Chapter 28: Chapter 28

I was busy peeling some potatoes in the kitchen about three days after the funeral when my phone rang loudly in my pocket.

"Hello," I answered drying my hands on the drying cloth

"Hallo yourself, you know when you asked me to check up on Randall to see if he was ok?" Haley answered nervously

"Why does that sound like something bad happened?" I asked unsteadily

"Well something bad did happen," my heart sank

"What happened?" I quickly asked rushing to the bedroom to fetch my keys

"It's probably better if you see for yourself," she said uneasily, like what she was seeing made her want to throw up.

"Ok on my way there now," I said practically flying out of the flat and stairway into my car, I broke every speed law trying to get to Randall's place. I caused a guy to crash into a tree swerving out of the way when I switched lanes to overtake a car but I did yell sorry over my open window not like he could hear me anyway, it was smooth sailing well if you could even call it that when I was trying to drive at the speed of light until a police car came into view pulling me over. I rolled down the rest of my window only to be surprised to see Adam in his uniform,

"Hey Haley didn't know that was you," he greeted me with a smile again getting my name wrong

"Hey to you too, I'd love to chit chat but I have somewhere to be like an hour ago," I urgently said hoping he could hurry up by giving me a ticket or a warning.

"Oh as much as I would like to let you go with a warning, you caused an accident Harley I have to take you in," he sadly said," Now please step out of the car," he ordered

"Come on, what would it take you to let me go, will money do the trick?" I asked pulling out my wallet

"Haley I don't take bribes," he blankly said

"You took Haley's that night," I told him, something clicked in his brain before he spoke

"Sorry Harley but I gave that money back to Lila she said she gave it back," he said

"Then I can get you drugs I know the best dealer around here," I offered desperately

"Harley," he annoyedly said

"Sex?" I asked

"That's enough step out of the car please?" He said with a bit of colour to his cheeks

"Adam please I will do the time but right now I can't I'm begging you please let me go just this once something bad happened to my boyfriend and I just want to make sure he's ok," I resorted to begging because I sure as hell couldn't beat him up while he had a loaded gun, he sighed clearly in turmoil whether to follow his heart or his code.

"Fine but once you know he's fine I'm taking you to the station," he said

"Yes of course I'll call you right away," I happily said starting my car up

"You're going to need my number for that," he said with a raised brow when I nearly drove off without getting it

"Right of course," I said taking out my phone and getting his number

"Drive safely now before you kill someone," he ordered

"No promises," I said and drove off at top speed. I was sure he was regretting letting me go because I nearly crashed into someone before he got out of sight.

Oops my bad

The moment I arrived I flew up the stairs to Randall's apartment tripping over my own feet before I barged into the apartment and nearly gagged at the unpleasant smell clouding the place. The smell was so strong it burned my eyes and nose.

"Dear God," I gagged covering my nose and mouth with my hand

"Told you to bring a mask dummy," Haley came into view wearing a bandana that covered half her face from her nose down.

"What's that smell?" I asked

"Come see for yourself just don't say I didn't warn you," Haley said with a distressed look as she led me into the bedroom.

My legs collapsed under me at the sight before me, Randall or what was left of him laying on the floor rotting away with maggots and flies surrounding him. The wretched smell increased in the room making it very hard to breathe, tears streamed down my cheeks not only from the smell but from the gut-wrenching pain of seeing my boyfriend lying dead as a doorknob on the floor. The sight alone was enough to make anyone gag and throw up and I did just that regretting ever uncovering my mouth as the smell attacked me full force, I choked trying to get some fresh air but couldn't as I began suffocating.

"Come on get up," Haley angrily said trying to pull me out of the room, for once I didn't argue and listened to her standing up on my shaky legs before we sped out of the place stepping out of the flat and closed the door behind us. I continued to cough my lungs out while hunched over.

"There there," Haley soothed rubbing my back soothingly, my fits of coughs died down as I took a deep fresh breath of air, "Better?" Haley asked me

"Ya," I quietly said wiping away the fluids on my lips with the back of my hand

"Good now let's get out of here before someone sees us," she urged pushing me to the stairways

"What no we have to call the cops," I angrily said

"And say what?" She asked outraged like that was the dumbest idea I have ever come up with

"What we saw is someone did this to him and I want to know who," I angrily said

"Ya no, that's a terrible idea sis, revenge does not look good on you," she said

"Who cares I'm calling Adam," I said trying to reach for my phone then realising I forgot it inside when I had that meltdown.

"What?" Haley asked me when I gave her a pleading look

"I left my purse inside," I said, her scowl deepened

"And what has that got to do with me?" She asked with a raised brow

"You have more protection than me," I begged

"I'm also pregnant did you forget," she threw back

"Fuck," I cursed not wanting to go inside there even if my life depended on it

"Man up girl and go get your shit," that was her way of encouraging me which didn't work that well but I appreciated the effort. Regrettably, I sighed opening the door and running inside with my hand covering my mouth and nose, I didn't look forward just looked down until I saw my purse and his outstretched decaying hand my eyes didn't wander further than that as I quickly snatched my handbag and ran back out with tears streaming down my face.

"Nicely done," Haley said once I slammed the door shut behind me

"Don't patronize me," I angrily said, breathing heavily as I could still smell the revolting smell from outside, "Where's Lido?" I asked, just suddenly remembering the poor dog.

"Tyler took him to the vet he was in a pretty rough shape but still alive," she sadly said

"Damn it what the hell happened?" I asked through gritted teeth as my blood boiled over

"Beats me but I'm sure the police can have a crack at it," she shrugged her shoulders moving further away from the door, how the hell did people not notice the smell nor the constantly barking dog.

"Worth a shot," I mumbled dialling Adam hoping he was around the area

"Hello," he answered on the second ring

"Hey, you think you can make a detour from your rounds for a little case?" I asked

"Ya sure it's a little bit boring here anyway, send me the location and I'll be there asap," he said

"Great see you then," I said and hung up, what are the odds of having a cop on speed dial was pretty handy.

"So he's coming or what?" Haley asked

"Duh just give him a few minutes," I answered

"Great then we can wait for him downstairs before I decide to jump off the ledge," she gagged practically rushing downstairs

"Wait for me," I said, following behind her trying to get away from the stench as soon as possible. We sat at the last step side-by-side silently unsure what to say after what we just witnessed.

"I'm sorry," Haley softly said. I didn't say anything unsure even if I could speak it would be coherent because of the lump in my throat that made me want to cry and scream my heart out. I couldn't understand for the life of me who would want to hurt a kind man such as Randall. He couldn't hurt a fly without saying a prayer for crying out loud. He was a saint but where was his saviour when he needed him most. If I ever found out who did this I would rain hell on them whether I die or go to jail would be the least of my worries, I was filled with rage, pure condescending rage that needed to be released before I blew a gasket.

"Calm yourself I can practically see the steam coming out of your ears," Haley said smacking me across the head

"Ow what was that for," I bitterly said massaging the back of my head

"Oh relax I didn't hit you that hard and look goldy locks has arrived," she pointed ahead to a police car parking in an open space

"Wow he does resemble Chris Hemsworth," Haley nodded to herself

"Tell me about it," I agreed, getting up to greet the lightning god resembler.

"Hey Haley and Harley," he unsurely said pointing at each of us as he said our names

"Correct blondie now why don't you skedaddle your way up to the flat and find out what we found," Haley impatiently said like she wanted to be anywhere but here, I couldn't blame her I felt the same.

"Right, sorry, which flat?" He asked, Haley, answered him before he went upstairs while we waited downstairs.

"You reckon he'll scream?" Haley asked with a smirk

"Nah he seems like he sees dead people on occasion," I shrugged my shoulders

"True," she said, we waited awkwardly for Adam to come down but he sure did take his precious time. When he did come down he looked mortified looking exactly like I did when I first saw Randall.

"So what do you think killed him?" Haley asked right away

"I'm not exactly sure but I'll call my team to have a look," he said still seeming out of it

"What's with the pale face, shouldn't you be used to this?" I asked

"Doesn't matter how many dead bodies I see it'll still affect me," he said with a scowl

"It's the life you chose so quit complaining and find out what happened to her boyfriend," Haley ordered, at the mention of the word boyfriend he looked at me with pity in his eyes

"Don't," I said when he was about to say something to me

"Ya this one is a stubborn mule so don't mind her," Haley said waving at my face.

"Noted," he said," My guys will be here in a bit so why don't you tell me who you think would have wanted to hurt him," he pulled out a notepad and a pan

"Ask her I barely know the guy," Haley shrugged pointing at me, gee thanks sis way to throw me under the bus.

"He did always complain about his manager always giving him a hard time for unnecessary reasons," I said, hugging myself as I spoke about him in the past tense, it felt too surreal.

"Alright just right down his details and we'll start there," Adam said handing me his notepad, I took out my phone searching through my chats with Randall to find his bosses details. Scrolling through our texts broke my heart into millions of pieces as the realization of never talking to him ever again finally hit, my knees buckled under me as a silent scream came out of me as I froze on the ground a sharp pain zapped my heart so painful that I lost my breath for a moment, I thought I was going to die.

"Hey take a deep breath," Adam gently said, getting down on his knees at eye level with me, breathing how could I possibly breathe after everything just crashed down on me, I was suffocating.

"Quit being so dramatic," Haley annoyedly said smacking me across the head

"Haley!" Adam yelled at her caressing the back of my head but he didn't know I didn't feel an ounce of pain compared to the heart-stopping pain I was feeling in my chest.

"She's fine she just needs a bit of a wake-up call is all," Haley said with her arms crossed like she didn't care in the slightest how I was feeling and that aggravated me to the point where my anger drowned out the hurt and I just wanted to hurt someone anyone, make them feel what I felt no matter the cost.

"You bitch," I angrily said standing up with the help of Adam

"Watch it, Harley you're not in your right mind," she warned me dropping her hands to the side

"You watch it you stone-cold bitch," I angrily yelled advancing towards her with my fists clenched, Adam stopped me before I could rip her to shreds.

"Get your goddamn hand off of me before I rip it off you," I threatened, throwing icy daggers at him.

"Not going to happen, Haley, not until you calm down," he said, seriously gripping my arm with an iron grip.

"I'm Haley you caveman," Haley angrily said

"Oh right sorry," he apologized like it was that hard to tell us apart.

"Fine I'm calm now let me go," I ordered trying to rip my arm out of his grip

"No she's not, look at her she's a volcano ready to blow," Haley said exasperated

"You shut up you foul-mouthed cow," I bitterly said

"Who are you calling a cow you raccoon," she narrowed her eyes at me taking a step forward but Adam got between us.

"Hey hey, ladies let's take it down a notch," he said looking at her and then me.

"Raccoon? At least I don't look like an orangutan," I yelled

"We have the same face you idiot," she yelled pushing Adam's hand off her shoulder taking a step closer to me.

"No we don't and you know it, you're just jealous mine looks better," I said

"Oh please like anyone would want to be with your giraffe looking ass face," she scoffed

"Let's stop insulting innocent animals and calm down," Adam urged, trying to push Haley back gently.

"Did you just push me?" She asked outraged

"Well technically yes I did but it-" he didn't get to finish his sentence as she slapped him hard across the face.

"What the hell's your problem?" I angrily asked pulling Adam out of the way

"You are right now," she sneered getting right in my face

"Great the feelings mutual," I said staring her dead in the eyes

"Come on guys this is unnecessary," Adam said, watching us with observant eyes ready to intervene if we fought.

"Shut it goldy locks," Haley yelled

"Leave him be he did nothing wrong," I defend Adam

"Oh now you like the guy, he nearly killed you for crying out loud," she said outraged

"It was a prank," I reminded her

"Not when the guns loaded," she fired back

"For the record, it was on safety lock but again I'm truly sorry about that," he butted in getting our attention.

"Do I look like I give a fuck," Haley asked with a straight look, Adam didn't say anything but sighed and let us be heading to his car to wait for us to finish talking or ripping each others heads off whichever came first.

"You seriously need to watch what you say to people, being pregnant isn't an excuse to treat us like shit," I said

"Says who?" She asked with her hands on her hips

"Don't make me slap you," I warned her

"Do it I dare you," she narrowed her eyes at me like I was bluffing but I wasn't and so I delivered and smacked her hard across the face.

"I wasn't kidding, watch how you speak to people," I said heading to Adam leaving Haly to stare at me, mouth wide like a fish out of water, she underestimated me.