100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 196: The Jacksons

Two weeks later, Sam’s Lab.

Sam sat in her lab, listening carefully to audio evidence when her mobile started vibrating in her lab coat pocket.

Reading the caller ID as Anna, she answered it after pausing the audio evidence. "Kinda busy--Anna", she said. "There was an explosion in Eastbourne.--you should watch the news." the platinum blonde spoke on the other line, causing Sam to tense on her spot. She grabbed the control a foot away from her and switched on the widescreen TV hanging in the corner of her lab, something that was rarely used. And there on the screen played the media coverage of an explosion.

....

7 Eastbourne Rd.

Levi sat partly listening to his’ mother and father’ share stories about their travels in Africa, about the intriguing tribes and their unique customs and rituals that they were fortunate enough to witness. He secretly wished they would leave as soon as possible; he can’t wait for Anna to pick them up in a few hours to visit the Natural History Museum in Kensington.

His long legs were crossed, and he expelled an exasperated sigh--so bored out of his wits. When suddenly the front door slammed open, and there stood a frazzled looking Sam--sweating, hair slightly disarrayed, face pale, as if she heard the most horrifying news.

Levi’s eyes shot open at her state, "What’s the craic?" he asked, and when her eyes fell on him she expelled a sigh of relief, and she stepped forward to approach him but paused when she noticed the two older people in the room.

"Hi." she greeted slightly unsure, her brain picking up bits and pieces of their facial structures--especially the older gentleman forming the conclusion that the couple before her was related to the slicked blond. Parents? She wasn’t sure, he rarely spoke of them in the first place.

"Oh! What a wonderful surprise!" the woman, Orla Jackson exclaimed enthusiastically, recognizing Sam immediately thanks to her red hair which had always been a dead give away. She’d heard and read about her on the newspaper--even from Anna at one time during a call she made to check on her daughter. The older woman with light blond hair and grey eyes stood from her seat on the couch, next to her husband and offered her arms to Sam.

"Yes...indeed." Sam replied, unsure, hugging the older woman as she wanted. "It’s a pleasure to finally meet you..." she added slightly embarrassed, she wasn’t sure who they were, to begin with, and so she discreetly sent Levi a confused look, which he mirrored inside. He too was wondering what she was doing there, didn’t he tell her to not come by for a few days cause he was busy?

Sam hugged the older gentleman as well, his aged body squeezed her--chuckling excitedly as his wife did.

Orla turned to her son, "Levi, I thought you said she was busy working?" she scolded. Levi opened his mouth to make up an excuse when Sam beat him to it. "I was---but, my schedule changed suddenly so I decided to drop by and say hello." When in fact she didn’t have a hint of them visiting. She wasn’t even aware he still had parents to begin with, but from what she could see, the couple were still happily married together. The visible tan she assumed meant that they had recently arrived from a tropical country.

Orla beamed, "Lucky." she commented, happy to finally meet the woman who was dating his son. Sam sent Levi the ’what do I do now?’ look.

Levi stood from his chair and approached his girlfriend, "Would you like some tea, Dear?" he offered, instantly pulling her to the kitchen before she could even reply "love to?"

The two excused themselves before disappearing to the kitchen to "make more tea".

"What are you doing here?" He asked almost in an offending manner, "Anna called, said there was an explosion from one of your experiments---I tried calling you but couldn’t reach you, I even saw the video of the destruction on the news in my lab." the redhead explained recalling.

She was worried out of her wits and summoned her driver Bill to drive her to Eastbourne Rd only to turn absolutely baffled at the unchanged state of the street below. It was silent and peaceful like she last saw it. And so, confused, she ran up the stairs to his flat, opening the door too loudly than she planned.

Realization dawned on Levi’s eyes, "Anna" he seethed annoyed, of course, his older sister plotted to make their parents visit as uncomfortable as possible to him. "The video you’ve seen must have been digitally created--and she must’ve blocked the cell towers in my area, thus you couldn’t reach me." the Irishman assumed, and Sam sighed, his explanation made sense.

"Your parents are here." Sam said, giving the two older people an awkward wave--who were both watching them gleefully, murmuring to themselves in the living room. Levi grunted in reply. "Why do they look so happy so see me?" She asked, pouring some tea on the teacups.

Levi rolled his eyes, "You’re my girlfriend. Did you forget? It’s the greatest news they heard since the discovery of Electricity." he said in a duh tone. Sam’s face fell, "oh... I---fantastic." she stammered, fishing her mobile out of her pocket and sending a text.

The blond’s eyes narrowed at her action, "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Texting Elle to clear my schedule and have my Lab cleared up." she said nonchalant, and his eyes widened. "No--you should go." he insisted, causing Sam to frown at him, insulted at his suggestion.

Why he didn’t want her there, she found it slightly offensive. Wasn’t she good enough to meet his parents? She wondered but did not have the guts to ask.

Levi scoffed, this was what Ana was planning from the beginning. He could just imagine it now, his sister laughing like an evil witch in some Grimms fairytale story. "This is exactly what Anna wanted--tell them something came up!" he insisted, not wanting to have her spend time with his parents.

Sam scowled up at him, "I can’t do that--- that would be rude. They look so...happy." She said thoughtful, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. And she didn’t have anything too significant that she couldn’t deal with in a few days.

Levi stepped forward, trying to make a point to her. "Disappointment is the most common feeling they feel for their children--now go and tell them Guy’s Hospital will implode if you’re not there this instant." He insisted, she frowned, "Why are you so insistent on getting rid of me?" She asked, wondering if he was hiding something from her. He wasn’t secretly married, wasn’t he? Or had fathered someone without her knowledge? She reckons all that dirt her brother and Elle would be more than happy to divulge if there ever was. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Levi looked at her, noticing her expression. He rolled his eyes, "It’s highly probable that they will visit more often if you make them feel welcomed!" he said in hushed tones.

"And based on your obvious soft spot and talents of charming geriatric people, it is very likely!" He reasoned, earning a frown from her. It’s as if she’d both been complimented and insulted, which was odd.

Sam huffed at him, "Relax Levi. I can handle your parents, I won’t make them feel too ’welcome’ as you kindly put" She replied, turning and walking back to the living room with a tray of tea in her hands.

Levi glared at the back of her head, in his mind, she already had, after all, she was serving them tea with a smile on her face.

As the blond man expected, childhood stories were shared, to the most embarrassing one possible. Levi audibly grunted in his seat, while Sam listened to his mother chatter jibber-jabber, there was something though that Sam noticed, of all his mother’s stories none of them was under the age of 8.

Not only that, looking quite closely at Mr. Jackson, none of his facial features resembles any of the two siblings other than his pale blond hair. Unlike Mrs. Jackson, who shared the same bone structure as the siblings, and she wondered silently if their mother remarried? Did their father die? And she asked most to herself if it’s okay to ask him about it?

Levi looked at the watch around his wrist, the very same watch the redhead had given him for his birthday. "So, the Natural History Museum!" he interrupted, hinting on the fact they should be leaving soon. Preferably now.

The couple looked at the time, and their shoulders sagged, "Oh--dear me. How unfortunate dear. We have to leave, it was very nice to meet you sweetie." Mrs. Jackson told Sam, standing and making her way to the door with her husband, who graciously helped her with her coat. Even at their age, Sam noticed the fondness they had for each other. It reminded her of her grandparents--during her grandfather’s demise, it had been tough for her to leave her Nana alone. But the older woman was a force; she refused her offer to come with her to London; instead, she insisted Sam go, and live her life, assuring her she was happy. But to call regularly, which she did.