Trishank: A Way In

Chapter 8

"There are very few feelings which words would do justice in explaining. What I feel right now, fortunately doesn't fall in that area. Gregory, my little Greg... You were taken away too soon," he wiped a stray tear that burnt his right cheek before continuing, "I have often wondered whom the father was, every time we have had a heart-to-heart. For a man of his age... For a boy of his age, he had been a sturdy rock to lean upon, till the very end. Heaven is too fortunate to take you back this soon my little angel. You'll be remembered."

It was a quaint little church, seeing full attendance in a long, long time. Samantha had a tissue in hand, just in case. She wouldn't cry, of course, but alternatively understood the need to keep up appearances.

she wasn't experiencing lament, deep down. It was something else. Lament pierces a heart. This feeling, unlike lament, spiked hers - burnt hers. I am getting to the bottom of this.

She was never chummy with her brother. Rather, they were cat and mouse, much like your run of the mill siblings. Doesn't make it any less preposterous now, does it. One of the best agents any agency could've asked for. Freelancing wasn't a good look on your resume, not unless you were as competent as Greg. Which didn't help but raise the question, HOW?

Pulled back to reality from a tender touch on her shoulder, she turned around. "Christian! It's nice t- oh.." she stopped herself, mindful of the setting they were in.

"Don't sweat it, I understand where it came from. How are you doing?" He sat beside her, not waiting for an answer. He actually wasn't expecting one.

"All things considered..." she followed that up with a shrug.

Christian didn't say anything, just sat there, throughout the service.

"You know, would it be too crazy if I wanted to join intelligence?" Christian was certainly not expecting that question, of all the topics such a situation would have warranted.

"Sam.. now is not the perfect time to make life choices. Give it a while. I am sure the police is doing everything in their power to find the killer and bring him to justice. Get your Ph.D, he would have wanted that."

"I've been contemplating this for a while now. Think about it. The law degree and my current paper. I'd be an ace criminal profiler before you can say 'pineapples'. You know what, now that I'm saying this out loud, it makes proper sense to me! Chris, I know what to do with my life now!" This was met by solemn silence from Christian's part.

__________________________________________________

"Are you insinuating something, Ms. Graves?"

Flashes of Mr. Danton's words ran through Evelyn's head as she sat with a book in her hand, eyes trained to it, but focusing somewhere in between the lines.

"Proof is a formidable weapon, wouldn't you agree?"

Well, isn't it obvious? If you were asking me to prove something, means you did it, doesn't it.

"Holds more sway than truth itself."

Whom do you think you're fooling with that 'Oh so mysterious' demeanour?

"You know, I could say that you have no form of ownership to this store and my words will hold heed... can you say the same about yours?"

What of the bequeathal then? 

As if on cue, the phone rang.

She picked up the phone and answered in a mocking tone, "Evie Bookstore how can I help you?"

"No time for jokes Evie. This is an urgent matter. I need the duplicate bequeathal that you have. Snaps of it will do." Christian's hurried words confused Evelyn.

"Um, I don't have it here, it's still in my apartment."

"... What."

"Yeah..."

"Are you OUT OF YOUR MIND EVE? Isn't it common sense to carry the bequeathal with you? What form of ownership do you have to that store that you're living in right now?"

Huh, that's weird..

"Chris, Chris.. calm down. This isn't that bad. I can make it back within 2 hours and get it to your office, but what's wrong?" As she was speaking, she noticed something shimmering on the ground.

"The bank that I stored the original in burned down."

"I- What now? How the heck did that happen?" A bit distracted from the conversation, she focused on the reflection that fell on the floor. It was colourful, like a boxy rainbow on the floor. She went near it to know the source.

"They're looking into it. That's not why I called you. I can still make a claim at the court with your copy. Don't bother coming here. I have already taken the tube."

Evelyn was more focused on finding out the source than the conversation. She came back just in time to hear enough"Oh thank you Chris."

"Just tell me you haven't changed your key combination Evie."

It was a normal window with a holographic prism placed in a peculiar angle. Almost everything was normal about the window, except for the little 'o' marking.

"Evie."

"Oh yeah, yeah the combination. Yes it's 6620," she went near the window, dislodged the vacuum holder that held the prism and placed it inside the circle. A perfect fit? The prism borrowed from the sun and dispersed it upon the opposite wall.

Soon as it hit the metal sheet on that wall, the floor below shrieked open.

"I'm really sorry Evie... I'll lodge a formal complaint soon." Her conscious momentarily popped back, just to hear these lines from Christian.

"A complaint?"

"Were you even listening, you idiot? Your house got robbed!"