Chereads / The Whitechapel Murderer / Chapter 17 - Changes...

Chapter 17 - Changes...

"We need to find Mr Fernsby." Jessica mumbled and dragged Hebrew with her towards the main road, to catch a cab.

While she dragged him, Hebrew's eyes kept looking at the women. His brows frowning. This was the second time he had felt uneasy in front of a woman. 

"She doesn't seem like just a flower vendor." he mumbled emphasising the word just.

"Me Hebrew?" Jessica snapped her fingers in front of him.

"Huh?" he looked at her.

"You seem quite lost since we talked to that woman, are you alright?" she asked and he just slightly nodded.

"Then why are you sweating?" she asked looking at his sidelocks, wet by the sweat rolling down.

Hebrew swept it away, "Nothing it's...due to running." He managed to console Jessica.

Jessica nodded and they both sat in the taxi. Jessica had no idea that in those couple of minutes how much that lady had made Hebrew uncomfortable. It wasn't like he hadn't ever felt that way but still. His mind ran through thousands of possibilities just to conclude why was that woman so...suspicious?

"We're here!" the driver exclaimed and they both headed inside Fernsby's lab.

"Good morning Mr Hebrew and Ms Lennon."  Fernsby greeted with a smile.

They both nodded.

"What made you come here all of a sudden?" he took a sip from the glass of juice he was holding.

"Umm...actually...we wanted the victim's clothes back. whatever she was wearing." 

"Oh! Ms Lennon!" Fernby quickly responded, rubbing his temples, grabbing Hebrew's attention.

"Wh-what happened?" Jessica asked, being unsure and uncomfortable.

"We had them thrown yesternight only...I had called Mr Winchester and he agreed that they did not need those clothes anymore, they were fully examined."

Jessica gasped and looked at Hebrew who gradually looked down, still frowning.

"Did you find anything related to her identity in any pocket of her coat?" Jessica asked.

Fernsby sighed and shook his head.

"What do we do now?" Jessica asked.

"Mr Hebrew?" she called him out, after receiving no response from him.

"Huh?" he quickly snapped back at Jessica.

"They...threw the clothes..." she explained.

Hebrew nodded slightly.

"Then..." he cleared his throat. "We should head home...investigate from tomorrow again." he walked out of the lab alone, quietly.

"What happened to him? Anything wrong? He seems changed?" Fernsby asked, drinking his juice down in two gulps.

Jessica shrugged, "He seems a bit trailed off, dunno what's the matter." 

Fernsby nodded, and, was left alone as Jessica followed Hebrew's path.

"Mr Hebrew...are you alright?" she asked, reaching for his back covered in a black overcoat.

Hebrew turned around with a slight smile making Jessica pause on her way.

"Sure?" he shrugged and nodded.

"Let's go, I'll drop you." 

"Thanks a lot!" she bowed a bit and ascended the taxi followed by Hebrew...

~~~~~~~~

Hebrew was now looking at the ceiling, his body rested on the sofa near his glass board, legs up on his small stool beside the telephone. His one hand was holding a glass of beer which made him tipsy. While the other hand rested straight on the arm of the sofa.

He...was thinking, thinking of something quite deeply. The whole house was silent, just the ticking of the clock could be heard.

He had been this way since he came home. The lights were off too, just the fireplace had some fire lit in it and Hebrew wondered...who lit them up.

"I assume...you had a hard time today." 

Now along with the ticking of the clock, the click-clacking of heels could be heard, making Hebrew sigh.

"Shall I turn the lights on, now that you know I am here?" she asked.

And even before he responded, his eyes were stabbed by the bright lights that were suddenly switched on. He clenched his eyes and lowered his head.

The clatter came nearer and she stood in front of him. Bending in his level she smacked her lips.

"How come I'm meeting the vulnerable Hebrew way too before then I imagined?"

Hebrew looked up at her. His eyes narrowed, brows furrowed.

Her palm giving support to her cheek, the elbow lied on her thigh of the knee which made a ninety-degree angle.

"How come...you didn't even feel my presence, Flynn?" 

"What...do you want...Eva?" his voice was low.

"You know..." she smirked and winked at him, and stood up.

"Eric Ashley has hidden well." 

She walked around and sat in front of him on a wooden chair, crossing her legs. Her arms resting on the arms of the chair, she drummed her finger on them.

"He hasn't contacted me yet." he ground his teeth.

"And I wish...I could believe it." 

She sighed and leaned forward on her chair placing both of her hands on her knees, the fingers intertwined.

Hebrew scoffed...

"You...seem desperate, Eva." taking a sip of his beer he further continued, "Neither you're able to track him down, nor you can take help from cops. You...seem vulnerable." he scoffed again.

Eva stood up but even before she could do something Hebrew stood up too, stumbling slightly.

"I...even wonder if you're that same person, Eva?"  she looked away from him.

Hebrew's eyes were red, he needed sleep, or maybe...he needed to stop drinking too.

"Are you...the one I knew five years ago?" 

she snapped back at him and replied.

"It wasn't me who betrayed...it was you-"

Hebrew laughed out loud interrupting her.

"Who are you fooling Eva Emsworth?" he smirked while Eva glared at him, breathing heavily. Anger raging inside her.

"You know...you still can't lie...in front of me." he raised his one eyebrow, still smirking.

"Flynn Hebrew!" she gritted her teeth.

"You and I...we both know what happened five years ago was wrong, then how everything changed when finally I was released from prison." 

They both intently stared at each other. Eva clenching her fists.

"How does it feel...after being changed so much?" he emphasised 'change' in his speech.

"Hm?" he raised both of his eyebrows.

Eva roamed her eyes behind Hebrew as if signalling someone, Hebrew was just so drunk to realise it or maybe... he simply ignored it.

"Cheers to the change!" he grinned, showing his all teeth and raised his glass of beer. 

Before anyone could say anything two guys held him from his arms and made him kneel. the beer splashed on the carpet they were standing on.

"Ow!" He wailed "Oh!" he exclaimed with sudden realisation of splashed beer.

He laughed, probably was way too drunk to protest against those grips.

"You'll be seen in your most vulnerable state soon, Hebrew." she said.

And went near his ear and whispered, "Begging for Eric's life." 

She stood up.

Hebrew's smile faded off and anger took over.

"EVA! I. WARN. YOU."

"Don't you lay a finger on him!" he yelled.

"Eva this ain't you!"  his eyes filled making Eva smile.

"This is the real you Flynn Hebrew, don't you remember?" she folded her arms above her chest.

"You kneeling and begging, You know-" she gave out a small laugh, a forced one.

"How-how much I missed it." 

Hebrew looked up at her, "Why are you doing this? Stop bluffing yourself, Eva, this world..." His voice cracked and he gulped.

"Has eaten up your innocence."

"World? I can think of only one to be blamed but..." she smirked again.

"Don't do this to yourself. You'll regret it." 

Hebrew, tried to get rid of those tight grips. She tried to sigh being frustrated, which came out more like a deep shuddering one, being afraid of a voice crack.

"Enough of nonsense." she raised her one palm, elegantly.

She further looked up at her men, "Beat him up until I ask to stop."

The men nodded and she quickly turned to leave. Hebrew didn't utter a single word to stop her and soon his wails and loud thumps started to echo in the room.

Eva walked out elegantly as if nothing bothered her, but her eyes weren't able to lie. As she walked out she simply wiped out the tear which dared to slide down on her cheek through her eyes.