THE TRUTH: YOURS OR MINE? Episode 16

Mum’s burial was a quiet affair. Mum’s friend and Lawyer, Mrs Helen Fain came, she gave me a hug and patted my hair.
“You are such a brave girl,” she whispered to me.
Everyone looked solemn, Aslem and Johnny wore black suits. Johnny looked worse than the rest of us, he looked washed out. Seeing mum’s body again, must have undone him. Ms Keller, the 80 something old lady that mum read to on Saturdays was also there.
About the eulogy, Mrs Helen said I could pretend that mum did not commit suicide, that all that was written in the paper was not true. She said I should speak of the mother I had known.
So I said to them, “Mother taught me, that family is everything. It doesn’t have to be by blood because I had a lot of non related brothers and sisters….” Aslem was looking stoic in his black suit. “…. Fathers and mothers which was a good thing. But in the last few weeks, I have learnt even more the importance of blood relations, that everyone can leave you, your mum and non related brother and sisters……Mum was a good woman, a great mother, a fighter. She had a heart full of love, she looked out for others.. Mum was a good Christian and she loved God….”
I was facing a picture of mum, with wreaths of flowers framing it. In it, she was smiling, an open, kind smile. It brought me memories.
“…I know you might have read ugly things in the papers, about her, but if you knew my mother like I did, if you have ever known the depth of love and sacrifice she was capable of, you will not believe a word of it.”
The hall was silent, a few people dabbing their eyes and sniffing quietly.
An old, trembling voice shouted from the back. “You are right, girl. Your mother was a good woman.” It was old Mrs Keller. She was crying.
Long after the speech, I was still trembling. Beside me too, Johnny was trembling. He was running a temperature. Aslem had prescribed some drugs for him but it did not seem to be working.
After the service, they went away. I was greeting the guests and thanking them for coming when someone tapped my arm. It was Trevor. I hadn’t noticed him earlier.
“Hey,” he said. “I have never seen you in a dress before.”He looked nervous in his black suit but still dashing. His vividly grey eyes boring into mine. I used to tease him that he escaped albinism by a tiny chance. I linked my fingers behind me, suddenly worried if my black dress looked fine enough. I resisted the urge to ask if I looked okay.
“You came….”
“Yeah.” Was his cryptic reply.
An awkward silence descended on us. There were many people around, some huddled on the couch, some having some tea, some sniffing into their handkerchiefs, but somehow, it just managed to look like it was just Trevor and I, in the room.
‘”Umm…I got to go now…. thanks for coming”
“Jade….I am sorry. I should have told you all this time but I was afraid of this same reaction. I was afraid you will blow up and just leave….that you will leave. I was afraid of that.”
I tried to think of a reason to hate Trevor but all I can think was the the dimple on his cheek and the sadness in his eyes. I could just get lost, looking into those eyes.
“My mother had a young, white lover.” I admitted. “The police couldn’t trace him, he just disappeared into thin air, like a ghost.”
“Really? You mean nobody has found him yet?”
I shook my head. “The question should be, are you that lover?”
When the realization of what I was saying dawned in him, his eyes almost popped out, his mouth fell open.
“You think it is me?”
I felt foolish and defensive. What was I even thinking.. Was it even possible that Trevor whom mum had never met could be her lover? How could they have met?
A serious looking lady came up to us. I have never seen her before. She cleared her throat. “Is everything okay here?” Trevor was still in shock. She looked at him suspiciously.
Then he came out of it, his face was red. .”Give your mother some credit.”
He walked away. Very upset, I turned to the nosy lady. “Excuse me, I didn’t get your name…”
“I am Inspector Jane. Inspector Owen’s replacement.”
I remembered the big, annoying but cute cop.
“Why are you replacing him?”
“He was transferred to the headquarters and I am here on an investigation.” I was lost. She explained. “In Seattle several years ago, there were several reported cases of homicide and the killer was never found. Then for about five years, we heard nothing of that sort and so, it kind of went underground since nobody could even find the killer. The case was forgotten, until recently.”
“My mother’s death was a suicide.”
She looked me in the eye. “Think….deep down inside you. Do you really believe that? She was your mother for all of your life and you never knew that. You are a smart, intelligent girl. You would have figured it out.”
Suddenly,I couldn’t breath. “What are you saying? Mother was a drug addict, she was mentally unstable. She threw herself off the balcony.”
Even as I said them, I wasn’t sure I believed anymore. What was happening.
She looked at me sympathetically. “It is possible. In fact, it may be the truth but the only thing here is that, the situation looks eerily like the case in Seattle. The homicide was always about women and they always killed themselves or so. They were always within a particular age range like your mother.”
“Why are you saying this, why now?”
She touched. my hand in a fleeting gesture of comfort. “My team of investigators have been following clues. We think you and your brother are in danger.”
My eyes almost popped out and I almost coughed my heart out in fright. “What?”
She leaned toward me, and whispered. “The psychopath is here.”
My first erratic thought was where my brother was only to see Aslem hurrying towards us, his expression very worried. I ran to him.
“Where is Johnny?”
He looked at me, his face expressing total alarm. “I was coming to ask you the same thing.”
“What are you saying? You were the last person with him, you took him with you after service.”

“I know…I left him to rest in the car and a few minutes ago, I went to check on him and he is not there. I checked all the rooms but he is nowhere so I thought he came to you.”

“Oh my God!”
“What is the matter?” Inspector Jane asked.

My brother….Johnny….he is missing…Oh my God!”

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