PIE HAS BEEN SERVED

Chapter 7

Location: Marcella's home

"Marcy!! Ken is here!", a middle-aged woman shouts, letting in Kenneth, "she's in her room", she instructs him in her normal voice.
"Thanks Mrs. Roberts.", Kenneth smiles and climbs upstairs.

"Where were you yesterday!?", Kenneth barges in Marcella's room as he has always done that since childhood.
"Ken! Knock!", Marcella jumps up in her bed and gestures knocking with her knuckles, "have you been skipping your medication again?"
Kenneth feels embarrassed and scratches his scalp, "sorry! Old habits! And no..wait maybe...I don't know!!", he reaches the end of the bed and continues, "anyway, enough about me, back to you, why did you leave suddenly?", sitting down, "I followed you almost immediately but you were nowhere to be found! I was worried."
"I..I took the bus.", she shifts to make space for him, feeling apologetic.
"Marcie, I understand..", Kenneth in turn feels guilty for putting her on the stand, "..but you need to understand too that Miss. Clarke might not be your ideal teacher."
Marcella looks away disappointed.
Kenneth fumbles and mouths curses, possibly directed at himself.
"What?", Marcella sees Kenneth troubled, "tell me."
Kenneth still isn't convinced that Marcella is ready to hear his accusations. He stammers and tries tactics to change the subject, "say Marcie, you wouldn't mind writing up my assignment for the class, right? Please!", Kenneth pleads mockingly.
Marcella might not be as smart as he is but she knows bullshit when she hears it. She stares him down with such intensity informing him that it isn't working, "what did you mean about Miss. Olivia?"
Kenneth rolls his eyes and sighs, "fine! Remember it's my theory but I think George isn't the first time she dated a student."
Marcella's eyes becomes wide in disbelief.

Location: Swerhalt Market Area

Kenneth and Marcella go out for fresh air and run some errands, mainly emergency shopping for groceries for Marcella's mother.
"Thanks for coming.", Marcella coos.
Kenneth stops in his tracks and turns around to face Marcella, "don't be ridiculous!", he turns back and starts walking, "today's treat's on me!"
Marcella smiles to herself, "do you even have enough money for it?", she poked fun at him.
"I..I do, I do.", Kenneth tries to fight back, but deep inside he knows that she's right, she's always right. "We will have ice cream from our favourite truck.", he assures her.
"That sounds good.", Marcella smiles and skips in joy.
Kenneth smiles from ear to ear.

The two of them roamed around the aisles of the supermarket, getting the things listed. They act like old married couples, constantly bickering and making up, playing pranks on each other and play fighting. To a bystander, they would look like a lovey-dovey couple, but sadly they are far from acknowledging their feelings for one another.
"That's about it then.", Marcella ticks the gallon of milk off the list.
"Let's go!", Kenneth pushes the cart to the nearest cash register.

They each carried one medium-sized packet of groceries.
"You feeling alright now?", Kenneth asks hesitantly.
Marcella nods slightly, freeing Kenneth of his guilt.
They walk up to the ice cream truck sitting at its usual spot.

The server greets them both from inside the rainbow coloured, fancy doodled ice cream truck. They place their orders and are asked to wait while their ice creams are being prepared. Kenneth looks around, sighing, "if only I had saved up some money.."
Marcella gives him a pointed look, "that's what you always say!"
"I know but it's so hot today! We could have gone in and relax.", Kenneth wipes sweat off his forehead, pointing to the cafe on the opposite side of the street.
Marcella is staring intently at one of windows of the cafe. "Doesn't that look like Sheila?"
"What?", Kenneth tries to match Marcella's line of sight, "where?"
"Second window left of the door, one row in", she keeps staring.
Kenneth is still measuring the coordinates Marcella gave, "is she with a guy? This is big!"
Marcella shifts her attention to the other party but, "it seems like an older man. Kenn, you still can't see?", she tries adjusting the position of Kenneth's head.
"Oh shit!", Kenneth looks at Marcella, "that's Detective Jones!", she makes an equally surprised and confused face.

Location: Detective Smith's car

Smith is driving on a countryside highway through the paddy fields, blasting loud music and singing along. He has always been a child at heart. It's his way of dealing with work related stress. He has always liked the suburbs, but his high ambitions led him to the city.

Location: Yorkfield Smith Farms

Detective Smith stops at a barn where he is greeted by the workers. They greet him warmly and prompt him to walk up to the farmhouse.
There, he is again greeted by a bunch of housekeepers who help him to navigate his way upstairs.

"Good afternoon. How have you two been?", Detective Smith wishes as he enters.
"Oh my!", the female with half-grey hair and wrinkled skin jumps up from her seat.
The older male smiles and sits up in his bed.
"I came as soon as I heard.", Smith hugs his mother, "it's the fourth time this year!", he sighs.
"I know. But who will make this old log understand!?", Mrs. Smith asks rhetorically, "but but but.."
Detective Smith raises an eyebrow.
"..we have a special surprise for you today.", she continues.
Mr. Smith nods happily.
"I have a feeling I won't like it.", younger Smith hesitates.
"Nonsense!", his mother exclaims, "you will like her!", she leaves the two boys to talk.
Detective Smith takes the seat and asks, "are you feeling better?"
"Now that you are here..", older Smith replies, "..much better. But I really wish you settle down soon."
"I will. It's just not the right time. I'm on an important case, you see.." Detective Smith interrupts his father.
Mr. Smith sighs and says, "we know. We read the papers, but you need a break."
"I will settle down, I promise, when the time is right!", Detective Smith fidgets.
Mr. Smith squirms a little, "you always say that", and settles in a more comfortable position, "we want what's best for you."
Detective Smith rubs his temple, "I know. I am sorry, but you can't keep calling me over like this."
"Are you still upset?", the old Smith enquires in a low voice.
"Dad..", Smith leans closer, "..it was a long time ago and...", he continues, ".. don't worry, yes?"
"Yes", Mr. Smith reluctantly continues, "but your case? It's.."
"Look what I made today!", Mrs. Smith barges in with a maid behind her, "your favourite!", putting a halt to the father-son conversation.

The rest of their afternoon is spent in uneventful chit-chat. In the early evening, the old couple sends off their son to meet up with the girl they intended to set him up with. They think their actual plan pays off, but little do they know that their son has been struggling with his own demons which he has to face before engaging in whatever his parents are planning.
At the end of their short encounter, they exchange a hearty handshake and part ways.
Detective Smith walks back to the farmhouse where his parents are waiting in anticipation. He gives them the news they were expecting but not hoping for.
"Good night. And be well. I love you.", Detective Smith greets them both, takes his jacket from the hands of the house help, "..and please don't pull this stunt again", he eyes his father sternly and heads out.

Location: Swerhalt Police Station

Detective Smith comes in the late evening after attending to his personal affairs.
"Good evening, detective!", Officer Dickson wishes, "running early for tomorrow?", he laughs.
"Good morning, officer!", he grins and greets the front desk and walks up to his partner's office to catch up.

Location: Detective Jones' office

"Howdy, partner? Any new leads?", Smith stands at the door.
"Come in. I thought you would be gone for the day.", Jones signals him to take a seat.
"Just swinging by before heading home", Smith informs as he enters.
"Sheila came in today. Here's her interview sheet." He hands over his notepad to Smith.
Detective Smith takes it and settles down. Without looking away from the pad, he states, "these haven't been filed yet."
"I have been busy with the leads.", Jones answers, even though Smith clearly did not ask a question.
Smith goes through the entirety in a few minutes. When he reaches the details written by Sheila, he spends some time reading those. "These look promising."
"...", Jones acknowledges.
"Goodland Dream Highschool..", Smith reads out loud, and furrows his eyebrows a bit. He looks around the room, apparently searching for something.
Jones intervenes, "what's wrong?"
"I think I heard that name somewhere.", Smith closes the notepad and places it on the desk.
Jones chuckles sadly, "I'm impressed you remember.", he continues, ".. five years ago.."
Smith stands up immediately, pushing his chair back, his face getting paler by the second as he realises, "Lewis is your deceased brother."