100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 103: The Scandal

7 Eastbourne Rd.

Mrs. Whitehall arrived late that night and she didn’t bother to check if Levi was home, he was a grown man after all. But she woke up the same time the next morning, and as usual, she walked up to Levi’s flat to bring his morning tea.

She swung the door open quietly, and nearly dropped the entire tea set at what she saw.

Her mouth hung agape, and her eyes widened in surprise. Seconds after the initial shock, a smile crossed her lips.

"Oooh," she muttered, shushing herself immediately.

She tiptoed to the kitchen, placing the tea set there and tiptoed back out as quietly as she could.

She took her phone from her pocket and called Marco in the hallway. "Marco, dear? Can you come here immediately." The older woman asked.

Marco furrowed his brows on the other line while he was getting ready to get off work from his night shift. "Why Mrs. Whitehall? did something happen?" He asked, concerned.

The older woman stifled her excitement and just said, "Just come here now. Please."

And 15 minutes later, Marco ran towards 7 Eastbourne Rd, worried. The building was clearly not on fire, no ruckus, and the police weren’t there either. So, what was wrong? He wondered.

"Shhhhh!" Mrs. Whitehall told him the second she heard him arrive. "What’s wrong? What’s the emergency?" Marco asked in hushed tones.

"Not an emergency, Marco. Let me show you." Mrs. Whitehall mouthed, pointing up to Levi’s flat.

Marco frowned at the older woman’s behavior, finding her a bit odd but grudgingly followed her. "You must be very quiet Marco, I don’t want you to wake them," she said in a whisper.

Marco frowned, wait did she just say them? Before he could ask Mrs. Whitehall quietly opened the door and his brows shot up in pleasant surprise.

He was a bit antsy awhile ago when he realized the older woman called him for something that isn’t a crisis. But now, he was glad he was there to witness the event.

Because lying on the sofa was Levi still wearing his suit but minus the jacket, pressed beside him, no, almost on him was Sam.

No, they weren’t naked or anything, the two were fully clothed. And maybe for a time, the blanket on the floor covered them.

Marco furrowed his brows in confusion, he doesn’t know how the two could possibly fit on the couch. Levi was a tall bloke, and usually, he’d have to curl on that sofa when he’d lie there. But there they were, the two of them squeezed together tightly.

Yet, they seemed to be sleeping soundly.

Facial expressions in complete ease, relaxed, like two clays molded together. Legs tangled with each other, her face tucked on his neck, his lips resting on her forehead. Her right arm wrapped around his torso and his; around her waist.

Mrs. Whitehall tapped Marco on the shoulder, "Marco--hurry." She said.

"What?" He asked confusedly, "take a picture" she whispered, miming the camera. His eyes widened in realization, that probably the most important opportunity in his life was right in front of him. So, he grabbed his phone quickly.

Not at all offended that Mrs. Whitehall only called him because her mobile phone didn’t have a camera to document the scene.

He framed the two perfectly, then he clicked capture.

Sam groaned at the noise, it was the sound of a camera. She stirred, opened her eyes, and saw two excited faces; Marco and Mrs. Whitehall. They were grinning down at her.

Levi started to stir too, when she started to move, hiding her face in his neck. Levi started to stretch, while their two audiences watched.

"Levi--" Sam groaned, voice raspy.

"Marco is being stupid." She complained, waking the psychologist from his slumber. Levi’s eyes fell on her face first, well aware of their state. Then to Mrs. Whitehall and Marco, who both had a goofy look plastered on their faces.

A camera recording the two.

Levi groaned, too comfortable to move like Sam was, his arms embraced her body closer, shutting his eyes. "The Media, Marco," Levi warned, drifting off.

....

3 hours later

Sam walked out of the bathroom after a much-needed shower wearing a pair of pajama pants, and a grey t-shirt borrowed from Levi.

"I do hope Marco doesn’t post the photo. I’d like to enjoy my peace of mind for as long as possible," she stated as she entered the kitchen.

A breakfast plate in the kitchen table waiting for her, while Levi himself sat on the other end absentmindedly eating while he read the daily paper.

Sam turned to the flabby woman, making her way out of the flat.

"Thank you, so much Mrs. Whitehall," she said, starting to eat, famished from not eating the night before.

Her eyes examined Levi, he was already dressed and ready to solve any case for the day. In her observation, he’d lost approximately 3-4 pounds since she last saw him.

"You’ve lost weight." She commented, uncomfortable with the silence.

"I’ve been busy," Levi replied casually, eyes remained on the pages of the paper.

She cocked him a brow, one he didn’t see behind his paper. "Right, too busy to even return my emails." She said in the same casual tone. He stopped reading for a moment, putting down the paper and looking at her, feeling slightly guilty. "I was busy." He insisted they both know he was lying of course.

"You’ve cut your hair," Levi said in a lighter tone, in an attempt to change the topic in hand. "Not that I had a choice," Sam says, hinting on the fact Czar’s men cut her hair against her will. And she only had it properly styled a couple of weeks after her surgery.

"Where will you be staying?" He asked, earning a shrug from the redhead. "I still don’t know, Ivan is setting it up for me, all his years of paranoia, you learn to just let him do his thing to set his mind at ease," she said.

Levi raised an intrigued brow, "You’re on speaking terms again." he commented, wondering when it all started. She hated that man, at least he thinks she does. Not once speaking of his existence in the first year of their friendship. Letting him believe for a while that she was an only child.

"Sort of. He did help me get home, couldn’t bloody book any flight back because my least favorite grandmother thought it funny to blacklist me in every airline." Sam said, chuckling sarcastically.

Levi nodded silently, based on the tiny luggage he did assume she had likely left in a hurry or secretly.

(continuation next Chapter)