The Son and the Sparrow

Chapter Fifty Four(v3)

Chapter Fifty four

Leon walked out of Alexander's home and took a seat in Philip's waiting car. The three of them sat there for a moment in silence, each of them processing what had occurred. They took in his splattered clothes. He had no idea what his expression looked like, or the shade his eyes held. After a few more moments, Iris opened the door and swung her legs to get out of the car.

"What are you doing?" Philip asked quietly when he was sure Leon wouldn't ask the question for him.

"I need to see." She replied in a monotone voice, and continued to wander toward the house. Neither Philip nor Leon attempted to stop her.

"You can leave if you want." Iris offered. "I'll take a cab home."

"Are you sure?"

Iris nodded.

Leon and Philip watched her until she was through the door of Alexander's house and out of sight. The silence settled once again. Leon didn't want to say anything, especially not about what had happened. He couldn't do it even if he had wanted to. Luckily Philip wasn't the talkative type. He silently pulled away from the curb and began driving, but after leaving the houses he pulled into a shopping plaza and parked once more.

"In case the neighbors call the police." Philip explained. "Although murder would never hold against me in court." He smiled absently. Philip was right. He looked too much like a baby to ever be held accountable for murder. Leon wasn't sure how long that sat there. Minutes. Hours. He didn't know. Maybe if Philip had the car turned on, he could see the minutes tick away, but the clock was blank and Leon didn't care enough to check the time.

"Are you alright?" Philip asked

Leon grunted in reply.

The next few moments were silent, and then asked, "Is there anywhere I can take you?".

Leon gave Philip Houston's address, and without another word Philip had driven him there. Houston lived in an alright neighborhood, relatively safe yet austere. Practical. Leon wondered how much time Houston spent at home, or if home to him was just a bed. Philip had dropped him off.

"I hope that Daniel will be alright." Leon told him. "I really do. Daniel was a good friend. Loyal. Always there for me when I needed him."

Philip nodded, a flicker of something genuine passing through him, then drove off, leaving Leon behind.

Leon waited at a coffee shop until night had fallen. Then he scaled the building.

Leon scaled Houston's apartment complex using the escape ladder in the back. He knew precisely which window to enter. He had visited Houston a few times after Clay had died to receive comfort and advice. Houston seemed to understand him on some level, though he had never asked about Houston's life.

He had a bad feeling about those pictures of the strawberry blonde woman. As though she was the reason. He had pictures of her everywhere, her eyes following no matter where you hid. But he never asked about her, or about Houston's troubles. Leon only moaned to Houston about his troubles. Some days he'd just sit there, ranting about his life now was all Haley's fault. A sob crept up his throat, but he had to keep quiet. If someone caught wind of what he was doing and the cops came, he'd never know. And if there was one thing he knew right now, it was that he had to know. Now, he had no choice but to find the answer. Leon stood outside Houston's window and peered inside. No one there, and all the lights were off. It was dark now.

Leon took off his shirt, wrapped it around his fist, then punched a huge hole into the glass. He continued to swipe away the shards of glass that hung in the window until it was free of glass. Then he stepped through the gaping hole and into Houston's home. It was furnished as though a married couple lived there, furnished well though cheaply. Leon stared into a photograph of the strawberry blonde woman for a moment, his only witness. He was absolutely positive that Houston wasn't home. Silently, Leon padded past the kitchen, a tiny thing, and walked through a corridor, peeking into each room. A bathroom, an empty room, a study, and at the end of the hall the master bedroom. Which would the video be hidden in? Leon bit his lip, trying to decide, before he settled on the living room. It was far more likely to be in the study, but looking through there would take some time as there were mountains of folders not to mention a bookcase taking up the back wall. The living room, at least, was tidy and uncluttered. Besides, it was closer to the window in case Houston showed up. He couldn't even be sure it was here at all, but he knew that breaking into Houston's office would be much more difficult.