His Conundrums

Chapter 45

Trust Me

Sirius woke up in a room where the walls are painted pure white. There were no doors this time, even windows, just him and his hospital bed. He looked at the ceiling where he found none, yet he drowned in its nothingness. He can’t breathe. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, but his nerves got ahead of him.

“You awake?” He heard a lady asked him.

He turned to where he heard the voice. It was a lady in his mid 20’s with auburn hair and freckles that complemented her facial features. He watched her as she walked slowly until she reached his side. Now, he felt like he knew her long before.

“Who are you?” he asked, but the lady only smiled.

Her smile made his heart at ease. The pain he felt earlier ceases. Unconsciously, he felt a hot liquid rolled down on his cheeks. How can a smile made someone feel a lot of things?

She squeezed his hands.

“I know you’re tired. Rest now…”

Her voice was soft, like a lullaby humming him to sleep. Her image slowly became invisible, and his consciousness took over his mind.

-0-0-0-

George was busy drying his hands on his way to his table when he saw someone called him. He received at least five missed calls from Alex and immediately constructed an apology through his text when someone called him again. He saw Audrey’s name. He answered the call right away.

“Hell—“

‘Wow! Are you picky on whom you should talk to on the phone?’ Alex asked him from the other line.

‘Dad, stop it,’ he heard Audrey in the background.

“I’m sorry, sir. I just got out from the—“Alex doesn’t want to hear any excuses from him.

‘At the right side of my table, there’s a drawer. You’ll find a white folder that contains Mr. Anderman’s call log. I want you to bring it here at the Hallray High School right now,’ Alex told him.

‘I know you’re courting my daughter. You only have ten minutes. If you’re late, I’m sorry, I won’t let you go your way,’ Alex whispered on the phone before he ended the call.

George immediately looked for the folder Alex was asking for and drove off to Hallray High School.

 “I already have a word with the principal, and she agreed to let their students be asked some questions regarding Venice,” Audrey told her father when she met her in the hallway on their way to the principal’s office on the third floor of the admin building.

“Good!”

-0-0-0-

Joe received an update from Alex. They’re going to question some students who might contact Venice days before she went missing that night.

They still don’t have any clue of where the culprit hid the weapon, and the girl’s cellphone is also missing.

“I’m afraid her cellphone has already shrunk at the bottom of whatever river,” Joe sighed.

He knocked on Sirius’s hospital room before entering. He found him standing at the window.

“Sirius?”  he called him.

He didn’t move.

“Sirius? What are you looking at?” Joe moved closer to where he was.

He poked Sirius's shoulder, and that’s when Sirius faced him.

“I’ve been calling you a couple of times,” Joe told him.

“My memories are back,” he said.

Joe was surprised. He wanted to congratulate his friend, but Sirius's face stopped him from doing so.

“Are you not happy?” Joe asked him.

“I need to know who killed my parents,” he said.

“Killed your parents? So it’s not really an accident?” Joe became even more surprised.

Sirius ran towards the cabinet and pulled out his things. He changed his clothes, but Joe stopped him midway.

“Wait, you know where to find them?” Joe asked him.

“No.”

“You know who killed your parents?”

“No.”

“Do you even know where to begin?”

“I guess I’ll have to start with what happened to the investigation about our car accident.”

Joe put the food he’s carrying on the table near them.

“Is it somewhat related to that group Epsilon?”

“I guess. I’ve been searching and asking around people about them, but their traces are nowhere to be found. They’re good at hiding, Joe. The car accident with my parents, not even a real accident. I have a lot of questions on my mind. Alex, Nate, is there something more that they’re not telling me? I can’t seem to trust anyone at the moment.” Sirius told him.

Joe looked at him. He found another fire in Sirius's eyes. It’s not the same every time he’s on a case. It’s not just about who killed who, but why.

He thought about how frustrated Sirius was when he couldn’t remember anything, but seeing Sirius today, he looked even more frustrated.

“Alex told me he’s going to ask the primary suspects for this case,” Joe told him.

He knew if he let Sirius go this time, he might do something reckless, and Alex would be the one shouldering the responsibility.

Sirius didn’t know what to do. He has a job waiting for him. A job that became his passion, his life, but knowing the truth about what happened before can put another piece in his puzzle that also connects to his present.

Is this why He let him live, to find justice for his parents? To be able to punish those who’ve been doing wrong? The group he knew was dangerous from the start, are they related?

“I’ve been in this field for almost half of my life, Joe. I’ve been saving a lot of people’s lives, punishing those at fault, bring justice. Is it too selfish to find peace for my own?” he asked Joe.

“That’s not what I mean, Sirius. I mean, we have a case to solve. I’m not saying we have priorities, but  man, you’re not solving the mystery alone.”

“I, myself, don’t even know if I may be of help to you but let me help you this time. I know you can solve everything on your own, but this case involves your safety. We don’t want you to involve in another accident again. That might cause some serious problems on your brain if it happens,” Joe added.

“If you don’t trust anyone, trust me.”