"A Sly Old fox"

"Mr. Howard's death"

Melody went back home with her aunt and uncle. She stayed overnight to be with me so now she needs to change clothes.

I feel tired and sleepy after a nurse came to my room and inject a pain killer on my shoulder. After few minutes, even my eyes are closed I can feel someone is approaching me silently. I feel weird as he is about to touch me so I immediately open my eyes and grab something that is on the table beside my bed.

"Oh, bro! Calm down! It's me Jackson!" he scream as he got surprised.

I was about to throw to him the basket that I grabbed.

"Bro, why you're sneakily approaching me? Can't you just walk normally?" I asked him. He is my half older brother. We have different mothers.

"I saw you sleeping so I tried not to make any sound." Jackson answered while grinning.

"Anyway, what miracle brought you here to visit me?" I changed the topic. He does not usually visit anyone in our family.

Neither me nor our father is not close to Jackson. He is really a free man who goes anywhere without thinking any problem.

"Don't you want me to visit you?" he chuckled. He understand why I feel his visit to me as unusual.

"Not really. Just curious." I answered him

"My babe is in the other hospital wing. She fell down from 7th floor" he said while a bit showing a bitter smile. He is not really too emotional. Even in sadness he wants to look as if it is not really affecting him.

How is she now?" I asked him then he said that his girlfriend is still in coma. She underwent a surgery yesterday as there was blood clot removed in her brain. That surgery went well. Though doctors said she needs more time to fully recover.

I told Jackson that I will just close my eyes again to rest and he can stay in my room. He nodded so I closed my eyes.

I fell asleep. I wake up when my phone ring.

"Son, take care of yourself. He is the murderer.." my father is about to tell me who is the murderer. Unfortunately, the line got disconnected.

I felt uneasy so I contacted my co-police man. Then I waited about two hours.

Finally, I received a call but I heard a bad news.

"Dude, I am sorry your father is dead. He was vomiting blood when the nurse got to his room. We saw a man wearing jacket with hood came out to his room before the nurse who is doing rounds came." reported to me by my co-policeman whose also further investigating about the murder case.

Jackson already left when I woke up. I texted him about the death of our father.

I can sense that my father knew something about the murderer's identity that is why he got killed.

During my father's funeral, I saw again Mr. Michael Fredly. He is also the one I saw during Uncle Bennett's funeral.

"My condolences, Angelo." he said. I nod my head.

He pat my shoulder then left me. Melody is not yet here. She is already on her way.

It has been 45 minutes that Melody texted me that she is on her way. I decided to go out so I can also breath out. It feels suffocating in front of my father's coffin. I cannot help myself not to think about the murderer's identity. For what reason Uncle George is killed? Why my father is also killed? Why Uncle George is killed first then now Melody's life is in danger?

If someone wants to hurt my father, why he was not attacked at the time he came to Uncle Bennett's house? Also why Melody is threatened and not me? I am one of the two sons of my father.

If it is a crime just framed to my father. Then he succeeded. But why Melody is threatened?

It is really a big curiosity to me of why Melody is involved. For now I cannot think another possibilities of the murderer's reason for killing Uncle Bennett and my father.

I reached outside unconsciously. When I finally reach the door, I heard Melody is talking to someone.

"Why did you do it? It is not included in our agreement. You are telling lies to me" she said angrily.

"No, shut up! Don't give me such lame excuses!" she added after the other person spoke on the other line.

I cannot hear who is in the other line. She is a bit far to where I am standing.

After she ended the call. I immediately walked toward the other side of the wall which farther than where I was standing while listening to her awhile ago.

I act as if I am surprised that she is finally here. I did not ask her anything about her phone conversation. But I feel there is something that I should know more about the person she was talking to.

Three hours passed, we got busy with some relatives and friends that keeps coming to see my father in his coffin. Until Jackson came.

I don't know if it's just because I am tired that I saw Jackson strangely smile to Melody. As if there is something he wants to tell her.

"Jackson, this is Melody, my fiancée, she is Uncle Bennett's daughter and Melody, he is my half brother. The one that I told you before." I introduce them to each other. They shake hands and exchange a bit smile.

After the introduction, Jackson sit on the right side and we sit still on the left side in front of the coffin.

It is 4 p.m. that Michael Fredly approached me again. He wants to talk to me in a private place. So we go out together, leaving Melody.

"I will be back, just stay here." I bid goodbye and kiss her forehead.

She smiled and nodded.

After we reach a park near the funeral venue. I looked to Mr. Fredly and he looks anxious.

"I believe that I should tell you what I found out. I knew that your brother is the one who killed your father." finally said by him that suddenly weakened my knee. I almost fall down because I am too shock. Luckily, Mr. Fredly has quick response to hold my arm.

"Why Jackson will do that to our own father?" I asked that just made Mr. Fredly to sadly shook his head. He looks that he also does not want to believe what he found out.

Next thing that added to my shock is someone shot Mr. Fredly in his right flank. The shot came from his back. Then after few minutes, I see Jackson and Melody running toward us.

"Babe, what happened?" Melody asked me. She looks totally worried.

I just look at Jackson who is also looking at me worriedly. When he got no response from me, he dialled something on his phone and said our location. He called an ambulance for Mr. Fredly who is now unconscious and has blood all over his body.

Luckily, Mr. Fredly brought to the hospital in time. He received treatment and bullet is removed out of his body. He is now unconscious and under further observation.