That day, Ashley and I started our morning not with coffee, but with a flood. Yeah, yeah, the flood.
-They're having a water park in there?- Ashley said, wiping up the water.
-I'm going to make it so they won't just pay for the repairs, they'll do it themselves. -I said and did the same thing as my sister.
Seriously, they have repairs at seven o'clock on a Saturday morning, and the music is so loud that the walls are shaking. Now they've lost their conscience, they want to drown us.
-The laminate is ruined, and so is the wallpaper.
-I've called them 20 times, they won't pick up.
-I'll go to them personally. -said I and threw the rag in the basin and went to the front door.
-If they don't open the door, tell them you'll kick it in.
-If they don't open the door, I will. -I said as I left the flat.
I went up the stairs to the floor above and found the door of the flat of these 'swimmers' and rang the bell. I rang the bell a second time, third, fifth.
-I'm going to kick the hell out of that door. -I shouted, and miraculously, the door opened.
-Good morning, why are you shouting?
-Well, first of all, it's not a good morning, and secondly, 'Why am I shouting?' Because you're drowning us.
-That can't be true.
-What are you talking about? What's this? -I asked, pointing at the huge puddle of water that was pouring out of their bathtub.
-And this... -the girl didn't finish because she tried to close the door, but didn't have time because I grabbed the door handle with my hand.
-So me and my sister work for the police, and if we don't get compensation, you'll get a huge fine that you can't even imagine.
-Okay, okay, don't scare me. You'll be compensated.
-Thanks for the favour.
-Yeah.
-And pardon my curiosity, but what's your problem? Did you forget to turn off the tap? - ''Or did you forget to use your brain'' I thought to myself as I asked.
I talked to this very unpleasant person for another ten minutes and of course did not forget to tell her the card number. She transferred enough money to our joint account with my sister to get new flooring and wallpaper. After that, I went downstairs to my and Ashley's flat.
-Compensation received.
-And that's great, we just have to finish cleaning up the water in the flat and then we can get ready for work.
I went over to my sister and helped her wipe up the water.
-It's a dream morning.
-I agree, I hope this flood is the last such 'happy' event for today.
We finished cleaning up and went to get ready for work. At 7.40 we left the house, and at 7.55 we entered the police building. My sister and I went up to the first floor and headed to the inspectors office.
-Good morning, everyone. -said my sister and I in unison as we entered the office.
-I'm afraid it's not a good morning at all. -said Dante.
-Are you having a bad morning, too? -I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
-What do you mean, too?
-We just got flooded by the neighbours upstairs today. -Ashley said with a sigh.
-That's terrible.
-Yeah, what the hell happened?
-Linswand escaped. -Silvio's two words made me and Ashley's eyes widen.
-What?! -Ashley asked.
-How did he escape?
-Like that, just like that.
-The guards have these big bruises under their eyes. - Dante said, showing with his hands the size of the bruises under the guards' eyes.
-What did they do to them?
-Somebody beat them so bad, their mother wouldn't recognise them.
-They had guns.
-Yeah, that's right, they had guns. But it didn't help them much.
-How's that?
The ones who helped him escape weren't empty-handed either.
-Where the hell are we supposed to find him now? I'm sure he won't stay in Rome for long.
-Something tells me that if we do find him, he'll probably be dead.
-Yeah, well, the killer hasn't finished his revenge. Linswand should be the last victim.
-All we can do is put out another wanted notice and go interrogate the fanatics in his cult. They might know something.
-Then let's set up the interrogation.
-I'm doing it. -said the sister and took her mobile phone out of her pocket and made a call.
-Allo... Arrange an interrogation of any two fanatics we detained yesterday... -Okay. -said the last word, the sister hung up and put the phone back in her pocket.
-When's the interrogation?
-The interrogation is in ten minutes.
While waiting for the interrogation my colleagues and I discussed only two topics: the morning flood and Linswand's escape. When we were done, we all left the office and went to the interrogation room.
-Hello. -said we, while entering the interrogation room at the same time.
-Good morning brothers and sisters.
-Here we go again, we're not your brothers and sisters.
-So let's start the questioning, yesterday you were at a meeting of a sect, weren't you? -
-Yes. -The two sectarians answered.
-Do you know that Gerald Linswand escaped tonight?
-Yes, we do.
-Do you know where Mr Linswand might have gone after he escaped?
-No.
-No.
It wasn't like the fanatics were lying, so we couldn't even guess where Linswand might be. I think the killer will find him faster than we can.
-Okay, were there any other meetings planned besides yesterday?
-No.
-Five severed human fingers, a human heart and a human skull were found in the box cupboard at the site of your meeting. What can you tell us about these?
-I don't know how they got there.
-Now that's a lie. -I said.
-Why are you fanatics so secretive? If you lie on the interrogation, it could get you a longer sentence. -Ashley said, looking at the questioned.
-Those fingers, heart and skull were offerings.
-You're all out of your minds. To put it crudely, chop a man into pieces and...- The sister didn't finish her sentence and just waved her hand.
We interrogated them for another 40 minutes, but we didn't get any information out of them. After the interrogation, I went to the lab, and Ashley, Dante, and Silvio went to the inspectors' office. Once in the lab, I sat down at my desk and wanted to do some paperwork, but I changed my mind because I fumbled in my pocket for the note Linswand had given me yesterday. I didn't read it yesterday for one simple reason: I didn't want to. I just didn't want to spoil my mood even more, even though it seemed that yesterday we had apprehended a wanted criminal and half of those fanatics. And the mood should have been great, but I'd met him yesterday. And if I'd met him, that meant the day was ruined. I unfolded the note and saw what I expected. Time and address, he's making an appointment for me. We should celebrate the worst day of my life after all. I wonder if I shoot a man (although it's hard to call him a man) in the restaurant, will I spoil the evening for the other customers? I hope not. And then I was brought out of my musings by a phone call. An unfamiliar number. I don't know who it could be? "Burn in hell, my dear" I said before picking up the phone.
-Hello.
-Good morning.
-You rang so it's not a good morning.
-Did you read the letter?
-Yes, I read it.
-Are you coming over? -I could feel him smirking through the phone.
-I can't help it, but I'd be happier if I went someplace else.
-Somewhere?
-Somewhere away from you.
-I don't think you'll find a place like that, unless it's on the moon. And that's not a fact.
-Yes, unfortunately for me, it is.
-Unfortunately for you and fortunately for me.
-Yeah.
-Are you going to kill me?
-Why would you think that? Oh, yeah, how could I forget my phone's fully bugged and monitored. Right?
-No, I just guessed. But I'm sorry to disappoint you, there's about a 1% chance in a hundred that you'll be able to kill me.
-But there's still a chance.
-If you could have killed me, you would have done it a long time ago.
-Maybe I'm just waiting for the right time.
-Five years in a row? I doubt it.
-I just have a very busy schedule.
-Yeah. And I forgot to ask, how's the detainee Linswand doing?
-Don't pretend you don't know he escaped. And my gut tells me you had a hand in it.
-Your intuition doesn't fail you, Rosie, as it always has.
-What kind of human being are you? I can't even call you a human being.
-Well, you know what they say, take me for what I am.
-I'd only accept you in the sense of detention. If I'm not mistaken, you're looking at life in prison for everything you've done.
-You realise I'll never go to jail.
-Yeah, unfortunately.
-Look, let's just drop the subject for now.
-Yeah, no problem. Let's move on to another topic. What do you like better, arsenic or potassium cyanide?
-Why are you being so cruel, Rosie?
-I don't know, maybe because you've been poisoning my life for five years now?
-And you've decided to poison me?
-No, I think you deserve to die a slow and painful death, and poison is too easy.
-Maybe so, but you'll never kill me, you just can't. I know you can't, and if you could, you would have killed me a long time ago. So you're going to have to put up with me until you take your last breath. Either mine or yours. There's another way out of this, of course. You'll agree to what I offered you five years ago.
-I'd never agree, even if they put a gun to my head, even if it was a choice of burning alive or agreeing to it.
-You're so adamant.
-Yes, I am, because accepting your offer would be the most painful death.
-Yeah, and you're too young to die. -I heard a chuckle after he finished his sentence.
-I think I ran over my limit of talking to idiots on the phone a minute ago. So goodbye and damn you.
-See you tonight, Rosie. -said he, and I hung up.
The urge to go out the window had never been stronger.
-What are you doing? -Ashley came into the lab.
The sudden appearance made me jerk away.
-I'm going to write some reports.
-I get it.
My sister and I talked for a while, and then she got a phone call and had to go somewhere. When Ashley left, I started doing my reports as I thought about tonight. Tonight I would be sitting at the same table with my nemesis and celebrating the worst day of my life. Every year on this day for five years now, I've been going to the same restaurant at the same time and with the same person, him.