Chapter 10 Detective Sarah

At the entrance of Peggy's apartment, Sarah noticed a paper box. She bent down and picked up the box, supporting it against her chest from falling while she used her right hand to slip a key into the doorknob. Once she was inside the apartment she bolted the door behind her. Peggy comes out of the room adjacent to Sarah's in a towel and is not surprised by her presence in the apartment as though she had been expecting her.

"What's that" Peggy pointed to the paper box in Sarah's hands.

"I don't know, though it was yours Saw it at the door entrance" she set the box on the table near the entryway. Peggy moved closer to inspect the box. She picks up a pen on the table to tear open the seal. Horrified by the gruesome image of a human head in the box, she screamed in fear.

Sarah only got a glimpse of the box before turning her gaze away in disgust. Peggy couldn't stop wailing, she ran her hands through her hair several times. Her heart had been completely shattered. Her brother was the only one she had left. The agony she felt created this tightness feeling in her chest.

Sarah quickly gripped Peggy into a comforting embrace "breath breath breath" Sarah spoke calmly. She placed soft pats on her back and reached for a blue jacket on the couch to cover up the box.

In all her life running errands for the big guy she has never seen such an unpleasant look of a human head with blood-red eyes, it was obvious he was strangled to death. She led Peggy to the couch with just a stare at the open window, Sarah became on high alert.

what are they still doing here! Someone just delivered a human head in a box at our doorsteps!. That person might still be out there right now watching them, waiting for the right time to attack them. She concluded that it wasn't safe to stay in the house right now!.

She rushed into Peggy's room and emerged with a suitcase and some clothes in hand. She throws the clothes at Peggy and urged her to wear them. Her fingers she snapped repeatedly just to get Peggy out of her misery after attempting to shake her out of a trance state.

"Hey look at me!. She yelled. I don't know that the hell is going on here and I demand an explanation but if you wish to live another day I suggest we leave this place right now!.

Peggy got up and quickly stepped into a pair of black jean trousers and a black zip-up hoodie. Hastily, they walked to the quiet parking lot. On the way out, Sarah didn't give the guard at the lobby an opportunity to say hello. In front of an orange Honda fit, she requested Peggy give her the keys.

Once in the car, Sarah locked the door and drove off in a jiffy to a restaurant three miles away from the house. Throughout the drive here, at three minutes intervals, she would look at the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following them. Inside the restaurant, Sarah and Peggy agreed to sit at the quiet corner of the restaurant. Sarah figured that right now they don't need any exposing view.

"I will have a really cold orange juice my body and soul need it right now and water for her is also cold. But I will call on you again" Sarah said closing her menu and with a wave of her hand she dismissed the waiter. She looked back at Peggy's face now wet with tears

"Are you going to wait for me to ask"? Sarah said eager to get an explanation. Peggy's silence caused Sarah to fume on the inside but she had to appear cool and understanding. After Peggy had taken a satisfying slip of the water, Sarah wondered how she could still drink water, she expected her to reject the water.

"Martins was supposed to be out" Peggy eventually said.

"I don't understand who's supposed to be out," Sarah asked leaning closer to Peggy.

"My brother the big guy promised to let him leave," Peggy said, her eyebrows pulled closer together.

"Your brother worked for the big guy?" Sarah said.

"Yes he went into debt running errands from the big guy and you of all people should know what he does to those who owe him," Peggy said in a dry tone.

"How much did he owe?"

"50 thousand dollars for a drop-off that went south".

"Wow, that's a huge debt" Sarah mumbled, drinking up the glass of juice.

"To save my brother I offered myself to the big guy. I pay off his debt by running errands and he decided to let my brother go".

"He didn't"

"But I saw him off at the airport".

"And he has been deported back in a carton at least a part of him," Sarah said. She noticed the dark glare Peggy gave her. "I'm sorry" Sarah apologized. She kind of found it funny how people would be so foolish thinking that the big guy will let them go.

"He promised" Peggy cried out.

"So why did you spy on me?" Sarah asked.

"Spy?" Peggy asked, her eyebrows curved upwards.

"Are you going to pretend now?" Sarah said.

"He asked me to. Peggy snuffs her nose. He told me to keep an eye on you, where you go, who you meet up with."

"You knew about the agent?"

"Yes, I saw the men take you that night. She buried her head in her hands for a while. I followed them and informed the big guy".

"He lets you call him"

"Yes".

Sarah thought for a while, she could forgive Peggy because she was just following instructions to save her brother. Moreover, she kind of owes Peggy for putting a roof over her head. She concluded on the fact that Peggy needs to say goodbye to her death, she agreed to help her search for the killer and maybe find the other part of the body.

At first, Peggy did not buy the idea because she did not know the terrible person her brother had a run-in with that caused his early demise but not Sarah. She lives for the danger. She insisted they go on detective mode. After hearing a lot of motivational speeches from Sarah, she decided to go on with the idea. She needed to know who divided her brother into two, three, or whatever parts.

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Cassandra stood in front of RG fashion house and admired the beautiful dresses on display through the window. She heaved a sigh and marched into the house with all the confidence needed to get through the apprenticeship interview program of one year established by Mrs. Richardson. A program that provides opportunities to young designers with unique ideas.

Inside, the receptionist at the front desk directed her to an office through a hallway that led to different sections in the house. On getting there, Sarah was amazed by the number of people sitting on the chairs waiting to be called upon for the interview. A lady who appeared to be the secretary walked up to her, handed over a form to fill out.

Cassandra constantly tapped her fingertips against the chair to calm her nerves. She shut her eyes for a while and opened them to see kate sitted beside her.

"I told you not to come" she whispered to kate since she had begged her not to interfere with the interview so as not to spake favoritism rumors among the other

"Relax I'm not here as a judge but a big sis". Kate smiled, placed her hands on Cassandra's cheeks, and stared deep into her eyes "you have your designs, experience, and terrible personality so wow the judges". Cassandra sat up and hugged kate tightly before going into the office.

Kate reached for her phone and messaged Don Badami's assistant which read EDWARD IS NOT DEAD NO DEAL.

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Peggy created a list of possible people who would have known about Martin's activities but limited the list to two men. A guy named Leo, an ex-roommate to Martins, and Adam the person who introduced him to the big guy's operations. Sarah had to contact Freddie to get the locations of the men. The information Sarah received from Freddie was of the death of Leo two years ago and Adam was last seen at the moon river hub.

Sarah and Peggy pulled into the lot in front of moon river hub. Sarah's eyes carefully scammed the environment before stepping out of the car. Peggy shivered as she stepped out of the passenger's seat. She wondered if the truth about her brother's death would be discovered.

They had not knocked before the door was flung open by a young woman with multiple piercings on her nose, right eyebrows, and through her upper lips. On Sight, Peggy recognized her as Martin's ex-girlfriend.

"Are you Martin's sister?". The young woman asked.

"Yes and you must be purity," Peggy said.

"Is Adam in?" Sarah said in a cold tone.

"What's going on?" Adam shouted poking purity aside. "Go inside and sit on the couch" he ordered. Sarah gazed upon Adam. A man of about forty-five with unkempt beards and a round ball called a stomach, homely dressed.

"Please do you have any idea on the whereabouts of Martin?". Peggy inquired.

"Martin?" He chuckled "you're his sister right?".

"Yes".

"Well between you and I, I heard that Martin was sent to the other side," Adam mumbled.

"I don't understand please______" Peggy pleaded.

"Thank you for your time that will be all," Sarah said walking away from Peggy. On impulse, Peggy ran after Sarah inquiring about the other side.

"Forget about it!" Sarah screamed as she takes out the car keys from her pocket. Peggy snatched the keys from Sarah and demanded an answer. Sarah rested her hands upon Peggy's shoulders and begged her to forget about the event.

"Why should I," Peggy said almost in tears. "My brother was murdered and brought to me in a box". Sarah wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm so heartbroken right now but one thing I solemnly ask is that you forget about it," Sarah said nodding her head.

"Why!!!!!!!!! You can't tell me to forget about the death of my brother and act as nothing happened". Peggy snapped.

"We are at war and your brother was sent as a spy to the other side ran by Patricia," Sarah said.

"A spy, he sent him as a spy". Peggy removed Sarah's hands from her shoulders. "I want to be alone right now". Sarah stared at peggy walking away.

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Agent west had picked up his phone a couple of times checking to see Veronica's calls ever since they exchanged numbers but always dishearten to see nothing. Finally, he set the phone down on the bedside locker and laid down on the bed to sleep. Unexpectedly, the phone vibrated throwing him out of his sleep.

"Hello," Agent west said excitedly.

"I have information on the Richardson gang," the unknown caller said. The agent's eyes widened upon hearing this.

Who could this be? He wondered.