Ed

Chapter Two

I awake to a buzzing noise coming from beside me. My phone is lit up with a No Caller ID ringer.
"Hello?" I groggily speak
"Hello Matilda Delehandre?" The voice on the other end of the line returns
"The one and only, how can I help you?"
"I'm senior officer Paul Murri, from the local police station, I was just wondering if at some time within the next twenty-four hours you would be able to come down to the station and just have a chat and answer some questions for me?"
My heart rate is through the roof as I respond, "Absolutely, however, may I know what this is in regards to?" my brain is instantly thinking the worst. Maybe I should've been worried about that physcopath going town dying eyeballs and killing people. The officer cuts my thoughts off.
"I'll tell you everything when you get here, I can't tell you over the phone I'm sorry, confidentiality reasons."
I say I understand and bring the phone call to an end, and then rush out of bed. I throw on a semi-decent appearing sweater, my black shorts and my flip-flops. I wake Leon and let him know I am going out for a few hours, I don't think he was awake enough to lecture me about being safe around town. I throw my hair into a pony tail as I make my way down the hallway to the elevator. The faint ding of the elevator brings me back to reality, and stops me thinking about all the 'what ifs' I am about to have to face. I press the 'Ground Floor' button and wait for the doors to close. The elevator begins to move, then stops, at the next floor down. The man from my elevator trip yesterday afternoon steps in and gives me a brief nod, before pressing the button for the 'Underground Car Park'.
This time I actually look up at the man, I've seen him around the hotel a lot since moving into the floor above him. He has a very firm and structured face shape, much defined bones and features. He has deep brown eyes and very dark thick eyelashes and eyebrows. His lips are a plump baby pink, with a scar to the left of his cupids bow. His appearance is topped off by dirty blonde slicked back hair, a button down and a nice pair of tight jeans and plain lace up shoes.  He has a face that you remember, but I had never actually studied it before in such detail.
We reach my floor and I give him a smile and walk into the main lobby. Rather than the usual receptionist Laura, I am instead wished a good day by Rachael, another lovely receptionist of the hotel. I reach the front parking of the hotel, and scan the parking area for my car. As I see it I make my way over to it, my little car, not the best car in the tow2n, but it gets me places, and that's all that matters.
I turn the key in the ignition, and let my car war up for a minute or so, then back out of the drive way and accelerate straight onto the main road. The traffic on the way is fine, not too many red lights, but lots of idiot drivers who apparently didn't know their car came with an indicator. As I pull into the police station parking area, I remind myself that I've done nothing wrong, and that its probably basic questioning for everyone in the general area I just moved out of, after the man was killed on our block. I step into the building and state to the officer behind the desk I am here to speak with the Senior Officer Paul Murri, in regards to... something he didn't actually tell me. He tells me to take a seat and Paul will be right out to talk to me. After what feels like a lifetime, the door to the side of the room beeps, the opens. A tall and muscular man in uniform approaches me, he outstretches his hand and introduces himself.
"Matilda is it? I'm Senior Officer Paul; we will talk in the interviewing room, just follow me."
I stay silent but nod, and follow this large man as if f I am his smaller shadow. I want to ask so desperately why on earth I am here, me, a law abiding citizen, in the police station for questioning. Leon would think this is a sight you'd have to see to believe it. We reach a door; on the door is a small plaque like sign, reading 'Interview 1'. He scans what I shall guess is an identification card, the handle flashes green and I hear it unlatch as he pushes through the door and motions for me to take a seat. The room is not as intimidating as they make them seem in the movies, its actually nothing like it, almost like an office, the chairs are side by side, there is a camera and computer on the desk and a water drink station by the door. I take a seat furthest away from the computer, and he sits down beside me.
"So Matilda, I asked you to come in today as someone we think you may be associated with has been found deceased in his apartment this morning, maybe a boyfriend of yours or something? He questions.
"No that has to be a mistake, my boyfriend was asleep in bed when I left the room" I reply confused.
"Mr Stanton? Joel Stanton. His apartment had photos of you and notes to you through it, your contact in your phone had many of those... Mojos with it" He continues to press. Joel Stanton was a guy I used to work with.
"Oh umm no that is strange, also I think you mean Emojis, but, I used to work with Joel at the cleaning place across town, we were never romantic or anything even like that, I didn't even know he had my phone number!" Now I'm getting angry, "why on earth did he have my number, and photos of me, and notes to me? I never ever received a note from him, is it legal to report a dead guy for stalking?" I exclaim.
"Well this has taken a strange turn hasn't it?  Well do you know anyone who may have wanted to harm Mr Stanton? Surely you have heard about the killings going on around here and were trying to find a connection between them, as we believe that Joel was another victim to that same killer. His eyeballs were stained green, and there were traces of the dye in his system, so he was like that for a while." He informs me. I can't think of anyone who would want to hurt him, except Leon when he finds out he was some obsessive creep.
"No I'm sorry I don't think I'll be any help to you, I really didn't know him that well at all, and this has all come as such a surprise to me. I wish I could be more help. All I know is that he had a girlfriend, Hayley, they lived together, but I guess that's ended if he had photos of me around the house" I sigh. Mr Murri thanks me for my help and hands me his business card, and urges to call him if I remember anything at all, even if it seems so irrelevant. I wish him a good day and walk out of the small room we'd been in for the last almost hour, and head towards the exit of the police station.
I pull into the hotel underground park, it's now pouring down rain outside and while I love the rain, I don't find happiness in walking through it, and then into the lobby, soaking wet. I head towards the underground elevator and wait for the doors to open. I step in and press to go to 'Floor 4' to return to my room and tell Leon about my morning, as the doors are closing an arm suddenly flies in between them, and they reopen to show me the man from  past two elevator trips. Thank gosh for it too because all this talk about murdering has gotten to my head and is starting to freak me out. He apologizes for scaring me and presses the 'Floor 3' button. If I didn't know any better I'd start asking this guy what his deal is, seeming like a real follower right now. I lightly giggle at my own thought and the man steps out of the elevator and onto his chosen floor. I continue to my floor, proceeding down the hallway once the doors have opened. I swing the door open to find Leon sitting on the couch already staring at the front door.
"You will not believe the morning I have just had!" I exclaim.
"I'm sure if Donald Trump became the president of America, this story will be believable" He laughs. So it begins...
"OK, so, I was called down to the station this morning to answer some questions for the officer there, that was scary to have to hear but I went and that was fine, but then when I got there he told me it was in regards to a murder, so obviously I'm shitting bricks now, but then he says they believe it was my boyfriend who's body they found, so I'm like oh no that's not possible I just slept next to him all night, then he told me it was Joel Stanton, remember the dude I used to work with at the cleaning lot? Well they found him dead and in his apartment were photos of me everywhere and love notes to me and he had my number saved under some cute thing, and I didn't even give him my number ever. How insane is that?" I catch my breath, I did not realise how fast I was talking just now.
He looks at me, watching me try to read his facial expression. Then finally speaks up, "Well... it is quite unsettling to know Joel was creepy on one hand, on the other hand he's gone," I nudge him. "I know, I know, sad that he's been murdered. But it is creepy that he had all those photos and things about you, especially if you never gave him anything of the sorts, plus I didn't even think you two were friends so."
I nod in agreement, "We absolutely were not friends I only spoke to him at work, I mean not that it matters because it is still sad but yeah, I have to think about the fact he was a total stalker, anyway I'm going to make a snack, you hungry?" I ask. He nods and turns to turn the television on. I walk to the kitchen, the sound of the television slowly fading out behind me.  I could just order room service, but I don't exactly want to add to the price of living here already, so instead I'll settle for some Carbonara pasta. Upon inspection, I don't have any pasta here, so two-minute cup of noodles it is. I hear the microwave alert and grab my noodles out; I drain them, then season them, then make my way back to the lounge area. I grab the remote from Leon and change the channel, I'm so tired of the news, it's just worrying people and making them feel unsafe. Now I can finish my noodles in the company of some quality television.
I look over to Leon, who has fallen asleep on the couch across from me, I guess watching 'Friends' really bored him to sleep. He has such a gentle appearance, and maybe I'm just biased because I love him, but the way his long blonde waves fall around his face, or right now even, they're falling all over his face... I think there's even some hair in his mouth. The way his glasses sit perfectly on his face over his lightly freckled nose, and his warm complexion. His mouth hanging slightly open, his lips almost a rose colour, he was very insecure of his lip colour, but I always loved it. His light snoring breaks my thoughts and I snap back into reality.
It's now two in the afternoon and I have to meet my parents for dinner in a few hours, so I decide to go shower. I step into the shower and let the warm water run over me, and I let all my thoughts and worries disappear, as if the water is washing them down the drain. After a few minutes I step out of the bathroom in just a towel and head to the bedroom, more specifically the wardrobe. I grab out clothes that belong to my mothers' type of social club, frankly just fancier and pricier versions of my average clothes, but they're nice I guess. I end up going with a nice pair of light skinny jeans, and a beige pull over knitted sweater, with a white collared shirt poking out from the top and bottom. Hopefully my mother won't have a snarky comment about how I didn't iron the collar, I don't even own an iron but she doesn't need to know that. I pull my hair up into its usual pony tail and put on some plain tan flats.
It's still only just three now, I still have forever, so I'll go wake Leon up. I walk out into the lounge area to see him already sitting up sipping his coffee, which is surely cold due to the fact he fell asleep before he could drink it. I shudder at the through of drinking that. Cold coffee and iced coffee are totally different, and only one is acceptable, iced. I walk over to him and plant a soft kiss on his lips before asking how his nap was. He just hums into his coffee and smiles at me as he swallows. He gets up to get ready for work I assume, he's taken on all the night shifts, against his better judgement because I insisted I will be safe here alone with all the security they have. He always manages to find a way to check in on me anyway. I remind him I have dinner tonight with my parents and that I might not even end up coming back to the hotel, and he simply asks I just let him know where I end up so he doesn't come back to an empty bed and freak out.
It's finally time for dinner, so here I am sitting in my mothers' kitchen watching her prepare some form of chicken for dinner. So far we've made small talk about life and how the hotel is since we've been there, and she clearly wants to address the elephant in the room.
"So these murders Tillie..." She starts
"Yeah Mum I know be safe and don't go out alone, Leon's already lectured me, multiple times a day."
"No Til, Aunt Ruby was found deceased this morning on the beach, with green eyes. They think she must've been attacked during her morning run she goes on." She says quite visibly upset.
"Shit! Sorry Mum I feel so bad now for saying you're going to lecture me. I hope you and your other sisters are ok..." I trail off. She scowls at me, probably for my 'foul' language. She shakes her head and turns back around.
"Til', there's going to have to be a funeral. Uncle Evan wants it to be open casket. Would you be able to handle that?" She questions. I nod, and then remember she cannot see me anymore, and reply with a short 'yes'.

My mother, father, brothers and I sit down to dinner. My mother says grace, and we begin to eat. It is silent for a while, I'm seated next to my brother, Ryan, and across from me is my mother and other brother, Terry, and then my father is seated at the 'head' of the table. My mothers always been a great cook and I've always been envious of her skills in the kitchen, she can turn dirt into a meal, and have it taste good, which is why it is no surprise to me that everyone is pretty much inhaling this chicken tonight.
I can't believe my family is now being killed, you see it on the news and Facebook and stuff but you never think it's going to happen to you or people you know. Looking around the table, I can't even imagine how hard life would be if I lost one of my brothers or parents. I know it's just life and that stuff happens but it shouldn't, whoever does this stuff just for fun, or because they're bored, is a sick person. We make small talk, mostly about how everyone has been, how work is, how my brothers doing in his final year of school and stuff like that. My mother informs us that Aunt Rubys' funeral will be next Monday, only 3 days from now, not much time to get a funeral booking and a grave ready but I guess that Mum wants to get it over and done with so everybody can grieve and continue on with life, also probably because we could lose more family and we don't exactly need all the funerals piling up and taking months to get through.
After dinner, my brothers and I head to the lounge room to watch whatever's been playing all night on the television. My brothers and I used to be really close, we never used to be able to spend time alone really, always hanging out or kicking balls outside. Everything changed once I moved away though, my other brother moved out shortly after me and now the youngest is in college, living on campus, so we never really get to see each other anymore, and even when we have time to catch up, we just don't have that same friendship anymore to be able to talk like we used to. The boys are talking about college, and probably basic male stuff like chicks and football, and I'm stuck here watching the 9pm news, alone.

(ANOTHER SHORT ONE! Just trying to get some chapters out to get an audience then they'll start to take off  (:    )