Rosenmund's Cases

Smile of the Dead

2 July, 2021; 6:30 AM
Meanon, 10 miles from Dan County

"It's like the death staring at my face. It felt like my whole body stuck in one place. I
couldn't move. I was about to faint when my son came back from fishing and
grabbed me and made me sit under a tree. It was he who called nine-one-one."
Tom took note in his pad. He looked at the dead body.it was kept zipped in the body
bag. The blood stain was now clearly visible in the body bag. Tom suddenly had a
feeling of vomiting when he remembered the dead body, "How could someone do
something like this?" Tom thinks. Tom thought only after seeing the dead body that
he would not be able to do this case alone. He about to call Rosenmund suddenly
some women grabs his hand. Tom looked at the hand and followed up to the face.
That hand belonged to and old women. She had wrinkles all over her body. Due to
wrinkles in the upper part of the eyes, both her eyes were closed. She slowly came to
Tom.
"I knew who did this" she said. Tom stopped. He switches off his mobile phone and
put it in his pocket. He turned to the old lady.
"You know who did this?"
"Yes"
"Who?" tom had wrinkles on his forehead. The old lady brought her face near Tom's
ear and said, "Lamasthu!"
"L-a-m-a- what?"
Then two people came and tried to run away the old women. One pushed her
away. Then she looked at him angrily and started hissing. One of them picked up a
shovel and started moving towards her. The old lady moved on to the other side
swiftly and kept on shouting, 'The curse is upon us"
Tom just stood there, digesting the incident that happened in front of his eyes a
minute ago. Her last words spinning around his head, 'the curse is upon us'.

Dan County
Rosenmund turned his face to the other side of the bed. He opened his eyes.
Harmony was still in a deep sleep. Her heavy breathing was hitting her softly on the
bicep. Her silent snores, her squeezed face into the pillow are some few things that
he couldn't take his eyes of her. He tucked her hair behind her ears, when suddenly
she woke up.
"What?" She smiled. Rosenmund smile back.
"Wake up sunshine"
"Don't call me that. Ever"
He kissed her on the cheek and got up. He stretches up in front of his mirror. He's
only in his underwear. He's doing some standing side body stretch when his phone
rung. It was Tom.
"Hello, old friend. Got time to call me after honeymoon?"
"I was in Seychelles for ten days, that due a month ago. That's not honeymoon. I was
stung by hundredth off mosquito on those days. Thanks to you"
"Consider my honeymoon plane ticket as successful. So what is about?" Rosenmund
lit a cigar by putting the phone in the loudspeaker.
"There's murder in Meanon. I need your help"
"That small city Meanon has only a few murders, Phil will be more of your help."
"Not that kind of murder. It is quite brutal actually."
"Is it!" Rosenmund put his phone in handset mode and lean back on chair.
"For this you will have to come to the mortuary. I cannot explain it over the call"
"Be there in an hour or two" Rosenmund cut the call.
"Who was it?" Rosenmund turns around. Harmony picking up the last night dishes of
the table. She was wearing a silky grey grown.
"Tom needs my help on something? A murder case happened Meanon". She dumped the dishes in the sink and walks closed to him.
"Finally this lazy ass going to work"
Rosenmund hugs her like a child. Apparently six-feet-five Joseph is much taller for
five-feet-ten Harmony.
"Yes, I will" he broke the hug, "But first let me call Sophie"
Sophie returned home two days ago. She went to France with berry and mother.
After Rosenmund and Sophie get themselves a two weeks' vacation, they went to
their best places for vacation. Rosenmund and Harmony went to Philadelphia and
Sophie with her family went to France.
Sophie uses last three days of her leave to help Berry with his school assignment.
She was helping berry with his history assignment when her phone rang. Berry
picked up the phone.
"Hi Uncle Joe" Berry screams.
"Hey buddy, how are you?" Rosenmund cheer up in the phone.
"I'm good. I had a lot of fun in France"
"You do? Tell me about it"
"We went to eat in a different cuisine. We went to Disneyland, Vulcania, shopping.
Oh and mom brought you an overcoat that you li..."
"I think that's enough" Sophie take the phone from him, "Hi Rose, how you holding
up"
"Never been better, if you are free we have to go to the mortuary. There was murder
in Meanon"
"I heard about that, I saw that on TV." Sophie turned on the TV, "I am watching it
right now. I will meet you there"
"Cool, I will pick you up"
"Alright, and listen"
"What?"
"That overcoat I have taken for myself. I could only buy that in Paris"
"I know you choice. I am glad you didn't buy that for me"
Tom stands in front gate of the mortuary, waiting for them. Rosenmund and
Sophie got out of the car. Both waves at him, Tom replied with a nod.
"You're shining" Sophie teased Tom.
"Enough with the honeymoon humor. Let's get to the work. Hope rust didn't get to
your mind in these two weeks"
"Why? Only by going on honeymoon and breaking the virginity does not cause rust in
the mind? Rosenmund said. Sophie laughed. High-fived each other.
They entered the morgue. The dead body was taken out for postmortem
examine. Theodore was standing beside the dead body. He looked up to three of
them.
"Hey, Joseph. Sophie, how are you doing?"
"Good, sorry to bother you. Need to investigate the case. So how are we doing?"
"Oh, thirty years in mortuary like this and this kind of brutality never seems to
impress me" he removed the white sheet and showed the face of the deceased.
Tom moves away his face. Rosenmund looked at the dead body. A pale woman, two
tears of blood flowing from both eyes that had now dried up. Upper eyelid was stuck
in the eye hold. A big smile spread across her face as if she entertains the people
who looking at her. Rosenmund gaze at her face until it was broken by a vomiting
sound of someone. It was Tom. The dead body gave him nausea.
"So, what is the cause of dead?"
"Well she was killed due to respiratory failure. Found a deadly amount of poison in
her nerves"
"What causes the bleeding from eyes?"
"Thomas sighs, "Her eyes snatch out from her eye socket, when a little life left in
her"
Sophie wrinkled her face with disgust. She looks at the dead body. She was aged
between twenty-two to twenty-six.
"That's not all. She coffin birth a child"
Everyone gasps; three of them look at each other.
"She was pregnant, when she was killed?"
"Apparently, yes. She was in labor"
  Sophie ran outside the mortuary. Rosenmund followed her. He found her gasping
for air. Hands on her waist and cry inaudibly. He went to her and rubs her back.
"Are you ok?"
"I don't know" Sophia gasps, "This entire incident reminds me of the time of my
miscarriage and the Henry negligence. That women back is a carrying a life inside her
and she was killed about the time she's about to have that little life. Life's cruel""
Sophie was once impregnated by Henry before Berry. Henry who was Real estate
agent, taking care of Sophie like a kid. In those days Henry had become less a Real
estate agent more a house husband. From morning sickness to foot massage at
night, Henry happily did everything. But the faith never with them. From the house
burnt down the very first day of they move in to the flood on the wedding day, but
when Sophie had a miscarriage due to the pregnancy complications, he could not
bear it. He stayed quiet all the time, he left the house in the morning and started
coming drunk at night. He started living in grave anxiety. After losing her children,
Sophie was more concerned about Henry than her grief. Sometime he walked out of
the house without telling anybody.
But after about a year things got out of the hand. He quit his job and stayed home.
He got angry all the time and started yelling at Sophie from entering the house till
she going to work. But the limit was crossed when he slapped Sophie in front of her
mother. Then Sophie started living separately with her mother, in the belief that one
day henry will come and apologize to him and take her home. But a few days later,
Sophie had a divorce paper in one hand and pregnancy test in the other.
Tom came out of the mortuary. His eyes are all red and teary. Snorting all the way.
"So, how will I assist in the investigation?"
"First we have to went to the husband, when is the funeral?"
Tom opens up the file in his hand. "The body will be released today. The funeral is in
two days and the memorial service is held on the same day at noon. Saunders Street,
two blocks down the road"
Two days later
Rosenmund and Sophie went to funeral home. He stopped the car in front of the
street.
"What's the name of the women?" Rosenmund asked.
"I don't know. I thought you asked Tom"
"NO..."
Sophie sighed; "Let me called Tom" Sophie dialed Tom. He picked up the call in
second ring. The conversation went on for a minute.
"Kate Moore. She married to Jayden Hudson and became 'Kate Hudson'"
They arrived at the memorial service. It was a single family type of house with big
front yard. An apple tree is planted near the gate. Flowers are in the corner of the
yard. Lawn faucet dripping from its mouth as it's used some time ago.
They entered the house. The house was full of people dressed in black. The waiters
were distributing the food plate to everyone in the room. People gathered at one
place to encourage Kate's mother. Kate's father, ex fireman standing by the window,
lost in his own world. Sophie shows Kate's mom and dad with her finger to
Rosenmund.
"You go to the father and ask him where Jayden is. I go to the mother. If I get
something, I'll tell you."
Rosenmund nod and went to the father. He was looking somewhere far away with
a wine glass in his hand. Rosenmund approach
"It's hard dunnit? Almost like we are living in a fairy tale right now."
Mr. Hudson turned his head to Rosenmund and looks again at the window.
"I remembered just right there" Mr. Hudson point out the window, "Kate had her
first bicycle lesson. Four wheel cycle, those little fingers can't even make a proper
grip on the handle. But she never gave up. And after a month she dragged me out of
the house and showed me what she learned." He smiled. "I was so proud of that. I
was proud of her when she stands up in front of everyone on the day of her
graduation, married to a guy that I can't find her in million years." Mr. Hudson broke
down. Rosenmund rub his back. Ten seconds later he held his head high and asked
Rosenmund.
"Sorry, my memory is not good as it was before. Who are you again?"
"Oh, I'm Joseph Rosenmund. I am the investigation officer of Kate's case. We actually
never met. That's why you didn't recognize me."
"Oh" Mr. Hudson straightens up, "Let me know. Whatever you need"
"Sure, where I can find Jayden?"
"He's in their... his bedroom." He pointed out the bedroom, "He spend most of the
time there"
"Thanks"
Rosenmund walk through the corridor. There are seven rooms whole through the
corridor. Rosenmund checks every room.
Until he get to the room before the last. He entered in that room. It was all dark. A
tiny amount ray pass through the ventilator, lit up a little part of that room. He saw a
man in suit lying on his face down.
"Hey!" Rosenmund called. The room stinks like sweat and dried up wet cloth without
the proper heat. Rosenmund walked slowly towards him.
"Jayden?"
He didn't answer.
"Jayden, are you alright?"
Jayden replied with a broken voice, "How would I be?" he looked up in the celling.
Rosenmund sighs. "Jayden look" he dragged a chair, "What are going through,
nobody can get that. But you can't punish yourselves like this. It may ease your pain,
but not your family. It's your wife's memorial service; she was closest to you most.
And you didn't even show up there."
Jayden wiped his eyes, "You are right, I have go out there" he stands up and about to
leave. Rosenmund called from behind.
"Before you go, can you tell me what exactly happened that day?"
"Who are you again?" Jayden said.
"I'm Rosenmund, investigating Kate's murder. So what happened that day tell me
everything in detail."
"As usual, we woke up, right here. I made breakfast for her. She told me that she
wanted to take a shower. After taking the shower, she started having pain in her
stomach. She said her water broke. Immediately we took the car and left for the
hospital. Despite the heavy rain, I was going fast in my car toward the hospital. And
due to that the engine got damaged. I went a short distance in search of help and when I came back the car was gone, she was lying lifeless near the road. After that I
lost my consciousness and I woke up in the Hospital."
"Did you find your car?"
"It was already in my garage when I came back from the hospital." Jayden sighs, "It's
all my fault. If I had not driven fast enough to reach the hospital early, neither the
engine would have damaged, nor would I have gone to seek help, nor would she
have died. Then instead of crying wearing this black suit, I would have my baby in my
lap." Jayden broke down crying. A rosary dropped from his pocket. Rosenmund
looked at it closely. This was no ordinary rosary. Contrary to the color of the beads of
the ordinary rosary, its color was black and blood red. Rosenmund felt suspicious,
but he kept quiet. When Jayden realized that rosary had fallen, he quickly took it
inside his pocket.
"I should probably go" Rosenmund said.
"Yeah, you should"
Rosenmund stood up and left. Then he stopped near the door and turned and
looked at Jayden.
"Have you been able to find out the gender of your baby?'
"No. we had a huge party plane for gender reveal"
"It was a boy" he leave the room.
Rosenmund came out of the house. He saw Sophie talking to a woman near the
gate. They both hugged each other and the woman got into the car. Sophie came to
him.
"Who were you talking to?"
"Laurel. She's pregnant. Kate and laurel studied together in the University. She even
asked about you."
Rosenmund seemed confused, "Do I knew this Laurel"
"Oh come on" Sophie yell, "She was my maid of honor"
"Oh, that Laurel. Big forehead, brunette"
"Yes. So what did you find out."
"About that, first Jayden is lying. When the man saw Kate, she was lying alone on the
side of the road, nobody saw her about an hour or two. There is no sign of their car
or any vehicle. But he told me that he was fainted after saw his wife, and when he
woke up he was at the hospital. I called the receptionist and that was true. And also
he came back from the hospital his car was already in his house. There is two
questions arises, who stole the car? And if he was lying about the car then who took
a pregnant women and a man three mile from the house, and finally who put him in
the hospital. The receptionist said it was a tall man wearing overall, disappeared as
soon as he found the doctor."
"So what do we do now?"
"For now, we just head back to home. Look through all of it for couple of days."
Three days later
Rosenmund was sitting on his office. He was looking at Jayden's file by turning the
page. That's when Tom called. He picked up the phone without looking and took it to
his ear.
"Hello!"
"Hey it's Tom. Listen.."
"Yes I'm working on it right now" Rosenmund interrupted.
"What? No. I'm not talking about that. There's another murder."
Rosenmund throws the Jayden's files on the desk.
"She was killed the same way?"
"Yes. But there's something about it"
"What?"
"You have to witnessed it. I'll send you the address."
Rosenmund arrived at the address. There is a trailer in an open field. The
entire trailer was surrounded by police. Rosenmund called Tom.
"In front of the trailer"
Tom came out after one minute. Huge disappointment on his face. he once looked at
the trailer and said,
"Somebody making a big mess, under our nose. We cannot find a single clue"
"What special about this case?"
Tom coughs, "The husband is missing. People saying he's the killer. Had a toxic
relationship with the wife."
"Not that uncommon. There's something else." Rosenmund curious.
"She was in her nine months of pregnancy. Murdered same way as Kate, but the
husband was suspicious this time and..."
"And?"
"She was killed on top of some kind of symbol, symbols that are used in black magic."
"Hmm. So maybe we have to find out..." Rosenmund stopped. Both are heard
shouting at someone on the other side of the trailer. Tom aur Rosenmund both going
towards the sound.
They saw that there was a bunch of people there. When Tom went ahead, he saw
the women he had found in the accident site. She was taking everyone away from
her with a wood in her hand.
"I told you, the time has come. The witch has returned." The old women yell at
everyone pointing at them. People had made a circle around her. Then a police
professional came caught her in nelson hold and dragged to the sideways. She cried
throwing her legs in the air with anger. Her eyes caught tom. She yelled, "He knew
everything, asked him" as she was taking away from him. He walked back to the
other side of the trailer. Tom kept looking at the women until she was picked up by
the police.
Both of them stayed quiet for a while. Searching for words to speak. Rosenmund
was looking directly at Tom. He was looking at the ground without blinking.
Rosenmund breaks the ice.
"You knew that women?"
Tom did not answer.
"Did you?"
"Yes" Tom cleared his throat, "I met her on the accident site. She talked something
nonsense and like a little bitch I let her in my mind."
Rosenmund come closer. "What did she said?"
"Some nonsense. Let's get to the real case." Tome tried to walk away from
Rosenmund. Rosenmund stops him with his hand on his chest.
"What did she said?"
Tom looked at Rosenmund hand, "Please put your hand down" Rosenmund slowly
put down his hand.
Next Day
"It's Friday and we haven't even met well after coming from the trip." Rosenmund
requested Sophie come to the club. He was flipping his collar on the side.
"Why? It's like all the other nights. You tried to convince me I will say no. eventually
you gave up and go out without me" Sophie fight back.
Rosenmund lowered the phone to indicate to Harmony that she was refusing to
come. In return harmony signals to give her the phone and she will handle it.
Rosenmund picked up and said, "But I am not alone this time" and give it to
Harmony.
"Hey girl! Why don't you come out and have fun?'
Sophie sighs, Out of all the sick move, this one. Cleaver Joe. "Hey Harmony"
"You need to come out sometime. You need to come out tonight. Please..."
"I am so sorry, I can't. I don't want to leave Berry with mom. she's starting to forget
things these days. He will be scared." She smiled at Berry.
"Oh honey. You entered into old people zone. It's hard to accept that but.. you'll be
ok" Harmony mouthing it always worked. He laughed.
"Excuse me. I am three months younger than you."
"Age never in the way hon. When is the last time you went in to a club, bar even"
Sophie chuckled, "Yeah last week"
"Without a case?" Sophie stayed silent.
"Exactly"
Sophie get frustrated, "I will be there. Actually I lost my key. So you guys have to pick
me up" and hang up.
Harmony smiled holding up the phone, "Told you it always work". Rosenmund
appreciated with clap.
"Can you zip me up?" Harmony turned around. She was wearing a blue bodycon
dress for the party. She moved her hair in front, flashing her back. He went near her.
She smells like jasmine. He zipped her up. His eyes were on the front mirror. She
gazed in his eyes too. A lot of untold things happened between the eyes of both of
them. Rosenmund said, "Do you think Sophie is waitin..."
"She can wait." Harmony dragged Rosenmund to the bedroom."
"You made the plan. You should be here first" Sophie yelled at Harmony's car. They
are one hour late to the estimated time. Sophie has always been known to be
punctual. Sophie's never been late for anything all these years. Whether it is a crime
scene or a house investigation.
Sophie wore a transparent shrug. Rosenmund opened the rear door of the car for
Sophie. Coming inside the car, Sophie took off her shrug, then the A-line dress she
was wearing came out. Harmony and Rosenmund gaze at Sophie in surprise in the
rearview mirror.
"What" Sophie asked them in the rearview mirror.
"Nothing" both of them said in unison.
"Oh god, you guys think I am so old that I don't even look this nice. Mr. Handerson
complements me every day."
"You looked beautiful, I can give you that. But Handerson got only one regular
customer and that's you."
They took the highway and started going to the other side of the city. Sophie sticks
her head out the car window. City lights had lit up the entire dark sky. The sky was
shining brighter because of Friday night. Sophie put her chin on top of her hands. She
closed her eyes and relaxed. The sounds all around became muted for her. She started remembering her college days. the night sneak out, the yelling at the top of
the lungs, when in truth or dare she got the dare she got the dare to go naked and
run in a circle, make out in this open sky and losing her virginity to Henry... Tears
started rolled down her eyes. She still didn't know why seeing that women in
Morgue today, she started remembering Henry's ignorance. Was she worried that
her husband killed her before the child was born or did she give him a child before
she died. When henry was packing his clothes and leaving the house forever, Sophie
found out that she was pregnant with Berry. Seeing her pregnancy test positive, the
first question that came to her mind was 'Why tonight?'. Sophie was about to tell
henry this news that a mail fell in her hand. She tore off the top of the mail and saw
it. Divorce paper. Sophie didn't feel anything. Her mind had gone blank. She has put
her sign on the side of Henry's sign without saying anything.
The jerk of the vehicle brought Sophie back to her mind. Her throat was closed and
she cleared it by coughing.
"We have arrived." Rosenmund said while applying the hand brake Sophie looked
outside. She sees everything blurry because of tears. But he got the name of the club
made out of strip light.
C..L..U..B..E..G..Y. Sophie startled.
"What are we doing in 'clubegy'? And I didn't it was open now."
"Yes, after Bob was arrested, his nominee went to his step daughter, Daphne. She
was a drug addict and her seventh marriage divorce was about to be finalized when
she got this club. She has since left Seattle and started living here."
"Wow kese ek palak mein he takdir palat jati hain"
All three got out of the car. When the guard stopped them outside, they took out
they ID and showed it. The guard checked the IDs of both the women but
Rosenmund did not give out the ID. Rosenmund stood in front of the seven feet tall
guard. Sophie and Harmony and the others who stand out are confused, What is he
doing?
"Sir, id?"
"I didn't have any." They immediately realized what was about to happen. "Maybe I can give you a.... 'bro-shake'"
Both laughed and started giving 'Bro-shake'. Basically 'bro shake' was a kind of
choreographed handshake. Everyone was shocked.
"So long brother, I haven't seen you since the Vegas club murder"
"Has it been that many days since we met? Soph, Harmony this Ed, who was a
bouncer at the Vegas club and was the only accomplice in my case, when someone
turned their back." Rosenmund looked at Sophie. Sophie Rolled her eyes. "and Ed
this is Sophie and Harmony. You know who Sophie is and this is Harmony, my wife"
Ed looked at Harmony, "This bastard found someone? Unbelievable!" He opened the
club door, "Get in"
After going inside, all three sat down at a table. The club has changed a lot after
Bob's arrest. There is lighter now than ever before. He used to dim the light earlier so
that he could do illegal work. Bob was allegedly charged for everything from human
trafficking to drug sell. Now it seems that this club has gone from Bob's hand to a
good owner. But the stripper pole is still in the middle of the club. Most of the club's
profit comes from there. Bob had to work hard to build this pole. This pole has arisen
after bribing the authority members and sold strippers as prostitute. And other than
that, the rest of the profit comes from the famous burger found at the club's diner.
Rosenmund called a waiter. He nodded his head and instructed someone else inside
to go and take the order from their table. A female waiter came to them with a
menu. That women looked mess. She threw the menu on the table and took out her
notepad from her apron as if she didn't want to. Sophie was about to say something
when Rosenmund stopped by signaling her. all three of them ordered burgers and
fries. Even after placing the order, Sophie was furious. She turned to the waitress and
asked, "Where is the manager?", The waitress looked at her from the corner of her
eyes. She closed her notepad with a bang and left the table. Sophie got more angry.
As she was about to go to the manager, Rosenmund said again,
"What will you do?"
"I will give a complaint about this waitress. If not I will go to Daphne"
Rosenmund laughed, "the one who had come now was Daphne"
Both looked at him, Sophie sat down. Looking at them with questionable faces.
Rosenmund explained, "it was written on the name plate of her t shirt. And I know
Bob's wife and now ex-wife. Both have same eyebrows and chin."
Both nodded their head.
"So what would have happened to her that despite being the owner of the club, she
is doing a waitress job?"
"That's what I have to find out."
Rosenmund turned his chair towards the stripper pole. When Harmony was an
undercover agent at this club, he made a lot of contact with several strippers to help
harmony. He even make out with some of them to get out the hidden secret.
Harmony doesn't like coming here at all. Because she used her own boyfriend for her
own case like this. But during the case, Rosenmund never said that he had suffered
anything. Rather, he feels that he got the most benefit in this case.
Rosenmund saw a stripper approaching him. Without saying a word she came
and sat on Rosenmund's lap. Looking at harmony she said.
"Hi, Cherry. Showing this man a good time?'
"I am wearing full clothes. That means no."
"Did you quit work?I thought you are the new stripper who has been called."
"I haven't quit. There were some old accounts with Dan."
Rosenmund and harmony used fake names when they were undercover agents.
Harmony used Cherry and Rosenmund is Dan. Dan had become a regular customer of
that club. He would always buy Harmony/Cherry's private shows to meet Harmony.
He used to share his intel on the her private show.
"I am bored. Let's meet the others. They will be thrilled to see you" holding him by
the hand, she took him towards her dressing room.
"Will you do nothing?" Sophie asked.
"he has reached this position for me. and I know hell never do anything wrong. BTW,
what happened at Vegas club?"
"it is a very old case. I was a newbie. I was six months pragnent when we both passed
out from academy and started our own private detective office. After that three
years could not do anything because of Barry. And when I thought I could work, Joe
and I get the Vegas case. There was a woman in the Vegas club who always came to
gambling. And intentionally she always lost. When she got into debt after losing a lot,
she used to use her lust. She ready to sleep with the winner, and ironically he would have died the next day. So when we were called for the investigation of this case, we
were shocked. Fifteen murder and no one saw the murderer. We figured out that all
of them killed by the slow poison of wild parsnip, that she put it in them when they
had their time of life. We never figured out who did that. The murder was so horrific
that I had to back down. Its my first case and I didn't wanted it to be the nightmare
of my life. They captured one suspected women, but she killed herself that night by
proving the point that she was not the murderer. So the real murderer is still out."
Sophie sighs. Harmony was silent.
Rosenmund came back from the dressing room. And at the same time their burger
also arrived. They silently ate burger. Rosenmund took his last bite and said.
"I came to know about one thing here. first I hate a lot of people in this club. They
think that I have sent Bob to jail by implicating him in a false case and because of me
the club is over. Second, Daphne lost this club in her seventh divorce. Then when this
club went to her ex-husband, he was also doing the mortgage cheat of his house. So
the club went to the real estate agency. This club is now with the owner of the
company."
"Did you just say a real estate company owner?"
"Yeah, it's a company from here. wait, that means..."
"Good to see you guys after so long time, how are you guys?"
Everyone turned and looked. Everyone's face went down. It was Henry. He had
changed a lot in appearance. His hairstyle was quite changed, thin too.
"Hey buddy" Rosenmund looked at Sophie and gave him a hug.
"When I heard that some old folks had come, I thought I must recognized. And I was
right. Drinks on me"
"Just drinks and nothing else? I mean it's your club now."
Henry laughed. "Let me grab you 'only' the drinks" and he left for the bar counter.
Sophie remained in her place. Unable to move, unable to talk. Harmony rubbed her
hand. She was one blow away from broke into tears. She sniffs. Coughed.
"Twelve years. I have seen him after twelve years. He didn't even flinch once when
he saw me. Not a single flinch in his face. seeing him all my memories started coming
back like a turned a wrong turn and the I headed down to the black hole of my memory lane. That wound is starting to feel again. I didn't come to bear all this. I
need some air" she left from there. Harmony and Rosenmund both stared at each
other
Sophie break down into tears outside. She wanted to cry, but her voice was lost
somewhere. why? In twelve years has she never been able to get him out of her
mind? All those people to whome she said 'I have moved on' were all lies? Sophie
felt the same way when a thin skin gets covered in an old wound and sometimes
something accidentally inflicted on those wounds again. Suddenly she thought that
if she showed weak in front of Henry, she would lose in front of him. she wiped her
tears and went to the club with courage.
Inside, both Rosenmund and Harmony were silently enjoying drinks brought by
Henry. Due to the small sitting table, those people were transferred to a biogger
booth. Harmony, worried because of Sophie, was still unable to speak openly with
Henry. She was just moved her hear up down with Henry. Sophie went and sat in the
booth, on the opposite side of Henry. Her eyes were still down. She refused to take
the drink placed in front her by pushing it to the middle of the table. Booth's
atmosphere had become quite awkward. Because of Sophie, Rosenmund and
Harmony also got stuck in the same situation. They tried hard to pass the time,
Rosenmund taps his fingers on the table. Harmony pretended to busy on her mobile.
But nothing worked. Time was also testing their patience. Sophie finally said,
"If it's done here we can go"
Both Rosenmund and Harmony sighs. All three of them stood up, Henry spoke.
"If you don't mind, Can I talk to Sophie?"
All three looked at him. Two of them gulps.
"No" Sophie responded quickly.
"Let me explain myself. Please."
"Still a no"
"Just one min maximum"
Sophie agreed after arguing for a while. Rosenmund and Harmony went outside and
sat in the car.
"What?" Sophie spoke without any emotion.
"First of all, I'm sorry. I know I don't deserve that but I'm sorry. How are you?"
"Free"
"That's good. I have been trying to contact you for a l;ong time but your old number
is not getting any calls"
"The landline one? I disconnected that landline the day you left."
Both were silent for some time.
"Where did I go wrong? I lost my own life and marriage for a unknown life."
Sophie kept silent.
"In these twelve years, I tried many relationships, that there should be someone who
can give me everything that I want. But I found nothing but cheat. Everyone was on
my money and the businesses. It took me twelve years to realize that I already had
what I wanted. I haven't found anyone to make me my own after you."
Henry started crying like a child. His body started shaking in a rhythmic manner with
the crying. Then Sophie was surprised. Never seen weeping Henry was pleading in
front of her today.
"You will never be able to change your past. Try never breaking anyone's heart in
future."
Henry was still crying, "Today when I saw the woman who was murdered, when I saw
her child, I immediately remembered you and what I did to you."
Sophie closes her eyes. The memory that she had been suppressing all day today
came back in front of her eyes. Sophie clenched her fist. The fist was so tight that her
nail broke the skin of her palm. Blood started flowing. She heard that by punishing
himself, the bad memories that came back in her mind would go away. But not
today.
"How can a man kill his wife? This case also reminds me exactly of your Vegas case,
also Ed. Somehow he remind me all these year." Henry chuckles
Sophie paused, "What did you say?"
"How can a husband do that?"
"No, after that"
"This case reminds me of your Vegas case"
Suddenly Sophie's eyes opened. He started solving something in his mind. She picked
up her bag from the booth and pressed a tissue paper in her hand and started
coming out of the club in hurry. Henry just stood there in amazement. When Sophie
reached near the door, he shouted,
"Can you give me one more chance?"
Sophie just looked at him with disgust, "What? No." and she left.
Coming out, she found Rosenmund's car. She looked on both sides. She realize that
she had forgotten the way to the parking lot. Seeing Ed in the distance, she asked
him.
"Ed, hi. Will you show me the direction of the parking lot? I forgot where"
"NO problem. Left from here"
"Thanks Ed."
She started walking towards the parking lot. Sophie went looking for each car while
looking for their car. If someone was turning the lights on and blowing weed, then
someone was getting lost in his own world by sniffing a line of drugs through their
nose. She avoid the bouncing car with black window. At last she saw the
Rosenmund's Chevrolet Malibu. She ran to the car, tapped the mirror. Both sitting
inside looked at her. Sophie signals to lowers the glass.
"You remembered the Vegas club case?"
"What?"
"Do you remember the case?"
"Yes"
"What if this killer killed everyone like that? Is there any poison in wild that can cause
respiratory failure?"
"You are right? We never have the blood test results. Let me call tom."
Sophie opened the back door of the car and sat inside. He made the call.
"Hey, Tom"
"Hey, find the killer?"
"No, but will. Hey do you have the blood report of that woman?"
"I have. Haven't opened it, we had come to know, for what has she died from"
"where is the report?"
"In my office"
"And where are you?"
"in my office"
"Wait there. We are coming"
They drive to the police station. After reaching there, all three went straight to
Tom's office. Tom was sitting with the report at the table in front of him. He had not
opened it yet. Looking at Tom, Rosenmund said.
"May i?" pointing his finger at the report.
"Sure"
Rosenmund opened the report. Read it carefully for a few seconds and looked at
Sophie.
"You are right" he passed that report to her. it was written report that
oenanthotoxin has been found in Kate's body which weakens the nerve signal from
the body and ultimately death will occur.
"It was the same drug. The surprising thing is that it has been found to be very high
in her body."
"So this mean she has been given this drug for a long time. Tom I think you'll have to
re-search Kate's house with a forensic team. But this time her kitchen and other
places where she eats."
"Got it" Tom said.
"And we forgot to search a man; we have to go there tomorrow"
"We have to get back home now. Big day at work for me tomorrow" Harmony said.
She and Rosenmund bid farewell with Sophie.