The widow

inhumane

Ace work up that morning with the determination to find whatever the intruder was looking for...might be the clue to Peter's death,he wasn't sure but he thought about it all night long
it was suspicious just as the sheriff said"they have pocket pickers at the market, thieves at the farm but never a break in

After breakfast he headed into the office as usual
the office was a very large room with shelf's and lockers full of books and files of the farm
his grandfather owned the farm before his father,it was the only diligent thing about their family,,if you can exclude the working condition of the farmers who work on the farm,they were barely paid and their salary was inconsiderate
They worked for hours,when he asked one of the men why they didn't quit or protest...he responded it was the vineyard of the shepherd (pastor) and getting a new job was hard,he made a mental note to pay them what they deserved before leaving

One look at the office he decided to call on Eva for help he couldn't do it alone,the search went on for hours without any result,he was getting frustrated with the endless search,what if he was just overthinking thing's the burglar could just be another hungry person looking for valuables

Evangel left him to go make a quick snack for lunch,she could tell he was getting agitated,if anything was in that office pertaining to Peter's death,she was sure he hid it so well like he always hid everything from her,it's all against him now because his killer might never be found

His search was not yielding any result,he looked at the mouth watering snacks Eva left at the table before going to church and decided to take a break,he didn't even realize how hungry he was,it was way past noon already
it was delicious as usual she made the simplest things taste good
Ace was contemplating on where next to search when he started dozing off,he was covered in dust and cobwebs weaved his hair,he slept of on the armchair

A rumbling thunder blast woke him up from his peaceful slumber,he cursed profusely at how lousy he was,he couldn't even conclude his search before sleeping"damn those delicious snacks

The sky was pitch black,a heavy storm was brewing
Eva was still in church and if she isn't on her way home now would be made to stay out till night time which wasn't safe now,he locked up all the window and lit the lanterns
He was waiting for Eva in the the living room when a thought crossed his mind,whenever he searched for something he'd think about where he himself would hide it if it was his house

It always works for him in difficult searches like this
He rushed to the office immediately halting at the middle,he took a quick spin looking at everywhere meticulously before pinning two places, behind the shelfs and under the furnitures
lifting the armchair which he slept on,he wasn't too shocked to see a rectangular box made to fit perfectly into the concrete floor
To think he was sitting on it all along
one could never see it unless the chair was lifted,the table made under the chair dark
Peter was clever nobody would think to lift that chair for any reason if he was alive

He placed the box on the table before opening it carefully he didn't know what was inside and the anxiety was making him a little bit shaky
First thing he saw was a canvas,,Peter and his father were painters of some sort but he never took an interest In what they painted

The first painting was that of a women bent over that very table naked with blood dripping from her anus, another of the same woman crying on the floor covered in bruises

His heart was beating frantically
what in gods name is this,there were so many painting of this same woman in different demeaning and battered forms,why...how,,the questions were on his lips,he was enraged and confused

All he could see was his mother,Eva..was it the same thing happening again or this was just an art work,,No!! nobody had such a sick fantasy of their wife
Why did she subject herself to this,he was trying to get answers to the unanswered questions because he couldn't make sense of this

Why would the burglar want this?

There were other paintings of other people he couldn't recognize,some of threesome's and orgies,Peter was his father's soon indeed!!!...he would have been stuck there the whole night if the blasting storm didn't remind him Eva was still outside in all this mystery
He wore his trench coat and locked up the house before heading towards the church

Eva was Alone in the church as the heavy rain fell angrily,everyone left one after the other leaving her alone
she couldn't get past her fears and walk the lonely road back to her house,they lived at the other end of town far away from the other residents

The only source of light in the church was a single candle that withstood the wind,it might go off soon and she'll have to decide between a dark church or the rain,she dreaded the empty church premises because it reminded her of alot
Peter giving his pretentious sermons and their wedding day,she'd rather not ever come here but the tons wagging mouth would drag her deeper into depression if she stopped coming to church

she was contemplating on what to do when she sighted a dark figure entering the church premises,she remembered fearfully how such an incident happened the last time,there was no single thing around to use as a weapon in her defense,she was about hiding behind one of the seats when she saw him clearly,,she has never been that grateful on seeing anyone

She came out of hiding and immediately flung herself at his side, clinging closer to him for dear life

"Christ!Eva are you okay he asked on seeing how she reacted
"Am fine,, please take me home she replied in a small voice almost close to tears

He looked around the church and understood how she must have felt being all alone with all that had happened
The look on her face made his heart skip a bit,he'd protect this woman from anything that would cause her harm he swore to himself
he took her on his back without a single protest from her leading them through the swampy road and rainy night

The walk home was quiet Eva recovering from her fright and him pondering on how to ask her about the painting,he prayed he was mistaken that the woman in that painting wasn't her
Eva sense his change of demeanor,he came to church to take her home