100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 74: Mozart II

Greenwich Park

Levi sighed, noticing Sam’s body noticeably tense up.

"Calm down." He said and she recognized his voice immediately. Her body relaxed and she let go of the pepper spray. "If possible, your annoying assistant would have half of the Criminal Investigation Departmentlook for you by now," Levi said.

Sam wiped her tears, "I’ve only been gone an hour," she said.

Levi’s eyes shifted from her to the open park, children playing in a distance, giggling.

"Yes." he simply said, giving her one subtle look.

There were bags under the eyes, meaning she was having trouble sleeping again. Understandably, she was attacked just a few weeks ago in the safety of her own home. Anyone would have nightmares.

He took note of her puffy eyes and red nose, certain that she had been crying.

Her complexion was pale, and she had lost at least 2 pounds that week.

Not only that, but she also looked tired, stressed.

Levi sighed, tearing his eyes away from her and looking back at the general public in the vicinity. Children, men, women, pets around. Jogging, walking, drinking coffee. Children Playing.

"So, you ran away," he said. "No, I took a cab." Sam joked, and Levi smiled at that, at least her sense of humor was still there. That was a good sign.

"I heard you had him....cremated," he said, trying to make conversation. Sam snorted at his attempt. "You’re so not good at this, Levi. " Sam commented, at his attempt to comfort her.

"And yes, his ashes will be sent to my Nana, she’ll bury him next to grandad. He was family after all" Sam said, she felt her eyes start to sting again, and tears started to form.

Remembering Mo, she gritted her teeth, "He-he’s not just a dog. Not like everybody thinks." she started, holding the collar tighter in her hand, both in anger and sadness.

"He wasn’t just a dog to me. You may not under--"

"I do." Levi interrupted, almost surprising Sam. She turned in his direction though she could not see, and he looked at her. He didn’t like what he saw, the tears running down the edges of her eyes.

He didn’t like watching her cry.

"What was his name?" Sam asked. "I never gave him a name," Levi answered, smiling at the thought of the rabbit he found in the woods when he was young. He used to play there, and escape the house. He used to bring that fluffy thing food, whenever he had the chance.

"Someone killed him too," Levi added shortly, not wanting to get into details.

Sam nodded in understanding,

"He was my only friend." He admitted almost in a whisper. That statement hit home for her, something she could perfectly relate too. And Sam cried beside him, gripping the collar tighter, turning her knuckles white.

"He was my only friend too...when I was growing up," she said, expelling a breath.

She sniffed, trying to calm herself enough to speak.

"I was an odd child. I didn’t know how to handle all the information I acquired back then...that included my parents...death." she started, her eyes turning dark at the memory.

"Simply put, I didn’t cope very well," she said.

"Most children would have toys, dolls, teddy bears, a security blanket. I had...I had a dog. I named him after my favorite composer. And he was my only friend growing up...I had child psychiatrists; I had four of them." Sam revealed, and Levi listened, she never revealed anything about her past before, he did have his suspicion.

He reckoned based on her sleeping pattern, the woman cannot sleep alone in her own home. The security in her own house was too extreme, she always carried pepper spray and a pocket knife, she took self-defense from a very young age and it wasn’t just for show. It all held a deeper meaning, it all meant she was scared, she was very scared of the World.

Why? He doesn’t know, but it was something from her childhood, some extreme trauma...enough that even now, she has her child psychiatrist number on the Bypass.

Sam pulled her coat closer to her body, the wind was chilly. "I didn’t talk much, I didn’t talk at all for many years when I was little," she said, remembering she suffered from selective mutism for many years.

Sam snorted amused, "And I used to bite them, break things, and I used to cry a lot. I had nightmares, lots of them. And...my grandad had a brilliant idea to give me a dog. He told me, ’Sammy, this little pup right here is going to protect you, even when you’re asleep; he’ll make sure no monster comes and gets you. His bark will send them away!’ he said, " recalling her grandfather. The very man that inspired her to take medicine.

"Not that my nightmares went away altogether, but they did help me sleep. Even now, he helps me sleep. And now he’s gone." she continued, smiling sadly.

"It won’t be the same anymore. And no matter what people say, Mo, being a dog, doesn’t decrease the pain I feel of losing someone very precious to me. He was someone to me. And I’m never gonna see him again, Levi. Never." Sam said, breaking completely.

Levi reached for her hand, and she stopped for a moment. "They say it helps," Levi said, meaning the contact. "Does it help you?" He asked, and she nodded. Sam held his hand tightly, finding comfort from the gesture. Finding comfort that he was there.

She cried, and he held her hand as she did. Eyes focused anywhere else but her face. He doesn’t understand, he cared for her, truly. But, how was it possible, that he feels actual physical pain, sharp-knife-like against his chest seeing her break.

Relative Memory, His brain answered. It was it, Levi told himself. He was in pain because he could relate to the pain of losing someone.

Right?

Marco stood standing behind the two a few meters away, he expelled a sigh of relief and he walked back to his car. He grabbed his mobile and pressed it against his ear,

"Levi found her, she’s safe," he said over the phone. He knew Levi could find her.

He knew he cared.

He just wouldn’t admit it.