Dissociation

Back to square one

« I see.. let me know if you find him » Karl said.
« Find who? » asked Mrs Sander as she entered the dining room.
« Cockborn » Karl said before taking a bite of his croissant.
« Is he the one that killed her? »
« I don't know »
« I wouldn't be surprised if he did, that brat has been a problem ever since he came into this world » Mrs Sanders said with disgust.
« How about your child? » Mr Sander said as he entered the room. Karl's face became more tense.
« What about him? » asked Mrs Sander.
« Well, if I remember well.. that girl.. Blythe, you used to bring her to your room Karl » said Mr Sander, Mrs Sander turned to Karl waiting for his response.
« Just a fling, nothing more » Karl responded while getting up, he went towards his father and leaned forward to whisper something to him.
« I think it's hard enough for you to spend your last days on a wheelchair looking pathetic, don't make it harder to bear okay? » he then tapped his shoulder and proceeded to leave.
« Where are you going? Won't you finish eating? » asked Mrs Sander.
« I'm not hungry anymore » he said, not looking back. Mrs Sander sighed.
« That child will be the end of me »

Karl arrived the police station and saw Arya about to go in. He took his phone out and sent a message asking her to look to her left which she did, he waved at her and she started coming his way. Why does she always looks like she's about to explode he wondered as he watched her coming to him.
« Why don't you reply to my texts?! » she asked, furious.
« I do »
« Yeah but only to the ones you feel like answering » she added.
« Get in the car » he said.
« In case you didn't notice, I was about to enter the station, i can't go wherever you want us to go now »
« They won't give you any information » he said.
« And I suppose you will? » she asked in a sarcastic tone.
« Only one way to find out, get in » he said, sounding more impatient. Arya sighed and sat on the passenger seat.
« Good, now wait here.. I have something to say to the sheriff » he said while exiting the car.
« Are you serious?! » she asked but he didn't answer.

« Mr Sander! Good thing you're here, i have some news for you.. let's go to my office » the sheriff said, leading him to his office.
« Is he the one that killed her? » Karl asked.
« We don't know yet, all we found was a bloody knife in his house but the blood stains look too old, I'm not sure it's the murder weapon »
« I see.. did you find him yet? » Karl asked.
« No but I have almost every officer searching for him sir »
« Let me know if you find him and what he says » Karl said getting ready to leave.
« Um.. Sir.. I don't know how to say this.. um.. the victim, you knew her right? » the sheriff said, looking scared.
« We'd hand out from time to time, why? »
« Just asking.. » the sheriff said. Karl got up and exit the building. An officer entered the sheriff's office.
« Do you think he did it? » the officer asked.
« Did your mother taught you to eavesdrop?! You moron, why are you here anyway ? »
« Sorry sir, I came to inform you that the autopsy results are in » said the officer, embarrassed.
« Finally, send them to me »
« Sure »

Arya was getting impatient, why was she waiting for him anyway? But he has a point, its more plausible for him to get information out of the sheriff than her.
« Arya? » said a man, she turned her head and saw Jonathan standing in front of the car's window.
« Hey » she said.
« What are you doing in this car?! » he asked, almost sounding irritated.
« Waiting for Karl » she said, confused by his behavior.
« Didn't you get anything of what I told you about him?! »
« Hey chill! He's the only one that can help me right now, what's your problem ? Do you have a personal problem with him? »
« You know what? Do as you please, I'll call you later » he said and went off. What's going on here? She thought as she watched him walking away, her eyes shifted to Karl who just came out of the station.
« So.. ? » she asked as soon as he entered the car.
« What did he want? » asked Karl.
« Who? Jonathan ? » Arya said. Karl chuckled.
« So he goes by that name now huh? » he mumbled to himself as he started the engine.
« What? » asked Arya.
« I asked what he wanted »
« Nothing, he was just greeting me » she said.
« Okay » he said as he started driving.
« Wait a minute, where are we going? I'm not going to your house again! »Arya said.
« We're going to your house, I don't feel like going home yet » he answered.
« How do you even know where I live? » she asked, he didn't answer and just kept driving.
« It really annoys me when you do that » she said.
« Do what? »
« Ignore me »
« My bad.. » he said, still looking serious. Few minutes later, they arrived Arya's house and got in.
« So, what did the sheriff say ? » she asked.
« What do you want to know? » he responded.
« Who's finger it is and who put it here »
« Blythe Davis, as for who put it in front of your house, they don't know »he said, looking out the window.
« Do you want something to drink? » Arya asked.
« No, Cockborn is your neighbor right? When was the last time you saw him? » asked Karl still looking out the window.
« Yeah, it's been a while.. maybe he traveled like I suggested him to »
« You suggested him to? »
« Yeah, when I arrived here, he was the first one to visit me.. we talked a bit and he kept asking about the city so I told him, he should travel more »
« I see » he said, walking to the sofa and sat down at last.
« Tell me about yourself » he said.
« What do you want to know? »
« What do you want me to know? » he asked. Arya told him she sort of grew in this village but had to go to the city for educational purposes and how she came back because she feels at peace in a quiet area like this.
« What about you? » she asked.
« There's nothing much to say about me, I'm a Sander.. I think that's enough information » he said. Just as she was about to argue, they heard the sound of a bike.
« Could it be him? » she asked as she went to check through the window.
« Seems like he's back » Arya said. Karl got up to check too and brought out his phone to make call.
« He's home » he said before hanging up.
« Who did you call? » she asked.
« The sheriff »
« Why » she asked, confused.
« He's a suspect »
« What? Why? » asked Arya surprised, Karl sat back on the sofa.
« I'm not a police officer now, am I? » he asked. Arya didn't respond to this, she just sighed.
Few minutes later, two police cars parked in front of Rick's home.
« They're here » said Arya while looking through the window.
« You must be one to gossip a lot, why are you just standing there? Come sit down so we can finish our conversation » Karl answered.
« You're not the one living next to a murderer » she said.
« Innocent until proven guilty, remember ? »
« Whatever » Arya rolled her eyes as she sat next to him.

About an hour later, Rick was brought to the police station for questioning.
«  What is this about ?! » Rick asked.
« Do you know this woman ? Mr Cockborn » the officer asked, showing him pictures of Blythe.
« I have no idea who she is »
« She was found dead about a week ago »
« Dead??? And what does that have to do with me?! »
« Well you've been gone for quite a long time and this was found in your house » the officer said, pulling out a plastic containing the bloody knife.
« A man can't travel without being labeled a murderer now? »
« Care to explain what this is and why it was hid in your walls?! »
« It's a knife » Rick said, resting back on his chair. The officer sighed.
« We can see that! Who's blood is this and why hide it?! » he asked angrily.
« Surely not hers, in case you can't use your brain, those blood stains already caused the knife to partially rust so they've been there for years... as for why I'm keeping it, does it really matter now? »
« Where were you for the past weeks? »
« Had to buy things to restock my shop »
« And why couldn't anyone reach you ? »
« My phone fell into the washbasin of a motel I was staying in »
« Can anyone testify where you were? »
« A lot of people actually, just go to 'Lodger' and ask about me, that's the name of the motel » he said confidently. The officer didn't say anything.
« Well if you don't have anymore questions, I'm going home.. and oh, can I have my knife back? It's kind of important to me » Rick said.
« You'll have it when we'll be done with it » the officer said before storming out of the room. He then knocked on the sheriff's door.

« Enter » the sheriff said.
« What did he say ? » the sheriff asked.
« He claims he was at a motel all this while, I'll pay them a visit to confirm his alibi but seeing his attitude during the interrogation, I think he's not lying » said the officer. The sheriff sighed and wiped his face with his hands.
« If that's true then we're back to square one with no suspect.. this doesn't sound good » said the sheriff in desperation.