My first draft deleted during the beginning of the writing of this chapter and it had 1000 words. I gave up for the day. The now published chapter is my 2nd and most successful attempt.)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2018 12:37PM
Erik chased Spencer down the hall and into the crowded kitchen; Jarrett, Kayla, and Marcia inside. His twin, Jarrett, yelled in frustration when he was knocked down as Erik flew past.
He slammed into the counter but kept going, Spencer's laughter serving as a taunt. They raced into the dining room, his mother's voice called out from the foyer. "Don't kill yourselves, children!"
Right after she said that, Erik had Spencer's shirt nearly in his grasp, but in his haste, he hadn't noticed the chair Spencer dodged and he tumbled over it, his back slamming on the rug.
He laid there, breathing heavily and just relaxing his muscles. "Old man Erik! You're not going to try and get me?" Spencer's voice asked from the family room. "I'm too old, I don't have the same energy a 13 year old does," Erik replied.
There was no reply from the family room, so Erik stood up and made his way through the kitchen into the foyer. There was a dark oak staircase in the center of the room leading up to the second floor.
Erik climbed it and stepped into a hallway. He went down the left wing, where he and Jarrett's rooms were. He entered the farthest room to the left to reveal a random Kayla snooping around.
"Kayla, what're you doing? Snooping?" Erik asked. She whirled around, caught red-handed, and laughed. "Pfft, me? Snooping? Um, no! I was just cleaning your room! Yes, cleaning! It's all... Nice now! Uh, now that you're here, I must make my esca- I mean retreat to my room!" She zoomed past him before he could grab her.
Erik checked his room to make sure she didn't mess anything up. After making sure everything was fine he surveyed his room. His bed was in the farthest top left corner, a nightstand right besides it. A dresser was in the top right corner. A desk with a PC and a chair was in the bottom left corner. At the foot of the bed was a TV and a stand, the surface area covered by consoles and games.
Erik flopped onto the bed, wanting to take a nap. His mind kept wandering to why Kayla was in his room and where father was. His father was a busy man—Erik knew that—but sometimes he wished for proper family time. Would he rather be making business deals that would improve the company or take some valued time off to admire his family?
Erik dismissed his thoughts as his eyes started to automatically drift closed.
♦♦1:32 pm♦♦
Erik was rudely awoken by a blood-curdling scream. He jumped off the bed and raced into the hallway. His mother, Marcia and Bethany were standing in father's office doorway, looks of horror on their faces. He rushed over to them to look into the office. Erik gasped.
His father was lying on the floor behind his desk, and a huge pool of blood surrounded him, heavily soaking into the rug. There were dozens of stab marks on his chest and stomach. A thin trail of blood ran down the corner of his mouth to the rug, slowly soaking in.
Erik heard what sounded like Spencer bounding up the stairs. His mother turned and cried, "No! Not Spencer!" Before she could even move, Erik had run over and engulfed Spencer in a bear hug. Spencer squirmed as he was carried downstairs.
"What happened?" Spencer asked. Erik stayed silent as he made his way through the foyer and kitchen and into the family room. "Was it father?" Spencer asked. Erik tried to keep his face neutral but Spencer must've seen something because he started crying. "NO! Father!"
Erik set Spencer down on the couch. He let the boy cry for a while, after the first few seconds Erik hugged him. They stayed there hugging and Spencer bawling.
Faceless people rushed by at fast speeds. A few people had gone up to them and presumably asked questions, but left when they realized that they won't answer. As time went by, Erik saw blue and red flashing lights in the windows.
The total time they had spent hugging each other had been a few hours. The spell broke when Erik felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his mother, her tears causing her mascara to run down her cheeks in opaque lines.
"The police want to speak with you, dear," his mother said softly. Erik slowly nodded and detangled himself from a now sleeping Spencer, gently laying him down on the couch.
He followed his mother into the foyer where two officers were standing.
One of them stepped forward and reached out his hand. Erik reluctantly accepted and they shook hands. "I'm Detective Montero, and this is my partner Detective Jones," he said. Erik nodded. "Erik Sebastian."
"Before I say anything else, I want to give you my condolences. What has happened is horrific and we will try to find whoever killed your father," Detective Montero said. Erik just nodded, his mind numb with grief.
"We just want to start by asking you a few questions," Detective Jones started. "Where were you between the time of 12:30 and 1:30 pm earlier this morning?" Detective Montero asked. "I was playing a game with my little brother Spencer, then I took a nap around 12:45. I was awoken by my mother's scream at around 1:30–1:35-ish," Erik said.
Detective Jones nodded mutely as he scribbled down something in his notepad.
"Can you not really ask me anymore questions? I'm sorry, I know I seem incredibly rude, but I need to be there for my family as the eldest," Erik said stiffly.
"Oh-" Detective Montero began, obviously surprised. Detective Jones placed a hand on Montero's shoulder, raising an eyebrow and having a silent conversation.
"Fine," Monterey grumbled, miffed at the sudden end to the questioning. "Great! Well come back later this week so I highly suggest you don't skip town," Jones suggested.
Erik nodded and looked at Spencer sleeping on the couch, deciding to not wake him yet. Erik chose to go to the kitchen, hoping to find his other siblings.
Erik found Marcia sitting solemnly at the dining room table, staring at nothing. "Marcia," Erik said. No response from the girl. The eldest boy sighed in frustration and went off to find his twin.
Erik found Jarrett in the small library tucked into the corner of the house. It was a nice quiet place for thinking or doing homework or just reading.
Erik didn't really use it; he couldn't see the purpose except being Jarrett's lair the whole time.
He entered the library and Jarrett turned slowly in his big maroon office chair. The twin's face held a side smile, a face that's been hurt. Understandable.
"What's up?" Jarrett asked. "W-What are you thinking right now?" Erik stuttered. He felt the urge to cry behind his eyes.
Jarrett took a shakeup breath before looking away at the countless shelves. "I–" He began, but stopped. "I," he tried again, "feel like my whole worlds been tipped upside down. Father was the anchor of the business and I can't imagine who'd murder him!"
"I know, Jarrett," Erik said. "I know it seems irresponsible and dangerous and might be because of the grief, but I want to find his murderer."
Jarrett was speechless. His mouth bobbed up and down, frozen between the awkward place of fully open and closed.
"I know you won't want to be invol–" "Count me in. I want revenge," Jarrett said, donning a staid expression. "Really?!" Erik exclaimed. Jarrett allowed a grin to his expression before his face darkened once more.
"Of course. I'll always back up family," Jarrett said. "Should we talk to the others or…?" Erik asked. "Not yet."
"Then let's start investigating."
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