Bab 8: doubts aside
When we got to the building I helped Maria out of the car and looked at him.
"Are you coming?" I asked him as he stood watching me as I pulled Maria out of the car.
"My brother," he swallowed, shaking his head, unable to understand. "Is he in there?"
Yes, I answered.
"I feel sorry for this guy," Maria commented, shaking her head with her eyes full of pity.
I agreed. Me too.
"What?" He asked me.
_ No, nothing.
We climbed the stairs. I opened the door and entered Maria on the sofa. She lay exhausted.
"I hate my job," she complained.
_ Eloisa_ I called. The door to the kitchen opened when she left with a piece of pizza in her hand.
"Hi," she replied with her mouth full. "How was it?" She looked at me and said nothing about her face.
"Really did not," I replied grudgingly. "We got a monster.
_ I did not catch_ Maria complained loudly_ I never catch, just kick ass.
I rolled my eyes at her. You catching up? Ridiculous.
_ Telling you know.
Eloisa cleared her throat. "You must be the older twin.
He reached out to squeeze hers. But Eloisa's hands are busy so he just nodded. My name is Daniel Santos.
"I know," she replied.
I looked around. Anything. I went into the kitchen. Anything. My office, bathroom. Anything.
"Where is he?" I asked Eloisa.
_ Victor? I do not know. I thought you were here. But you know! What the hell do I know, right?
Did you know where he is?
She shrugged, still lying down, not wanting to pick it up.
I looked at Daniel and shrugged.
_ He is not here!
He sighed. "I should have known by now that this was a bunch of lies.
_ I'm not lying.
"But you did not give me any proof of the truth," he told me angrily.
We stare at each other for a while. Neither of them retreating.
_ Forget this guy_ Maria caught my attention_ Who cares if he believes it or not. It does not really matter.
"I do," I said irritably. "It makes a difference to me.
"But who the hell are you talking to?" He stumbled, throwing his arms up in exasperation.
"Mary, the reaper of death," replied Eloisa, in the air of one who knows things, she was feeling well because now she knew of things. "Mary is a reaper of death. They are friends for a long time. Believe me, I know what you're going through.
"I do not think you know what I'm going through."
She looked pity at him.
"I've been working here for almost a year. I've seen and heard everything. Can believe. I've known Sabrina for over two years. So I know what it's like to see her doing strange things or trying to follow the lines of talking to the ghost.
He looked at her in surprise. "So you believe her?"
_ Claro_ replied without hesitation and with absolute confidence.
It was obvious what he was thinking. We were both crazy. I almost laughed.
_ Tell me something about my brother.
I thought a little. All I knew was that he was a good person. He took his job seriously. And he was gay. I wonder if your older brother would know that. But again they were twins, so ....
_ His brother was gay. I knew that?
It took him some time to respond.
"Yes, I knew that. But no one else knew that.
_ I imagined.
_ Where is he? Your spirit I mean.
_ I do not know. When he got here he could not remember anything. He did not even know who he was.
He looked surprised.
_ This is normal?
"Sometimes," I answered carefully. "When a person dies in a way, well, violent then it can happen. But this is the first time I've seen anything like this.
There was an uncomfortable silence and a moment when we did not know what to say to him.
_ I have to go.
"Do not you want to wait?"
He shook his head. No. I have to go now. I'm going to talk to my parents and ..... I do not know. I just have to go ....
He turned and left. It took me a minute to remember the necklace and ran after it. I met him in the car and his head lowered his shoulders shaking.
Sorry, I started. His shoulders tensed.
_ What's it?
I took my necklace and approached.
_ What I saw in the hospital was looking at you_ I put my necklace in your hands. They were big and rough because of work, I thought. At the end he was a civil engineer. And there was a construction company in town. This will protect you. No big deal but still. Keep it in your pocket all the time until we figure out what that thing was.
He toyed with the necklace. He seemed to doubt.
_ And this works?
I smiled. I'm alive. I'm not? This thing has protected me for a while. It's really very useful.
He smiled at me. This was devastating for me. Her smile totally caught me off guard. He was hot. Really very beautiful. Maybe the rush of the day has made my mind work slower today. Because I did not notice how much this guy .... No. Was that man attractive?
_ Thanks.
_ There is no way.
I waited for the car to get out of sight before climbing back up.
It was already getting dark.
"Did he get the necklace?" Maria asked, still on the couch.
_ Yes.
Eloisa had gone back to the kitchen still eating pizza. I went to her.
"So how was today?" I asked.
She swallowed loudly. "I did some research on the Internet and found out things about him. I made a report, it's on your desk.
I took a slice for myself and started eating. I was starving.
_ I researched everything about the life of Victor Santos and his family. The information is on your desk.
_ It was easy?
_ Until yes. Since they are public people.
_Otimo_ replied_ You can go home now. It was a big day. Anyone else been here?
_ Clients? _ She asks me looking. I nodded. No. I spent the day alone today. Although it was tense since Maria and that ghost spent the day with me.
I laughed.
_ You were scared?
_ A little.
_ Sorry about that.
_ Forget that is also part of the job. See you tomorrow.
_ OK see ya.
After I finished eating the pizza, I threw it all away and set the kitchen, leaving everything clean for tomorrow.
I went to my office and picked up the papers on the table. Returning to the room, I called Maria.
_ Let's go.
She stretched and stood up. I locked everything and left.
_ I was thinking_ Maria caught my attention_ That thing. I did not get rid of her forever.
_ How do you know?
_ I just know_ we were on the street going to the building where my apartment was. But Maria seemed tense.
"What are we going to do?" I asked. Some people passed me looking sideways.
Maria sighed loudly.
Today we go home and sleep. I'll think about it tomorrow. Let's recapitulate everything.
The dead guy with no roof tried to talk to me, but when he saw, Maria ran out and disappeared.
_ I saw a woman crying in the hospital_ remind me of that black aura around her_ maybe she has something to do with it!
Maria stopped staring at me at the door of my building. She looked irritated.
"And you did not try to talk to her?"
How the hell would I know something like that?
"I could have gone to ask."
_ Looks like it. You told me to leave the hospital running remember?
Tsk.
"Do not snap your tongue at me.
I was giving a show on the street again. People passed by and Eddie the doorman looked kind of uncomfortable.
Oh, forget it all, I thought to myself as we walked in. I do not care anymore.
Be crazy or not, think whatever you want.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone