So LOUD A silence

A walk through the Rain

In the back office of a famous Pharmacy Milton, visibly not at ease, sat on an executive chair. Pola and Ian sat on the other end of the table with an inquisitive gaze at Milton. For a moment, silence takes center stage until Ian pushed Ivy's picture on the table to Milton, "do you know her?"

Milton picked the picture and made reply, "Yes. She’s Ivy. One of my customers. Is there a problem?"

"She was murdered a week ago," Pola responded.

Milton reacted inquisitively in a startled manner, "What...? She was murdered?"

"Her burial was two days ago," Pola responds.

Milton's eyes gaped on the photo as he swore, "Damn. God damn it."

A silence- coated moment flew by before Ian delved in, "Besides business, is there anything you would want us to know about you two? I mean, You and Ivy"

Milton sinks back in the chair and gives his statement, "Well, here's the thing..."

FLASHBACK...

Rains gushed down from the dark and heavy heavens in the late evenings.

Milton stood by the entrance of the Pharmacy, turned the hanging open- closed signage and locked the door.

Just as Milton turned to retire to the back office and close for the day, Ivy, with a black eye, was seeing walking through the rain without an umbrella and made it to the door.

Milton cautiously opened the door and indicated with a firm tone, "Lady, we're closed."

Ivy responded, "I know. But I need P- Plus. Please help."

"P- plus?" Wondered Milton.

Ivy made reply with a word, "Yes."

"Your eye suggests that you need to go to the hospital." Milton noted with concern.

"I'll pay. Just give me the damn medicine." Ivy charged with a pinch of agitation.

Milton stood his ground and politely remarked, "Lady, It's not about the money. Let someone qualified look at you. You don't look okay to me."

"Help, will you?" Pleaded Ivy.

"No." Milton declined.

"Please." Ivy begged with her hands in a prayer position.

"Alright." Milton nodded and walked to the dispensary. A few minutes later, He came back with a small pack of medicine and gave it to Ivy. "Here we go. One tab at time. Drink lots of water."

Ivy raced her fingers in the purse, "How much?"

"It's on me." Milton offered.

Ivy nodded in appreciation, "Thank you."

"If you need to talk to someone. I'm here. I'm Milton." Milton so graciously opened up his heart.

Ivy turned and walked back to her car without further utterance of a word.

Milton locked the door and watched on as Ivy braved the rains again until she disappeared in the tinted posh car.

BACK TO PRESENT...

Ian leaned forward and asked, "You never saw her again?"

"She came again. She was looking better, brighter... But we never talked. I was busy with another client. My assistant attended to her." Milton established without hesitation.

Ian, however, was not buying it, "Is that all?"

Shaking his head, Milton declined, "No. One late evening, she called requesting to meet me."

Ian was quick to wonder, "You agreed?"

Milton nodded and begun to narrate what transpired.

FLASHBACK...

Ivy sat alone in tears in the car. She glued her hands to the wheel as though the vehicle was in motion.

A few minutes later, Milton joined her on the passenger's seat and remarked after closing the car door, "Hey. What's up?"

Ivy angrily narrated, "I saw him. I caught him snogging his whore in the car... right in front of our house. God had mercy on that bitch. I didn't lay my hands on her."

"Mm. That's unfortunate," Milton reckoned.

"I've been depressed. I'm tired living with that devil. I told dad about it. He said I shouldn't rush but he will support the decision I will make," Ivy remarked.

"We can go out for a drink, maybe. You cool off." Milton cordially suggested.

Ivy parried, "Mil, I drink beer or whatever but I don't get drunk anymore. I can't sleep. Medicine can't ease my headache. I mean he has over ten whores. Ten fucking bitches. What kind of a man is he?"

Milton reached for Ivy's hand and held it, "If you need a shoulder to lean on, I'm here."

Ivy broke down and sunk back in her seat. And said nothing thereafter.

BACK TO PRESENT...

Ian interrogated further, "Why do I get the feeling that you aren’t telling the whole truth?"

"I don't know. Why are you getting that feeling?" Milton answered

"Was she your lover?" Ian poked Milton further.

Milton exhaled in frustration, "Look, there was this vulnerability in her that lured me. Given the chance, I would have loved to be more than what I was to her. But I was nothing more than a comfort boy to her."

"What do you mean?" Ian sought clarity.

Milton lost his cool and attacked Pola, "You dumb too?! God damn."

"No need to lose it now. Thus far, you've been helpful." Pola cemented her sentiment with a nod. "Okay?"

Milton took a deep breath and composed himself. "Look, she would only call me or see me when she was having a bad day. I was just a cushion she used to get by. Nothing more."

"I get it." Pola replied. "I perfectly do."

Ian spoke after a while, "You called her the day she died."

"I did. The husband, I must presume, answered. I froze out. I didn't expect him to," Milton confirms without hesitation.

Pola probed, "Did you at any point lose your wrist- watch?"

Milton shot back, "No. I don't wear watches."

Ian pushed to a corner, "Milton to a Are you sure?"

"I just said that I don't wear watches. Should I be sure?" lashes out.

Ian calmly stood his ground, "Well, there's no harm in doing so."

Milton visibly frustrated and impatient to get the interrogation over with inquires "Is there anything more?"

"No, that's all for now," Pola assured in a polite and sweet tone.

Milton nodded vehemently, "awesome."

Ian and Pola fixed their gaze at Milton. Milton glues his unflinching pair of eyes at Pola.

Silence triumphed.

Later that day...

A posh car drove slowly to a halt at Hopkins resident. A beautiful mansion amid pleasant gardens in the high cost residential area. Serge, dressed immaculately, emerged from the car and walked to the entrance.

No sooner Serge stepped out of his car than Ian and Pola drove through and pulled over just behind Serge's car. The duo stepped out the car and hastily walked after Serge.

Poled called out, "Serge. Wait up."

Serge stopped and turns around and wonders aloud, "You follow me now?!"

"No," Pola raised her hands slightly as though to indicate peace. "We just have a few questions relating to your wife."

A sigh of frustration escaped Serge's lips, "They better be sensible."

Ian weighed in, "How was your relationship like with your wife?"

Serge chuckled teasingly, "You mean to ask if I was happy. Uh?"

"Answer my question," Ian insisted.

"Look, you're supposed to be asking me pertinent questions." Serge put his foot down in an anger coated tone, "Things that will help the cause. Not these trivial issues you keep on bringing up"

Ian asked on, "Did you ever fight? Beat her, perhaps?"

"God," Serge shook his head in disbelief before taking a deep breath. "We were not super beings. We were just an ordinary couple like any other. We had our days. We were not perfect."

Ian persisted with his probe, "Did you beat her?"

Serge answered sharply, "No. I never laid my hands on my wife."

"We've reasons to believe she was a victim of domestic violence," Pola firmly suggests.

"Are you accusing me of victimizing her?" Serge wondered.

Pola made reply, "That's not what I've said."

Serge pushed Pola to a corner, "what are you saying then?"

A moment of silence swept across as Serge's question went begging. But Serge did not let it slip. "If you have reasons to believe that I killed her or that I used to abuse her, you can cuff me and take me in. I mean, right now."

Pola tried to overrule, "Serge, listen..."

"You listen to me," Serge overpowered. "My wife was murdered. The question sensible cops should be asking is who killed her? Not those petty issues you are raising."

Ian interjected. "But..."

Serge fought on, "But excuse me if you don't have anything sensible to say."

Serge turns and motions towards the door in anger.

Pola and Ian remain standing on their spots speechless.

Serge reaches for the door but does not open it. He turns around and walks back to the duo.

Serge showed Pola a photo on his phone, "Some mysterious number sent me that photo. There, is my wife and a priest."

"What about the priest?" Asked Pola.

Ian guided, "Look closely. I think He's wearing the watch you found in the tub."

"Do you know him?" Pola inquired. "Anything more from the mysterious sender?"

Serge responded, "The mysterious caller needs 50k for further information. But I figured that's a catholic priest."

"You're right," Pola noted and made a request. "Send me the photo and the mysterious number that sent it."

"Sure thing, I will," Serge responded. He then lowered his voice and drove the chain of thought home, "Now listen to me. Both of you. Get your act together. In all honest, you seem like a pair of clueless detectives. I need whoever killed my wife to face justice or I'll request that command drop you two off my case. You've one week."

Ian, with a bewildered face, remarked, "Wow."

"You heard me," Serge placed emphasis. "One week. Better still, I will find the bastard and kill him myself."

Pola gave Serge back the phone and retaliated, "No need for that. You don't have to take the law in your own hands. Let us do our bit. We will get to the root of this."

"Look", Serge announced angrily. "I'm running out of patience."

Serge turned and walked into the house after a gentle knock on the door before the duo could utter a word in response.

Ian mumbled lowly, "Wow."

Pola took a deep breath and rubs it in, "you heard the man."

Ian admitted, "He's tougher than he looks."

Pola chuckled and offered graciously, "Come on. I'll drive." The duo walked to the car and drive off.