A Muffin a Day

Chapter Thirteen, Research

Jay

I was debating if I should tell Lacey about what happened. Not...specifically what happened yesterday night. More of, this man entered my life yesterday, landed me in a hospital, which I didn't need, made me meet his co-workers because he didn't want to pay the bill, that I never would have gotten if I never met him, and then I met his daughter, who doesn't have the best relationship with him. None of the people in his life have the best relationship with him actually. Lacey would giggle, setting eggs and sausages on a plate in front of you. I'd tilt my head, now in my own clothes. "What's so funny?" She'd smile, "I know what you didddd!" I'd blink. "What did I do?" She'd chuckle, "With what you did with Archer." I'd look at her, my face red. "Did he tell you?" She'd shake her head, "I'm great at context clues." I'd groan, going to eat my food. She'd smile, sitting on the counter like a cat. "Did you find anything that would help you trust him? Other than sex." I'd cover her mouth. She'd back away, "I don't know where that hand has been pal-" I groan, "I'll tell you where it's going to go-" "Woah woah! Dinner and a movie first!" She'd joke. I'd chuckle slightly, shrugging. "No...I haven't found anything." She'd nod, "He had a dog tag on." I'd stare, "A dog tag..? Right...I saw that yesterday... Do you think he was in the war?" She'd shrug, "It didn't have his name on it... It said, "Richard Lee." on it. He told me it was his friend." I'd nod slowly. Lacey got off the counter and moved towards my room. "His pants were on the couch before...You think stuff fell out of his pocket?" She'd question. I'd shrug. "I don't know...Maybe?" I'd continue to eat my food, Lacey running over with something in her hand. She'd set down a black wallet. "Is that his?" I'd question. She'd stare at me. "No. It's yours." I'd shake my head, "Girl.." I'd open the wallet, photos coming out in an accordion-like style. Lacey would look at the photos, her eyes wide. "God damn...Keep a photo of every single person you met?" The first picture looked like him on Christmas. His mom, dad, a dog, and him. Then it looked like a woman and him when he was a teenager. But he looked three years younger than the woman. Lacey would chuckle, "Look at him trying to be all punk rock..." She'd giggle. The next photo was their wedding photo. Then a baby...It was probably his daughter. Then a photo with his daughter pointing to her missing teeth. "I wonder why there aren't any more of them..." I'd question. The next photos were of, Ms. Angela when she was young, Milo when he was young, then a whole bunch of women. "Maybe those are all his murder victims." She'd laugh. I'd shake my head, "What if you're right?" She'd shake her head, "Jay, C'mon. Do you really think so? Milo and Ms. Angela are still alive!" I'd sigh, "No...After them." She'd tilt her head. "Hm...We could look up all of them and try to find out who they are?" I'd stare at her. "How would we do that?" She'd shrug, "I never said It would be easy!" I'd tilt the photo on the other side, their names on the back. How convenient... I'd sigh, "Maybe it will be easy...Look up Samantha Faith." Lacey would grab her phone, looking up the name. "Woah..." I'd look over, "What?" She'd stare at me. "Mr. Macarony got arrested for pedo behavior." He was our kindergarten music teacher. "Really- Lacey stop getting distracted!" She'd giggle. "Sorrryy!" She'd look on her phone. "Samantha Faith...Samantha Faith...Oh!" She'd click an article. "Samantha Faith was found Friday, October twenty-third, 1999  in her apartment building brutally stabbed and nearly unrecognizable. It is unknown who stabbed and murdered a woman with two beautiful children. Her boyfriend, Robert Elder was found two blocks away gagged stabbed in his car..." I felt my eyes widen. "Do you think someone broke in and stabbed her..?" She'd look at me. "Jay, I know you're delusional and all but-" "Next woman," I interrupted. "Ellissa Brown." She sighed, looking up at this person. We looked up every single person on the list. Every single one of them was dead. "He's a murderer!" She'd grab my shoulders. "I told you! I told you! I told you! I told you!" Lacey would say over and over again. I'd shake my head, "He's creepy and all but like...I don't think...Well, he has said...maybe..." I'd groan. She'd whine, "And he knows where we live! What if we're next!?" I'd groan, "Lacey I don't know all these answers!" She'd lay on the counter, mumbling. I'd reach into my pocket, feeling paper. I'd see a note that read 'Milo Harrison 248-434-5508' I'd sigh, typing the number into my phone. "Who are you calling?" Lacey asked sitting up. "Milo." I answered plainly. "Besides...I was going to text instead of going through all of that '40+ missed calls'." "What if he is on Archer's side..?" I'd stare, "Have you seen their arguments?" She'd whine, "At least call himmm...He has an attractive accent!" I'd sigh, pushing the call button. It rang twice before the phone connected. "Hello, you've reached the phone of Milo Harrison. If you wish to leave a message, hit one. If you wish to connect to my work phone, hit seven." I'd hit seven. "You have selected seven. Hit the pound key if this is correct." I'd hit the pound key. The phone would dial out again. The phone would pick up. "Milo Harrison speaking, how may I assist you?" Milo asked in a sweet tone. Lacey would smile next to me. "Milo...It's Jay." "Ah, Angel. It's lovely to hear from you. How can I help you?" "Do you know who Samantha Faith is?" I'd question. He was silent for a little. He'd clear his throat. "I do...Why are you asking about this?" "Archer left his wallet at my house and I suppose I was getting a little jealous..."  I'd lie. "Oh, Angel. You know snooping will only lead to trouble." He'd chuckle. "I know, Milo...But can you tell me who she is?" He'd sigh, "An ex-girlfriend of Archer." I'd nod, "How did they break up?" "She cheated on him and he broke it off." Broke it off... "Do you remember how she took it?" He'd sigh, "I'm afraid that I do not. All I know is that a fight broke out." "Milo...Did Archer kill her?" He'd let out a yelp, the phone being hung up. Why'd he hang up...