Chapter 18

Our meeting was set for tomorrow at noon at the Jazz Age Restaurant on Brookside Road.

When I got home, I gave Howard a call to check on his investigation into Tom. Turned out, Howard had been on a business trip and didn't have much info yet. All he knew was that Tom was into internet investment finance. He asked if I was in a rush.

I thought about it and realized that investigating into Tammy's lead was making progress. Trying to chase both leads at once would probably be too much. So, I told him not to worry and to focus on his own stuff first.

After a lot of hesitation, I sent a message to Leonard at the prosecutor's office, letting him know I'd been to Tammy's place and had solid info that her testimony had issues. I also mentioned I was meeting her daughter-in-law tomorrow.

Leonard's reply was short: [Good.]

I wanted to ask Leonard about the Sand Village demolition conflict from a few years back, since I promised to look into it. But knowing Leonard, he wouldn't break his principles. Giving me a copy of the case file was already a big exception. I decided to ask Zoey after meeting Anna tomorrow. I remembered our newspaper had covered the incident back then; perhaps we could find some useful info in the archives.

The house was a bit chilly. This was my old family home, facing east and west, cold in winter and hot in summer. My parents moved to a new place in the western suburbs of Silverlight City when I was in high school.

When I was in college, Silverlight University was closer to this house, so I commuted between the dorm and home. After getting married, my dad offered to pay for a new house, but Alan and I refused, thinking our current place was enough. We planned to buy a new house once we saved enough and decided to have kids.

We kept putting it off, never had kids, and now I found myself alone, destined to grow old in solitude.

When Alan was around, he'd pay the heating bill early, grab the electric heater from the study, and warm up the place. He'd sit on the sofa reading a book. He usually stayed in the study, but in late autumn, he'd do this. When I asked, he said he wanted me to be warm too.

I flipped through the book Alan had left on the sofa, a collection of poems by William Butler Yeats. It looked pretty worn. As I casually flipped through it, I often felt like touching these poems was like touching Alan's fingers and delving into his soul. This was the only warmth I had when I came home.

[Dear, come close to me; since you left, my desolate thoughts have chilled to the bone.]

I remembered this book originally belonged to my dad. When my mom passed away in 2018, my dad quoted this poem at her memorial service. He said he had recited it under her dorm window when he was courting her. Later, he gave the book to Alan, saying it was a form of inheritance, a continuation.

The living room grew colder, as did my lifeless heart.

I picked up my phone and scrolled to my dad's contact. We used to call each other every few days, but I'd been too busy lately to even send a message. After my mom passed away, my dad seemed as carefree as ever on the surface, but late at night, he'd silently stare at her photo.

Thinking of Tammy, my dad, and myself, I realized we were all lonely souls, silently standing on the banks of time's river.

Just then, my dad sent a message: [Nancy, remember to pay the heating bill. Alan gets cold easily. Hurry up and have a baby.]

I replied: [Okay.]

With tears in my eyes, I lay on the sofa, sleeping in the cold house.

The next day at noon.

I drove to the Jazz Age Restaurant on Brookside Road a bit early. The vibe of this place was pretty nice.

I asked Zoey to recommend this spot because it was quiet and perfect for a chat. Plus, young girls like Anna, especially those who were internet influencers, would probably love trendy places like this for taking photos and sharing on social media. It should be right up her alley. After all, I needed to get some crucial info from her.

Soon enough, I saw Anna coming upstairs, snapping photos with her phone. She looked like she had put a lot of effort into her outfit, looking super fashionable, not at all like someone from a rundown area.

"Over here," I called out, waving to her. Anna quickly walked over and sat down. I explained, "I'm not sure what you like. My friend recommended this place, and it's my first time here too. Let's give it a try."

I smiled and called the waiter to order. I went for most of the signature dishes.

Anna's eyes lit up as she took photos of the dishes, chatting about how she had wanted to come here for a long time, where she had eaten before, dining etiquette, classic dishes, and so on. She also complained about the environment around Sand Village. It was hard to imagine she lived in a rundown area.

Of course, I didn't look down on her. On the contrary, I believed that young girls at this age should try new things within their means. After all, life was about enjoying these little pleasures. Living with constraints was no different from being a prisoner in shackles.

I waited until Anna had eaten a bit before asking, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Anna replied, "Ms. Johnson, I'm sorry for the scene yesterday. You know how it is with in-laws; every family has its own issues."

I nodded. Compared to yesterday, she was indeed more polite this time.

Anna wiped her mouth and said, "I'm here for two things. I want to know why you're so eager to help Tony. As far as I know, his family doesn't know any journalists. Otherwise, the compensation issue wouldn't still be unresolved."

I was a bit taken aback. Anna's vigilance was understandable, given that in today's society, pure goodwill was rare. In a way, I was no different.

I casually played with the grilled meat on my plate as I spoke, "First, I'm a journalist and have worked in legal affairs before. It's part of my professional ethics. Of course, I won't mention justice as a reason. Second, it's a form of exchange. I want to learn about the True Love Entertainment Club arson-murder case, so I need to make some effort to get that information. It's both personal and professional. I hope this answer satisfies you."

Anna replied, "No problem. Now, let's talk about the second issue, my mother-in-law."

"What's the matter?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement.

Anna said, "You gave me your business card before you left, asking me to stay in touch. I'm not stupid. Tammy put on quite a show, even fooled me, but you managed to catch her in a lie with your questions. Ms. Johnson, you're a smart person, so I'll be straightforward. I want to know if Tammy will go to jail if she didn't tell the truth."