Screaming at the top of my voice, I jumped off the couch, feeling sure I was going to be murdered just like Mitchell. It was a Friday just like the day, she was murdered. All these thoughts ran through my mind in the three seconds that took me to turn around and see whose hand was on my shoulder. I came face to face with Noah, who was staring at me with his eyes wide and his hand still in the mid-air. I breathed a sigh of relief in the knowledge it was not my day to die and I could still live.

"Never ever do that," I said taking deep breaths. That should be the scariest moment of my life after looking at Mitchell's lifeless body in a pool of blood. I collapsed on the couch like a deflated balloon. Noah came out of the shock my reaction gave him and walked into the kitchen. He returned with a water bottle and gave it to me sitting in the chair facing the couch.

"What was all that about?" Noah asked, shaking his head, "You were trembling by the time I entered the room. I thought you were having fits or something."

"Nothing, I was watching a horror movie and you caught me by surprise," I said hoping that he would buy that. The last thing I wanted now was him thinking I was a nutcase. He looked at me disbelievingly but to my relief, didn't say anything. The silence was becoming uncomfortable so I decided to break it.

"You are here early. What about your date?" I asked looking at the clock. It was just 7 pm.

"She stood me up," he said, opening his collar button, "and that too after I bent over backward to get a reservation at SRV. The movie tickets, the dinner reservation everything...just got wasted."

"That's a pity. But I'm in desperate need of a drink. Maybe I can go with you. And before you panic, I am going to pay for what I eat." I said standing up. After the nightmarish evening I had, it was the least I could do to take my mind off things.

"Sounds good. Do you wanna change before we go?" He asked, eyeing my cotton pajamas which I wore in full confidence that I was not going to leave the apartment this evening.

"Just a minute," I said rushing to my room. I brushed some light makeup so as to not frighten the citizens of Boston and then I threw on a shirt, jeans, and a jacket, grabbed my sling bag before coming out.

"Are you coming, wearing that?" Noah asked almost laughing.

"What? Do they have a dress code or something?"

"No, it's just I thought you were going to put on that nice dress from our disastrous date since we are going to a good restaurant and all." He shrugged.

"Come on, Noah. I am not going to put on a dress in this bitter winter for a dinner I am paying for." I said secretly acknowledging the fact that he thought my dress was nice.

"Wow. You must have been a lawyer. You've got a point there." He said and walked to the front door.

"After you, milady." He said opening the door for me.

"Thank you, sir. Chivalry isn't dead after all."

**************

By the time we came to the apartment complex in a cab, I was so drunk, my mother would have disowned me if she could see me right now. It was a good thing, the next day was a weekend day. Noah and I stumbled into the elevator, all the way cracking up at lame jokes the way, only drunk people do.

The elevator stops and the doors open with a ping. A delivery guy got in as we got out. Mrs.Lewis was standing outside her apartment with the delivery package in her hand and her eyes wide with disbelief. That look sobered me up all right. There went half a bottle of wine. I tried to stand as straight as the alcohol in my system allowed me to. I put a few feet distance between me and Noah and walked to the door. Elders always bring out the good girl in me.

"Hello, Mrs.Lewis. It's been a long time." I said praying I was not stinking of alcohol as much I think.

"My...my...I never thought I would live to see this day." Mrs.Lewis said with a wink at me.

"No. No. Mrs.Lewis. He is my roommate." I said with horror.

"Already living together? I didn't know you were in such a serious relationship." She said looking at Noah. He was grinning like an idiot not having an idea of what was going on here.

It took me some time to explain to her that he was just a roommate and nothing else.

"Still, it gave me hope about you dear." She laughed ready to go inside her apartment. Seeing her reminded me of her strange words from the last time we met. She warned me not to go into the room of Mitchell. I had to have a talk with her about that.

"Mrs.Lewis, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, feeling miraculously sober. She seemed to be surprised by my sudden seriousness but nodded, "Of course. What do you wanna talk about?"

I looked at Noah who was standing beside me, happily listening to everything I was saying to Mrs.Lewis.

"Noah, why don't you go in and get some sleep. I believe you have to get your stuff from your old apartment tomorrow." I said willing him to get out of my way. He nodded, opened the door, and disappeared into the apartment. I turned to Mrs.Lewis who had an amused smile on her face.

"Mrs.Lewis, what did you mean when you warned me not to go into Mitchell's room?" I asked directly. There was no point in hiding now. She looked stumped for a moment, her mouth opening and closing without any reply coming out. She suddenly looked older than ever. Then she smiled again and answered, "Oh, it's nothing. You know, old people like me are superstitious. It's a dead girl's room and all. That's why I said that."

I didn't believe it for even one second. I remembered the look on her face, the way she was terrified, and ran out of the house and her obvious hate for Mitchell. I didn't think she was the murderer but my gut was saying she knew something I didn't. Guess, alcohol makes me smarter. I crossed my arms across my chest, staring right into her eyes and letting her know, I didn't believe the lie she had tried to feed me. She looked at my expression and let out a long sigh.

"Fine, there was a reason why I said that," she said, worry lines etched on her face, "Come to me tomorrow evening. Better we have this talk when you are fully sober."

She patted me on the shoulder and went into her apartment, shutting the door behind her. I entered mine to find Noah passed out on the couch. I got into my bed and went to sleep like a baby.

*****************

I woke up the next morning with a head-splitting hangover, regret for drinking too much, and an important thing I have to do. I popped some aspirin into my mouth to help with the hangover. I took my mobile and copied the contents of the SD card into another folder. I deleted the audio clip from the SD card folder. I had a feeling that Mitchell intended that clip only for me. I took a long, hot shower until I felt remotely human again. By the time I got ready and came into the living room, it was 11 am. The apartment was quiet so I guessed Noah went to his old apartment to get his things. I quickly got out and locked the door. Thank God, my car was back from the shed. I got into it, revved up the engine, and drove towards the police station.