The Swiss Murder | Completed

11. To Tell or Not To Tell?

"What?" Anthony whispered, his mind not being able to comprehend what Eric just told him. "Is this some kind of a sick joke?"

"You know I would never joke about this," Eric said, eyes cast downwards, too ashamed to look at Anthony in the eye.

"When... how-"

"You were unconscious," Eric said, wishing the ground would open up and take him. It was overwhelming... the guilt, shame, it was too much. Coming out to Anthony took more courage than he had anticipated as he fought hard to keep himself from trembling and breaking out in hysterics.

"How could you?!" Anthony's voice vibrated with anger and shock.

"I-I don't know, I panicked and then... and then-" Eric broke down, his voice wavering uncontrollably, unable to stop his body from shaking, heart beating erratically in his chest.

"Why did you tell me?" Anthony inquired coldly.

"What do you mean?" Eric asked, completely lost, "You're my best friend! I needed to tell someon-"

"You're disgusting," Anthony spat, his voice was full of hate, "I wish you hadn't told me," his voice started rising with each word, "Then at least I wouldn't have lost all respect for you!" shouted Anthony as he got up from his seat, slamming the door shut and rattling the windows, as he left Eric's room.

Anthony wiped the lone tear that escaped his eye, the memory was too painful for him. Especially now, since Eric was gone, he wished he would have helped him then. But he was too caught up in his own emotions, failing to understand that his best friend had needed him the most at that time.

But what had he done? Shouted at him and then simply left, ignoring his messages and calls for days on end, before Scarlett had practically begged him to stop the madness. When he finally did agree to meet Eric, his angry persona had shattered at first glance, shattering into little pieces, as he took in Eric's condition, worse than ever.

All Anthony wanted to do now was hug Eric, tell him everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't. Because he was dead. No matter what Eric had done, Anthony shouldn't have deserted him like that. After all, Eric hadn't, he was always there. From giving Anthony all his toys whenever he would cry at the silliest of things, to fighting anybody who said a bad word about him, he was there. Always, without fail.

Anthony sank deeper into his blankets, taking little comfort in the softness of the bed when a knock sounded from his room's door. With heavy feet, he dragged himself from the warmth of the bed and opened the door.

"Sorry to disturb you Sir, but Mr. Levi requests your presence in the library," Robert said to him, secretly taken aback by Anthony's haggard appearance, especially since he always looked sharp and expensive.

Anthony sighed, really not in the mood, "I'll be there in twenty minutes, thank you."

***

Levi was comfortably seated in a plush chair, overlooking the view through the tall windows. It was extra chilly today in Schilthorn, Levi could tell as the frost on the outside of the window was more intense, forming a beautifully intricate pattern against the glass. His eyes traveled up towards the raging clouds, angrily swirling against each other. I was right, he thought, catching glimpses of lightning through the carpet of thick, dark clouds, a storm is coming. A slight shiver ran through him as he imagined what it would be like, stranded in the mountains in the middle of a storm.

Levi averted his eyes from the looming storm and took in his surroundings, properly, this time. He hadn't gotten the chance to visit the library and was satisfied with his decision to interrogate all the suspects here. Feeling that the library was a neutral, yet calming space, Levi was sure he could get a thing or two out of everybody here.