With Love From Josh

Moving

Melody was no were in sight.
My breath got caught e my throat. "Melody?"

She crawled out from underneath her bed and I sighed in relief. She walked slowly to me and hugged me tightly. If everything was normal I would have told her she was hugging me to tight but things are not how they should be and I was quiet.

I put my arms lightly around her.

"Mom" she said and my breath caught again. "She is dead Sidney! They killed her! They killed her..." She sobbed. I tried to talk but didn't know what to say.

She let go and I led her to her bed. She sat down as I moved to her wardrobe and started taking out her clothes. I threw them on the bed and she began sobbing again. Next , I removed her shoes from the rack. Then I entered her bathroom and took out her toiletries. When I entered the bedroom again she was packing her things into her suitcases.

"Take all you need. We are leaving this place and we can't come back. I'm sorry about mom...you are all I have left. Please understand, we have to leave because more people will come here to try to hurt us. " I dropped her toiletries beside her.

"I understand. I know your work is not as regular as you made us believe. I became suspicious when you broke up with Dexter and 2 days later a letter arrived from Josh. You loved Dexter and he loved you. I could still see it. To top it off everytime Josh's letter arrived you go out immediately after reading it.... should I call the police?" She said .

"No, I will handle it. Pack up. I'm going to pack my things and make a few calls." I told her and left her room. I was surprised she knew so much. I should have been more careful.

I took out my phone and called Nathaniel to tell him everything. He said we should move immediately to his place so he would handle the rest. We would discuss my mother's funeral later at his place. He had forgotten I didn't know his address. I asked for it with no fear of getting him annoyed at my disturbance. He told me the address, I thanked him and he hanged up. Within minutes I was done packing and pulled my four suitcases downstairs. I went to Melody and helped her pull six suitcases downstairs.

We avoided looking at the bodies in the living room as we moved our suitcases outside.

"Go and get mom's keys" I told Melody. When she went back inside I looked around to make sure no one was hiding nearby waiting to pounce or shoot. Then I started pulling two suitcases towards the metalic blue Hundai Tucson.

Melody came out and handed me the keys. I opened the back door and told her to put the suitcases inside as I went back into the house. I went to Mom's bedroom and looked around for something to give Melody to remember her with. I found and our family album, mom's favorite necklace that dad had brought back for her from his last successful business trip and her purse which contained her phone, house keys, sanitizer and cash.

I went back outside and placed the items in the backseat. I helped Melody put the rest of the suitcases in the back and  slammed the door.

"Mother wouldn't want you to slam the door" Melody quipped.

" Yeah " I replied. I opened the door and closed it gently but firmly.

We looked at each other without talking for a minute. Then I told her to get in the passenger seat as I opened the driver's side. I knew had to drive. As we drove away from the house I looked at Melody and asked her when mom had arrived at the house. "While you were asleep" she said and began sobbing again. I nodded my head and drove on.

We arrived at Nathaniel's house and I gulped as it came into view. A beautiful white mansion. Even Melody seemed to stop sobbing to admire it. I grinned as I stopped the car and turned to her , "let's burn this house down"  I told her conspiratorially.
He eyes widened.

"Your boyfriend will be so mad."
I furrowed my brows. What boyfriend?...oh damn! She thought this was Josh's house. The Josh who sends me letters.
Should I tell her who's house it was? No, I don't know what Nathaniel will say.

I replied her with " We can try " and got out of the car. She also got out and was just moving to my side when a man approached us.