Fan Fiction |
by Mimosa
“What’s up, Ray?” without looking up, Jessica grinned “You’re home early today!”
“I need to talk to Hester!” Raymond tossed his keys carelessly on the table, and sat down next to his sister. “Do you know who she is dating?”
“Why?” Jessica was curious now
“I’m working on this murder case.” Raymond went straight to the point “Turn out Hester was there that night!”
“What?” Jessica looked up sharply at his brother. For a moment Raymond thought he saw fear flickering in those eyes
“Are you going to tell me who she’s dating?” Raymond repeated
“I can’t be sure whether they’re dating!” Jessica hesitated “Hester said they are just friends”
“What’s his name?” Raymond was impatient
“Joe something!”
“What?” Raymond frowned “Are you sure?”
“I don’t know!” Jessica appeared vague, but finally made up her mind and nodded “I think he’s one of her costar! They met at a banquet last Christmas.”
“Are you sure?” Raymond repeated, somewhat disappointed from what he found. He wanted to confirm the relationship between his sister Hester and Gallen.
“Ask her yourself!” Jessica shrugged “Call her!”
Raymond paced back and for impatiently. His ear glued to the phone. The ringing was so annoying. Finally a female voice spoke:
“Jess?”
“No, it’s me, Ray”
“Oh, Ray! Why are you home this early?”
“To talk to you! Where are you?” Raymond said unceremoniously
“Oh..” Raymond heard some murmuring in the back ground, then Hester voice was back “I can’t be home now Ray, but you could come here!”
“Here is where?” Raymond demanded and grabbed the pencil. He looked at the address thoughtfully.
Jessica saw the weird expression: “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing!” Raymond shook his head, heading toward the door. Jessica watched her brother’s back and bit her lips…
***
Gallen thought he saw his father. He couldn’t dare look into those eyes. He wanted to knee down. He wanted to say how much he loved him, how much he regretted making him mad, how much he wanted him back… But his knees were stiff and his tongue was tied. It was always like that. Never had they had a smooth conversation. All ended with the father screaming and the son storming away.
Those last words cut cruelly into his heart “Don’t you dare to let me see your face ever again!” Gallen choked… “Dad, I didn’t mean to enrage you! Dad!”
The afternoon sunray had slanted into the room, making the perspiration on Gallen’s forehead more vivid. Vivian was so worried. Gallen had this high fever since last night after he regained consciousness. The doctor has said it was not critical, and Roger had decided to drive both Gallen and Vivian back to her house early this morning. They were afraid Felix would make a scene.
Gallen had leapt into this sleep and didn’t quite wake up for once. Vivian could tell it was not pleasant dream Gallen saw. At times he mumbled incoherently and clutched his sheet as if in agony. Vivian’s heart ached to see Gallen in such a state. She tried to do all she could to comfort him. She had exhausted herself running back and forth from the bedroom to the kitchen to get ices to cool his forehead. She had stayed up the whole time watching him tossing and turning. Her mother urged her to get some rest, but she simply could not close her eyes.
***
“I don’t know, Roger” Sitting on the large kitchen bench and looking unconvinced, Hester said “You sure Felix will not find out where Vivian and Gallen are?”
“Don’t worry! Felix was hot-headed.” Roger wrapped his arms around her waist “But I don’t think he really wanted to kill Gallen! He just needs to vent himself out. Felix loves my father!”
“Don’t you all?” Hester tilted her head and looked Roger straight in the eyes
“Of course! What I meant is that Felix blames Gallen for enraging my father, which Felix believes led to the heart failure” Roger averted his eyes and lowered his head ruefully
“I see. That explains why your brother, I meant Gallen, didn’t defense himself!”
“Gallen thought he lived in a movie” Roger snorted, and hastily added as Hester cast him a cold look “I meant he could get killed and Felix would end up in jail, that won’t be pretty!”
“For a moment I thought you ridiculed my career!” Hester said coolly
“For a moment I thought I lost you!” Roger grinned sheepishly, and Hester couldn’t resist making a face. The doorbell rang.
“It’s Ray!” Hester jumped down “I’ll get the door!”
“Ray?” Roger was puzzled
“Ha, I know it’s you!” Hester beamed at his brother “You’re quick”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, isn’t it true that Raymond always gets lost with direction?” Hester mocked
“Not this time, sis!” The seriousness in Raymond’s tone made Hester look up inquiringly “I’ve been here, just this morning!”
“Really?” Hester wanted to ask more, but at a second thought she pulled Raymond into the kitchen “Hey, let me introduce you two”
“No need, sis” Raymond said, but inwardly he frowned again. He had expected to see Hester here with Gallen, not with Roger!
“No need, Hester” Roger confirmed. To Raymond, he narrowed his eyes “You were here this morning, it seemed?”
“Yes, we have reason to believe your father was murdered!” Raymond watched Roger keenly. Roger’s jaw set into a firm line.
“I wish I could handle the case myself” Roger said, at last.
“I will try my best, Sir Wong!” Raymond said solemnly
“What does that mean?” Hester demanded “Ray, you said you wanted to talk to me?”
“Mrs. Yung said you were here on the night of the murder.” Raymond dropped the bomb
“What?” Both Roger and Hester said in unison.
“I was not!” Hester stated indignantly “Today is the first day Roger brought me home!”
Roger nodded firmly “She couldn’t possibly be here! I worked very late that night on the Chang’s case!”
Raymond opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again. He was totally baffled. So who was the girl that Gallen brought home that night?