Unforgivable Crime

Chapter 17

Messer made his way home. The diary was interesting to say the least. New theories and possibilities were beginning to form in his head but the main was ‘what was the mystery quote about?’. It was nothing that he had ever read, and it must have some meaning to it otherwise why would she had it? These thoughts plagued his mind to such a point that he had forgot to even check up with Flak on his progress. Neither of them had spoken to each other since they departed each other’s company and while it was not unusual for them to do so, it was certainly not good to do so now as the timer was still ticking away. Both of them were feeling the pressure to get to the end of their leads as quick as possible. Messer had not heard from Flak in some time and thought best to try and get into contact with him, but it was not as easy as he would have hoped. Flak was not answering his messages and his calls were going straight to voicemail, which was strange, but Messer didn’t think anything of it. He had other bigger problems to worry about and his partner was not a baby. He could look after himself. Either way, there was more work to be done. Pulling up to his apartment he left one more message for Flak telling him that he should meet him at his apartment. Messer was not the best at riddles, in fact neither of them were but two heads are always better. He decided to wake for Flak to arrive. In the meantime, he decided to read the diary more thoroughly to see if he could pick up anything that he might have missed when he first skimmed through. Maybe it was because he had a long day or because the diary was filled with the most useless cliché filled things ever but before he knew it, Messer had passed out. The once quiet room was now filled with the sounds of snoring.

“Wake up…. Are you alive Messer?” A familiar voice brought Messer back to my life. His eyes slowly opened up; his vision still blurred. He had drool all over his chin and he looked dog tired. Slowly picking himself up, using his hands to lift him up from his slouching position, he rubbed his eyes and slowly came back to his senses. “Ah, it’s just you. I thought maybe someone more dangerous had broken in Flak.” He stretched and made the most peculiar sound. It sounded like a mix between a screaming hyena and mountain goat braying.. “Why does it feel like I’ve been asleep for a few months?” He laughed softly, got out of the chair and made his way to the bathroom. “Oh yeah…. And what if it was some villainous creature that had come after you? What would you have done Messer?” He didn’t enjoy being treated like some child. “Firstly Flak…. Who says villainous anymore and secondly, if it was some… villainous person... “ he says with a sarcastic tone “Wouldn’t it be wise for them to kill me rather then wake me up?” He sighs as he finishes his sentence. Not expecting a reply from Flak he continues with his bathroom issues. “Well… maybe they wanted to talk or explain themselves you know. Give you a reason why they wanted you dead. That could be it.” Flak says it so proudly. He rests against the wall thinking he has won but just before he can speak again, Messer sticks his head out of the bathroom door. His toothbrush in one hand and his mouth covered in toothpaste. Theirs a look of worry and concern on his face. He spits out the toothpaste into the sink and gives Flak the look again. “Flak…. Why would they do that in the first place? I’m supposed to be the hero they trying to stop, not their therapist and anyway, talking to me about their reasons is stupid. What purpose will it really accomplish if they do? I’m going to die anyway so what would be the point really? It’s not like I’m going to be able to tell anyone what their villainous plans are.” He laughs and playfully punches Flak on his shoulder. “You are something else.” Flak rolls his eyes and walks into the kitchen. “Well be that as it may, did you find anything interesting in that diary?” He asked Messer as he watched him fling open the fridge door and grab himself a bottle of milk. “Did something die in that fridge recently…?” He pinched his nose closed as the horrid smell filled the kitchen. “How would I know? I mean…. I should know but I don’t. what are you going to do arrest me?” He laughs softly as he took a sip of the milk and instantly spitted it just missing Flak. “Well would you look at that. It’s expired. Ha, who would have thought.” Messer emptied out the rest of the spoiled milk into the kitchen sink and turned his attention towards Flak. “And to answer your question…” He paused as if he was adding suspense and in a more sarcastic voice that did not at all match his expression finished his sentence. “Yes, I did.” He gave a little smirk and continued. “But first we eat and then discuss the case.” He picked up the house phone and phone his favourite place to eat, Pizza Shack. “Well as long as it is takeout and not anything that is from this place…. Count me in.”

They both sat down in the living room that just had one light hanging above their heads and it looked like it was almost off its hinges. They discussed what they both had found out and what it could mean to the case. They decided to put their heads together and see if they could decipher the riddle. They wrote it down on the board, put up pictures and tied strings to everything because according to Messer, that is how they break the case in movies and series. Flak laughed at the idea but at this point he and Messer desired a break in the case so badly that they would use any method to get any answer. They both were at a loss regarding the case and regarding how and what methods Jack used to get a lady. Messer still didn’t believe Flak about any of it and truth be told, they spent more time trying to solve that than they did trying to solve the case. They even started fighting about her. Messer insisted that Flak dreamt most of it up, but Flak pointed to the fact that there he was smelling like a lady and Messer just argued that it was how he always smelt. Eventually the pair stopped fighting when the doorbell rang. Messer got up vowing that he was right, and Flak was wrong. Messer opened the door and let the pizza boy in. “Good Evening Mr Messer, Mr Flak. The pizza boy tipped his cap at both of them. “Well Jeremy boy, how is your night going?” Messer asked him as he took out the notes from his wallet to pay for the food. “As good as expected. So, what is the riddle for tonight?” He asked as Messer handed him the money. Flak and Messer had created a game with the youngster. Messer and Flak were both on opposite ends on whether the delivery boy should get tipped or not. Messer believed that he was just doing his job and therefore there was no need, but Flak felt that he should after all, Flak was a delivery boy, so he understood the struggles so to say. Thus, the riddle game was developed, a game so difficult that it made every other delivery boy stop coming to deliver to the apartment. “Oh yes…” Messer looked at Flak as he held the tip in his hand, “The riddle for today is this, I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I?” He gave out the riddle in a very posh voice and Flak found it hard to restrain his laugh. Jeremy rubbed his chin and for a minute he had no answer. “Well it looks like you are not going to get anything after all.” Messer seemed proud of himself for stumping Jeremy, something which he had failed to do ever since the game started. “You really need to start expanding your mind sir. It is an echo. Really, you should start reading more or something.” Jeremy laughed and held his hand out to collect his reward. Messer gladly handed it over. “I will get you next time. That I promise.” Jeremy laughed and shook his hand and Flaks as he walked out the apartment. “Oh, this one is for free…. it is a Last Will and Testament. Next time don’t keep next weeks riddle on the board. I will see you next week.” He closed the door and headed back to the shop.

Messer and Flak looked at each other. They were shocked into silence. Could it really have been that easy? “You don’t think he was right…. Do you Messer? I mean it couldn’t have been simple… could it?” Flak questioned him. Messer blew air out of his mouth and scoffed. “No way could it have been that simple… but anything is possible. I am just going to step outside for a second. Do not eat all the pizza you hungry hippo.” Flak already had a piece in his mouth and smiled as he lifted his thumb up. He ate a whole box by himself before Messer re-joined him. Before he could sit down, Flak asked him the question. “What did lawyer man have to say about the Will?” Messer just looked at him. “I hate when you do that. When you don’t let me sit down before firing questions at me. He confirmed it. He had changed his Will. His daughter became the majority inheritor of everything, and he left his son only a small portion. It was the opposite way before; in fact, he had left everything to his son. As he put it, his daughter was showing that she could be trusted more and more, and she was actually showing an interest in the business and everything that it entailed. He felt that she was more suited and deserving of it all. The only thing is, he never finalize the Will. It was written and kept in his safe. He swears that nobody could have known about it besides himself.” They both say in deep thought. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like ages but Messer took the opportunity and filled his mouth with pizza as Flak sat and thought about it all. Before he knew it, Messer had eaten every piece of pizza from the second box and was already starting to devout the third box. “You supposed to be to be helping me come up with a hypothesis, not stuffing your face Messer.” It seemed like Flak was reprimanding him of something he had done earlier. “Hey! It’s not not fault and you know that. I’m a stress eater.” Messer replied as he had another slice of pizza. “What could you possibly be stressing about?” Flak questioned him as he hit the slice out of his hand. “Well… I’m stressing that you might eat the rest of the pizza without me.” He quickly grabbed another piece and eat it as fast as he could before wiping his hands on a tissue and standing up. “Well, while you were thinking really hard and not eating, I was thinking hard and eating. Mainly about how good this pizza is and how sad this city wouldn’t be without it but also how Logan found out about the Will and why he decided to kill his sister.”