Chapter 8: "Discovery"

04 May 2022

22:42 PM

Matthew's blood froze, bringing him out of the trance in which he had fallen victim was the inquisitive voice of Detective Eric Jones.

"Mr. Cox could identify your wife's car, is that her car?" asked Eric.

"Y-yes it's her car, but there must be an explanation as to why it's here," the trembling of his voice betrayed the stoic mask he had put on his face. He didn't want to believe what he was witnessing - it was all just a long and a bad dream. - and Matthew would wake up in his bed and there would be a radiant and living Elizabeth next to him.

But how many times Matthew and everyone present there had hoped that the discovery of that car had been only the result of a nightmare or fatigue that gripped and clouded the minds of all of them, in reality it was a too lucid dream - called reality.

Matthew was still staring at the car as Detective Eric explained what happened, "Mr. Cox the car was found about two hours ago," he said, looking him in the eyes, the latter still staring at the car and not giving a hint of an answer or a look - as if he had become a stone statue.

The detective seeing the state in which Matthew was, put a hand on his forehead as if he already felt the coming of  an headache and assuming an expression of exasperation mixed with resignation decided not to investigate further. 

Meanwhile another police officer approached the detective and talked to him, the detective,  moved away from Matthew leaving him alone at the mercy of his thoughts and fears.

Shortly after, Jones returned accompanied by the previous agent, both thinking about what to do, but knowing that all of the police squad would be working overtime that night.

Matthew noticed late the disappearance of the detective, he looked around and saw him come back in the distance in the company of another agent.

"Mr. Cox, we need to talk.... in private," Jones said, Matthew understood and walked away with him, once far enough from prying ears the detective looked around, nodded satisfied, took a box of cigarettes from his jacket pocket, opened it, it was almost empty, had it not been for the last two cigarettes left, Jones looked at them, unsure whether to offer one of his last cigarettes, he was certain that there would be no nicotine to keep him company in the long hours ahead.

But in the end he offered one to Matthew, the latter refused, but Jones did not seem to accept a "no" as an answer: "Trust me Mr. Cox, you will need this cigarette more than me", Matthew agreed, "Do you have a lighter detective?" he asked, "Of course, what an inveterate smoker I would be if I didn't carry one with me all the time," said the detective, trying to ease Matthew's worries, then placing the cigarette on his lips; he  pulled out of the same pocket a metal lighter, opened it bringing the flame to life and lit the cigarette to him and Matthew, then took a long breath and let the nicotine fill his lungs, Matthew had never smoked in his life and was quite hesitant about smoking it, eventually he took a long breath of it, but it didn't last long because once inhaled, the smoke got into his lungs causing him to cough uncontrollably, This left a bitter taste on his palate.

The detective continued to consume the short life of his cigarette, Matthew instead had failed to go beyond the first puff of smoke, had taken only a breath that by now nicotine had entered into his bloodstream, He felt more relaxed and less tired both mentally and physically - but it won't last long.

"You know, Mr. Cox, I don't know but I think you're a lucky man or maybe not, you have everything a man.... That at least I could desire: a beautiful and faithful wife, money is not lacking, let alone fame........ really a life that many would like to live in your place.... Mr Cox, I was married in my youth," the detective stopped for a moment and looked at the ring finger of his right hand, thoughtful, then continued: ".... my wife... No, I meant my ex-wife left me, of her no trace or no note, she had simply packed her bags and  left our apartment..." Jones pulled another long and laborious breath soaked in nicotine "...let's be clear...not that I was not faithful to her or did not love her...indeed I loved her deeply, for me it was the one and the first love, and also the last.... but with the work I do it is not easy to know when and if I will return home at night.... Betty was tired of always feeling the fear that she could receive a call from my department and that she would become a widow so out of nowhere.... but let's not talk about me, Mr Cox, what do you think?, you are a very lucky man...you have a beautiful wife...you had found someone so precious in your life, but what made you change your mind at such a crucial point in your life?" Matthew didn't like this conversation.

"What do you mean Detective?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing, Mr. Cox.... Let's talk about the case, your wife's disappearance...in the car no human remains were found" Matthew breathed a sigh of relief and the tense nerves he had relaxed - this kindled in him the hope that Elizabeth was still alive.

  ".... and this is very positive because the chances increase that nothing has happened to your wife, on the other hand as a result other investigations will follow on determining where your wife is and why she disappeared, whether it is accidental or not"Agent Jones' cigarette was going out, then the nicotine ran out, Jones threw it on the ground and stepped on it, putting it out.

"Do you mind?" Matthew's eyes looked at the cigarette resting on his fingers, it was still lit, he had only took a breath maybe two, he did not remember, then he looked at the cigarette butt on the ground and finally at the greedy eyes of the detective pointing at his cigarette. Matthew handed him the cigarette, the detective took it out of his hand as if Mtthew could regret it and continued to inhale nicotine.

"In my job, You never throw away a good cigarette" the detective chuckled at his own joke.

"I think that's all for tonight, Mr. Cox, we'll let you know as soon as we have new information about your wife, have a good night." Jones greeted Matthew and then left to join the other agents in the investigation.

It was late, Matthew got in the car and went back to the apartment, waiting for him there was a strangely euphoric Lily holding something in her hands.