Two Sides Of A Serial Killer ✔︎

22: Night Dreamer

The dinner was just as lively as the breakfast and lunch. After an early dinner, everyone gathered up in the living room, to catch up on their lives.

Watching the ladies surround Keir and listening to whatever he said with utmost attention and adoration, defrosted even her cold heart.

Keir was undeniably good with ladies, even with the ones in his family.

Selene learnt many new things about Keir and his family. They used to live in the UK back when Keir was a teen. After Jenny, they moved here and have been living here ever since.

Apparently, Sasha doesn't stay here with grandma and Olivia, Keir's mom. Why? Selene never voiced her question. She just listened, smiling now and then and laughing at grandma's dry humour. Now she knew where Keir got his humour from.

One thing she observed is that they never talked about Keir's dad. It's like the topic didn't exist. When it doesn't exist, there is no evading it. It doesn't take a detective to know that something bad might have happened related to his dad.

Cheated? Missing? Or worse dead? But who isn't these days? Selene mused.

"–And then the fat guy was like one beer to this lovely lady here." Jenny mimicked the voice of the guy she met in her recent club experience.

"You need to be careful, Jenny. It's not safe. You might think nightlife is cool and shit but there's many things that you better not encounter." Keir gave a typical big brother lecture to his sister.

Keir stole a quick glance at Selene who was already looking at him. She understood what he meant by 'things'. He was practically asking her to stay away from people like him.

Grandma waved him off, "Oh stop! She is not a kid. Things?" She mocked him, "You can say rapists and murderers aloud. She is eighteen now."

Everyone in the room spiralled into a tense state. Keir visibly got uncomfortable, Olivia just had her head down playing with her fingers. Sasha rubbed her palm on grandma's knee, ushering her to stop. Jenny lost her cheerful self too.

"But then again, you might meet a special one. Who knows?" Grandma teased Jenny, trying to light up the atmosphere.

Jenny blushed and with excited eyes nodded, "I want him to be like very tall and ooh! Dark chestnut hair, handsome," Jenny blushed more.

Sasha wriggled her eyebrows at her, teasing her. Jenny turned to Keir and smiled, "and caring like my brother."

Keir smiled at her and glanced at Selene once again making her heart lurch forward. They shared a look that said nothing but everything. Though smiling, guilt was there in his eyes. No one saw it but she did. Maybe he turned to her so that she could only see it.

Selene passed him a small smile, her tiny attempt to cheer him up. Killer or not he is a good brother to Jenny. A good son to Olivia. Their love says it all.

Sasha observed the duo in front of her. They shared glances every now and then, but glances weren't the only thing they shared. It looked like it was something connected to only them.

Their constant wordless exchanges ticked her off. They looked like the newly wed couple who were denied privacy when stuck in a family union.

It was infuriating but shocking that Keir didn't even share Selene about his dad. Yet they looked close or was she over analysing them. Was Selene's visit a purpose? What was her gain in this? Questions ran in her mind.

"Lovely chat kids, but I need to get my beauty sleep," Grandma said, getting up from her chair.

Keir chuckled and helped her get up. Her legs or specifically leg, was supported by a walking stick. Only one leg moved, the other just stayed there unmoving. Instinctively, Selene approached her side, placing a helping hand on her shoulder.