CHAPTER 8 (Love us for who I am)
Roberto and I would meet up for lunch. I am terribly wary of him, I know he doesn’t mean to be my enemy, but I watch what I say. I need to protect Breno, as he had protected me. My first passenger, caught my eye, and my full attention. She gave me the address. She was beautiful. “Breno, I don’t know what to say.”
“Okay I will lead. Then carry on.”
“Breno, you won’t kill her will you?” I could feel him sigh in my head. “Desculpa, Breno. Go ahead.”
“bom Dia signora. What brings you out so early in the morning?”
“Senhor, my car broke down, I just had it towed, I am a Real estate agent, and I have a client at nine, to view a house, well I have several clients today.” She looked close to tears.
“Signora, when will your car be ready?”
“Eu não sei, Senhor.”
“I will drive you, give me all the locations, I need to send it in to dispatch, so calma. We will get through the day.”
“Obrigado. Muito obrigado Senhor.”
“Seeing that we are stuck together for the day, please call me Ian.”
“I am very pleased to meet you Ian. Eloa Silva.” She looked at my ring finger, the damn white line could be seen for days. “Eloa, that means Goddess, right? So Madam Goddess, I am not married, my wife…..is deceased.”
“I am terribly sorry, Ian.”
“Signora, these things happen. So while we travel tell me about the Real estate business.” We spoke for hours, I kept Breno close, when I ran out of things to say, he really is a lady killer. Hell that didn’t sound right at all. I told her I had a luncheon with my best friend, detective Roberto, and I could see her visibly relax, I asked if she would like to join us, and she agreed. I sent a text to Roberto, and he sent one back. “You sly devil.” With all the emoji’s he could find, all kisses and hearts.
The lunch went well. Roberto is natural around people, I guess it comes with the job description. Breno kept me talking. I liked her, she was sassy and brilliant, my pulse was thumping in my ears. Listen to your pulse Ian, calma. I did and it became easier to communicate. We actually had a real discussion. She was a divorce’, no children, two dogs and a cat. I told her I was looking at puppies, and the discussion continued. “Roberto, tchau, but we have an appointment, right now, I paid for the lunch. Breno suggested I do it. Roberto gave me the thumbs up, when we left the restaurant. Eloa’s appointments ended just after seven. I was tired, it’s one heck of a job she has. “Ian, I could not have gotten through today without you, so will you meet the family? While I cook us a meal?” Breno said yes, before I could say no. I drove to her house, the lady had great taste, as for the family, that was love at first sight, both ways. Two Labradors, named Jordo and Jesse. And a Persian named Fuffy. I played with them while Eloa cooked. I have never had a pet, I will get a pet. We ate on the terrace. ‘Eloa, the meal is divine, as for the company, I think I am in love.” The Lab’s wagged their tails. “Hmm, seems to be a mutual love interest.” She teased. I looked at her. Yes, without a doubt.
I said good night after I helped with the dishes. I would not over stay my welcome. I am shy as hell. “Ian, will you call me?”
“Sure, yes. Would you have dinner with me on Friday night?” Thank you Breno.
“Yes, of course, you chose, I am not fussy.” I drove home so happy I could burst. Yeah I know it’s been days since Marisa died, but she is dead, and I am alive. I made tea, and called Roberto. “She is magnificent, go with the flow Ian. A day at a time, but I think you have a winner. And you have my blessing amigo.” I thanked Roberto, and cut the call. I sent a text to Eloa. She sent me one back, I lay in my bed on my back, texting like teenager, with lots of help from Breno. I think we finally said good night around 1 a.m.
I counted the days until I would see her. I did text her in the morning to find out if her car was ready. She sent a text back, saying yes, and she sent me a kiss. “Breno, I never had this with Marisa, we were so busy, all the time. This is a whole new world to me, just don’t let me trip and fall on my face.”
“I have your back Ian, I will always have your back.” I went out for a jog. I noticed Roberto in the bushes. Man this is seriously going to piss me off, and I dislike cussing. I tolerate Breno, because that’s who he is. I ran up to Roberto before he could duck out of there. “bom Dia, so what are you doing Roberto, for real, I don’t know what my crime is, so tell me, why are you following me, you found me at the internet café’, you followed me on my routes, so now I would like an honest answer, what is my crime, that a detective has to be on my tail twenty-four hours a day?”
“Ian, I am sorry. I don’t know what to say to you amigo. I think I am really in over my head, and I thought if I followed you, you would lead me to the ‘Canary’. I thought you are the ‘Canary.’
“What?”
“I told you, I am sorry. I will stop it now. You have done nothing that would lead me to believe that you are a killer, nor that you killed Marisa. I don’t know what happened, but someone hacked my computer, stole my files, and your log book changed completely, overnight.”
“And you think I am responsible? I don’t have a PC at home, Roberto, you know I don’t like the things. So you went into my files, you do know those people are protected under the law, they have the right to anonymity. You are violating my rights and theirs.” Well he had more than egg on his face, so I narrated times, places, and the names of the passengers, for the past two years. I actually watched Roberto blush. “I need to go home and shower, and get to work, unless you want to come with and wash my back?” I walked away before he could answer, well Breno made me walk away.
The day went well, no tail. I enjoyed the day, when I took a break I would text Eloa, and so it went for the duration of the day. When I arrived home, I received a call from Roberto, he apologised for being a grade A ass. I accepted his apology, but I warned him, if that happened again, I will lay a complaint, his own Boss, gave me my walking papers, so I will not tolerate being harassed. He really felt bad, and so be it. I made dinner, spoke to Eloa, for an hour and went to bed.
ROBERTO: I did something terrible, I never thought I would, I tapped Ian’s house phone and I placed a camera in the sala. I have so much to lose, his friendship, my badge, hell I will end up in prison. I have been a cop too long, when my instincts shouts at me I listen, I still don’t think Ian is a killer, but there is something or someone that links him to all of these crimes. Thus far nada, the guy is a saint. He has his routine and he sticks to it. My gut says I need to stay on top of him. I placed an officer over Eloa Silva as well. Ian will never forgive me. However, this might prove his innocence. I noticed the main bedroom was locked, he had moved into the spare bedroom. I can’t blame him. He speaks to Eloa for hours, and I have seen another side to Ian, one I never knew existed. He is confident, and charming. I think he is falling in love. I honestly wish him happiness, I only know glimpses of his childhood, and that was pure and utter horror, and I am doing the same thing, I am abusing our friendship on a whim. I followed them Friday night, he was a real gentlemen. He even bought Eloa flowers, and opened the car door for her. I watched as they entered the restaurant, he pulled out a chair for her. She ordered wine, he a beer. They spoke animatedly for the duration of the meal. He drove her home. Walked her to the door, and kissed her on the cheek. He went home. I watched as he entered his house, a very happy man. He went and had a shower, watched a movie, called Eloa and thanked her for a lovely evening, they would take the dogs to the park on Sunday. If this is the profile of a serial killer, then my name is Bob.
I watched him for an hour. Then I decided it’s time to call it a night. I am starting to think I need to see a shrink. I looked away, Ian was in his pajamas, covered from head to toes, when I looked back to switch off the monitor, I froze. He was scratching his side, I froze the footage, his ribs, and his side were covered in burn marks. It looked as if someone used him as an astray. “Holy Mãe.” That still doesn’t make him a killer, but the extent of his abuse made me pour a drink, I stared at the footage. No wonder he never took off his clothes, he was ripped to shit, all that running had given him a stunning body, but he looked like a burn victim. I have a pot-belly, Ian has an eight-pack. Ian doesn’t smoke, he hardly drinks. I thought back on to the night Marisa died. He ordered a beer, then asked for the song to be switched off, the song continued to play. He then ordered a cognac, and he drank the beer. Then he disappeared for a few hours, reappeared at another pub. I called my doctor, I knew it was late. I explained why I was calling. Then I asked the question that had been on my mind. “Doc, what are the signs of a split personality, and what causes it?” I wrote down as he spoke. I thanked him for his valuable knowledge and time. I knew what to do. I had to play that song, that will be the only way to asses if I am right about Ian. I know the song, his Mama played it relentlessly. When she was drunk we all had to listen to the damn song. A trigger, that can explain the lapse in memory, when I asked him to finish the profile on the ‘Canary.’ That explains why he called the PERP a ‘Canary” in the first place. The trigger is a song. I hoped to Deus I was right, I would get him off on an insanity plea. I went to bed, but sleep would not claim me, I tossed so much. Alipha sent me out of the bedroom. I slept, well tossed in the spare bedroom. There should be a law against spare bedrooms.
The ME I had spoken to about the Alanzia and the Lorena murders, was too young, he referred me to his Dad, whom was semi-retired, but what a mind. He walked me through the autopsy’s as if it happened yesterday. I then spoke to his son, he recalled the latest murders, and made copies for me, and new photos of the deceased. My files were coming along again. The young ME, assured me that the marks were cigarette burns, I picked his brain, as to what drives a nice man to murder. He basically told me what my doctor had told me. Trauma in the childhood. From what I saw on Ian, qualifies as trauma. How he stayed sane, and became a success took courage. My heart broke for him, I will do anything to save his life.
IAN: Getting ready for my date in the park, I had ordered us a picnic basket, I had on casual clothes, and a long sleeve shirt, I think one day I will confide in Eloa, I need to purge, I need to start over, and if she will accept my scared body, then I will marry her, and no more shenanigans. Breno, we need a normal life. “Deal, if this lady will accept you, I will leave, that is a promise, Ian. You can live your life, and never have blood on your hands again, this I swear to you.”
I am so happy, I checked my clothes in the mirror in the sala, the sun light reflected off something. I pulled at it. “A camera?” Breno was very strong in my head. “Check the phone for bugs.” FUCK
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