Chapter 3:The Mysterious Clue
1180 Words
Jennifer's eyes widened in horror. "How did this happen? Who could do this to Mark?" She paced around the room, her jaw dropped, tears streaming down her face.
I approached her, concerned. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" I asked, but she just stared at me, her eyes overflowing with tears.
"Mark is dead," she whispered, her voice cracking.
I froze, my mind racing. "What happened to him?" I asked, trying to process the news.
Jennifer shook her head, collapsing onto the floor. I felt overwhelmed, unsure how to react. Who could be behind these tragic events?
I knelt beside Jennifer. "We need to be careful. I have to prepare for my date, but I'll be back. Please be okay." Jennifer wiped her eyes, sneezing. "Take the self-defense tools with you."
“I would be going to see Ben's body in the funeral home,” Jennifer said.
A shiver ran through my spine as I watched her prepare to go out. I tried persuading her to stay back, but she insisted on going.
“I will be fine, Shirley; I need to see who did this.”
Jennifer arrived at Ben's house, her heart racing. She hid behind his car, watching as police officers took his body away.
Tears streamed down her face as she felt a wave of sadness wash over her.
After the police left, Jennifer cautiously approached Ben's house. She searched around the premises, looking for any clues, but found nothing.
As she entered his house, she saw a tall man dressed in black. Her hands trembled, and her feet felt numb. She quickly grabbed her phone to take a picture, but he vanished into thin air.
Breathless, Jennifer sat outside Ben's apartment, trying to process what she had just seen.
That's when she spotted a note on the ground, written in red ink: "Jennifer is next." Her heart skipped a beat as fear took hold.
As she was about to leave Ben's house, a rope suddenly tripped her, and she fell to the ground. A small box lay beside her.
She recognized it as Ben's. The box had a message etched onto its surface: "Dear Jennifer, please take this box and open it with your sister Shirley. Do not let anyone else see it."
Jennifer's mind raced as she dusted herself off. Who was behind this? Why was she in danger? She quickly grabbed the box and left Ben's house, but not before seeing the mysterious man again, his face covered in tattoos, watching her from across the street.
She hurriedly entered her car and drove as fast as possible.
On getting home, I had dressed and was ready to go on her dinner date.
Jennifer came down from her car with the box she found at Ben's apartment as she gasped for air.
Jennifer widened her eyes, “Shirley, you don't have to go on the date. You can cancel and go tomorrow.”
My expression turned defensive. “Why should I do that? He will be here any moment from now to pick me up.”
Jennifer's voice rose, “You mean you gave him our address?”
I still felt lost as I shook my head, saying, “Yes.”
“You must be kidding me! Mark just died, just like that! And you are giving him our address.
The people who my investigation and research are pointing at, saying that they killed our mother! How could you?!” Jennifer yelled, groaning in anger as she held Shirley's wrist and dragged her into the sitting room.
I felt irritated and confused, as I fired back. “If you wouldn't tell me what is going on, we both have to go our separate ways. You are always leaving me in the dark. Your mum is also my mum. I want to find her killers. I am trying so hard to do so. You can't start navigating what I should do and what I shouldn't do.”
The argument ended abruptly as tears rolled down from Jennifer's eyes. “ I understand; I do not want you to get hurt. I do not want these people to get you. They can do anything to me but I want you to be safe. I am sorry.”
My heart softened and I walked up to my sister as tears began to roll from my eyes. “Jen, I didn't mean to hurt you.”
I hugged her and kissed her on her forehead.
Jennifer held my hands and carried me to her room, handing the mysterious box to me.
Her voice was shaking and trembling. “ I saw this box at Ben's house and he suggested that we both open it.”
I was in awe, my eyes shone as I stared at the mysterious box. “ What's inside?” I asked Jennifer.
Jennifer's voice trembled. "I have no idea, but I think it is connected to Mum's death.”
I had so many questions going through my mind.
“Why us of all people? Is Mark behind Mum's death? What is inside the box?
I stared at the mysterious box, as I tried to open it which I didn't succeed in.
Jennifer stood up to get a tool to open the box which she finally did after so many trials.
After opening the box, Jennifer puts her hand inside to bring out the things Mark had left inside the box.
I was nervous and terrified, Jennifer gently brought out a map and a picture inside of a man I didn't know.
Jennifer seemed scared. She paused a while, and her breath increased. Her eyes widened in fear as she told me “This was the man I saw inside Ben's house.”
At this point, we both became more scared until we both heard a knock on our door.
Jennifer ran out holding the picture and the map as she kept it on the table while she went to open the door.
Jennifer's eyes filled with surprise as she stared at Rowan, who walked into our sitting room.
“Sit,” I said, trying to welcome Rowan.
Rowan's eyes seem to flicker with recognition as he gazes at the picture and map Jennifer left on the table.
Immediately, Jennifer noticed that she had taken the picture and headed to her room.
I sat close to him, my eyes staring at his skin, and his handsome face. “I can't go on the dinner date today. Anytime from today will be okay with me.”
Immediately, Rowan agreed but a phone call Interrupted.
He answered, listened for a while without speaking and then he decided to leave.
He stood up “I will be going, see you tomorrow.”
He took a few steps to the door. He paused for a while and stood there, and by that time, Jennifer entered the sitting room to bid him farewell.
He cleared his throat as he stared at us intensely. “You shouldn't be digging into this; it is not safe.” After saying it, he left and drove out.
- Writer
