MULTIPLE VISITS - 2

Angus kept insisting that he knew nothing about the boys going to the forest. He repeated all over again to the councilman in front of him, that his son was found near the river. As the lies kept rolling out of Angus's tongue, his head become heavy and the pain in the back of his head emerged, causing him to hiss in pain.

Newton, who noticed a sudden change of expression on the old man's face, asked "Are you okay, Mr. O'Connor?"

"Yes, Sir Newton. I just have a terrible headache." Angus answered truthfully. His right hand rubbed the back of his head.

"Would you like me to take you home to have a rest, Sir?" Newton offered.

"Ah, it won't be necessary. I shall go back to my stall instead. My son must have been overwhelmed with the number of customers that we have today." Angus smiled at Newton. "If you could excuse me, Sir."

"Absolutely." Replied Newton. "I shall see you again another day, Mr. O'Connor. I hope next time you can cooperate better."

Newton flashed the man a knowing look before he smiled and bowed at him, bidding him a goodbye.

Angus went back to his stall with his head that felt heavier than before. The pain was worsening. He did not pay attention to the customers nor his eldest son who shot him a worried glance.

"Sir Angus! You might have to close your stall early again today. Look at your goods, they're almost all gone." Teased a lady, who was one of his customers.

"Aye, Ma'am. I might have to." Angus said in low voice which was barely heard by the lady. His eyes were on the ground as his mind ran to the Mayor's son and the persons who lived in the forest.

If the councilman had known about his sons going to the forest, it was only a matter of time they would check the forest by themselves. Did the peculiar woman have anything to do with the boy's death? Asked Angus in his mind. He was sure that the Mayor and his wife must have reported about his son going to the forest to the council.

Little did he know that the Mayor did not inform anything about the forest to Newton's team but it was the maid who overheard everything that occurred that night during William's punishment in the attic.

"Papa, shall we close the stall now?" Neil who had been helping his father selling their goods to the customers, put his arm on top of his father's shoulder who had been sitting down on the chair, not saying a word. "Are you okay, Papa?"

Angus took a deep breath and glanced at his empty stall. "We should go home now, Neil. Let's pack up."

Neil could sense that his father was behaving strange. He did not know who the man was but he did not have a good feeling about the man.

The boy stayed quiet and assisted his father packing up everything. Being the oldest in the family, he knew too well when to open and close his mouth. He understood his father better than his young brother.

Angus closed his stall and walked home with his son. His eyes would glance to right and left, ensuring that no one was following him home. He had somehow become cautious after seeing the councilman. He did not want the councilman to see his sons. God knew what could happen if they met Edmond who would not hold back to spill everything about the girl in the forest.

When both Angus and Neil reached their home, he quickly locked the door and closed the curtains around the house. Neil was told to stay with his brother in his room as he made his way towards the glass house in the back yard where he could find Ms. Jill over there.

"Sir Angus, you're home early." Exclaimed Ms. Jill when she noticed the man of the house came. She was watering the plants as usual when she heard a rushing foot steps coming from inside the house.

He came to her side and started to whisper, "I need you to start writing a letter to my sister in Claremont. Tell her that I will send my children there in two days."

Jill frowned at the sudden request from the man. "Has something happened, Sir?"

Angus nodded his head. "The council has known about the boys going to the forest."

After seeing Angus, Newton went to meet one of his team members, Turner, near the town hall. In doing his job, Newton liked to involved himself in the field, having direct contact with every single evidence that he could gather instead of sitting idly in his office. Turner was his second in command whom he trusted more than anyone else in his team.

"What have you found Turner?" Newton asked as he lighted a cigarette. "Anything that could lead us to the main suspect?"

"I have come to see the boy's best friend, Thomas Calder. His mother was a friend of the Mayor's wife before the lady got married." Informed the curly brown hair man. "Just like what the maid said, Thomas and William were always together. But the boy deny that he went to the forest with William or other children."

Newton nodded. "The more they deny, the more intriguing it becomes."

Turner knitted his brows at his leader remark. "What do you mean, Sir?"

"What I mean is, it is best for us to go to the forest ourselves. Look at the weather today! It's a good weather to go for a walk in the forest."

"Now?" Turner eyes went wide. He knew that his team leader did not like wasting time in solving any cases, but was it necessary to go to the forest now without any other officials?

"I don't think the weather would stay the same tomorrow, Turner. Haven't you acquainted with the weather of Easton?" Newton looked at his second in command lazily as he blew the smoke from his mouth.

"Shouldn't we first inform the Mayor or Mr. West about it?"

"Why?" Asked Newton. His brown eyes stared at Turner harder. "Do we always have to work for them?"

Turner lowered his head, knowing fully well that his team leader did not trust any of them.

Newton threw the cigarette on the ground and turned on his heel as he said, "Start walking with me or you'll be replaced, Turner."

Hearing the threat from his team leader, Turner was quick to move and followed the blonde man without any other question.

On their way to the forest, Turner caught a sight of Thomas who was talking to Brandon in front of the bakery shop across the road. Turner leaned closer to the side and whispered to Newton, "See that boy with a dark hair in front of the bakery shop? He's Thomas. William's best friend."

Newton's eyes instantly fell onto the boy. For some odd reason, the boy looked familiar to Newton, as if he had met him somewhere. Without paying attention to his surrounding, Newton crossed the road in a swift movement but only to collide to an old woman who fell on the ground because of him.

"Dear Lord!" Exclaimed the woman as she sat on the ground. She felt a sharp pain on her bottom. "Can't you see where you're going?"

Newton, who was halted by the old woman, squatted down in front of her. When his eyes met the woman's eyes, he sighed. "I apologise, Ma'am. Allow me to help you."

Turner looked at his team leader and the lady, who was in an unfortunate state. His eyes went to inspect the lady's white eyes. Then he turned to Newton who looked at him with a knowing look.

"If I may ask, where are you going by yourself, Ma'am?" Asked Newton, after ensuring that the old woman could stand up properly.

"I am going home." She answered sternly.

"Please allow my friend to see you home. It would make me feel less guilty if I know that you arrive home safely." Said Newton. His eyes glanced at Turner who glared at him for not asking him first if he wanted to go. "Isn't that right, Turner?"

Turner pressed his lips together in annoyance. If anything that Turner hated to do, it was assisting disable people.

"How wise you are." Said the blind-looking woman.

Newton took the woman's bag and handed it to Turner who accepted it with annoyance on his face.

"Once again, I apologise. Please do not hesitate to ask my friend when you need anything." Newton bowed at the lady. He was well aware that the lady was blind but he decided to treat her the same like other normal humans. He then turned to his sulky friend, "Turner."

"Come, Ma'am. Let me take you home." Spoke Turner with a fake polite tone of voice.

Newton smirked as both the woman and his second in command walked away from him. Now he could continue with his business to speak to the boy. But when he looked at the bakery shop, he found the boy was gone.