100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 106: Clarity II

4months ago|Jackson Real Estate Agency

A woman walked in the furnished hallways, heels clicking against the marbled floors. Straight hair swayed on her back like a curtain of black. Her face was partially hidden under a fringe, eyes concealed behind a pair of wide-rimmed sunglasses.

Anna walked in her office minutes later, she was aware of their scheduled meeting. She saw the woman immediately, seated on the chair across her desk.

Anna shrugged her fur coat off and hung it next to her visitor’s red trench coat inside the coat closet.

"You’re early." the platinum blond commented, making her way to her mahogany desk. She placed her LV purse on the table as she pulled her chair.

And she scanned the woman closely, absorbing everything about her. She was dressed in an exceptionally tailored black dress, black high heels, and a red blazer. Her lips painted crimson.

She arched a brow at the woman, she was honestly impressed, she looked nothing like her usual self. Far from her plain tees, jeans, and doc martens. Her usually bare face was now covered with full makeup.

"Anna." The woman greeted, removing her sunglasses, and revealing her green eyes and tinted lashes.

"Sam," Anna replied coyly, casually offering her refreshments.

"Tea would do nicely," Sam replied, and she pressed a digit in her landline, and requested tea from Valerie.

After the tea arrived and the two were left in their privacy, Anna leaned back against her chair, crossing her legs. "Business then?" she offered.

"Please," Sam replied, something that reminded Anna of her brother. Always direct to the point.

"Act 2 is ready, just waiting for your signal," she tells her, and Sam nods in approval.

"Are you truly certain? We can’t stop it once everything is in motion." Anna warned. She was warning her of her choice of going public, of the World knowing her as a Fredricksen.

Sam stretched her neck, her raven wig swaying with her every movement. "I understand," she stated.

She knew she was basically giving up the life she worked for. The life she wanted, now she was giving the signal that she was ready to let it go.

"You can never take it back. Once, it’s out there. You won’t be Sam Gray anymore. You’ll be a Fredricksen." Anna recalled.

Sam looked her in the eye, determined. "I am certain, Anna. But I may need time." She told her firmly.

Anna nodded in understanding,

"Take all the time--" she started, only to stop mid-sentence when another voice spoke from the coat closet.

"Indeed! Take all the time in the World! It’s only your life on the line!" His baritone was familiar, and Sam turned behind her. While Anna rolled her eyes with her brother’s theatrics.

"How mature, Levi." the platinum blond commented, seeing Levi step out of the thick curtains.

Levi’s eyes narrowed at Sam, his jaw clenched.

"Black doesn’t suit you," he commented dryly.

Sam frowned, she looked at Anna and she knew the older Jackson knew Levi was there all along.

"I didn’t tell him if you are wondering," Anna informed defensively. She was not one to break oaths easily and technically, Levi figured it out all on his own.

"You knew," Sam stated, looking at Levi who was leaning against Anna’s desk looking down at her sternly. Annoyance clear on his usually smug face.

"Duh," Levi replied, peeved with her attire. Narrowing his eyes on the green of her eyes. She was staring back at him, looking right at him.

"Elle would be ecstatic to know you’re not blind! Her guilt eating her to insanity!" Levi spat.

Anna sighed, moving to leave the room.

"I’ll excuse myself," she said, pulling the door open, providing the two some privacy.

"When?" Sam asked after Anna was out of earshot.

"I should ask you the same." He said, approaching her and looking her in the eye. He missed that, he missed her looking right back at him. She had always been a confident woman who never shied away from eye contact. She actually likes to stare, giving people her full attention by looking at them.

Sam expelled a sigh,

"My vision returned 2 weeks after the incident," Sam revealed, cocking her head to one side as if to tell him to answer her question.

He turned his back to her, his hand smoothening his suit subconsciously in agitation. He scanned the whole room, then took a deep breath. He faced her and blurted out his observations.

"Your acting was flawless, could have fooled me completely. But after Mo’s cremation, I noticed you blink more frequently than usual, meaning your eyes were dry from the contact lenses you were using. But why would a blind woman wear such a thing? She has no use for it, unless!" Levi said, pausing for a second to look at her.

"Then realization hit me, I surmised it must’ve been a special kind of contact lens...one that blocked your vision. Perfecting your blind act."

"Then you came over for tea every afternoon as if to have something to occupy you. Which later on became lesser and lesser, I assumed it was to let people think that you were still coming over for tea when in fact you were going somewhere else, but where? I wondered." he said, slowly walking around her eyes glued on her like a predator to prey.

Levi’s eyes widened for effect, "Then, a week ago I received the answer. When I had you tracked down by my people after you left an hour earlier than usual." Levi revealed.

"I see," Sam muttered, knowing her first mistake was believing she could fool him.

"The question is why, did you not come to me first?" Levi asked, baffled, and annoyed. Once again, she asked for someone else’s help, instead of his. And it reminded him of why they had a fall out before about the Murder of the 15th Case.

"You wouldn’t agree with my plans," Sam confessed, but her eyes were indisputable.

Levi gritted his teeth, and his nostrils flared. His palm slammed against Anna’s desk loudly,

"Your brilliant plan involves you getting Institutionalized! And possibly killed," he shouted.

Sam didn’t budge, she glared back at him in the same ferocity he was with her.

"I can handle it," she stated firmly.

The two had a staredown, neither backing down. "I will not be part of your suicide mission!" he spat furiously.

Sam stood from her seat, fisting her hands, shaking in anger like he was.

"I never asked you!" She shouted back.

Levi approached her speedily, and he stood just inches from her. His hazel eyes trained on her green ones, and he moved closer in an attempt to get his point across.

"You’re a fool if you believe this will not change you. You’re not thinking clearly--you’re gonna risk everything for what? Revenge?" He seethed.

"You wouldn’t understand!" Sam defended.

"Then make me understand! TELL ME!" he demanded.

"Emotions!" she yells. There was a time before her that he would take it as a compliment. ’Do not be a slave to your emotions, Levi’ he’d always tell himself. It was a weakness.

But there she was, brilliant, funny, sublime--and he was angry because he was ’feeling strong emotional attachment’ to her. And he was offended that she didn’t see that, she was a fool for not seeing that.

With wide eyes, Levi took a step back from her.

"You’re a fool." He told her, and then he walked away with his fist clenched and knuckles white.

He stopped halfway to the door when she spoke with a tone filled with dread "Levi--I’m not asking you to help me. But, I will ask you to not get on my way." she said.

Levi didn’t speak, he left the place angry, angry at how reckless she was acting. He feared if she didn’t get killed, she might forever be changed if she placed herself in that position. That her acting might turn into reality.

.....

Present time

Levi shifted to Sam then back to the group listening to them,

"We disagreed. I point out the holes in her plans." he reasoned.

Sam turned to him,

"Hole. Singular." she insisted.

Levi graciously nodded wearing his signature smile,

"The BIG FAT GAPING HOLE in her plan." He shot back, emphasizing the chosen words.

Jones furrowed his brows, confused.

"What’s that?" he asked curiously.

Levi turned to the man, 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"The hole in her plan was she will most likely DIE. And she knew that. She accepted that." he said, and everyone could tell by his tone that he was still pissed.

Sam sighed,

"The plan was foolish, I agree. It was a Kamikaze Plan. But I had to know who, and why. Whoever he or she was, I wanted him dealt with." she admitted.

"She was clouded with emotions." Levi scoffed, earning a nod of confirmation from Sam.

Her eyes darkened for a moment, recalling the crime scene photos of her previous flat. She studied it months after her vision returned. It was Rona on the floor, bloodied.

She could still recall the feel of her body slowly developing rigor Mortis when she pressed her fingers against her carotid to check for a pulse.

And Mo, her trusted dog. The feel of his fur against her fingertips was still fresh. And anger surfaces within her.

"I wanted revenge. That asshole killed Mo," she admitted. But that wasn’t the only reason, she didn’t mention the fact that she didn’t want her brother to be involved or linked with the drug. She wanted to protect him, just as much as he did her.