'Til Death Do Us Part - Part 24

Roger winced as the car tire rammed against a pothole. “Oops,” Sarah said. He noted that the roads out in this part of town could use some mending. The vehicle slowed to a stop. He looked up and saw a traffic light hanging down at the intersection. Sarah glanced over at him as they sat in silence.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Sarah said, and smiled.

Roger crossed his arms. “I don’t trust him.”

“So you’ve mentioned before,” she said. Her voice sounded flat.

The light turned green and Roger felt the vehicle accelerate. “Come on, he didn’t even have a lead this mornin’ and now they have a suspect?”

“Like I said before, we’ll keep an eye on him and Ben. If they are involved, then we can’t let them know we suspect them,” Sarah said.

Roger glanced at the houses and trees as they flew by. The gloom of the day obscured the evening in a foggy twilight.

“Turn right up ahead. Her apartment is about a mile down the road,” Roger said.

After a few minutes of driving, the vehicle pulled off to the side of the road in front of the apartment. Roger exited the vehicle. He looked around at the vehicles, searching for his brother’s pickup truck. “It doesn’t look like Shirley Sue and Buck have arrived yet,” Roger said.

“We are a little early. They’ll be here soon, I’m sure.”

Roger led the way up the stairs to the apartment. He knocked on the door. Patty’s mother answered the door.

“Hi, we’re here for the wake.”

“The viewing? That was earlier. This is the reception,” she said. “But you’re welcome to join us anyway.”

Roger felt his face flush. “Sorry about that. I guess we were given the wrong message,” he said.

Roger entered the house and Sarah followed after him. They weaved through the other visitors to Patty and gave their condolences.

After a few minutes of talking, Roger felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Do you know where the bathroom is?” Sarah whispered.

Buck looked around the room. “Maybe it’s upstairs?” he whispered back.

Roger climbed up the stairs. He saw an open door and peaked through and saw a toilet, sink, and tub. He motioned to Sarah. She hurried into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

As Roger waited outside of the bathroom, he heard someone moving around in one of the bedrooms. He crept up to the door and saw Ben digging through a knapsack.

Ben dug through the bag, throwing clothes onto the bed. “It’s got to be in here somewhere,” he muttered to himself. He stopped and rose to his feet, holding up a small black box. “Phew, I thought I lost you,” he said. After a moment of admiring the object, he stuffed it back into the bag and then shoved the clothes in after it.

As Ben turned around, Roger drew back, flattening his body against the wall. He crept back to the bathroom.

Ben emerged from the room. “Oh hey Roger,” he said. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked around nervously.

“There’s a line if yer lookin’ for the bathroom,” Roger replied.

Ben hurried past Roger. “Oh, no. I’m fine. Guess I’ll see you downstairs.”