-I just wanted to talk to you. -he said in a calm voice.
-There's nothing to talk about. I think we've said everything we have to say to each other.
-Rosie, listen...
-No, I don't want to listen to you. I don't want to see you, I don't even want to know you exist. After everything you've done...- I couldn't finish because Janine came in.
-Rose, Silvio asked me to give you this. Oh, you're not alone. Hello!
-Hello.
-Are you working here? I haven't seen you before.
-No, this is a relative of one of the victims. No. And he was just leaving. - I answered in his place, and after I said the last phrase, I raised my eyebrow questioningly.
-Yeah, I should probably get going.
-See you later, then. Oh, and Rose, I need to give you some papers. -said Janine went into the sectional room where we keep our files.
-I'll be leaving now. But remember Rosie, I'll be back. -He came up to me and whispered next to my ear.
-When are you going to forget about me?
-I'll never forget. -said he walked out of the room and slammed the door softly.
That man is my curse. A curse that won't let me live, a curse that's slowly killing me. And there is no way out of this curse.
-Here, this is for you. -Janine interrupted my thoughts and handed me a file.
-Thank you. What are these?
-These are the autopsy and external examination reports on the bodies of the people killed by those sectarians. Silvio asked me to give them to you, but I put them on the table and forgot about them.
-I'll finish the autopsy and study them.
-Yeah, I'll go then?
-Yeah, of course you can go.
Janine left the room, and I remembered to lock the door (it's better to be safe, because he could come back) and started the autopsy. The autopsy lasted about two hours. As I thought, nothing unusual was found. No poison or anything, nothing wrong with the internal organs. After the autopsy, I started going through the reports Janine gave me. And I'll be honest, it's more like a horror film script than a report. Beheadings, burning alive, cutting the internal organs out of a living person and much worse. Reading these reports, I remembered a phrase that one of these sectarians said during interrogation "We are not guilty of anything, we did the will of our Gods. ". Killing people in horribly brutal ways and not admitting their guilt. These guys are bloody psychopaths and sadists. After I finished studying the documents and left the section room, I headed for the inspectors' office.
-I'd finished the autopsy and studied the reports Janine had given me. - I said as I walked into the office.
-What about the autopsy? -Ashley asked.
-Nothing. His internal organs were fine, he didn't have any medical problems.
-And no illnesses at all?
-If he was sick, it was only to the head.
-What do you mean?
-I mean, this "reverend" and the fanatics in his sect killed their victims in ways that would make your blood run cold. Heads cut off, burned alive, organs cut out of people alive, and so much more I won't even say. If you want to read it, you can read it. -said the last sentence, I put a folder of autopsy reports on the table.
-It's horrible. -Dante said with a sigh.
-Yeah, there's a lot of psychopaths out there.
-So I suggest we continue this discussion about psychopaths tomorrow, because our workday is over. -said I, looking at my wristwatch.
-Oh, yeah, we're running late. Rose, we have to go to the pet shop and get some food for the cat.
-We will.
-You seem distracted. Is everything okay? -Sister came up to me and asked me.
I couldn't tell her that three hours ago, when I was about to start the autopsy, my old acquaintance came into the section room. Again he began to poison my life by reminding me of his existence.
-It's okay, it's just been a hard day.
"Hard day" is just as hard as any other day when you're being stalked. When your psyche is being tested and he's waiting for you to give up. When you can't live with it anymore, when anxiety and panic take over your mind. And for five years now, every day has been hard for me.
-Wish you good evening colleagues, see you tomorrow. -I said, opening the door.
-See you tomorrow. -Ashley said before we heard the same phrases from our colleagues and left the office.
We went down to the car park, got in the car and drove to the pet shop. There we bought some cat food, I think it was beef flavoured. And then we drove home, straight to Via Appia Nuova 66.
-I hope she likes this food and stops chewing my flowers. -I said as we drove along.
-I think Luna will never stop eating your flowers, they're the best delicacy for her.
-Yeah, delicacy, some plants are actually poisonous. Then we'll take her to the vet like last time.
-The last time she chewed on a flower, I particularly remember you shouting "Where's my hyacinth?" and "Luna, are you crazy? It's poisonous!". I'm not talking about the look on your face, I should have taken a picture of you. -said the sister laughing.
-We barely cured the cat. It's funny enough to make you laugh?
After about five minutes I parked the car outside the house and my sister and I went into the entrance. We went up to the third floor and walked a couple of metres down the corridor to the door of our flat. Having opened the door with the key, which I spent 15 minutes looking for in my bag, we entered the flat. And at the threshold of the door we were already waiting for the previously mentioned lover of my flowers black cat Luna.
-Why are you meowing, we didn't forget to buy you food. -said Ashley as she put the bag of pet food on the nightstand.
-Ashley, maybe we should change the wallpaper, don't you think? -I asked, looking at the wallpaper that the cat scratched.
-Personally, I've never liked this wallpaper. I'd like to change half the furniture and redecorate.
And by the way, Ashley was right, it could use some renovations. The thing is, we got the flat from Marcella's late aunt, and she was an antiques enthusiast. Well, not just antiques, just some old junk. So if we decide to renovate and get rid of the old stuff, one half will go to some collectors' club and the other half to the dump.
-But you have to spend a lot of money to renovate, and to spend money you have to earn it first.
-Well, then we'll raise money and renovate it. In the meantime, we'll live like in a museum. By the way, have you seen the film "Night at the Museum"?
-I did, but it's not Night at the Museum, we've been living in a museum for three years now.
-Yeah, well, let's talk about the renovation later. Now let's go to the kitchen and cook dinner.
My sister and I went to the kitchen, where I put food on Luna and watered the flowers, and Ashley started slicing potatoes.
-Hey, who was that guy who called you today?- my sister asked.
-Carlo, an old friend of mine. -lie.
-Where did you meet him?
-We're classmates, we studied together. - another lie.
-Is he in the police force now too?
-Yes. - and another lie.
-I get it.
I hate lying, especially to my sister. The feeling of betrayal eats me up inside. But unfortunately, there's no other way out. Well, I have to stop thinking about it, or I won't be able to sleep until morning. He's a nightmare I'll probably never get rid of.
-Give me the pan, please.
-Get it. Let's eat and go to sleep. After a day like this, sleep is the best thing in the world.
-Yeah, and tomorrow we'll wake up again at 6.30 and we'll do it all over again.
We cooked dinner, ate and went to bed of course, not forgetting to set our hated alarm clock for 6.30.