Testify

Chapter 10

I was ... shocked to say the least. Mathew knew that man who was involved in Lara's murder.
And to make it worse he was calling him 'bud'.

"You know him" I asked Mathew,my eyes begging him to deny it.
"I told you just now Saph...yes I do" he said in an obvious tone.

"Cut it will ya ?? Lad get your car! And  pay me." He rolled his eyes and came forward k,extending a rusty blue penguin key chain.

"Um.. actually I don't have money on me right now. Can you come to the house?Saph are you coming??" He turned to me.

"No !" I glared at him as if he had asked me something inhumane.
"Fine..chill" he raised his hands and patted that man's shoulder signalling him to follow.

As they went away I let go of the breath I was holding for so long,and rushed out of there.
It was already evening and I was trying hard to not spend more time on the road.It was getting difficult to stay out of there radar.

"it's feeling like they are closing in for me" I thought as worry settled in.

I went back to my house and started packing. I gathered everything I could from clothes to money to food. Everything that I had was packed in two duffle bags. I had to be as far away from here as possible.

As I fell here and there picking up y books and certificates, my door bell rang.
I immediately looked towards it to remember if I was expecting someone and .. no I was not.
I quietly put my stuff down and went to check.
As I opened the door,there stood the restaurant owner which me and Em visited.
I knew him from college time.
"Hey!" He smiled and handed me a bouquet of white lilies.
I took the flowers confusingly and looked at him questionably.

"Oh...yes actually I heard about Em...and went for the funeral but got late... didn't had her address so I asked yours from your fellas and wanted to give you these..for her" he ended and scratched his head.

"Uh...yes it's ...fine I guess?" I smiled and prayed that he went away soon.

"You will visit her right?; put them there please and I am very sorry about your friend" he shook my hand and went away.
"Um... Wait?!!!" I ran after him after something clicked.
"Mr.????" I asked
"Wilkin"he said and did that hat gesture.

"Yes..Mr Wilkins..tell me how do you know Em liked White lilies?"i was smiling alot for just asking a simple question.

"Gosh I thought you will never notice." He said and smiled
"Actually when that man told me about Em'sand when I was asking all the deets, he told me Em liked these and -" he said in a small voice.

"WHAT THE-who told you about this???" I was loosing my calm,how did some stranger know Em's fave flower.

"Wait ..."
I took my phone out and searched for Mathews pic that Em had sent me from Facebook.

"Is..is he the man?" I showed him the pic frightened to hear his reply.

"No..no " he shook his head.
"He was a man in his late 20s and a tattoo on his hand..." He told me as he tried to remember.

"Tattoo?" I asked,my eyes round with shock and fear.

Colour drained from my face.
He knew me now,he knew I saw him...Oh God...
He was after me now.

"Oh.. okay..I think...I should sleep now Goodbye!" I hurriedly told him and turned to my house without looking back as he tried to call me.

Shit I needed to get out of here as fast as I can.
I opened my laptop,typed an application for my college so that they could post my degree when it will be final and an absence letter too.
I picked my passport and a bag I was packing from last one week.
I already had a feeling I was gonna go from here soon. This soon wasn't what I expected.
As I quietly locked my main door,itt was already evening,no children on the road as it was raining a little.
As I started walking to the bus stops I thought of Em's Parents,to at least bid them a goodbye but fear being capture refrained me from doing so.
My boots were all wet now from the constant walking as I couldn't see any cab until now.