Read on Inkitt.

Chapter 9

By the end of the week I was so completely done with adulting. While others relished in the relaxation the three day weekend afforded them, I just couldn’t muster any more false responsibility. Focusing on work was becoming physically painful and worrying about Alijah was emotionally exhausting.

My weekend officially began during my lunch break Friday afternoon. Which wasn’t unusual. But it was only a four-day work week that seemed to last for seven years.

To keep with tradition, I did what I always did when Alijah left town on a job. Granted I didn’t know when he would return, but that was beside the point.

Arms loaded down with canvas bags because I refused to make more than one trip, I waddled into Alijah’s kitchen. Muscles burning, I set the bags on the counter and carefully untangled myself from an abundance of re-usable tote handles. It was times such as these that I was grateful for my years of self-defense training and current gym membership. No noodle arms here.

Breathing in my surroundings, I took a moment before unloading the bags. Alijah’s apartment always seemed to bring a sense of serenity. It smelled like him – home. The one-bedroom layout was similar to mine; familiar. Hurray for cookie-cutter city living.

Unlike mine, his had no personal touches which made it appear very staged. All the essentials, none of the frills. But that was his personal touch. Only the necessities. That was Alijah. He didn’t own anything that didn’t have a specific function. Just because it was aesthetically pleasing was not a valid reason according to him.

That never stopped me from bringing over a vase of silk flowers or small trinkets every time I’d visit. It had become a game of sorts. How long would it take Alijah to find my newest addition? Unfortunately, it never took him very long at all.

Shoved in the hall closet sat a box full of the small chachkies placed under a shelf of empty vases collecting dust.

Placing a small figurine on the table by the front door, I couldn’t help but smile. A three-inch Chimera carved from Jade sitting majestically with its pointed tail curved around its front paws. Wings nestled tightly to its back. This was one I wanted him to find. Hopes were high that I had finally found the one trinket he would appreciate.

Growing up, Alijah always had a fascination with the mythical creature.

Taking a note pad from the kitchen drawer, I began to write down heating instructions for the freezer meals I spent the afternoon preparing. Even though I knew he wouldn’t follow them and end up either burning them or eating them cold. At least his fridge and pantry were going to be stocked for his return.

Echoing loudly, the land line rang through the apartment breaking the silence. The shrill sound made me nearly drop the six-pack I was carrying to the fridge.

The answering machine picked up after the second ring. Instead of hearing my brother’s voice, a mechanical one instructed the caller to leave a message. Function over frill.

“Hey, Alijah, it’s Scott. Just calling to check in since I hadn’t heard from you. Boss is still expecting you to be here Monday.” His sigh was audible through the machine. “Just, give me a call when you can. Later.”

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear.

Scott. I feel Alijah must have mentioned him at some point, it rang a bell for some reason that I couldn’t place.

Carefully putting the beer on the counter I walked to the living room and stared at the answering machine waiting for it to give me some kind of answers. I didn’t think that was asking too much given its name.

When I had had enough of the blinking red light mocking my ignorance, I made my way back to the kitchen only to walk back around to the living room and down the hall.

Standing in the doorway to the bedroom, I looked around. As with the rest of the apartment, nothing was out of place. The bed was made, every surface was neat and tidy. All his clothes were hung in the closet except for a few pieces that had been dumped in the hamper.

Odd.

All his clothes are hanging in the closet, I repeated to myself. Only a few empty hangers sat at the end of the rail waiting for laundry day. All four of his suits hung neatly and accounted for. Under them sat the only suitcase he owned, nestled comfortably in its dust cover.

That wasn’t a good sign.

In the bathroom his travel toiletries were stowed neatly under the sink in a brown leather case.

Rushing back into the living room, I scrolled through the phone’s caller ID. I loved that Alijah insisted on always having a land line. We were among the few that still had them. He would tell me that if anything happened and cell towers went out, he still needed a way to get a hold of me. Apparently assuming a disaster would automatically plant me next to my phone.

Scrolling through his phone’s menu, quickly finding the number, I hit call.

“Alijah, where have you been, man?” Scott asked when he picked up before the second ring finished. At least I assumed it was Scott.

“Um, Scott? This is Noa, Alijah’s sister,” I said hating the quiver in my voice.

“Noa? Oh, hi. Is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure. Obviously I’m at his apartment,” I began resenting my timid tone.

“That’s right. He always told me how you stocked his fridge for him. Wish my sister would do that for me. But I wouldn’t trust anything she cooked.”

“Right. Anyway.” Taking a deep breath I realized I had no idea what I was doing. His concern was obvious when he answered and began babbling. Babbling was never a sign of fortuitous foreshadowing. “I overheard your message, you know, while I was stocking his fridge. I haven’t heard from him either. Do you know where his last job took him?”

“Sorry, Noa, he didn’t tell me. But I do know that he was going dark. He’ll probably be heading back sometime tonight.” Scott was trying to sound optimistic and failed miserably.

“You said he has another job starting Monday?”

“Not that I know of,” admitted Scott. “Just his normal one.”

His normal one? Since when did Alijah have a normal, steady job?

“Alijah’s normal one,” I repeated trying to process this information.

“Knowing him though, he’ll probably come in straight from traveling. Wouldn’t be the first time.” He chuckled nervously.

“Right. To his normal job,” I said again unable to get the thought out of my head. Repetition was quickly becoming my coping mechanism.

If Alijah hadn’t told me he had steady employment, what was he doing? And who was Scott? Really?

“Look, Noa.” The sound of fabric rustling sounded over the phone as Scott shifted the receiver. “Alijah would also tell me how worried you get when he leaves.” His voice lowering considerably. “I can give you a number to call if you don’t hear from him by the end of the weekend. But it’s a last resort kind of thing. Understand?”

This was not easing any of my fears. But at least he was willing to help. Running to the kitchen, I ripped a sheet from the notepad I had used to pointlessly right down instructions for the frozen meals, grabbed the pen, and bounced back onto the couch.

“Go ahead,” I said, pen poised.

By this point, Scott’s voice was down to a whisper as he recited a ten digit number.

“Thank you so much, Scott. If you hear from him can you please give me a call? I’ll be here.”

“Will do. Take care of yourself, Noa.”

Setting the receiver back on the cradle, I chewed my bottom lip.

There was a good chance that I was making a mountain out of a mole hill. I could just imagine what Bethany would say if she were here.

“Noa, you are letting your thoughts get the better of you. When Alijah walks though the door you will realize how you were worried over nothing. Again.”

So far she had always been right. Alijah had always walked through the door. Why was I being so weird about it this time? Oh, that’s right. There were too many flags waving in my face telling me that something was not as it should be.

I knew Alijah didn’t divulge every detail of his life to me. Same as I kept portions of my life for myself. Him having a steady job was something I would have thought he would be proud to announce. Unless it was doing something that would have me pacing about with anxiety.

Granted I didn’t know Scott from a hole in the wall, I wouldn’t think he would be stupid enough to help me if they worked for the mafia. The number I held in my hand surely wasn’t the signal to come and put a bullet in my brain. Right?!

Wow, my mind was on fire.

If it turned out there was nothing to worry about and Alijah came traipsing through the door any minute, well – oops. But if he didn’t.

It was the but that had me staring at the number I’d written down. As a last resort. A last resort to what? I looked toward the phone contemplating calling Scott again to ask more questions. Like who the hell was on the other end of the number he gave me. Would it help lead me to Alijah or send danger my way?

It was the way he gave me the number, whispering into the phone uncomfortably, that led me to believe this wasn’t the number to Alijah’s personal office at his apparent steady job that I never knew he had.

I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes. A deep throb began to blossom behind them.

“Screw it.” Pulling my cell phone from my purse I dialed the number Scott gave me.

After five excruciatingly long rings I was about to give up.

“Detective Delany,” the voice on the other end said dryly.

“Detective?”

“Yes, this is Detective Delany,” he repeated already out of patience. “Who is this?”

“My name is Noa Falaichte. I was given your number in regards to my brother.”

“Falaichte? Can you spell that for me?”

Our last name always caused confusion. Since our parents weren’t very paternal, I didn’t know anything about our family genealogy. The origins of our last name was as mysterious as its pronunciation.

I did as he asked and was met with silence that I felt some need to fill. “And its pronounced fah-light. Don’t about the nationality because I have no idea,” I rambled.

“I’m guessing your brother is Alijah.”

I nodded as if he could see.

“Who gave you this number?” he asked apparently able to hear me nod after all.

Well, shit. I didn’t know Scott, but I was guessing this number wasn’t to be given out freely. If he was willing to help Alijah through me, I didn’t want to jeopardize his trust. Despite the fact I already broke it by waiting a whole thirty seconds to use the number he gave me instead of the entire weekend. But, honestly, if Alijah told him so much about me, he had to know there was no way I was going to wait to call this number.

I might have hesitated a bit if Scott had told me it was the number to a police detective. By hesitate, I mean I would have spent another minute or two thinking before dialing instead of mere seconds.

“A colleague?” I answered hoping that was enough of an answer.

Detective Delaney sighed into the phone. “Where are you?”

“Alijah’s apartment,” I told him openly. Maybe I should have hesitated there though. There was a reason I used my cell and not the land line.

“Stay there. I’ll be there in thirty.”

“Okay,” I answered. But he had already hung up.

Umm, what just happened? More importantly, what did I just get myself into? An unknown police detective was coming over. That was a good thing. Right?

Plopping heavily back onto the couch, I let the air rush from my lungs.

What if he wasn’t the kind of police officer that helped people? I didn’t know anything about Scott. It was obvious Alijah told him about me. He could have known I would call the number right away. Scott could even have been counting on it. Counting on the corrupt cop to take care of an annoying little sister that was sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.

Dammit, Alijah. Why couldn’t you just let me in?