The Slash Of Truth: The Whispers From Under The Bed

128#

17:32pm.

Fruit Family Household.

Dear Dairy.

I’ve finished setting up the cameras around the mansion, three upstairs, five downstairs and two for the front and back of the house. I know there are already cameras set up before I came but, these are my cameras, no one can tamper with these because they are remotely controlled by my phone so if anything does pop up on the cameras at night, a notification will pop up on my phone letting me know which camera. I should have set them up as soon as I got there, I knew the history with this mansion but, I let my guard down. All I can do is hope that Cherry is okay.

As for Dime, I’ve had my suspicions about her but, this morning has only just confirmed them. I caught her talking to someone called David on the phone and having blood on her necklace. It doesn’t mean anything just yet but, I think it could lead to her. I’m not too sure.

Detective Sweetpea did make a good point about Dime Flit however, in the bedroom where Cherry had slept, there was no blood whatsoever, not one spot of it. As for the human on her phone, Sweetpea pointed out that she was a lawyer and David could be her client. It did make sense but, what was that blood? The blood was old and dry. She has to know something; I just have to figure out what.

Helly hasn’t come out of our room after that little squabble with Detective Sweetpea, I haven’t checked up on her yet, but I will as soon as I check out Dime’s room with Sweetpea. She is still reluctant about Dime being the one behind the disappearances but, I have convinced her to keep things between us two for now.

Now that I think of it, I have barely seen Fenton all day. The only time I have seen him was at breakfast and when we bumped into each other as I was heading up the stairs. He looked like he had a right cob on, I wonder why. I did hear him on the phone when I walked past his room, he wasn’t happy with whoever he was on the phone with.

Other than that, I have nothing else to report on. I hope I can look back in these notes and make a connection somehow, it has worked for me before, I only hope it works again. For my daughter’s sake.

Arctic and Sweetpea were waiting in the living room as they watch the news instead of Dime leaving however, it was Detective Shepard who wore a bland look. When asked where he was going by Detective Sweetpea, his answer was ‘out.’ Arctic didn’t like that answer one bit.

Eventually, Mrs Flit did leave while she was on her phone, talking in a passive-aggressive tone. Now it was their time to move.

“I can’t believe we are doing this.” Detective Sweetpea muttered, following Arctic up the stairs.

“What’s so unbelievable about checking out a suspect's room.” Arctic replied, reaching the top and looking back.

“The fact that I’m looking at Dime Flit as a possible suspect, you know… My boss’s brother’s wife. Shepard would have a fit if he ever caught me sniffing in Dime’s room.” Sweetpea said as if it wasn’t obvious, Arctic narrowed his eyes at that.

“That’s oddly unprofessional of him, isn’t he meant to treat everyone as a suspect that was at a crime scene? Why is that?” Arctic asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the railing expectingly.

“It’s how Shepard is, he’s defensive about the people he cares about, he loves his family and friends, and a crime scene won’t stop that.” She shrugged, reaching the top and looking back with a firm look. “But he won’t deny the truth if it was someone he cared about, even me. He takes his job seriously, it’s just… The truth hurts sometimes.”

“What do you mean by that?” Arctic tilted his head, finding what she said riveting. Sweetpea sighed.

“Nothing, I can’t go into his personal life like a fairy tale story, he has demons that I don’t want to get into.” The detective said, walking passed him. Arctic wanted to comment on that but, Arctic could relate. Arctic had many secrets that he has still yet to tell his wife, dark secrets that time and himself only know. He hoped that Shepard's demonswouldn’t blind him to finding his daughter.

Entering her room without a fuss, the two noticed how tidy the room was. It wasn’t unusual but, what was unusual was the amount of stuff that was in there.

“Detective… This is an awful lot of stuff for someone that was supposed to leave yesterday. Doesn’t look like she was going to leave at all.” Arctic muttered, looking around with confusion.

“I’ll give you that, it is unusual that they haven't packed in advance for the move away unless they planned to leave it all behind but, knowing the Flit Family, there is probably over a million dollars worth of stuff in here.” Detective said with apprehension, looking around as she saw the jewellery, clothes and accessories from both Clutch and Dime.

As they looked around, Arctic noticed a slightly open draw from a desk. He pulled the draw from the desk and saw something that actually excited him for a change. The tawny, aged wrinkles, the tilted handwriting that joined up together neatly; a note, a note that was possibly from Arctic’s past family. Wait… What was a note doing in their room? He pulled it out gently, careful to not to rip this treasure but, squinted in confusion as he read it.

What English word has three consecutive double letters?

What disappears as soon as you say its name?

What is found in every corner and two in every room?

I am long and hard, and you will happily spend money on me. After getting me, you feel a huge feeling of relief. What am I?

What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?

John noticed that the amount he was paying for his lunch was a rearrangement of the digits of the amount of money he had in his pocket, and that the money he had left over was yet another rearrangement of the same three digits! How much money did John start with?

Double my number, I’m less than a score, Half of my number is less than four. Add one to my double when bakers are near, Days of the week are still greater, I fear.

This is it, my last test to you all. This is no ordinary test; however, this test will lead you to my dark secrets that the most cunning will only know. If you are not prepared; run and never tell a soul about this place but, if you fight this, just know that his name is Shasha. Forgive me for I did not know what I brought upon this mansion.

From Tangerine Fruit.

Arctic didn’t know what to say or do as he just gawked at this note. This was a note from his ancestor, his genius great, great, great, great grandfather. He wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. What did all this mean? What test is this? What dark secret? Who is Shasha? His astonishment was knocked away as he felt Sweetpea looking over his shoulder.

“What you got there?” The detective asked, her brows rising by the aging paper.

“This—this is a note from the great Tangerine.” Arctic muttered, his eyes never leaving the riddles.

“Uhh—who?” She asked, making Arctic snap his neck to her.

“Who? What do you mean who? One of the most successful archaeologists of all time! He explored the Zaru’s Tribe Tombs, he discovered The Lost City in the up-north gulley of the Glacial Ocean, he even discovered—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, he’s travelled the world, whoopty do, doesn’t mean I know who he is, I’m not into my history.” She deadpanned, interrupting his ranting. Arctic would have been offended but, since she was helping him, he would let it slide.

“Whatever, did you find anything on your end?” Arctic asked, folding the piece of paper carefully and placing it into his pocket.

“No, nothing out of the ordinary. As for the blood on her necklace, I found blood-stained tissues in the bin, she must have had a nosebleed.” Sweetpea said, making Arctic frown a bit. Back to square one it is then. “I understand you want to take things into your own hands but, I’m sure Shepard is onto something, he doesn’t leave a crime scene unless he has found something.”

Or unless he is the one that has taken her…

Arctic sighed, feeling his whole body sag.

“I hope so…”

When Arctic walked into the room, he didn’t have the energy to speak to his wife as he flopped onto the bed, feeling his head pulse. Helly looked like she didn’t even notice him either as she just looked out the window, her hand brushing the blinds out the way slightly. Seeing her in the corner of his eye, he groaned.

“Are you okay, hun?” Arctic murmured, feeling his eyes droop. Helly didn’t answer straight away, she was so lost in her mind that his words went into one ear and out the other. “Hun?”

“No, love. I’m not okay. My daughter has been taken and I have no idea what to do, you’ve been working your ass of all day and here I am, stuck in my own room as I just wait. I’m so worried about my daughter, I just want her back.” Helly whimpered, feeling wet streams fall down her cheeks. She felt so pathetic, so useless in her tired state. Suddenly, she felt Arctic’s arms wrap around her stomach, his chin resting on her shoulder.

“I know how you feel, I’m worried too. I promise, I won’t give up, I won’t stop until I find her and find the one who took her, I promise.” Arctic said tiredly in her ear, making Helly sniff in guilt. She turned in his arms, facing him as she shocked him slightly by planting her lips on his for a peck.

“Sleep, Arcty. You’ve done so much already, you’re trying your hardest to find Cherry and I’m here, hoping that she would just appear out of nowhere. So please, rest and hope the detectives find her before it’s too late.” Helly said, wrapping her arms around him in a shaky hug.

“Helly, I can’t stop, I can’t—”

He was silenced once again with a peck on his lips.

“Please rest, darling.” She whispered which was enticing in his ear. Arctic didn’t know when he had fallen back on the bed, Helly beside him as she stroke his hair softly and snuggled against him, her head in his chest, all he did know was that slowly his eyes were closing. “Sleep, hun… Sleep~” And just like that, his mind fell into darkness.

Arctic’s body shook alive when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, groggily opening his eyes as he wasn’t ready to wake up, but he heard shuffling on the bed. He looked to the side to see Helly, sitting up against the bed as she narrowed her eyes at a familiar piece of paper, tapping a pen against her lip.

“Uh—hun… What are you doing with that?” Arctic said, catching Helly’s attention as she looked over at Him.

“Oh, well… when I got up. I noticed that there was a folded-up piece of paper on the bed. Just in curiosity, I had a look and well… I’ve been trying to answer these riddles.” She murmured, showing him the paper. “I’ve got a few of the riddle answers but, I’m struggling.”

“Oh… Let’s have a look.” Arctic said, crawling his way over to her on the bed, and sitting next to her. She handed it over to him wordlessly and leaned on his shoulder. His heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened as he saw fresh writing under the riddles on the ancient piece of history of his ancestors. He turned to Helly slowly, his brow raised and with an unamused look on his face.

“What?” she asked, oblivious to why Arctic was looking at her like that.

“Babe, you don’t just write on this old, ancient piece of history like this. You’ve just ruined a dead man’s work.” Arctic scolded, making Helly smile sheepishly.

“Oops… My bad.” She said, giggling like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. He just rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around her. Arctic just sighed deeply, gutted about this craftwork being wasted history. No museum would want this now.

“It’s fine… it’s probably not worth that much anyway.” That was a lie, this piece of history is probably worth millions to the right customer, but Arctic didn’t wish for Helly to feel guilty. “Let’s see what you’ve done then.”

“The first riddle was meh, I figured it out easily enough. What English word has three consecutive double letters? The answer to that would be a bookkeeper! You know, because there are three double letters in the word.” She exclaimed a proud smile on her face. Arctic’s brows shot up in surprise, it would have taken him some time to figure that out.

“I’m impressed, how long have you been working on this?” He asked.

“Around half an hour. Why?”

“Nothing, I’m just surprised.” He replied, making her smile.

“It was a hobby of mine to try and solve riddles in school, it always gets me going,” Helly said, rubbing the back of her neck as she felt her cheeks heat up.

“Oh, so is that why I saw you in the school library all of them years ago? Back then, I always wondered what you were doing at the end of school but, me being a complete nerd, I was always too scared to confront you.” Arctic snickered, making Helly giggle too.

“Yes, other than having a lot of sex back in high school, I was always head down in the book of riddles, waiting for my ex to get out of detention.” She frowned as she remembered her ex-boyfriend and Arctic noticed it.

“You want to talk about it?” Arctic asked, watching as a tear fell down her cheek. She shook her head however, curling up close to Arctic.

“No need to talk about that fucker that left me high and dry when I was pregnant, I’ve got an intelligent, hard-working, caring husband that had stepped up when I needed someone the most. I’m just counting my lucky stars at this point.” She said, planting a kiss on his cheek, making Arctic’s heart flutter.

“Your lucky stars? What about me? If I told my high school, nerdy me that I was married to a beautiful wife such as you, he’d laugh in my face before reporting me to the authorities for trespassing on school grounds.” Arctic said, making Helly chuckle. “You know, I still can’t believe it myself,” he said, looking at the ring that rested on his finger. Her warm smile grew as she entangled her own ringed hand with his, humming softly. Arctic gently smiled too at the warm gesture.

“Come on, babe. What’s the next riddle?” Helly murmured, snuggling in closer as he felt his balmy body. Scrolling down the paper, smirking as he knew this riddle.

“What disappears as soon as you say its name? Do you know this one?” Arctic asked, watching as Helly puffed out her cheeks adorably.

“No…” she muttered. Arctic chuckled at her sulking face.

“No worries, babe. The answer to this question is—silence.” Arctic said, watching Helly’s gears turn until she looked up with understanding.

“Oooooh! I get it, when you say ‘silence’ it is no longer silent. Clever boy.” Helly praised, giving him a few sloppy kisses on his cheek, giggling as he wiped away her saliva. “Right, on to the next one!” She declared. Arctic looked at the other riddle.

“What is found in every corner and two in every room? Hmm… Do you know this one? Because I don’t.” Arctic said inquisitively, his hand brushing his chin in thought. Now it was Helly’s time to smirk.

“What’s wrong, Arcty~… Is Mr Archaeologist struggling with a riddle?” Helly mocked, watching Arctic deadpan and sneer.

“I’m guessing you know this question, huh?” Arctic grumbled, making her snigger.

“The answer is—o!” She exclaimed, making him raise a brow.

“And how did you come to that answer?” He asked.

“It’s simple word play, the answer is in the riddle. There is one ‘o’ in corner and there is two ‘o’s’ in room. It’s easy when you think outside the box.” She explained, blowing a raspberry at him as he had a look of realisation on his face.

“Fair enough, you’re a lot smarter than I took you for.” Arctic said, giving a jab of his own as he knew she wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. She just playfully nudged him, that being the end of that.

“The next riddle is—I am long and hard, and you will happily spend money on me. After getting me, you feel a huge feeling of relief. What am I? Hmm, this is a tough one… Any ideas, hun?” Arctic murmured, looking down to Helly who looked just as confused as he was.

“No—not a clue. Drugs maybe?” She pointed out but, Arctic wasn't too sure about that answer.

“No… I can’t think of any drugs being long and hard.” Arctic replied, narrowing his eyes in concentration.

“How about your long, har—”

“No, the answer isn’t my genitalia. Get your head out of the gutter.” Arctic quickly said, making Helly giggle at his reaction. They lay there for quite some time, thinking and guessing answers that fit this riddle but, it got to the point where Helly’s eyes fluttered shut, breathing softly as she enjoyed their togetherness.

“Education?... Education!” Arctic exclaimed, making Helly spasm by the sudden cheer. “The answer is education, I am long and hard, and you will happily spend money on me. After getting me, you feel a huge feeling of relief. What am I? It’s education.” Arctic said with a smile. Helly hummed, nodding at the answer.

“Yeah, I can see that. Good job.” Helly said, her eyes drooping a bit as she got comfy. “Next one!”

“What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?” The two didn’t answer right away, the two just looking at each other with a deadpan.

“Clock.” They said at the same time, the two chuckling at the old but gold riddle. When things got quiet once again, Helly just felt his chest as her hand roamed but, wearing a small frown. “I hope Cherry is okay.” Helly muttered out of know where, holding him tightly as if he was going to disappear too. Arctic grimaced at that comment.

“Yeah… me too.” Arctic added in, resting his chin on the side of her head. “I’ve been wondering all day how whoever took her managed to disappear out of thin air, there was a magic essence in the room but, not enough to be an advanced spell. How is this even possible?” He thought out loud, frustrated by the physics breaking problem that made no sense.

“I don’t know but, if there is anyone that I believe can figure this out… it’s you.” Helly said, continuously kissing Arctic’s neck, hoping that with a simple kiss will make him string up with all the answers. “I know you’ve got this, you’re the most intelligent person I know, just think. The windows were closed, there was a bit of magic left in the room, there is no footage of the kidnapper or proof that they had ever left. It’s like the mansion itself just… swallowed her whole.” Helly said calmly, her words bringing more questions than answers. But… What she said about the mansion swallowing Cherry up did spike up a thought. Ever since he first stepped into this mansion, he had this—odd feeling. Before he could continue that thought, he was rudely interrupted by a certain detective barging her way through the door.

“Yo! I have dinner ready for you two if you want any.” Sweetpea said, leaving just as quickly as she came in. The couple just looked at one another before they shrugged, getting up and heading down the stairs.