some items at Sarah's house. We found a necklace laying on the floor in the room while on the kitchen counter was an empty alcohol bottle which seemed recently opened at the time we found it. But most importantly we found a watch, a man's watch to be precise.", Peter said and Robin nodded.
"So our killer is presumably a man then.", he said.
"Presumably but what about the alcohol bottle, there was no used cup indicating that the person drank from the bottle?", Peter asked and Robin snapped his fingers.
"Let's assume something. Let's say the killer came and they chatted, she served him a drink, he probably didn't need a cup and drank like that. Things could have gotten heated, say, he might have wanted something from her, something she didn't give and then they got in an argument and boom, the fight and...."
"But sir, we found the alcohol bottle in the kitchen, and it's farthest from her room where she was found dead and there was no trace of her being dragged to the room. We can however assume that whoever it was talked with her in the kitchen and maybe she went to the room and he followed her and there they argued before he killed her.", Peter said and Robin looked impressed.
"That's a good assumption, but whoever it was must have been very comfortable with her, for him to take off his watch perhaps. Where did you say you found the watch?", Robin asked.
"In the kitchen, just some metres away from the alcohol bottle.", Peter said "And yes, something strange also.", Peter added.
"What?"
"The watch was broken. It was cracked along the face and it had stopped working and it definitely stopped when the person was at the house", Peter said.
"What was the time?", Robin asked.
"Seven ten. And for all we know, the crime was committed within the period of seven to eight-thirty, which was the time from when Lisa had her last call with Sarah till Lisa called us. And if this person was at the house during that time frame, then it means he must be involved in the murder."
"That's good, that's very good. This is it, the killer was a man who drank at her house, and got into an argument which would explain the punches she received. Good.", Robin paused. "We need to catch him first to know the full story. Take the watch to forensics, let's see who the bastard is.", Robin said and Peter nodded before leaving.
And for the first time since the burial, Robin smiled.
》》》》》
Hugh and Pablo sat in silence at a table in the back of the pub. Hugh was swirling the small bottle in is hand and Pablo was staring at him, studying him.
Hugh had called him earlier saying he wanted to talk and Pablo being free decided to come.
"Bro are you good?", Pablo asked and Hugh nodded before ordering another drink.
"I hope you don't plan on getting drunk 'cause it's still bright in the day.", Pablo warned as the waiter came with another drink.
Hugh just shook his head and at this Pablo became worried.
"Is everything fine, I hope you and Lisa are good?", Pablo asked.
"Yeah we're fine, she's thinking of going back to her house though.", Hugh said.
"I hope you guys aren't arguing.",
"No Pablo that's not why I called you. I... I've been feeling terrible man. My conscience's eating me.", Hugh said and Pablo caught up to what he meant.
"Hugh, I hope you know you're not at fault.",
"How am I not at fault? Pablo, she wanted to tell me something but I kept ranting about my broken watch and other silly things.", he said.
"How would you have known, what would you have known?", Pablo asked.
"Pablo I saw Sarah that day and you know it was after Josh had left.", Hugh whispered and continued. "I have been thinking about it and I remembered how she looked, she was worried about something and when I asked she brushed it off but...",
"But what man, what? You said it yourself, she brushed it off. You can't blame yourself for that. Think even, what she would have been worried about might not have been related to the murderer.", Pablo said.
"But I could have pestered her to tell me, I should have, after all, we were like siblings.", Hugh said and sighed. "Even if it wasn't, what about when I left the house? I swore I saw something but silly me thought it was the alcohol. I don't even know how I got home that night. If I hadn't been a chicken and checked what or who was there, I'm sure I would have seen the person who...", he trailed.
"Yeah, Hugh. What or who. It could have been a what.", Pablo said.
"Pablo c'mon. You have to see that I was at fault, I should have paid attention to Sarah and her surroundings. If I had, maybe she wouldn't have died.", he said and took another large gulp out of his drink.
"So this has been bothering you for a week now?", Pablo asked.
"Yes.", Hugh nodded.
"And have you told Lisa?"
"How can I bro? What would she think of me, she would ask why I lied, and you know she wouldn't believe why I did.", Hugh said.
"Cmon, Lisa would understand, she's your girlfriend.", Pablo said.
"And Sarah was her best friend, so she wouldn't see any good reason and would jump to the conclusion that I committed the crime just like Robin would if I had told him.", Hugh said and finished his drink feeling tipsy.
After a pause, he spoke again. "By the way, thanks for covering up and allowing me to use your mother's story.", Hugh said.
"It's nothing. It was the best thing you could say, plus no one's gonna go meet my old mother and ask her.", Pablo said.
Hugh was about to order another drink when Pablo stopped him.
"C'mon now. Let's go. I'll drop you at my place and when you're rested, you'll go back to yours.", Pablo said helping Hugh up.
"Did you bring your car?", Hugh slurred.
"Yeah."
"Good, we'll go in yours 'cause I didn't bring mine.", Hugh said and they left unaware of the fact that Sidney Callister was a few seats behind them and had just heard snippets of their conversation, the compromising parts.
So she called Eugene Peters, the only man she trusted and confided in, the man she loved and the one she was pregnant for, even though he didn't know.
"Sidney, how are you, what is it?", he asked.
"I'm fine. Uh, can we talk?"
"Is it about, you being in Sarah's house that night?", Eugene asked in return.
"Yes, and I have what might keep me off the trail of the sheriff.", she whispered, discreetly checking if anyone was looking or listening to her.
"Fine, where are you?", he asked.
"At the pub.", she said.
"Okay, give me ten minutes then meet me a street behind.", he said and hung up.
While she waited, she wondered if she could use this opportunity to tell Eugene she was pregnant. Then the thought crossed her mind, what if he rejected her?
I should've just aborted it, she thought. She mentally smacked her head for listening to Sarah. Sarah had found out about her secret affair with Eugene. Even if his wife did the same, Eugene didn't want everyone knowing he too cheated on his wife. Sarah also found out that Sidney was pregnant.
Sidney had gone to Sarah's house that day to tell Sarah that she was going to abort it. Sarah was the only person who knew, asides from the doctor who gave her the news. She could have gone ahead and done it without Sarah but she sort of wanted someone's assistance, she didn't want to do it alone.
When she told Sarah about it, Sarah disagreed. They had argued about it severally but that very day, Sarah called her over that they should talk about it calmly this time.
Sarah knew that regardless of her view on abortion, the choice wasn't hers to make and there was only so much she could do. Sarah just wanted to try and convince Sidney otherwise.
Eugene knew about their meeting that evening because he wanted to stop by Sidney's apartment that night but she had told he she was meeting with Sarah. He didn't know why they met so when he heard the news the next day, he asked her what exactly went down.
She tried to lie to him but he saw through it. She ended up telling him a half-truth and tried her best to make it believable. She left out the part of her pregnancy.
Eugene didn't bother asking further 'cause he had the conclusion that Sidney was somehow related to the murder and Sidney knowing she was, was afraid to reveal anything further, even to Eugene.
Minutes later, she left the pub and headed to meet Eugene in his car. She checked over her shoulder to see if anyone followed her. When she was sure no one did, she entered.
"How are you?", he asked after kissing her on the lips.
"Fine."
"So what did you hear?", he asked.
"Hugh had met with Sarah that night too. He was drunk when he was there and he kept telling Pablo that his conscience was killing him.", she quickly explained.
Eugene was quiet for a while.
"So he did it. He killed Sarah and comes at her burial saying she's like a sister.", he hesitated before he spoke again. "But I heard from Gwendolyn that his alibi was good.", Eugene said.
"So? He lied then.", Sidney said simply and Eugene clapped.
"Well, what are you waiting for, head to the station and tell them what you know. Be the innocent and law-abiding citizen you are so that no one will think of suspecting you.", Eugene said.
And Sidney smiled before she pulled him in for a passionate kiss.
Oh my, what a chapter. I just recovered from a writer's block that lasted days. Anyways thank goodness it's over and I'm back. So what do you think of Sidney and Eugene, could they really be involved in the murder and what of Hugh, should he feel as guilty as he does?
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