There Ghost My Everything

Chapter 4

Before Cassandra could get near Herdon, Clay hurriedly went to Herdon first. He grabbed and handcuffed Herdon.

"What are you doing!? Let my husband go!" shouted Cassandra. She wasn't able to stand and attend to Herdon because of her situation. She cannot stand by herself, so all she can do is roll the wheels of her wheelchair.

"Inspector Clay, we cannot handcuff him just like that," Yuno runs to Clay, worrying, "we will just invite him for some questioning. This is not right," he whispered to Clay this time. Yuno was just surprised when Clay handcuffed Herdon.

"You are not following protocols, Inspector... Had anyone knows that I'm a missing person and not a criminal or whatever you want me to call?" Herdon asked in a weak voice.

When Clay did not react, Yuno gets the key in Clay's hands, and he immediately removed the handcuffs from Herdon's hand. "You need to come with us to answer some questions. If you refuse, we will be forced to arrest you, and you will be facing resistance and disobedience," Yuno calmly said to Herdon.

"Get off your hands from him!" Cassandra pushed Yuno away from Herdon. She's already beside them.

"It's okay, hon. I will come with them. I want you to go home with your parents now and wait for me. I promise I'll be home before the day ends," says Herdon, still in a weak voice.

Cassandra looked at Clay badly. But Clay just ignored her and showed Herdon the way to their car. They bought Herdon at the headquarters. Inspector Clay guided Herdon inside the interrogation room. Then he started questioning Herdon.

"Why did you show up just today? Where did you go after the accident?" Clay asked while looking at Herdon's eyes. Herdon was sitting, and Clay was standing in front of him.

Herdon peeks on Clay's back. He knows that there was another room where there are listening to their conversations.

"You sound like I did something wrong, right? But sorry to tell you, I was assaulted," Herdon tried to hold his anger towards the Inspector. He doesn't want the Inspector's questions.

Clay chuckled, "Okay, let's say you're telling the truth. But you did not answer my question, Mr. Facundo."

Herdon looked around then he started talking, "I was driving that night while my wife, Cassandra, is sleeping. And then a car hits us. I felt dizzy because of the impact. Then some men stepped out of the car and without any words, they took me. My wife was already unconscious at that time; that's why she wasn't able to see what happened," he started continuously.

"So, how come you are here? Did you escape? How?" Clay asked firmly.

"I escaped, of course. I cannot exactly remember everything because I'm too exhausted with what they did to me," answers Herdon, then he moved to show his arms and neck. There were wounds and bruises.

"Really? Did you escape easily? Do you think I will buy all of your lies?" Clay said angrily. Herdon closed his eyes while massaging his head. Looks like he will pass out anytime.

"C-Can I have a glass of water, please?" Herdon said weakly.

"Come on, now... A glass of water? Tell me. What will you do with a glass of water now? You want to take a bath so you can avoid my questions?" Clay laughs as if Herdon is just pretending to look weary.

While they were talking inside the interrogation room, Yuno with others in the other room were looking at each other. They were confused by Clay's voice and behavior, especially when Herdon asked for water. They knew that Clay must treat Herdon nicely. Clay seemed to have no patience, and he sounds like an enemy to Herdon.

"You really think that I'm asking for a glass of water to take a bath here? Are you taking a bath with just a glass of water?" Herdon said sarcastically that made Clay uneasy. "I-I just want to drink, Inspector, okay?" Herdon then changed his tune, "Look, I'm missing for one week, yet you consider that as an easy escape for me? If you will ask me why they didn't kill me, It's because I am not their target. It was my wife. They planned to use me against my wife. But lucky me, I managed to escape. But, unluckily, I escaped without my two fingers," he continued, and then he showed his left hand where two of his fingers are missing.

They were cut off. Clay was shocked, knowing Herdon's fingers were missing. His face became red, and he was really scared. Herdon smiled when he noticed Clay seemed to have no more questions to ask. Then suddenly, the door opened, Yuno stepped in. Yuno's wondering when he saw Clay's reaction.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Facundo. You can go home. But we will call you when there's an update about the accident. Whenever there are questions we need to ask you." Yuno turned to Herdon after saying those words to Herdon.

Herdon stood up and smiled at Yuno, "Thank you. I am looking forward to that there will be a piece of good news soon. I hope the culprits will be caught soon because as far as I am concerned, what happened to me and my wife is not just an accident."

Yuno gently tapped Clay's shoulder because Clay still looks like in shock. "Oh, maybe Inspector Clay forgot to ask me about the kidnapper's looks. Sad to say, I wasn't able to see their faces because they put a blindfold on my eyes. And when I escaped, they were wearing mascara," says Herdon before he went out of the room.

///

Clay was still looking at the cup of coffee in front of him. He's not drinking nor moving. Yuno was worried about Clay's actions starting when Herdon showed up. "Clay," Yuno could not help himself anymore, so he moved his face near Clay's face. Clay then looked up to him. "Are you okay? What's happening to you? They were all wondering, Clay. We are all," Yuno said as he looks outside, "if you continue behaving like this, they might take the case from us," he stated while sipping his coffee. This made Clay go back to his senses.

They were in a coffee shop. They went there after the interrogation. "No!" Clay almost shout at Yuno's face.

"Hey, relax. I am just reminding you because you look exhausted and not in yourself. I know that you really want this case, and I know that you know to yourself that it won't be taken from you since you are one of the best inspectors here. That's why they assigned it to us. But your actions are alarming since Herdon showed up," Yuno exclaimed calmly.

"I-I'm sorry... I just have this feeling that there's something wrong with Herdon," Clay was about to drink his coffee, but then he frowned, "can I buy another coffee?" he asked Yuno.

"What?" Yuno was wondering because Clay looks like still not in his self.

"I don't like coffee with creamer. I prefer black coffee," Clay said before he stood up and went to the counter. He ordered black coffee then went back to their table.

"Are you sick?" Yuno asked.

"No. Don't mind me. Maybe I'm just tired. Just let me," Clay answered. Yuno nodded while looking at his coffee.

"I think we need to go home early. I rest, you rest. Then we'll continue tomorrow," Yuno suggested.

"No, I want to uncover more things," Clay said before smiling at the girl who brought his new coffee, "thank you," he said to the girl. The girl smiled back before leaving them. Yuno laughs a little that made Clay frown. "Why?" Clay asked.

"Nothing. This is just the first time you thanked a waitress," Yuno's still smiling, "you're not really you this day. You should take a rest."

"Y-Yeah... you're right, I just need a rest," answered Clay without looking at Yuno. After they finished their coffee, they both parted ways.

///

Cassandra's parents were worried about their daughter. They are looking at Cassandra and Herdon packing Cassandra's things. They were at their house, but Cassandra wants to stay at their house now that Herdon is back. Mr. and Mrs. Lopez was worried about Cassandra because they are still thinking that Herdon planned the accident.

"Cassandra, I hope you change your mind. You can stay with us with Herdon while you're still not okay," Mrs. Elaine begs her daughter.

"Mom, how many times will I tell you that Herdon is not a killer? Can't you see what happened to him? Those people took him, and his two fingers are missing. They cut it off. Can you imagine that? There were also bruises all over his body, yet you still think that he's a..." Cassandra started shaking, "he's a what? A killer? That's what you think?" her voice almost broke because of too much disappointment to her parents.

Cassandra called on Herdon, and she started to roll her wheelchair out of her room when Herdon stop her. "We'll stay here," Herdon said, facing Cassandra's parents, "to prove you that I have no other intentions to your daughter. To prove you my innocence," he said that surprised Cassandra. Mrs. Elaine was relieved and hugged her husband with tears in her eyes. Cassandra wanted to disagree because she cannot bear the fact that they are suspecting her husband of killing her, but Herdon stopped her. "It's okay. I would consider living with them for now, so I can have a companion while you're in that condition. You see, I have wounds and bruises too. And I'm still worried about your safety from the people who took me," Herdon whispered to Cassandra. Cassandra seeing Herdon's face, comforted her. She was proud that he is her husband. Nothing they say will make her believe that Herdon planned the accident.

Given the fact that Herdon suffered, he lost his two fingers and had wounds and bruises all over his body. No matter what happens, she will prove to everyone that Herdon is a good man.

"We will rest for now," Cassandra said to her parents and held Herdon's hands. She wants to show her parents that she's on her husband's side.

Mr. Ray shooked his head while looking at Cassandra and Herdon putting back their things to Cassandra's room. He then guided her wife out of Cassandra's room to let her rest. Mrs. Elaine is breathing heavily, and Mr. Ray knows that it is not a good sign for her wife.