100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 136: The Practical Joke II

Guy’s Hospital

"Bad idea. Bad idea. This is a bad idea." Marco repeatedly said while he lurked with Levi in the corner of Sam’s Lab. Levi shot him a glare, "Hurry." the slicked blond ordered impatiently. He made a deal with the psychologist in exchange for returning his mobile phone, which was to do one thing for him. One phone call. One tiny-tiny terrible phone call.

The bearded man sighed; second-guessing himself. Should he really do this? He knows that this would probably bite him in the ass later, but the look on the psychologist’s face forced him to. Marco pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and dialled Elle’s number; he faked the distress in his voice. If there was something he learned at least from Levi it was that his acting got so much better. Something that was generally appreciated in the bedroom, but in everyday life with the masses, he felt like a psychopath.

"Oh, god Elle!" Marco started, his brows furrowed together, while the slicked blond simply watched him. "We got into an accident, the car---Levi, OH GOD Levi is --- we’re in the A&E right now They don’t have enough doctors, I can’t handle him myself," Marco exclaimed. The bearded man received a worried response on the other line, promising to inform the redhead who was currently in her Laboratory working.

Levi could faintly hear the brunette assuring Marco, who’s expression held shame and regret as he looked back at the psychologist’s hazel eyes.

Moments later, they watched the familiar redhead running out of her Lab, still in her lab coat, barefoot and clearly frazzled.

And for a second Levi, second-guessed his plan but decided to trudge on. He emerged from his hiding spot, swiped his key card on the automatic door, and got in the Lab—searching for his objective.

Marco’s felt his heart pound against his chest, "Oh my god Levi, she’ll kill us! Did you see her? She’ll send us both to the morgue!" the bearded man said, concern. He was able to get a glimpse of the redhead’s alarmed face before she turned a corner. He’d never seen her like that; she looked so afraid.

Finding what he was looking for, the blond said, "Shut up, Marco." He grabbed the phone by her desk, and he scanned the messages. Marco watched as Levi’s chiselled face contorted into different kinds of emotion, confusion, surprise, then hurt flashed in his eyes for a millisecond.

Sent Messages: JD

I’ll see you soon

Can’t wait for the date.:)

So cheeky.

Dinner?

I’ll make time.

Goodnight.

I wish I were there instead. (This one Levi noticed was a text she sent yesterday when she was with him. There were more messages there on the screen, but the worst he saw was.

I love you.

His jaw clenched, his pupils constricted, and nose flared, and subconsciously his hand gripped her mobile harder. And it took so much of his self-control to not break it there in pieces. He placed the phone back on the table, visibly shaking in anger. He was mad.

He was mad that she was in ’love’ with another man. He felt betrayed.

Disappointed? Yes.

But why, and why didn’t matter to him at the moment.

She wasn’t supposed to be like the others.

She was supposed to have enough grasp on logic, to form analytical conclusions.

She was supposed to make perfect sense.

Most of all, she was supposed to stay. No, he wanted her to want to stay. What he liked most about her was that she showed him that she does want to stay, did, he corrected himself. She didn’t come to Eastbourne to check on whether or not he was doing okay alone like his sister did.

She didn’t come on behalf of another like Mrs. Hudson did, Anna’s constant eyes on him. Nor did she come to keep him away from gambling, like Marco used to do.

No, Sam came because she wanted to.

She came with a smile, and she left feeling grateful to be there, with him, that’s why she always kissed him goodbye. It was her way of saying, ’thank you for having me, Levi.’

And as evidence before him showed, all that had changed.

She wasn’t going to stay, not anymore, will she? And that hurt him.

"Levi?" Marco called, anxious at the expression he was making. Levi did not spare the bearded man a look; instead, he exited the Lab. He didn’t turn back, didn’t say a single word.

The World seemed not to make sense all of a sudden. And it felt as if he was lost, and he got in his car and drove to where it always made sense, 7 Eastbourne Rd.

Marco was right, Levi thought. It was a bad idea.

A terrible idea.

.....

10 minutes previous

Sam sat inside her Lab, reading through some cold case files on her desk. She had removed the pair of stilettos on her feet half an hour ago, wanting to spare her toes the agony. Why women wore such torturous contraptions on their feet for days on end was something she could not understand.

If it weren’t for science, she would have torched that pair of heels ages ago.

Flipping to the next page, she heard her landline ring; she gazed at the phone for a moment checking who was calling. And based on the familiar number on the small screen she knew it was her assistant Elle on the other line. She grabbed the phone and pressed it against her ear, "Yes, Elle?" she said, knowing full well that her assistant liked to go straight to business, something she appreciated since she rolled the same way.

"Sam, Marco called." the brunette started, and her tone made Sam pause and listen, something happened she could tell. "He and Levi got into a car accident, they need help in the A&E downstairs," she said, and before Elle could even finish Sam had dropped the call and ran out of her Lab.

Her feet took her downstairs in a blur, heart pounding against her chest.

The redhead stood in the A&E moments later; she can’t recall how she got there, but all she can feel is her heart pounding against her ears.

The tiled floor felt cold under her bare feet, and she was shaking a bit both from the chill in the air and from terror.

The whole Medical Staff present looked at her like she turned mental, which from what they know wasn’t far off, since she was institutionalized before.

Her eyes searched for a familiar blond in the crowd, then resting to one of the staff when he didn’t find him in her initial scan.

"Jackson, Levi Jackson!" She asked a scrub suited nurse, her face flushed from running, cold sweat dripping down the side of her face and neck. The woman in scrubs shook her head after

checking the patient’s list on her hand, said Mr. Jackson wasn’t there.

"Marco Evans?" Sam asked instead, eyes scanning the whole emergency room; the nurse shook her head again. But she offered to double-check just to ease Sam who was clearly plagued with worry.

The nurse looked at her sadly, "I’m sorry, Doctor Gray, No Levi Jackson or Marco Evans." She informed; earning a nod from Sam. However, she still proceeded to examine the A&E barefoot looking for any trace of them. There were patients everywhere, but there was no Levi or Marco in her search.

Elle made her way down to the A&E, and a scowl was on her face; she had just received a call from Marco informing her it was just a practical joke. She paused as she entered the floor, surprised at what she saw. Standing in the middle of the A&E was her boss, bare feet touching the white tiled floors.

"Sam?" the brunette called, but she didn’t respond. So, she placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder, causing the redhead to flinch, startled. Sam whiplashed behind her and saw the worried look on Elle’s face; the brunette ushered her back to the elevator after looking down at the redhead’s state. She informed the redhead that Dr. Evans called, saying they were really okay, apologizing profusely.

Sam nodded in understanding, yet her body remained tense; she was still running in adrenaline. Her mind is plagued with all the images of the dead lying on the examination table. Each one was flashing in her mind, one after the other. But something emerged in her mind that made her throat tighten, her brain forming a horrible image. And it was the image of Levi Jackson on top of the examination table, lifeless.

Levi had played them, they both realized. And in mind, they knew it was a terrible joke.

Elle reached for the elevator panel, clicking their floor number. The closed space made Sam queasy, and the door closing felt like torture to her, as though she couldn’t breathe, and her chest ached for air. Before the door closed, she placed her hand to stop it and ran out barefooted without saying a word.

"Sam!" Elle shouted after her, but she was far gone.