Deducing Tragedy Part One: See No Evil

“You knew him well.”

She paused, her fingers clinking against the coffee cup in her hands. “I like to think so.”

“What does that mean?” I scoffed, as one of my cats jumped up next to me.

“Well I guess you never really know someone,” she said shifting in her seat, causing the leather to groan. “I never in my wildest dreams thought he would- well that he’d do what he did.”

“But you knew him, that’s something. I would have loved to meet him,” I said leaning back in my love seat, running my fingers through the soft fur of the creature beside me.

“If I didn’t know differently I would say knew him better,” she let out a small laugh. “You could predict his every move.” She said and I rolled my eyes.

“I certainly didn’t predict him jumping off a building,” I smirked around the rim of my coffee mug.

“You know what I mean,” she said setting her cup down on my coffee table with a loud clank. “You told me, ‘Molly, watch him. He’s going to do something brilliant and incredibly stupid’ and you were right.”

“Molly, I was nothing but a fan girl,” I chuckled.

“But I could never do what you did Hanna,” she sighed.

“Well I am a certified genius,” I shrugged as I stood up and held out a hand. “Here, I’ll get you some more.”

“Thank you,” she said placing the ceramic cup firmly in my hands. I walked into my kitchen and grabbed the coffee pot, burning my fingers on the hot glass as I did.

Always just a little off, I thought, grinding my teeth as I moved my hand up two inches and one to the left. I refilled the cups and walked back into the living room. I held out her cup and she rose slightly to take it from me, the leather of the seat groaning as she moved. I ran my fingers across my seat to be sure that none of my cats had crawled up there while I was gone before I sat down. I placed my coffee cup back on the table and Molly gasped.

“Hanna, your fingers,” she said grabbing a hold of my right hand.

“They’re fine,” I said pulling away. “Its’ not even a real burn, it’ll be gone within the hour.”

“The tips are all red,” she scolded. “I should have gone to get the coffee.”

“It’s my house, Molly,” I rolled my eyes. “I'm supposed to serve you”

She hesitated.

“Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I'm helpless,” I smiled at her as I withdrew from her grasp.

“Don’t you think you should be living with someone?” she asked.

I frowned, “have something to say?” I challenged her. “Perhaps you’ll clear up why you choose to stop by in the first place. It’s not like you to drop in out of the blue like this Molly, hell I haven’t seen you in nearly a year. So what is it?”

“You need to get out of this house,” she said clasping her hands together like our mother did when we were about to get talked do.

“No,” I snapped back without hesitation.

“Hanna, it’s been five years,” she said in a stern voice, a voice very unlike the one my sister normally used. She was known for her nervous but sweet nature. What could be going on that has changed it, I wondered idly.

“It’s not happening,” I growled.

“It’s for your own good,” she insisted. “Hanna being in this house is killing you- and I will not watch my sister self-destruct.”

“Then what do you suggest?” I asked annoyed now with her persistence.

“I know someone,” she said scooting forward, her voice returning to its natural softness. “He’s a good man, he has accompanied someone as smart as you are-“

“Watson?” I demanded. “Are you mad?”

“I'm not!” she said hurriedly. “He’s a really sweet guy!”

“I know,” I narrowed my eyes, “but that doesn’t make this idea any less absurd.”

“No it’s not,” she insisted, her warm hand reaching forward to squeeze mine. “Think about it Hanna! He’s a good, kind man. He’s a doctor and can help you if something happens. And you’ll be around people! You’ll be in the heart of London… something I know you miss.”

I let out a bitter laugh, “and why is it you’re offering your friend’s house but not your own?”

“Because I know you’d never take my help,” she chuckled nervously as she stood up. “Do this Hanna. You need to get out of this house.”