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Black Humor
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Some people may agree with destiny, like you are born to do some specific career. I know Dale is meant to be a detective the first time I saw him. He was only 30 that time, but felt like he was already as old as Mr.Havilland, they were friends, indeed. He’s basically a combination of all kinds of detective elements, he has stories, but all too boring to be told.

So now he’s standing there, in front of Mr.Havilland’s dead body, I try to find a little bit of sadness in his eyes, but no. He just standing.

“It’s good you didn’t call the police.” Olivia gently puts her head on my shoulder, others nod. “Though we also don’t like Dale,” Matthew stares at him, “I bet he’s thinking about the will, too.” he mumbles, with a sort of anger in it.

In the past 10 years, Dale actually never mentioned the will, and that kind of explained why Mr.Havilland liked him - he didn’t mention, not because of those weird rules, but because he really didn’t want to know it, at least, seemed didn’t want to know it. Back that time, Dale only cared about justice, instead of wealth.

But what about now? I have no idea, nor do other people, even we’ve all spent such a long time together with Dale, like he’s another family member here.

“He’s poisoned.”Dale stands up, makes a conclusion, “Someone here poisoned him.” he keeps staring at me when he says this.

“We had dinner together yesterday,” I don’t know why I say this, I look at Olivia, she nods quickly, like an encouragement, “I’m not sure whether Mr.Havilland had other food after supper yesterday, he didn’t ask me to deliver food or anything.” “And I didn’t say you’re guilty.” Dale responses slowly, I really want to give him a punch when he talks like this, “In fact,” he just looks at us, with a strange expression on his face, “I think everybody in this room is suspicious.”

“I just don’t understand who’s stupid enough to murder my father in such an important time,” Matthew takes a pack of cigarette out from his pocket, “besides, Mr.Detective - I know you want to be called like this - when you say everyone here is suspicious, that means you’re one of the suspects too. Do I make any sense?” He looks at us, likes he wins this murderer finding game. “Now, may I leave, I just need to take a smoke out in the yard.”

He walks out quickly, I softly touches Olivia’s fingers as comfort, then I follow him.

It always be a tough thing for me to agree with Matthew, but this time, I have to admit that he’s right - nobody’s dumb enough to ruin the big day by killing Mr.Havilland, but at the same time, Matthew is actually quite dubious, he’s a doctor, after all, though we’re still figuring out which poison the murderer actually used, he’s definitely the one who can get poison in the easiest way.

“Matt, been a long time since we last saw each other.” I stand next to him, see him puffing, try to be friendly, “Do you mind?” He rolls his eyes, but still gives me a cigarette. “You know you don’t need to pretend to be nice,” he takes another puff, “the truth is that we never liked each other, no bother to change that.” He turns his head and looks at me, and says in an extremely serious voice: “I know you all think I’m the one who’s most suspicious, just because I’m some kind of stupid doctor, but I’ll never kill my own father. I’m not that type of monster.” “What about Joan? She’s a chemistry teacher, perhaps she can make one on her own, it’s not hard, I suppose.” I ask, just to test something. “No, won’t be her.” Matthew answers quickly and firmly, with a mild impatient that he probably doesn’t notice himself, just as I expected. “She’s too scared to do anything big,” He adds, as a sort of explanation, “you’ve never really known her, she’s like a little rabbit, needs to be protected, she’s just, too weak, can’t live without a stronger person.” “Like you?” I don’t want to pretend anymore. “What are you even talking about?! We don’t live together!” Matthew throws his cigarette, and walks in.

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The affair between Matthew and Joan is not a secret in this family for a long time, perhaps even longer than the time I married with Olivia, though they tried their best to cover it up. It’s not some healthy relationship, but sometimes I’ll jealous on them, they have actual love, how wonderful. Though it’s still fun to make a joke on them, like I did just now.

“Who you think is the most suspicious?” Olivia comes and holds my arms tightly soon after I come into the house. Seems like Dale had some new discovery just after I walked out, “It’s the cyanide, that kills him.” He just announced that, then now almost everyone looks at Joan and Matthew.

“For god’s sake.” Matthew bursts out a short laugh. I feel Olivia wants to speak for her little brother, but - “no, don’t” - I stop her, “don’t do anything stupid, not now, otherwise only that woman and her son will win.” I mumble to Olivia.

Ms.Vanderbroom, and her son, George, they are easy to be ignored, in fact, they didn’t actually speak anything after I found the body.

“I don’t have the motivation, neither does Joan.” Matthew glares at Dale, his left hand is holding tightly with Joan’s right hand. “You know who has the biggest motivation?” he sneers, then points at Ms.Vanderbroom, “That old witch, and her vampire son! My father definitely won’t leave much money to them, so they probably want him to change the will, and, who knows, maybe they argued too hard, then they just accidentally murdered him!” “Bastard!” Ms.Vanderbroom shouts, her eyes are wide open and her body is shaking, “How dare you!” She can’t even breathe, “We’re not the type of people who only knows about money, unlike you!” “Untrue,” Olivia shrugs her shoulder, “she asks my father to buy her Hermes at least twice a day when I still live here.”

I can see nobody really cares about what Ms.Vanderbroom said, even she looks really angry and almost passes out, I think I even hear Matthew makes a comment: “So what? I don’t love money, I just forced to be rich.”

Dale grabs a chair to make Ms.Vanderbroom sits down, and just at this time, we find George’s missing, he doesn’t even show up when his dear and precious mom almost dying because of anger. Then we hear piano.

The clear and loud piano sound, slow, sorrow, like a funeral in rainy woods. “Seriously? Right now?” Olivia says ironically. I think everybody - perhaps except Dale and Ms.Vanderbroom - are actually thinking about the same thing as Olivia, George is acting again, just as what he did thousands of times before, except his most faithful audience is gone now. I don’t know if George realizes this - even his performance really touches Mr.Havilland’s ghost, he can’t do anything for him now.

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