probably wasn’t the best idea, she was the
only one who wouldn’t judge me.
“Freaked out?
Why? What’s happened? It’s not that stupid Jenny.”
“No, no, it’s
nothing to do with her,” I interrupted. I could handle her, I thought.
“Then what is
it?”
“OK, this is
going to sound a bit crazy but I’m just telling you what I saw. I’m not making
any assumptions, I just need you to tell me what you think and be honest. If I
sound crazy just tell me OK?”
“Yeah, sure, you
haven’t witnessed a crime or something?”
“No,
nothing like that! Seriously you need to take a break from those detective mysteries,” I
chuckled.
“Who? Me? Nooooo, so what happened?”
“You know that
old shoe factory opposite my house?”
“The
one where they found the dead homeless person?”
“Yes that one,”
I hissed.
“Well last
night, I saw a shadow in there.”
“A
shadow?”
“Yeah, it was
moving then disappeared. I thought it was probably a cat.”
“Or a dog –
could even have been a donkey,” she giggled back.
“Listen, I
thought the same too until just now. I saw a light in the top window!”
“No
way! You sure it was
a light?”
“Well it
couldn’t exactly be a magical donkey now could it?”
“When did you
see the light? Is it still there?”
“No, it went
suddenly. I don’t understand what this means. Any ideas?”
“What time did
you see the shadow?”
“I don’t know , it was late, like past midnight.”
“A perfect time
to break in, don’t you think? Especially into an empty
factory.” I could hear the scratching of a pencil. Now I definitely had
her attention.
“So how about this:
imagine you’re a dodgy person, you break into an old factory when it’s dark so
no one would notice you and you need to keep a low profile so you keep the
lights off unless it gets too dark.”
“Yes and so you light a candle or even use a
dim lamp,” I responded.
“Which window
did you see the light from?”
“The top one,” I
said.
“That’s the
office and the shadow was on that floor too?”
“No, I saw the
shadow through the window below, second floor. Do you think he was making his
way upstairs and he passed the window on the second floor?”
“Yes...” Silence
intervened and I could tell she was putting the pieces together in her head.
What a relief it was to find out what I’d been thinking was normal and not an
over exaggeration. Finally things were starting to make sense. Just as I was
about to say something Sonia was back, with a much higher tone of voice.
“What I don’t
understand is why, out of all the places, would someone break into the old shoe
factory? I mean that’s where the dead body was found!”
“Maybe...” I
tried to explain that it could have been someone who didn’t know but Sonia was
thinking aloud.
“Unless, oh my
life! He is related to the murder somehow. Maybe he thought that he could come
back to check or collect something now that this whole murder investigation is
over.”
“Why would he
come back?”
“Curiosity. It’s the easiest mistake to make especially when you
think everyone has forgotten or moved on and now he’s there!”
“So you’re
telling me a murderer or someone weird is living opposite my house?” The worst
thing was that the police had reported that the homeless person had died from a
stroke but Sonia and a few of the locals were convinced it was a murder yet I
never really knew what to believe.
“Yes, you might
have a killer living across from your house.” As quick as a spy I ran to draw
my curtains.
“So what shall I
do?” I screamed down the phone.
“Make sure your
doors are locked and your windows are closed. I’ll be at yours in twenty-six minutes!”
I couldn’t
believe this was happening. I’m glad she was coming to my house but was anxious
over what might be to come. Quietly I tip-toed downstairs,
into the kitchen, to make some peppermint tea. I needed to calm
only one who wouldn’t judge me.
“Freaked out?
Why? What’s happened? It’s not that stupid Jenny.”
“No, no, it’s
nothing to do with her,” I interrupted. I could handle her, I thought.
“Then what is
it?”
“OK, this is
going to sound a bit crazy but I’m just telling you what I saw. I’m not making
any assumptions, I just need you to tell me what you think and be honest. If I
sound crazy just tell me OK?”
“Yeah, sure, you
haven’t witnessed a crime or something?”
“No,
nothing like that! Seriously you need to take a break from those detective mysteries,” I
chuckled.
“Who? Me? Nooooo, so what happened?”
“You know that
old shoe factory opposite my house?”
“The
one where they found the dead homeless person?”
“Yes that one,”
I hissed.
“Well last
night, I saw a shadow in there.”
“A
shadow?”
“Yeah, it was
moving then disappeared. I thought it was probably a cat.”
“Or a dog –
could even have been a donkey,” she giggled back.
“Listen, I
thought the same too until just now. I saw a light in the top window!”
“No
way! You sure it was
a light?”
“Well it
couldn’t exactly be a magical donkey now could it?”
“When did you
see the light? Is it still there?”
“No, it went
suddenly. I don’t understand what this means. Any ideas?”
“What time did
you see the shadow?”
“I don’t know , it was late, like past midnight.”
“A perfect time
to break in, don’t you think? Especially into an empty
factory.” I could hear the scratching of a pencil. Now I definitely had
her attention.
“So how about this:
imagine you’re a dodgy person, you break into an old factory when it’s dark so
no one would notice you and you need to keep a low profile so you keep the
lights off unless it gets too dark.”
“Yes and so you light a candle or even use a
dim lamp,” I responded.
“Which window
did you see the light from?”
“The top one,” I
said.
“That’s the
office and the shadow was on that floor too?”
“No, I saw the
shadow through the window below, second floor. Do you think he was making his
way upstairs and he passed the window on the second floor?”
“Yes...” Silence
intervened and I could tell she was putting the pieces together in her head.
What a relief it was to find out what I’d been thinking was normal and not an
over exaggeration. Finally things were starting to make sense. Just as I was
about to say something Sonia was back, with a much higher tone of voice.
“What I don’t
understand is why, out of all the places, would someone break into the old shoe
factory? I mean that’s where the dead body was found!”
“Maybe...” I
tried to explain that it could have been someone who didn’t know but Sonia was
thinking aloud.
“Unless, oh my
life! He is related to the murder somehow. Maybe he thought that he could come
back to check or collect something now that this whole murder investigation is
over.”
“Why would he
come back?”
“Curiosity. It’s the easiest mistake to make especially when you
think everyone has forgotten or moved on and now he’s there!”
“So you’re
telling me a murderer or someone weird is living opposite my house?” The worst
thing was that the police had reported that the homeless person had died from a
stroke but Sonia and a few of the locals were convinced it was a murder yet I
never really knew what to believe.
“Yes, you might
have a killer living across from your house.” As quick as a spy I ran to draw
my curtains.
“So what shall I
do?” I screamed down the phone.
“Make sure your
doors are locked and your windows are closed. I’ll be at yours in twenty-six minutes!”
I couldn’t
believe this was happening. I’m glad she was coming to my house but was anxious
over what might be to come. Quietly I tip-toed downstairs,
into the kitchen, to make some peppermint tea. I needed to calm
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