"That was some exquisite regale, Aunt Renee," Edward said, walking toward the kitchen with a stack of plates in his hands.
"Awww, thank you, nephew," Renee acknowledged the compliment with a joyful, heartfelt smile.
"You're welcome." He continued toward the kitchen, but just as he disappeared through the archway, Renee snapped her attention back to Miridald, who had been uncomfortably silent for a while, and gave her a swift kick under the table.
Miridald snapped out of the thoughts that had been swarming her mind and glared at her sister.
Renee dismissed the stare with a flick of her hand. "Now, Miri," she commanded.
"But..."
"No buts," Renee shot back in a sharp whisper. "You told me yourself—even Neema advised you to do it. It's the right thing."
Miridald opened her mouth but closed it again as soon as Renee made one sharp hiccup sound. She knew what that meant. And if she hadn't, Renee's eyes made it crystal clear.
Drawing a deep breath, Miridald turned toward the kitchen to call Edward—only to jump when she found him already standing behind her.
She flinched. "Oh my stars—"
"Sorry," Edward apologized softly, stepping out from behind her. "I didn't mean to startle you, Mom." He stopped behind the head chair at the table and leaned on it with both hands. "I just heard Aunt Renee whispering and got curious. So... what were you two whispering about? Or is this some none-of-my-business type of thing?"
Renee gave Miridald a subtle nod.
Edward began picking up on the tension and furrowed his brows. "Okay, what's going on? Why do you guys look like it's someone's funeral?"
Miridald paled instantly at the remark.
Edward recoiled slightly, grimacing at the reaction.
"Sit down," Miridald said. Her voice was both stern and soft, like a teacher trying not to break down in front of a student.
Edward sat down slowly, glancing between the two women—his mother to the left, Renee to the right—waiting anxiously.
Miridald inhaled sharply. "Edward... there's something you need to know."
He leaned forward, his face tightening with anticipation.
Seeing her sister hesitating again, Renee reached for Edward's hands and held them firmly. Her grip drew his full attention as she blurted it out.
"I'm so very sorry, Edward, but... but Hallington is dead. He was found... dead in his house on Saturday morning."
Edward's heart seemed to sink into place—but then his eyes widened in sudden realization.
"They know," he thought.
"I'm so, so sorry, darling. I know this must be hard to take." His mother reached for his wrist and gave it a gentle squeeze. Tears were now streaming freely down her cheeks.
Renee leaned forward and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry too, Edu."
"I already know about Hallington," Edward said, his voice eerily calm.
Miridald froze. Her ears couldn't believe what they were hearing.
Renee pulled back, her eyes locked on his. "I beg your pardon?"
"I know," Edward repeated, his tone still calm, but now cautiously firm.
Miridald blinked in confusion, wiping her tears as she finally accepted what she'd just heard.
"Wh... what do you mean, you know? Wha—how—"
"Mom," Edward said gently, "calm down. Please."
Renee had already returned to her seat, her face painted with disbelief as she studied her nephew.
Edward looked at both of them before continuing. "I've known for a while..."
"Since when?" Miridald demanded.
He let out a breath. "Since yesterday."
Their expressions dropped deeper into shock.
"And you didn't think to tell us anything, Edu?" Renee finally spoke. "How did you even find out?"
He thought fast. "A schoolmate of mine has an uncle who's a police officer. I overheard her talking about a case—said it was horrifying and baffling—so it caught my attention. But when I asked for more details..." He paused, swallowing. "I made a horrifying discovery—it was Hallington."
His voice dropped. "I'm so sorry I didn't say anything sooner. I just didn't know what to do... what to say or feel. Please don't be mad."
"No, no, no, darling," Miridald said quickly, her voice gentle. "No one's mad at you. We understand. We really do."
"Guess that's the real reason for your down-in-the-dumps mood yesterday, huh?" Renee added.
"Yeah. But that's the main, not the only reason. I wasn't lying about what we talked about."
At the mention of that, Edward's thoughts drifted suddenly to Marissa. He hadn't seen her all day. He mentally slapped himself—he had completely forgotten about her with everything going on.
"It's okay..." Renee said, gently. "I'm just glad to finally know what was really bothering you."
Snapping back to the room, Edward rewound Renee's earlier words. "Wait... did you say Hallington was found in his house?"
"Yes. Just like your friend said—the case is baffling and—"
"No, no," Edward interrupted. "She said it was a car accident—a mysterious and horrifying one."
Now both Miridald and Renee looked fully confused.
"The police themselves told me he was found in his house," Miridald said. "So what do you mean car accident, and a mysterious one at that?"
Edward hesitated, mind racing. "I don't know," he said with a shrug. "She didn't give me much intel. But, wait... you said the police themselves told you? You talked to them? Why?"
As he waited for her answer, the truth began to dawn on him.
Of course. They heard it from the police. That's how Anita found out too—through that girl at school. Only it wasn't him who pulled the details firsthand.
"Then why the cover-up?" Edward wondered. "Why not clear the truth from the source? What is that BAJIMSA bureau really up to? Are they just sloppy? No... that's underestimating them. They're definitely cooking something up."
"...Because I'm a real estate agent," Miridald finally replied after a pause. Edward looked up at her. "And Hallington's house needs to be sold to a new tenant. He had no next of kin here in Kenya, as you know, and no one from his family in Canada is willing to come live here. So they asked for the house to be sold on their behalf. That's why I spoke to the police—and that's how I found out."
"Yeah, of course," Edward said, rubbing his face. "You know, sometimes—no, most times—I forgot Hallington was a mzungu. He just felt so..." He trailed off, searching for the right word.
"Familial?" Miridald finished for him.
"Yeah... He just felt so much like family, even though we didn't hang out that often."
"Well, I'm not around most times either, but we're still family," Renee added gently.
"Sure, Aunt Renee. But you are family. Hallington was my friend. See the difference?"
"Mmm-hmm," Renee nodded sadly after a short pause for thought, her arms folded and resting on the table. "I understand what you mean now."
"But, son... what did you mean by car accident? Am still confused about that."
Edward had almost forgotten he had said that. He came up with something quick. "Considering that you yourself talked to the police, I think that either the girl, her uncle or I, got the story mixed up. She wasn't narrating it to me only anyway; it was a crowd. And she might just have added the car accident part to make it less questionable since, by my guess, her uncle didn't tell her much. So in general... I think she just fabricated that part for the sake of I don't know, being heard?"
"That's most probably the case," Miridald agreed. "But information like that shouldn't be just 'shared' with teens, especially gen-z's like you."
"I agree," Renee said firmly. "That was totally irresponsible of that officer. You don't go leaking info about a case just to anyone, even if they are your family. That's unethical and unprofessional. Moreso Considering how this is a murder case."
"Yeah," Edward agreed dismally then fell into silence while looking down at the table.
Miridald quickly searched for what to say to ease his pain. "...He loved you so much, Edward," Miridald said, reaching out to hold his hand. "We don't know what happened, or who did that heinous act to him..." Tears brimmed in her eyes again. "But I promise you—justice will be served. I'll make sure of it, okay, darling? I promise."
Edward nodded slowly, wiping tears he hadn't realized were leaking from his eyes. "Thanks, Mom... Thanks so much."
"Oh, it's okay, darling. It's okay." She reached for him and pulled him into a hug. Renee joined them, her eyes also glistening.
As they embraced, Edward's thoughts darkened:
"I'm the one who will bring justice to him, Mom. Me. So help me God, if Madam Beatrice is involved in his murder... I don't know what I'll do to her—and that mongrel of hers—if she is. I just don't know."
His eyes narrowed with animosity, his jaw clenched, and his teeth grinded together with divine rage.
Pulling away from the hug, the two women retook their seats. Edward quickly shifted his expression, calming himself.
"Mom," he said.
"Yes, son?"
"What's going to happen to Hallington's corpse?"
Miridald paused. She glanced at Renee, who gave her the same questioning look. She searched for the right words.
"His family... they're going to come for his remains. He's going to be cremated."
"Can't we at least hold a funeral for him?"
"Umm... the family's permission needs to be sought first."
Edward felt like he might explode at the mere mention of that family again. And this time, he did.
"Ughhh! What's up with that family now, huh? Why does it seem like they care all of a sudden? He always told me we were his family. Us! Not once did he ever talk about them! And now everything about him is theirs to decide? They're just frustrating me! Do they even care about him? About seeking justice for his death? Do they?"
"Of course they do," Miridald answered gently.
"Then why sell his house—his house—when that was the most important thing to him? Or at least, it was!"
"What does selling his house have to do with whether they cared or not?" she asked, slightly confused.
Edward shot up to his feet. "Didn't you hear me, Mom? That was the most important property—or thing—or whatever you want to call it—that he had here. He told me that."
(He hadn't. Edward just said that because the idea of the house being sold deeply unsettled him. It was one of his homes, after all.)
But as he thought more deeply, something else piqued his interest.
"Hey?" Renee raised an eyebrow at him, now also on her feet.
Edward realized he had acted out. His sudden fury dissolved into guilt.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry, Aunt Renee." He looked down, ashamed. It wasn't his mother's fault. He hated how he had just behaved.
Miridald stood up and gently cupped his face. "Gi moramora en kare, okay?" (Everything is okay, okay?)
Edward sighed. "Okay," he replied, eyes still lowered.
Renee smiled softly, but also thought to herself, "Glad I know Luo. Donge ang'eo? Koso? Yep, I do."
Edward raised his head. "Mom."
"Yes, son?"
"Who's going to be the new owner of his house?"
"Hallington's?"
He nodded.
"I don't know. I haven't met her yet... but my colleague—who's helping me with the sale—has. I haven't even gone through the paperwork myself."
"Her?" The word echoed in Edward's mind.
"Why are you asking, darling?"
"...I just wanted to know. Nothing much."
"Well, if you want, we can go give it one last visit before the new owner moves in. Right, Miri?" Renee suggested.
"Absolutely. Why hadn't I thought of that?" Miridald agreed.
Edward considered it, but quickly realized it would be best to stay away from the house. That would keep him off BAJIMSA's radar.
"I don't think that's a good idea," he said.
"What? But why?" Renee asked, clearly surprised.
"Memories," Edward muttered.
Miridald looked thoughtful. Then her eyes lifted with resolve. "Then I'll make Hallington's funeral happen."
Edward blinked. "Wait, what?"
Renee looked at her sister with amazement.
"I'll convince his family to allow us this one favor," Miridald said firmly.
A grateful smile curved Edward's lips. "That would be great, Mom. Thank you."
Suddenly, the front door opened.
A figure stepped inside, then quietly locked it behind him.
Jarold came into view—his face weary, his usual black briefcase in one hand, and a classic black long coat draped over his business attire.
"What?" Jarold asked, raising his shoulders when he caught sight of the three pairs of eyes fixed on him. He scanned their somber expressions. "Did someone die or something?"
It was meant to be a joke, but the heavy silence that followed made him immediately regret it. His face fell in confusion.
"Honey," Miridald said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Come sit down. You need to know something."