CHAPTER SIX: SUSPICION

"If this was a suicide, where is her note.. It has been three days and no one has the official suicide note?" I glanced up at my Dad who was re-upolstering my corner couch, Barley, my fat Mastiff jumped on it; and down went the legs. Anyways, while he was fixing them or trying to atleast he didn't answer me, he just kept on working.
"Also, where the heck did Mr. Benson go he just slaps his wife and leaves? I mean, I am so confused. For so long they made it seem like their life was flying colors, and a soft blanket. Now, it's like whoops forgot to tell ya'll but my husbands a cheater, I am a fragile woman, and my daughter, oh yeah she has a hidden agenda. Another thing-"
"Gosh Darnit, Honey, don't you think I want to know the same information you do? Don't you think I don't lay awake at night, because I feel guilty? I mean crap, I come in here to fix your sofa that Barley smashed and I get bombarded with questions. If it's not you asking me herendous questions, that already flood my mind, it is your nosy detective of a brother, or your mother.. Now if you don't mind let me fix this and go." My dad looked so angry and stressed I don't think I had ever really seen that side of him, or atleast not towards me. His brown hair was thinner and his hazel eyes were large. It frightened me but then again I wanted to talk back; however, that would just lead to me feeling guilty. Like I said he is usually a quiet person, unless he really needs to speak what is on his mind.
"Yeah, sorry, whatever." I got up off of my bed my dad didn't even look back at me. So, I went for a jog.. I needed to get all of this off my mind a little cardio never hurt anybody, or never hurt anyone I knew.
"¿A dónde vas?" My mom yelled out from behind the kitchen island. She repeated the question. "¿A dónde vas?" Which meant where are you going?
"I am going for a jog, please if you have any sympathy at all in that south american brain of yours just let me go."
"Adios." She waved her hand above her head, in her body language that meant whatever.
As I plugged my iPOD into my ears, and then put a hoodie on to protect me from the freezing whipper winds I started my jog. My breathing was even and my feet were at a steady pace. I waved to the neighbors. As I passed the Benson's house I felt a shiver of the heebie jeebies. It just really creeped me out passing that house. It started to make me think about what all Mrs. Benson had been through. I don't know how she will ever recover. The police have been in and out of that house, I guess looking for clues? But no suicide note? I was almost thirty minutes into my jog when I got to the park and saw Mr. Benson sitting on a park bench, a little more than a 100 yards away from me. He looked lost. I squinted my eyes a little to see if he was crying, because his nose was red and he had just touched his eyes. Was he going crazy? I wouldn't doubt it. I kept my distance, having a conversation with him would be awkward and scary. I jogged by him very fast, but as I readjusted my iPOD it fell out of my ears and onto the sidwalk pavement. Two gentle hands picked it up and handed it to me.
"Hey Honey."
"Umm, hello..Mr. Benson." I kept my distance as I inspected my iPOD to make sure it didn't crack or something.
"You and my daughter, it is a shame ya'll didn't ever hang out."
"Yes, it is.. Sorry about your.. uh daughter sir. Well see ya later."
"Wait just a sec, I am sorry for my actions the other morning it's kind of hard to grasp the idea that the daughter I know and loved, the daughter with a four point two GPA shot herself.." I didn't say a word, it wasn't my business to. A cold wind slapped my face as I turned away to save my contacts from future dryness.
"Anyways, will you just tell Victoria I love her and I am sorry."
"Sir that's none-"
"Please, just do it. I know she hates me, but I forgot who I was. I suppose she called Tucker down, didn't she?" When I didn't say anything he shut his mouth and nodded. His gray bushy eyebrows turned in and his dark eyes looked up towards me. He was now sitting back on the bench with one leg lifted over the other.
"Well I suppose your father doesn't want anything to do with me. Not after our big fight, shit, I shouldve listened to him.. But my sinning side demon won that battle I guess. Just tell Victoria hello and I love her. Oh and Tucker, tell Tucker I said go to hell." I never thought I would ever have anything in common with Mr. Benson but I did. My bold and blunt side was coming out and I didn't want to be used as a puppet, or some kind of secret mailman.
"I am not promising anything. Those strong words should be told to the actual people, not through a messenger, no offense but that is the coward way out. Face to face is more truthful. So, actually no I won't. Next time you see me please just wave." I started off jogging again as I lost sight of his face, it was pained. I felt guilty for what I just said but he needed a wake up call. He is a man, he should act as such; and not as a teenager.
"How was your jog, Sweetie?" My mom welcomed me in with a warm scent of cookies. My dad was in his recliner asleep and Levi was on our love seat, they had the ball game on.
"It was good, a little out of the ordinary."
"¿Por qué, ¿qué está mal?"
"Nothing is wrong, and just because the wind was a little bit unforgivable today, that is all."
"Okay, well Victoria is in the guest house and Dane is at work, he said that there could be more to this story. They found her suicide note, it was on her computer saved under: IF YOU ONLY KNEW."
"Wow, that kind of gave me the chills, does Mrs. Benson know this?"
"Not yet, she is sleeping."
"Well what did the note say?"
"Dane said it is confidential, and that Mrs. Benson should know first."
"Hmm, okay well I am gonna go to the library... Levi do you want to go?" Levi and Barley poked their heads up from the sofa, that made me grin.
"Uh, yeah for sure." I wanted to see if I could find any kind of criminal data on Tucker Flooks, or better yet Mr. Benson. Something wasn't right?
It is not a coincidence then that no one seems to like Mr. Flooks... Tell him to go to hell? Yeah not a choice for happy words. I had to figure this out.