The Riddle Solver Who Won't Solve Riddles

Chapter 7
Hand in Hand With A Killer

"If you don't want to keep cooking, and don't want to go out, I can hire someone for that. I'm a terrible cook, I doubt you'd like anything I make." Len laughs, looking at me from across the table.

I half-smile, poking at the scrambled eggs I made. "I don't mind cooking." I state quietly, poking into one of the eggs with my fork.

"Well, you're great at it. I haven't eaten this much in a long time. Since you got here, I've eaten at least three times a day." He points out, and then smiles.

"Yeah..." I reply.

What am I going to do? I woke up this morning in his arms. I love him, but... But I don't know what to do... I don't want him to be arrested for this, I don't want anything to happen to him at all in fact. He should go on to live a long and happy life, even if I don't.

Maybe... Maybe I'll just turn myself in. But if I do that, the folder will be discovered, and so will Len. Maybe I'll wait until he's gone, and then turn myself in. Then it'll be too late for them to arrest him.

"Are you okay? You seem quieter than usual." Len asks, and I force a smile.

"I'm fine." I reply, pushing my plate away. "I'm just not hungry."

Later, he's left for the store. I used the last of the eggs for breakfast, and he said I should rest because I look pale, so he went instead of me.

I'm alone right now, but I don't know what to do... All I can think about is Luka. She was doing what was right, for good reasons. And now, she's dead. I went against everything I believe in, for HIM. For Len. Why? Because I think I love him? I doubt he even feels the same way, for all I know he's using me for his own reasons. But I don't really want to think that, so I push the thought to the back of my mind.

I decide to go for a walk, he might be back by the time I get back.

The snow is melting, it's almost gone today. A patch here, a patch there. In fact, it looks as though it might rain, which would wash away the rest of it. If it melts, the ice will melt. I can't do anything about that, though... All I can do is hope it stays until we leave.

Wait, what am I thinking? Until he leaves, I'm staying here, remember? I sigh, tugging at my hair. What am I going to do?

I must be crazy, I'm a murderer and I don't feel the slightest bit of regret for it. I did it for Len, if it had been for anyone else, I just can't see myself doing it, but... But...

I walk without paying attention, and end up at the edge of the pond. I could dive in and receive the folder, but I might end up freezing to death.

I shake my head and continue walking. I must be crazy.

Because it's warmer today than it has been, people and families have come to the park to have fun. "Mom! Mom! Hurry!" A little girl laughs, pulling her mother along the grass and snow.

Her mother is holding a pair of ice skates, and they're heading to the pond.

Yes, it's only a matter of time until they find Luka's body...

"Ma'am," I speak up as she passes me.

The woman turns to me, her daughter hiding behind her legs shyly. "Yes?" She asks, looking confused.

"I wouldn't skate here, the water is very deep, and the ice is thin. There's another park not too far from here with a pond that's shallower, I'm sure the ice is thicker there." I state, smiling. "I wouldn't take the chance of skating here."

"Oh..." She looks uncertainly at the pond, than her daughter, than me. "Well, thank you for the tip." She smiles, tugging her daughters hand. "Come on sweetheart, we can go to a different place, okay?" She says, and the little girl runs along her side.

I sigh a breath of relief. If the little girl had fallen in, she might have seen the body at the bottom and told her mother...

I turn around and slowly walk home, happy to see Len is already back.

But, to my surprise, when I enter the kitchen I find him pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. I strain to listen, but I can't hear him.

He doesn't notice that I'm here, but his face is filled with worry and what looks like anger. There's a half-empty wine glass on the counter, which he suddenly picks up and throws at the wall.

It shatters, splashing the wall with blood-red wine and the floor with sharp, glinting shards of glass.

He stops, breathing heavily and staring at what he's just done, his back to me.
Suddenly, he throws his head back and begins to laugh. He's truly insane, isn't he?

I quickly take a butter-knife out of the holder on the counter and hide it in the pocket of my dress. I should make sure I have this, just in case... He's scaring me a bit, and the number-one rule of a detective is be prepared. But if it ever came to that point, I think I'd die before I'd let him.

His laugh echoes in the kitchen, and I slowly step up behind him. Then, I lay a hand on his shoulder, causing him to spin around and face me, the laughter ending abruptly. "Where were you?" He asks, frowning.

"I took a walk." I state quietly, dropping my arm to my side. "Are you okay?" I ask.
The stress, or possibly the guilt, may be getting to him. The fear of getting caught, maybe. It's enough to drive a person to madness. Maybe if he didn't have to keep it a secret he'd be alright, but what can I do? He might not believe me if I tell him I know and that I won't turn him in.

"Of course, why?" He asks, the usual smile returning to his face.

Does he even realize what he just did? That he just broke a wine- Wait...

What if the other one, the missing one, what if it'd been broken like this too? Maybe he didn't kill that man... Maybe it was the chef. And there are explanations for the blood, he might have run into the man. There was a scratch on his cheek the other night, wasn't there? He might have fought him off or something. Anything. Maybe... Maybe he isn't a killer! What if I'm the only killer, and he isn't?

But that doesn't explain the fact that he's losing control, that he just randomly threw and broke a wine glass, he started laughing out of no where, he's obviously... Unstable, at least a bit. What reason would he have for that? Then again, maybe it's all the stress from the job...

No, now isn't the time to doubt myself. The blood matched, the hair, everything. It was him, and I have to believe that. Otherwise... Otherwise I did what I did for nothing, and I won't accept that.

"No reason..." I reply, smiling lightly. "We should go out for hot chocolate tonight." I state, and he smiles.

"Sure, my treat. We'll go after dinner, okay?"

"Sure."

'After dinner' really means after I cook beef-stew, and after he eats and I pretend to. I'm just not hungry. Or, I'm just too stressed out to eat.

We walk through the mostly-melted snow on the sidewalk, hand-in-hand. "Len?" I begin, and he turns to me, smiling.

"Yes?"

I want to ask him if... If he likes me like I do him, I mean... He holds my hand, and last night, we fell asleep together. We eat together, and I live with him, and he thinks I'm moving with him, even though it isn't for work. Does that not make us a 'couple'? But that term just doesn't seem to fit us... "Why do you want me to live with you?" I ask, and he almost frowns.

"Why? Did you change your mind?" He asks, his voice sounding hopeful that I haven't. You have no idea...

"Not really, I'm just wondering." I smile reassuringly.

"Good." He replies, avoiding my question. I don't bother to ask again, instead staring straight ahead, though I'm aware he's staring at me.

As soon as he turns away, I find my eyes swimming in tears. I don't want him to leave, but I can't just live as a murderer on the run forever, that's something... After all the killers I've put behind bars, how can I not expect the same thing to happen to me?

Once we arrive at the shop, he buys two hot chocolates. He smiles, handing it to me as we begin to walk again, again hand-in-hand.