The Things Only He Knows

Chapter Seven

     Layla sat fidgeting with the hem of her short black dress. It was not hard to find black in her wardrobe, she was not a colorful person after all. She only wore that long sleeve black dress on top of back jeans and a black hat to go with them. She watched as people from all over came to say goodbye and give their condolences, she just didn't know who they were giving their condolences to. She did the same as she followed behind Theodore's steps once she'd found him.
    "Hello, Doctor. It's been a long time. I'm surprised you remember us," the woman smiled through the tears.
     "How can I forget one of my dear patients. It saddens me that he died in such a gruesome way. He deserved better. He was a ray of light on legs!" He said shaking her hand.
      "We are very thankful for everything you've done for us. For him. He... Really did deserve to die in a better way. Among his wife and children. The poor thing didn't even have a chance to be with his wife before..." The man standing next to them said. Layla concluded they were Archie's foster parents. They seemed nice.
     "He really didn't get married after that?"
     "Oh, he loved her, and she loved him. They were perfect for each other! Oh," she snivelled. "Who would've thought his parents, his wife, and his child would all die murdered in such a way. Who would've thought the same thing would... W-would happen to him?"
      Layla didn't quite get what they were saying, but she felt that the doctor had known Archie longer than she'd thought. Which was weird, they didn't have a reason to lie to her. Especially since he always seemed lost and unable to decide, Archie did. He never mentioned his wife or child either. She had no idea he was older than her, he didn't act like that. He didn't act like someone who had a child at some point. She was lost in thought as she stood behind the doctor waiting for him to finish so she can give her condolences too. Theodore noticed her and his expression changed into a worried one. He thought she might've heard him.
     "Miss Morris?" He gave a weird smile. The kind of smile you give when you want to tell someone you're bothered by them. She was taken aback.
     "Hello," she waved.
     "She's Detective Layla Morris. She's the one in charge of this case. I promise you she'll find the murderer. She's that amazing after all! She likes her job done right so much to the extent that she came all the way here just to question people properly!"
       "I didn't-"
        "Nice to meet you, Ms. Detective. I'm Gregory Archiviste, Dante's uncle and foster father. This is my wife, Janette. Thank you for your services," he shook her hand.
      "Thank you, truly, Miss Morris. But... We can't be questioned right now, I'm afraid. As you can see, we're grieving and mourning at the moment. Maybe wait a couple of days. It's still fresh. He only died a week ago and I get that you need to find the killer. Trust me, I want them dead more than anything I've ever wanted. But now's just... Not the time."
     "Yes! I get that! I wasn't going to--"
      "I'll help you, detective! Come with me! If you'll excuse us, we need to find the Phantom killer. Archie was the last of his victims. It might be harder for us to find him, but we'll do all we can."

     "Why did you lie to them?" She said as she freed herself of the doctor's grasp. He was practically dragging her into her own office.
      He sighed. "I did not."
      "Yes. You did! I wasn't there for questioning! And I knew Archiviste! He's not just a case, he was a partner in solving this mystery. And... You lied to me about about knowing him too, didn't you? You too have known each other longer than you've claimed."
      "Eavesdropping much?"
      "Answer me!"
      "I'm not obliged to, detective."
       "Roosevelt, I do not want to make you a suspect. So help me rule you out!"
      "Aww, you trust me?" He stared at her with puppy eyes.
      "How long have you known each other?"
     "Oh, my dear Layla," he stood near the window looking at the sun that started rising at last. "He's only known me for as long as he's known you. Just like he didn't know he was married. Just like he didn't know he was a widower. Just like he didn't know his pregnant wife was murdered by a psychopath like the one who killed his parents. He was killed, too. It's too sad really."
     "I don't understand... Do you mean he... He has... Had amnesia?"
      "Yes. Not just that. But other things too. That's the normal one."
      "What do you mean?"
      "Ever since his wife's death, he's been seeing things. Dreams, where there is a murderer, a victim, and a setting. Like a scene from a horror story. Those dreams would keep coming for a month. Then stop for two days, and return for another month. They had a pattern. He'd see the first dream, the emergency stairs. And the last dream, his very own factory. In every single dream, the bystander followed him and the victim. But in the last dream, he was the victim. I gave him medicine, and I spoke to him a lot. He met my patients. And one way or another, they became part of his dreamworld. He heard their stories, so his mind mixed them with his dreams and produced a perfect crime. Serial murders done at four in the morning by the Phantom killer. Pretty name."
    Layla remembered something at that moment. Something she looked into before she went to the funeral. The stroller-woman and the red-capped-guy, the only known culprits, were both patients at Theodore's clinic. Something he kept from them for some reason. At every site, there was someone dying. Commiting suicide. Someone hypnotized freeing themselves of that pain. Those people were proven suspects in their respective areas' crimes. She looked at him wide-eyed, preparing herself for the worst. He moved in front of the door. To block her path, she thought. She gulped as she checked it was working. Her little pen.
    "Well, Layla. I liked it very much. Archie stopped seeing those dreams, but suffered memory loss after a traffic accident. He didn't remember me. And I told them no one should try to remind him of the past in case it was triggering for him to hear anything. But then, I was bored. He kept me company. He made life fun. With no more thrill in my life, I had to make it myself. I could've died! So, in order to save myself, I killed them. They were mentally unstable, anyway. They belonged in the grave, that's what those dreams showed me! They were signs! Signs, Layla! I had to do it. I just had to. I made them kill those people. I made them reach their darkest desires without having to worry about the law!"
   Layla wanted to throw up upon hearing all that. She was utterly speechless. Was this just a nightmare?
    "He was a good man. Archie. They were all good people. This is fine. They'll be fine. Now, Layla? Have you been good?" He turned around to face her with the most psychopathic face ever.
    "You killed them... For fun?"
    "Don't put it like that!" He was annoyed.
     "You killed them."
     "Yes. I did. And yes. For fun! Got a problem, Little Miss Perfect?" She stepped back. He remained still.
     "You really are a psycho.."
     "This is very sad, my dear. I liked you. I wanted you to be my wife. But that's fine! I'll just make you forget like him. Then you'll love me at last!" He smiled. It was breathtaking, literally.
   Before she knew it, or could do anything about it. He moved forward making fast strides towards her and pushed her against the wall. She dropped her pen on the floor along with her purse. She tried to push him away, she did. However, he stabbed her before she could. She fell on the floor. It wasn't lethal, yet it was painful. He took out a shot from his pocket, and pricked her neck. She looked at him, or so he thought. She looked at the pen behind him, and she used her blood to write: 'Jiji'.
    Theodore didn't understand what that meant. And decided it has nothing to do with him, but he thought he should still wipe it. The secretary made her presence much pronounced outside, however. So, the message was left alone.

    To be continued.