There Ghost My Everything

Chapter 17

Police officers were surrounding Mr. and Mrs. Lopez's house. Inside the house was Mr. and Mrs. Lopez worrying for their daughter Cassandra. She's not getting out of her room and refused to eat. Cassandra will only drink water then forces herself to sleep. It's been two days since she was saved from the kidnapper's but she's still not doing well, not because of it, but because of her husband.

Cassandra didn't move when the door of her room opened. She knew that it was one of her parents. She remained in her position. She was lying on the bed, with her eyes wide opened.

"Cassandra, please, eat with us," Elaine as a mother can't stand seeing her daughter miserable.

"If my husband is dead... I want to bury him... I want to see his body so I can no longer hope for his appearance. Wondering where he might be is much harder than burying a husband," she started while still crying. She's crying from the day her husband was kidnapped until this day.

"Watching my daughter crying every night and day is much harder for me, Cassandra. Please, help yourself too," Elaine said, then she walked near Cassandra's bed.

"I-I c-can't understand why there are people who did this to us... As far as I can remember, w-we did not hurt anyone..." Cassandra's voice cracked, still trying to understand everything.

"Someone's here for Cassandra."

Elaine turned to the door. There was his husband, Ray. Cassandra wiped her tears then she wrapped her body in her blanket. She's thinking that it was Inspector Clay, and she doesn't want to talk.

Elaine saw what Cassandra did, "Tell to that someone she's not feeling well," she sighed before walking out the door.

"She needs to hear this. It might get her well," Inspector Clay showed up. And without asking, he entered Cassandra's room.

"B-but—"

"Let's just leave it to him," Ray stopped Elaine.

"Please, don't make it harder for her," Elaine said before she left with Ray.

Inspector Clay was just looking at Cassandra who's not still moving in her blanket.

"Mrs. Cassandra Facundo, you need to hear this. But you need to get up there and talk to me," Inspector Clay demanded.

But Cassandra did not make any move. She remained still.

"This is about your husband," Inspector Clay hoped that this will get Cassandra's attention.

And he was right. Cassandra removed her blanket from her body.

"D-did you found him? Is he alive?" she stutteringly asked as she gets up from the bed.

Inspector Clay had the chance to check on Cassandra. He can clearly see that Cassandra was not in the best condition. She was pale and her body was not like it used to be. He can say that she lacks sleep base on her eyes.

"Inspector, please speak. I thought there's something I need to hear concerning my husband?" Cassandra walked near him.

"Y-yes... I'm sorry, I'm just wondering what happened to you for the last two days? You look pale..." Inspector Clay in a worried tone.

"This doesn't concern you, Inspector. Just tell me about my husband. H-have you found h-him? T-tell me you found not his d-dead b-body. T-tell me he's alive..." she stammers.

"It's what you want to hear, Mrs. Facundo..."

Cassandra gasped, "Y-you m-mean?"

"Yes, Mrs. Facundo. We found your husband. He's alive. He's in a hospital but we still need to ask him questions," Inspector Clay let out a sigh.

"What hospital?" she did not pay attention to Inspector Clay's concern. All she wants is to see her husband.

************

Cassandra was beside Herdon's bed in the hospital. Herdon was still asleep but the doctor told them that he's not in danger. Inspector was looking at them and he's also waiting for Herdon to finally open his eyes. He can't let Herdon and Cassandra talk first. It's part of his investigation to talk to him first.

Herdon was found this morning outside the grocery store where he was last seen. Inspector Clay already checked on the CCTV since Herdon was missing. And today, Inspector Clay has the CCTV to check on how did Herdon end up there this morning. He decided to look at it at his house later.

When Herdon moved, Inspector Clay immediately went to him.

"H-hon?" Cassandra overreacted that she went outside to call a doctor.

So when Herdon opened his eyes, he saw Inspector Clay standing beside his bed.

"W-what h-happened? Where am I n-now?" Herdon weakly said?

Inspector Clay grinned at him, "Same just like before, huh? You show yourself hurt and you speak weakly," he softly said.

Herdon looked around, looking for Cassandra, "S-she's not here?"

"No, she's not here. So if you have something to tell me, you can tell it now," Inspector Clay looks pissed at him.

Herdon managed to laugh, "It's not the same just like before, Inspector. Yes, I'm hurt, I speak weakly, but looks like you forgot to ask something... My fingers."

Inspector Clay smiled, "You can't use that trick on me, anymore. I've mastered and endured that already," he stepped back when he heard footsteps from outside. It was Cassandra and the female doctor.

After checking on Herdon, the doctor assured them that he can already go home. She gave Cassandra the list of medicines that needs to be bought telling her how to take care of Herdon until he recovers from his bruises.

"Don't tell me you're gonna raise questions again despite his condition..." Cassandra whispered to Inspector Clay.

"I'm sorry, but I have to. I can't allow you to talk to him or him to you first. Not since you both decided to keep secrets from us," Inspector Clay declared.

"It's okay hon... I think Inspector Clay doesn't know how it feels when your life is in danger..." Herdon held Cassandra's hand.

"Why didn't you try to shout or to get someone's attention that day? Given the fact that you are in a grocery store and there's a security guard," Inspector Clay did not mind Herdon or Cassandra's words. He continued as he planned.

"There was a gun pointed at my face, Inspector... I'm not gonna risk my life there..." Herdon moved to lean his back on the bed's headboard.

"I understand that..." says Inspector Clay.

"Then why the hell did you ask?" Herdon creased, trying to understand Inspector Clay's point.

"For me to understand your action when they took you that day," answered Inspector Clay, "we checked the CCTV since the day you're missing, at the grocery store. We checked it the moment your kidnappers called your wife. Judging from it, you are relaxed, Mr. Facundo. Looks like you're expecting it," he continued.

"This is ridiculous!" Cassandra shouted.

But Herdon signals him not to interrupt.

"I still don't like your tone, Inspector. I think I need an attorney because I'm tired of answering your questions..." Herdon said that made Inspector Clay stop for a while.

"If you think so, Mr. Facundo," Inspector Clay smiled at them before he left.

*********

Cassandra can't say anything after hearing Herdon. They're already at her parents' house.

"Do we really need to?" She asked, still expecting Herdon to change his mind.

"I just want your parents to be safe. Besides, there's security in here. And I am sure that they'll send security with us too," Herdon answered.

Cassandra can't decide but she agreed with Herdon in the end. Herdon told her that they need to go back to their house because it was the best thing to do, to stay away from her parents.

"Are you really sure about this? Why can't you just stay here," Elaine cries while looking at Cassandra and Herdon packing Cassandra's things.

"I'm sorry, mom..." Muttered Cassandra.

Herdon was right, when Inspector Clay found out that they're going back to their house, they sent security with them.

"We also need Fatima to stay out of this. We need to let her go home. Her life with us is at stake too," Herdon said to Cassandra when they arrived.

Cassandra followed everything Herdon told her. She talked to Fatima and told her they'll not be needing a maid anymore. She helped Fatima pack her things as a courtesy.

"Hon, you can wait for me upstairs. I'll just call you if we were done packing her things," Cassandra smiled at Herdon.

"I'm sorry if we have to do this, Fatima. We just want your safety. Your life might be in danger too as long as the kidnappers are still on the loose. We knew that they're still planning to get to us because of the money," she explained to Fatima while helping her.

"I fully understand, ma'am. There's nothing to worry about. Even my family told me to leave and I am already planning to tell you. Thank God we all have the same thoughts," Fatima answered nicely.

Cassandra smile then they focused on packing the things. Fatima has a lot of things to pack.

Cassandra was surprised to see Herdon's white shoes in there. She knew it was his favorite. Based on Fatima's movements, it looked like the shoes were already given to her.

She asked because of curiosity, "Is that my husband's white shoes?"

"Oh, yes ma'am. I really love those, I am going to give that to my brother. I'm sure he'll be happy to have it," Fatima happily said.

"My husband gave that to you?" Cassandra wondered.

"Yes, ma'am. He told me that he doesn't want to use them anymore because of the stain. He wanted to buy another one instead," Fatima answered.

"Stain?" Cassandra, still wondering.

Fatima showed the stain on the shoes to Cassandra. Cassandra saw that it's just a little stain. Knowing her husband, he's not gonna give the shoes just because of that. But it doesn't matter if her husband gave it. She's intrigued because she's the one who bought it for him. She can barely remember that day.

"H-hon... This is expensive... I can't let you buy that," Herdon said while looking around. They're inside the mall.

"I know you really want these shoes. And this is a gift from me so I'll be mad if you won't allow me to buy these for you," Cassandra pouted.

That day, Herdon promised Cassandra that he will take care of the shoes. That even if it is already worn out, he will still keep them. And since then, it became Herdon's favorite.

"Ma'am?"

Cassandra almost jumped because of Fatima's voice.

"Y-yeah... I'll call my husband and tell him we're done..." Cassandra silently walked upstairs to call Herdon.

After Fatima left, Cassandra can't sleep that night because of the shoes... She can't believe that Herdon will let go of the shoes he promised not to. It's not a big deal, but she's just wondering...