Chapter 8: Chapter 7

‘’A gun,’’ Elena said and was shocked to see that it was loaded.

She had no idea Malik even owned something like that, and it was on the very top, as if he expected someone to come breaking into the house.

Next there was a photo of a woman with dark hair and two smiling children who shared the same striking features as Malik.

On the back, it said; ‘I love you.’

Then there was a piece of paper with an address for a suburban community in Georgia.

Elena dug around in the box some more until she found a passport, it had Malik’s name on it and showed that it was recently renewed.

Elena dug around again, and she found a letter, it was addressed to some guy name Joshua Swan.

It was a short message only saying we miss and love you, come home soon and be safe.

Elena went over the contents of the box so many times her head started to hurt; she sat in the chair, trying to figure out what it all meant.

Shortly after, Elena called work and told them she was able to come into work because she wasn’t feeling herself.

She went back to staring at the photo of the woman and the kids that were smiling at her.

‘’Who the heck are these people?’’

But she already knew, these kids were no doubt Malik’s. One even wore his signature smirk.

Elena then held Malik’s passport in hand, she didn’t realize she had taken it up again, but it was what confused her the most.

‘’How could he manage to travel without this?’’ she questioned out loud.

‘’There was just no possible way that he could make it on that plane without it.’’

That got her to thinking.

Is Joshua, Malik? Or Malik Joshua?

Elena took a deep breath, she knew that the police said she was to bring anything she found that could lead them to a possible killer, but she wasn’t so sure they were even dealing with a killer.

But mostly Elena didn’t quite trust Harrison, there was just something about him she didn’t like.

To her it seems like he knew something but wouldn’t tell her.

And the way he looked at her made are skin crawl, not to mention that smirk he had.

The doorbell rang, Elena jumped at the sudden sound.

‘’Fuck,’’ she let out and hurried to the front door.

“Another package came for you...” Belinda stop talking after taking a good look at Elena.

“Are you ok?” Belinda asked, letting herself into the house.

“Yes, just going through some of my husband things.” Elena replied.

Belinda sat beside Elena.

‘’How are you holding up?’’

‘’To be honest, I don’t even know. I was sad at first but know.’’

Elena told Belinda all she found in the box.

The woman covered her mouth.

‘’Do you think he had a secret life?’’

Elena shrugged, then looked at the small package, it had her address but not her name or even Malik’s name.

“I think the post office is making a mistake, I mean they have the address right but never the names. There must be some kind of mix up,” she said, as she ripped the brown wrapping paper away.

“Keith Bennett?” Belinda read.

‘’I have never heard of that person before,’’ Elena made known.

“Must be the previous owners, that happened to me once.” Belinda said.

Elena turned the box out to see what was on the inside.

“It’s just bank statements, and credit card payments.”

“Would you like some tea?” Elena offered and Belinda nodded.

“Don’t you think you should bring what you found to the cops?” Belinda suggested.

‘’I just need some time to think,’’ Elena said.

‘’Well, in that case. You need to get out.’’

‘’Excuse me?’’ Elena gave Belinda a look.

“I mean go somewhere you never been before, experience something new. I don’t like the fact that you are locked up in the house all the time. If you aren’t going to go to work for a while, use that as an open window to go take a load off. All this must be so stressing.’’

Elena smiled, thinking that she might just make a trip to Georgia.

“You know, you are right. I should just pack right now and go, no use sulking around the house so much.”

Belinda smiled. ‘’That’s the spirit.’’

Elena went to her room and began to pack as soon as Belinda left, her phone rang, and she saw that it was Robert.

‘’Hello?’’

‘’What? Ok, I’ll be there.’’

She looked at her small luggage and thought, that was that.

And now she had to put her little travel plans on a pause, because Mrs. Franco was once again in the hospital, this time with a stroke.

It left her unable to talk or move.

Mr. Franco took her to the side before speaking.

‘’I never remembered to tell you, but the things our son had left us. I want you to have them, all the money and cars should be yours.’’

Elena shook her head. ‘’That’s not necessary.’’

‘’Don’t be foolish child, the wife and I have no use for all that. She is well… a vegetable now and I’m almost blind and on the way to the grave as well. We talked about it after Malik’s things were passed down to us and agreed that you should have it.’’

He paused to lick his lips.

‘’I don’t even know why he left us all these things in the first place.’’

Elena wanted to ask Robert about Malik having a secret life, but she doubted the old man would know anything about that. If she was blind to the fact that her own husband was living a double life, then there was no way he or Gloria would have known.

She looked at the bed to where a nurse was feeding her mother-in-law through the tub in her nose.

‘’They said she won’t recover from this; the stroke was on the right side and went close to her heart.’’

Elena couldn’t help but blame Malik, maybe he got mixed up into something and that’s what led to his death. If he wasn’t being shady and possibly living another life, his mother wouldn’t be laying in the hospital bed right now.

‘’I don’t know what to do,’’ Robert said. ‘’I’m not going to be able to take care of my wife, I can hardly take care of myself, and Julie had left. I don’t want to leave her here, but I don’t think I have any other choice.’’

Elena placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘’Don’t worry, I’ll hire someone who care help around the house and with Gloria as well.’’

Robert shook his head. ‘’You have always been good to us.’’

But that’s because they are the closest thing to having parents again to Elena, and they had always been good to Elena, so it’s the least she could do for them.

‘’I should get home now; the doctors had advised me not to worry too much. They are right, it’s not like I can do much.’’

A joint some where in Robert’s body popped and he laughed. ‘’The old bones are getting rusty again, I best get home to take my medication.’’

Elena drove Robert home, seeing that he rode in the ambulance to the hospital.

‘’Thank you dare, I don’t want to burden you too much.’’

‘’Robert don’t say that. You and Gloria have been good to me over the years. I’ll be sure to get someone here to help you around the house as soon as possible.’’

And now with Malik gone, she left obligated to take care of the old couple.

After making sure that Robert was inside, Elena drove off.