The Case of the Parker's

by Michael Gerald

  Mr Williams was at his study, receiving a telephone call. He was on a call with Mr Finn, who happened to be a member of the board of directors of his company. He was giving him instructions on what should be done while he was away. Mr Williams study was located in a room on the left side of the marble-floored hallway after taking a left turn from the edge of the staircase, and it was just opposite his bedroom. The study was well furnished with reddish-brown mahogany wood which was used all through in the room where any wooden structure could be found. From the shelves and drawers to the chairs and the large table where few books were on top of alongside some company files. Mr Williams wasn’t a fan of reading books, he only read things that had more pictures than texts. There were two main chairs, which were made with chocolate brown synthetic leather fabrics, positioned at the opposite sides of the table. Mr Williams then put down the telephone and took his seat, shortly after, he heard a knock on the door “Its Veronica, may I come in?”, Mr Williams then replied, “Oh, sure come in". Mrs Veronica came in and took her seat, she was going to say something then she paused and asked him “Williams, hope you're okay?” .....He sat up and rested his hands on the mahogany table and said “Apparently I can’t get any worse. I just can’t wait for the detective to clear us all out so we can head back to our lives and not this suspense-filled, mystery thriller kind of movie that we are all in. It gives me the creeps"..... Mrs Veronica gave him an assuring smile and said “It’s going to pass soon, let the police do their jobs for now. Williams, I actually came here for something else. Mr Williams, looking confused said, “What’s the matter?” ..... “ Williams, back in the office on Monday you mentioned you were still seeing having those dreams about her......”. Mr Williams now stood up from his study chair and walked away from the table. He obviously wasn’t at ease with what Mrs Veronica had just said, but he himself knew she wasn’t blabbing. Why he had started seeing her in his dreams last month and what it actually meant was a mystery that troubled him and consequently added to his worry list. It’s been more than twenty years since she died, but strangely, of all time, why would it resurface in his dreams. More stunning was how she always said the same words occasionally..... “Williams you weren’t there when I needed you most, Williams you abandoned us, Williams you left us all" . Mr Williams only discussed this particular matter with Veronica because she was the only one he told about his mistake and how it led into what it is now. Mr Williams had ran to Veronica for countenance when he got a young lady pregnant, it happened far back when he had just attained success in his business. By then he was also married to Jennifer and they were still expecting having tried several attempts and sought different gynaecologists but to no avail. The woman he got pregnant had insisted on keeping the baby and so it called for much greater responsibility for Mr Williams in the aspect of funding and other unavoidable outcomes such as having to handle two families. It was Veronica who instructed him to get an apartment for her somewhere far away in order to avoid any ugly situations that might coincidentally arise in future. On some occasions, she would accompany Mr Williams when going to visit his somewhat, new family. Her presence was appreciated by both Mr Williams and his girlfriend who found Mrs Veronica very charitable and loving, and so they had a fair relationship. Mr Williams always sent her money every month to take care of herself and the baby. Things were going as planned for some few year’s not until the unthinkable happened one fateful Friday which was infamously tagged by news reporters as the Newton's Black Friday. Mrs Veronica had asked Mr Williams if he had heard from her the following week, which he had not, so she urged him to call her and hear from her. They dialled her line but it wasn’t going through, they tried her line throughout that day but still nothing. Mrs Veronica became worried and opted to go check out on her at their apartment. On getting there the following day, there was no building to check on, she thought maybe, she was at the wrong address but it was the right one. The building was all burnt down to the ground. The building of their apartment caught fire a week ago and according to the local report, the cause of the fire was still unknown. She couldn’t possibly know what to conclude on if they had escaped or had been engulfed in the flames. She went back and reported to Mr Williams who was distraught on hearing the news. It was already a week from the day the house got burnt. If they were alive they would’ve called and otherwise, Mr Williams concluded. But deep down, he was a bit relieved but at the same time, he felt terrible. After a while, they decided to move on. Not until last month, when Mr Williams started having dreams about her in relation to the incident that happened more than twenty years ago. In the dream, he found himself in a hallway, then all of a sudden people were running towards his direction as if something was chasing them. Then once again the hallway was empty, no one was there running. All of a sudden a fire from nowhere flashed and everywhere around appeared to be in flames. Sometimes he woke up at this part of the dream and some times, the dream went on, even scarier. The place was obviously Miss Anderson’s, and the hallway where he stood in the dream led him to their doorstep. After everywhere had been engulfed in flame, as fiery and blazing as it was, he wasn’t feeling the heat. Then suddenly, a burning woman would appear walking towards him with a little boy. She then let go of the little boy and he left but the woman in flames kept walking with tremulous steps and grunting. It was the part that scared him most. All in a second, the burning woman disappeared but the surrounding was still in flame. In a flash, the flaming woman appeared more terrifying and right in his face, it was Miss Anderson. Holding his shirt and speaking with a quaking voice she said “Williams you weren’t there when I needed you most, Williams you abandoned us, Williams you left us all”. “What if he’s alive," Veronica said, snapping Mr Williams back to his reality.... “Pardon?” he asked..... “I said what if he's alive, the boy.....cause the dream could actually mean something you know" Veronica added. “well for his sake I wish, but it’s unlikely that ever happened” he responded. “Then what do you think these dreams of yours mean? ....Do you have any idea if he knew your actual name or where you lived?” Veronica asked inquisitively. “Honestly I don’t know, he was only five or six years old then, and it’s about twenty years now, if he did remember he would’ve shown up by now, don’t you think, and I'm not sure if she ever told him anything about me or you," Mr Williams said sounding very intense. “He went to have his seat and sank into his chair, breathed our heavily and used his two palms to cover his face for a while. He removed his palms from his face and then said “First was the dream of her death, now it’s Lilian’s death that we are been investigated on..... Oh Goodness! What the hell is going on" He said out loudly with a depressed voice. Veronica thought hard of what to say in order to make him worry less but words failed her. She too understood the severity of the issue on ground and how destabilizing it could be for him, it was more of a mixture of physical, emotional and mental breakdown for Mr Parker. She watched him bury his face in his hands which were rested on the mahogany table. She couldn’t seem to be able to console him like she would have usually done so she watched him in dismay, empathic as well, knowing fully well what he was going through as she knew everything right from the start and how it began more than twenty years ago. However, both Williams and Veronica personally knew the repercussion of the inevitable, that been having a case of paternal legitimacy which would have surfaced by now, had it been Miss Anderson and her son were still alive. It would have stirred up something more worse than the case of Lilian’s death, though Miss Anderson wasn’t a wild woman, so chances are that it wouldn’t lead to such. But the unarguable fact was that it was certain a day would come when the Parker’s would get to know that Mr Williams had a child outside of his marriage. Jennifer would definitely be mad, Gabriella and Vincent would obviously be disappointed, and it could possibly cause a rift in the family if Mr Parker was alive at the time of the revelation to them as most of such only do occur when the will is to be read. All these possibilities were most likely the reason why the death
of Miss Rose Anderson and her son Danny, Mr Williams Parker’s illegitimate first son, was considered to be a “yoke -off the bulls back”, notwithstanding its tragic nature.

  Mr Parker unveiled his face, sniffing “it’s going to be alright I believe” he said in a more or less pathetic manner. Mrs Veronica looked at him with a pitiful smile and said: “I believe so Williams, I believe so".

  CHAPTER 11 “Hello, and who might you be young man?”...... Alfred, the security man at the gate asked “I'm the delivery man sir, um... was asked to..... get this to Mrs Parker. It’s actually a gift for her birthday” Danny said softly faking a smile. “Hmm....Mrs Parker’s birthday is far passed you know, besides I got no notice for this... Perhaps you got the wrong name and address. I guess you’ll have go back where you're coming from and clarify your delivery details young man" Alfred announced. “No wait sir, I'm sure it's here. It was meant to be a surprise gift from one her friends who couldn’t make it to her birthday. It was to be delivered to Mr Williams Parker’s wife, Mrs Jennifer. Isn’t that right sir?” Dan said almost sounding desperate. Alfred wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not, he doesn’t seem much of a delivery man to him. He took a second look at Danny, and observed his appearance from head to toe. He wore a faded black jeans, dusty black shoes, black gloves, a black polo and also a black face cap that bore some kind of logo as if owned by a company or so. Alfred looked at the supposed gift in his hand, a box wrapped with brown paper, its wasn’t too big but had an average cube size having a dimension of about nine inches all round. Alfred wasn’t sure, his gut felt different for this particular soul, but there was nothing he could use to hold against him and besides, Mrs Jennifer would probably need a gift now that the atmosphere in the Parker’s mansion was cold. Dan on the other hand was trying to hold his uneasy gut together... “just let me through man' what’s the big deal, come on!” He thought to himself. “What company do you work for?” Alfred asked inquisitively. Dan, sensing a blown cover tried to act normal and think up a name for a company in the next millisecond. “Pardon?” Dan asked smartly trying to buy himself more time while he arranged something well fabricated to dish to the security man. “I said, what company do you work for?” Alfred repeated his question sounding impatient. “Oh, I work for Ultra holdings Limited, and as a dispatch rider” Dan answered swiftly. “Haven’t heard of that one before" Alfred said. “Oh really, well I guess you have now sir" Dan said smiling. “Alright then, you may go. Head straight till you see the entrance door and follow the flagstones to guide you” ..... “Alright sir thank you" Dan said as he headed straight. “That was so close” He whispered to himself. Walking through the vast compound he was astonished to see the beauty of life in the aesthetic nature of the Parker’s compound. It’s size, large flower pots, trees and shrubs, the pool on the far left side of the compound. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. “Look at all these, kept away from me for so long. I'll make sure I re-live the past twenty years of my life once more" he thought to himself and smiled mischievously. He got to the entrance door, pressed the door bell and waited for a response, while looking back to be sure no one was outside the compound. The security man he had just encountered was no where in sight as the entrance door was invisible from the corner of the post where the security man was. He waited a while longer but got no response, he then pressed the door bell repeatedly in frustration “Answer the goddamn door” he whispered. After a short while, he heard the door handles moving from inside. The double doors then flung open, Mr Richard looked at him oddly and said “Sorry, who are you?”...... “I'm the delivery man sir....” Dan barely finished his statement when Mr Richard cut him short “sorry, what delivery man.....I think you have the wrong address sir" Mr Richard said sharply almost closing the door. Dan then rushed forward, forcefully stopping him from closing the door, using his right shoulder he pushed Mr Richard inside and forced his way in while still holding the box. Mr Richard fell on the floor inside, startled he said “Who are you and what do you want?”. Dan shut the double door behind him silently, he opened the brown box he had been holding and brought out a revolver that was kept with other stuffs to give the box its weight, he then threw the box and the stuffs in it towards a corner and pointed the revolver at Mr Richard. Now Mr Richard’s eyes bulged in shock as he saw the revolver pointing at him. “No no no....” he stammered, “Please don’t do this" he managed to say out of shock. “Get up" Dan said audibly. Mr Richard then stood up, trembling and frightened, he was already sweating profusely. His heartbeat rate had doubled, all of a sudden it was as if his legs could no longer carry him, they were shaking and quaking. “Raise your hands and turn around" Dan instructed. Like an obedient sheep, Mr Richard did as he was told. “Where are the others?” Dan asked passively. “They are in the living room, Please don’t shoot me sir, I'm just a butler" Mr Richard cried. “Shut you mouth. Do as I say and you won’t get hurt. Now move, to the living room". The Parker’s were once again in the living room. All gathered together as if awaiting judgement. Detective Conan had made the call, imploring that they avail themselves before he arrives. Everyone in the room was calm, the atmosphere was without animation. The look on everyone’s face was almost identical, that of which was of anxiety but except for one person, Mr Williams Parker. The detective had called him the night before and had tipped him on what the result of the DNA cross matching test produced. What the detective told him shocked him to the bone marrow as the nature of the information was somehow impossible but obviously, the impossibility prevailed. He pondered on what line of action could possibly be taken but none seemed befitting. He was still pondering and thinking hard about what the detective told him earlier when all of a sudden, everyone in the Living room including himself were startled to see a trembling Mr Richard and a fearful looking Bella, with their hands up in the air, marching into the living where they were. Mr Richard and Bella flooded into the living room with speed and assuming their standing spot at a corner in the living room. At this point, Dan removed his face cap and raised his gun higher, turning his hand about one hundred and eighty degrees, so as to point his gun in all direction. The Parker’s all stood up slowly, simultaneously raising their hands up slowly in submission. Mr Parker, out of courage but in shock and with his hand still in the air said “What do you want young man?”.... “ Dan then turned to look at who just spoke. On seeing Mr Parker’s face, as if by reflex he sighed deeply and audibly, using his left hand to cover his mouth in shock. “You ...you" Dan said out of breath, his eyes were already shimmering with tears. Mr Parker was confused at what was happening and wondered why he was about crying “Is there a problem” Mr Parker asked still raising his hand. “Danny?” Veronica cried out from where she was. Dan then turned and looked at the direction be heard his name, still with a wet eyes “Aunty Veronica!” Dan said out loudly. It was then it dawned on Mr Parker. “Dan?” Mr Parker said emotionally. “Oh my God, Dan!......where have you been boy, we thought you were....” Dan cut in saying “Dead?, you weren’t there when we needed you most, you abandoned us, you left us dad” Dan said emotionally with tears in his eyes but still pointing the gun at Mr Parker. Everyone in the room was shocked with what an obvious stranger who was pointing a gun at them called Mr Parker. “Dad?” Jennifer tried to cut in, turning to Williams, she said sharply “Did he just call you dad" .....Dan swiftly turned and pointed the revolver gun at Jennifer “you be quiet there okay!” Jennifer immediately became mute and raised her hands higher with a more frightened expression on her face. On the other hand, what Dan had just said to Mr Parker was the exact same words Miss Rose Anderson has always tormented him with in his dreams. Mr Parker now had a terrified look on his face, looking straight at Dan who was now facing him with the revolver, pointed straight to his chest. “Danny, please calm down and hear me out...... We tried looking for you, I swear we did. After the fire incident, Veronica went over as soon as she could, but the house was no where to be found and so was you. We tried several other means and options b
ut none fetched back any good report. And so we assume you were gone with your mother in the flames” Mr Parker said almost crying...... “Danny honey, you know we would never ever leave you all by yourself if we had known you were still out there, I wouldn’t have let that happen.....Please put down the gun and we can talk. You are here now, everything’s going to be fine henceforth. We promise" Veronica added, in her soft and calming voice. Everyone in the room was confused as to what was going on. Bella and the butler now seemed relieved a little but were still surprised at the revelation that was unfolding before their very eyes. The Parker’s as well, were all in shock. Mr Williams has an illegitimate son?. The atmosphere in the living room has changed now, from a silent and solemn one, to one mixed with shock, fear and intense emotion. “Do you know what I’ve been through father, the hell and shithole I've been wallowing in for the past twenty years. Mom died in the fire leaving me all alone, but I thought you would show up soon but you never came. Luckily for me I was spotted on the streets by a striving nurse who took me in and tried her best to shape me into a better person. But it didn’t work, I was too broken to be fixed, I was too traumatised to think well and that’s how my fucked up life began. From been a traumatised kid, to a dropout , then a drunkard, to a broke ass, and down to a burglar. Do you have any idea, what it was like for me? You merried and jollied here in your castle while I ate trash" he yelled...... “Son, I swear I'm sorry about all of that, I know it has been hard. But it’s happened and I would’ve prevented it if I knew about your whereabouts. But look at all of this, the big life and everything” Mr Parker said using his hand to make a gesture “No more of what you've faced son, I promise you a better life and I want you to know that I love you and I'm sure your mom could’ve wanted you to know this cause she knows it’s true. Son, Put down the gun. Please"..... Dan was obviously moved by his father’s assuring words, but he was reluctant to put the gun away as if an invisible force prevented him from lowering his hand that was pointing the gun at his father. After much hesitation he slowly lowered his hands, his wet eyes now gave out more tears that ran down his cheek. He never thought he could be this emotional for once in his hate filled life. He felt his heavy heart becoming light, his mind was at ease, as if he was breathing in a new kind of oxygen. He put the gun in his pants, and like a volcano that had just erupted magma and now in its cooling process, Dan was calming down to a tolerable temperature. Veronica rushed from where she was and embraced him, same with Williams. “Can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on here... Williams?.... can you tell me who the hell this is” Jennifer retorted, obviously impatient. The others in the room brought down their previously suspended arms , and were greatly relieved that the situation has been brought under control and that no one was hurt or ever going to get hurt. Mr Richard gave out a sigh of relief as he bent down, resting his hands on his knees. He was obviously the most scared person. The atmosphere in the living room was calm. But for a moment, everyone had forgotten why they were initially gathered there.