Primal » Isaac Lahey

Chapter O5.

The house was quiet until around five o'clock when everybody started arriving home. Danny had come back after band practice around five fifteen, mom walked in the door twenty or so minutes later, and dad had just messaged saying he was waiting on a delivery.

After arriving home, I sat in the chair by the window overlooking the woods that started about twenty yards from our backyard. Beacon Hills County was surrounded by woods and pretty much nothing else, and with woods came a multitude of animals. Living so close to the edge, sometimes you could see deer or possums wander out and into the yard. On rare occasions, you can catch sight of a bobcat or a coyote. This was Southern California after all, and although, I've never seen one, Danny swears that he has.

My brother stopped when he saw me in sitting in silence. He looked down at my relaxed position, my knees bent and my legs crossed with a blanket thrown across my lap. He threw my jacket off of my bed before sitting down across from me. 

Danny sighed loudly, before leaning over and rubbing my knee soothingly. "I wanted to tell you that mom got a call from the school explaining what happened today." I nodded, not expecting any less from the school. I mean why wouldn't the school call a parent if their child was a potential suspect in a murder and had to go give a statement to the police. "I don't know if he did, but expect that dad got a call as well or mom told him, but I just wanted to tell you."

"Thanks," I spoke quietly, my voice slightly cracking. I wasn't about to cry again. Firstly, I didn't even know Isaac's father, so I wasn't emotionally attached enough to cry for his namesake. Secondly, I cried earlier today. More in the name of Isaac than his deceased father, but tears still made their way down my face. Finally, I was more shaken up, then scared. I've never known anyone to die before, so the fact that I was one of the last people to speak to this man other than his son before he died, frightened me. "I still have to go give my statement down at the Sheriff's office tonight."

"Wait, I thought you were excused from school to go do that? Why didn't you?"

"I was a nervous wreck. I didn't think I could handle all of that within a two-hour time span," I explain.

"Jamie," he denoted sadly. "Now you'll have to go after dinner or something. This isn't something you can push off."

"I know that I just was too nervous to go earlier, and I was hoping if I waited maybe I would be with the Sheriff since I'm somewhat comfortable with him."

Danny looked at me, "You don't think he has to go home at some time to?"

"Well yeah, I was just hoping that time would be later." Danny gave me a look telling me to think rationally, and I groaned. "You know what, I'll go right after I eat if that will satisfy you."

He chuckled, "It's not me you have to satisfy. It's the officers, and what do you think mom and dad will say about all of this? What time do you even think you'll be home?"

I shrug, "I can't expect it to last more than an hour and a half or so. I bet I'll be back by nine. Then I can talk to mom and dad about what happened. Your acting as if this is gonna take hours."

"Maybe I'm just being conscientious. Come on I hear dad downstairs just and mom wanted me to tell you dinners ready," he said patting my back guiding me up.

"Do you know what were having?"

Danny thought for a second, "Uhh... mexican?"

I look at him in all seriousness. "Dude, I love mexican." I jokingly shove Danny out of the way before rushing down the stairs and into the kitchen.

We sit at the table. Dinner is placed out and there's a thick, unwelcomed tension in the air. No one eats until everyone is served. We pass the plates around in silence, only speaking to ask someone to pass over what we want. The tension was due to topic floating in everyone's mind, and unlike the private discussion I planned just for mom, dad, and I, after I arrived home from the interrogation, it was going to happen now. Danny was bound to find out eventually, so I didn't mind if it happened now, but I didn't want him to watch as mom and dad question me about how I got in this position.