4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Emilia
I rush out of the gallery, a little after one-thirty p.m, to find a black town car waiting at the curb, as promised.
It’s a good thing my phone decided to die while shuffling through my playlists as I worked, otherwise I would’ve been oblivious to the time that had passed and missed the appointment altogether.
I spend most of the ride to the funeral home picking the dried paint off my hands, which I clearly missed when I quickly scrubbed my hands.
As the car pulls up under the portico, I notice a man I can only assume is Alister Green, waiting in front of the funeral home.
He’s younger than I expected. He opens the car door for me, speaking as I step out.
“Miss Walters, it is a pleasure to meet you. Again, please accept my deepest condolences for your loss. If you would please follow me through into the office. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?”
“Coffee would be appreciated, thank you.”
My heels click on the marble flooring as Alister leads me through the foyer, the sound well and truly amplified by the large, vaulted ceiling, before being muffled by the plush carpet as we enter into a conference room.
I sit in the chair that Alister politely pulls out for me.
I look around the walls, taking in the various sample photos that show options for wood grains, flowers, and different room layouts, while he takes a seat to my right.
He leans over the large conference table, pushing a button on the network hub in the middle of the table.
“Two coffees in the conference room please, Rose,” he says into the device
“Right away, Mr Green,” a young woman’s voice responds.
He lets go of the intercom button then settles back into the seat beside me, before turning to face me.
His whole demeanour gives off a calm and professional vibe, but I don’t miss the brief flicker of interest that sparks in his eyes as I turn my chair towards him and cross my legs, the slit in my modest wrap dress shifts and exposes more of my leg to him.
But as quickly as the interest lights in his eyes, it’s gone again.
His professional mask sliding straight back into place.
“So today, I’ll walk you through some of the options we have available for your father’s service.
Don’t feel pressured to make any decisions yet, though, if you want more time to consider or need more details, I’m more than happy to provide as much or as little further information before you lock in specifics.
Depending on how quickly we can have your father moved here and prepared for the service, we can also look at some possible dates. ”
My attention is drawn to the conference room door as it opens behind me.
A stunning, curvy, red-head, who I presume is Rose from the intercom, enters and somehow manages to balance a large silver tray that’s filled with a full silver tea service on one hip with one hand.
She walks behind us both over to the vacant seat next to Alister, before turning the chair with her free hand, so she can slide the tray onto the tabletop in front of him.
With a polite smile and nod to us both, and exits the room again, closing the door quietly behind her.
Alister pours coffee into a silver cup before handing it to me.
He then pours himself one, adding in milk and sugar before stirring it delicately with a silver spoon.
It’s weird that he doesn’t offer me any milk or sugar.
Not that I would have accepted either as I take my coffee black and without any added sweetness.
“Mr Lacriox provided very detailed instructions in his email,” Alister says with a faint smile, clearly noting my confusion.
“What else did Mr Lacriox happen to disclose?”
“He’s advised that your father’s death is being investigated by the police, and that you will likely need guidance and support through the process of making arrangements for the service whilst you also settle all of his affairs before returning home.”
I nod in agreement, my eyes shifting back to the wall of options.
“Mr Lacriox did not disclose the nature of the police investigation, or whether there may be a delay in the release of your father’s remains as a result. So, perhaps that’s where we should start. Then we can look at dates and work backwards from there?” he offers, gently.
“To be honest, I don’t really know much about the investigation. The police haven’t reached out since the notification a couple of days ago.” I turn my attention back to his face in time to see his brow furrow.
“Well, that won’t do at all. Do you have the contact information for the lead detective? I can contact them now and request an update.”
I rummage through my bag, finding Detective Saunderson’s card, and hand it over to Alister. He leans over the conference table and punches the number into the hub.
“Detective Saunderson.” Her voice sends a shiver through me as it brings back memories from the last time I’d heard it.
“Detective, hello. This is Alister Green with Serenity Funeral Homes. I have Miss Emilia Walters with me, and you’re on speaker phone. We’re seeking an update on the investigation into her father’s passing, so she can start to make suitable arrangements.”
The silence on the other end of the line is unsettling.
“Detective?”
“Yes. Right. Miss Walters, hello again. I’ve been meaning to call you.”
“Hello, Detective,” I respond cautiously. Her hesitation makes my stomach sink and the hairs on the back of my neck to rise.
“The department has finalised its investigation and ruled your father’s death as accidental.
It seems he consumed poisonous mushrooms. There is no evidence he had eaten out anywhere.
There are no charges to his credit card or cash withdrawals.
I will get in touch with the morgue, and your fathers remains can be released today. ”
“Detective, my father didn’t like mushrooms. He picked them out of meals if we ate out, so he certainly wouldn’t have bought them and cooked them at home for himself.”
“Perhaps he was trying to eat healthier. We don’t know why, but there is no evidence of foul play.
I know the loss of someone we love is never easy, and sometimes it doesn’t make sense to us how these things happen, but they do.
I see it every day and I assure you, Miss Walters, there is no reason for us to believe this is anything other than a tragic accident. ”
I don’t buy her reasoning, and by the look of Alister’s slightly raised brow, he doesn’t either. He looks at me expectantly, but I don’t say anything. This isn’t the time or the place to. Something fishy is going on.
“Thank you, Detective. I will have my office contact the morgue shortly to make the transfer arrangements,” Alister jumps in, covering my lack of further response. He ends the call on the hub before hitting the intercom button again, asking Rose to start the transfer process.
“Well then,” he starts, bringing my attention back to him.
“Now that we know there won't be any delay from the police’s end, we can start looking at dates. I can also show you some suggested wording for the death notice, and we can get it published in the local paper the day after tomorrow. Do you know if your father had a Will?”
“I know he had to have an updated one done when my mother passed. He has had the same solicitor my whole life, so I’ll reach out to the firm once we’ve finished up here,” I say.
Alister nods and pulls a tablet that I hadn’t noticed on the table, up on its stand before turning it slightly to share the screen.
“Let’s get started, shall we?” he asks with a gentle smile.
Two hours later, I’m again in the back of the black town car, but this time I’m heading home - utterly drained.
But at least most of the arrangements have been made.
Alister is going to double check a couple of items and get back to me to confirm if they’re possible, but otherwise everything is set for the service next week.
I grab my phone out of my bag, thankful for the portable charger I invested in, as I turn it on to look up my father’s solicitor’s details.
I ignore the flurry of notifications that flood through, and go to open my digital contacts, but the screen changes to an incoming call from Javier.
Unfortunately, my reaction time is a little slow and before I can stop myself, I tap the screen where the search button had been.
Javier’s muffled voice cuts through the quiet car. I accidentally answered his call. Fuck.
“Emilia? Bella ? Are you there?”
“Uh, hi Javi,” I respond after a pregnant pause. “Now isn’t a really good time. I just finished up at the funeral home and I need to get in touch with my father’s solicitors before they close for the day.”
“My poor little dove, you must be so overwhelmed. Let me come and help you, yes? I can get the jet warmed up and be there in time to bring you some coffee in the morning.”
“Look, Javi. I really appreciate the offer, but I will be so busy the next few days getting everything organised, I’d feel guilty leaving you alone.
We can catch up when I am home, okay? I’ll only be here another week or so.
I just need to focus on getting everything wrapped up.
” I wince to myself as the lies roll off my tongue so easily.
I have no interest in seeing Javier when I get home, but I am not willing to have the ‘we weren’t really together but now we are definitely not together’ call in the back seat of a town car with a driver I don’t know.
“I’ll call you later, okay? I have another call coming through and I need to take it,” I blurt out in a rush before he can launch into his counter argument, and end the call.
I look up the solicitor's details and dial the number quickly, before Javier gets it in his head to try and call me back.
The receptionist that picks up sounds like a gruff old lady and demands a reason for the appointment.
I explain the situation to her, and she begrudgingly schedules one for the next day.
After the call ends, I immediately switch my phone back off, not ready to check the rest of the notifications or risk any further accidental answering of calls that may come through.
The rest of the ride back to the gallery is silent as I gaze out of the window and watch the sun lower over the horizon.