Bab 45: CHAPTER FORTY TWO
Previously on Avenging Angels
Rose goes to Hope and Love Clinic in the pretense of a detective to find out how exactly her mother died.
FORTY-TWO
"Where are your CCTV records?" I turned back.
"Um...we get rid of the CCTV footage after ten years so the footage from 2000 won't be available," Stella said with an apologetic smile.
"Oh" I looked down.
"Then what about the doctor that was in charge? Andrew Richardson?" I asked.
"Dr. Richardson passed away five years ago," she said.
"Then what about the nurse? Um...Matilda Ross or so?" I vaguely remember the name from the file.
"Mrs. Ross left the hospital a couple of years ago due to some ailments and the last place I heard of her was in a nursing home"
"Do you have the address of the nursing home?"
"Yeah, my mom and Mrs. Ross were great friends back in the days, I'm sure she would know" she shrugged.
"Can you contact her now? It's a bit urgent" I leaned forward with a pleading look.
"OK," she said and took out her phone.
I waited patiently as she talked to her mother. When she ended the call with 'I love you', my heart sank a little, unconsciously.
"She is going to text me the address," she said.
"OK, thank you very much for the help. I really appreciate it" I brought my hand forth.
"My pleasure" she took my hand with a bubbly smile.
"I hope you catch the culprit soon" she added
I hope so too.
*****
I took a look at my phone and made sure the address Stella sent me was correct. I ran my hands through my hair as I stood by the gates of the nursing home.
Here goes nothing.
I opened the gate and was quick to step into the simple two-story building which was painted blue and grey in a colorful mix.
I walked to the front desk in which a woman was seated. She wouldn't be above the age of forty, I guessed. With her brown short hair left open and the crinkles in her chocolate eyes which made her look older than she actually is.
"Good morning dear, how may I help you?" she asked with a warm voice and an even warmer smile.
"Um...I'm Barbara Norton," I showed her my badge and she looked up at me in wonder.
"I'm Merissa" she said and brought her hand to shake and I took it.
"I am looking for Matilda Ross, she may be helpful for the case I am working on" I put my hand into my pocket.
"Matilda Ross?" she pursed her lips.
"Oh.. yeah," her eyes shined with recognition.
"I don't know how much of a help she might be though, her memory isn't as strong as it was" she smiled and her smile seemed to carry a distinct sadness I couldn't put my hand to.
"Can I meet her at least?" I asked as I looked around the building.
"Sure. Hope there are no guns with you" she chuckled and I smiled too.
"Nope" I opened my coat for her even though I knew it was just a joke.
"Melody!" she called and a young girl putting on scrubs came out from a room.
"Please show Barbara here Matilda's room"
I nodded at the woman before I followed the young girl inside the building and down the hall. We went past a series of rooms in which some doors were open and others were not.
She finally stopped by the fourth room to the left in which the door was left ajar. She turned back and with a little nod, she went down the hall again.
I stood by the door, holding my purse a little tighter than required as my eyes were fixed on the white wooden door as though I could see something through it.
I let out a harsh sigh before I used my sweaty palms to push the door open.
The room was simple, with its twin bed at a corner and a desk which was close to a small grey closet, and the walls were painted baby blue.
I frown at the empty space before I see some movement at the balcony and I stepped into the room, towards the balcony.
There was a lone figure, standing by the veranda and watching outside, she was surrounded by diverse flowers. Her hair was hidden in a knitted beanie and her simple light purple dress was covered underneath her sweater.
"Matilda?" I called out but she didn't move.
"Matilda," I called again as I entered the balcony and stood beside her.
She merely turned to stare at me with question dancing in her grey orbs.
"Hi, I'm Barbara, I came to ask you a few questions about a case"
She still didn't answer and kept on staring at me.
"Blue eyes, black hair" she pointed at my eyes, and then she touched my hair.
"Yes, you like my hair?" I asked and scoot closer as she stroked my black locks tenderly.
"Yes," she said and kept on stroking my hair with a small smile.
"It may be too long for you to recall but can you remember twenty years ago, Avalor Bladderwort was in the clinic to give birth. Do you remember that day?" I asked but she said nothing.
Who am I kidding? Of course, she won't remember, that was ages ago and Avalor wasn't the only patient she had that day.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Matilda. I should get going" I said and left the room.
Before I closed the door, she said,
"Come back again"
"Did you get what you were looking for?" the nurse that showed me her room asked.
"No," I said sadly.
"Uh, I'm sorry. Her memory keeps on deteriorating day by day. But there is a special day she keeps on repeating occasionally. May 20th, 2000. It seems to be a very memorable day" she said and walked down the hall.
May 20th, 2000. That was the day I was born. She must have seen something typical to keep on repeating that date.
I was about to go back into the room before I decided against it.
I will come back another time.
I said goodbye to Merissa and left the nursing home.
*****
It was dinner time and as usual, the maids were all in the kitchen, preparing food.
The chitchat that spreads across the room gets heated as we all laugh and talk about little things just to put fun into our mundane routine.
Sarah was walking towards the counter while carrying a bowl of tomato sauce and Sarah being Sarah, she slipped on her foot and the bowl came splashing all over me that was seated on the counter and minding my own business.
"Oops... Sorry" Sarah sheepishly said from the floor.
I looked down at my stained uniform and sighed as the tomato sank into my skin.
"Do you have a missing Achilles Heel or something? I can't count the number of dishes you have spoilt since you came into this mansion!!" Mrs. Scott shouted from across and Sarah looked down.
"Come on, Rose. Let me help you get cleaned up" Francesca helped me down and took me to the sink.
"Let me take off your necklace," she said and helped me open the clip to rinse the tomatoes off the necklace.
I put my hand down on the tap and used my wet hand to rinse the tomatoes off my clothes and my skin.
I left the kitchen to change into my other uniform as Helen cleaned up the mess on the counter and Sarah sat on the chair and was sulking.
I quickly changed and used the chance to go on my phone.
'We need to talk by nine pm' I wrote in our group chat and locked my phone before I left the room.
We quickly arranged the table for dinner and stood by each side of the room as the Bladderworts came in to eat.
Chris and I share a few discreet smiles and winks and the smile doesn't leave my face till we were cleaning up the used dishes.
I cleaned off the sweat in my neck and then I felt strange.
All of a sudden, I felt hollow in my neck and I used my hand to feel my neck before I grasped what was wrong.
Shit! My necklace.
"Frances, where did you leave my necklace?" I asked her and she looked up.
"I think I left it in the sink," she said and I quickly left the dining room.
When I entered the kitchen, I passed Helen, Chloe, and Sarah who were on the counter, and moved to the sink.
I looked inside the sink to find it empty. I searched and searched for it all over the kitchen but I couldn't find it.
My chest suddenly felt too heavy to breathe.
I just lost my necklace.
The last thing I have of my mother.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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