Baffled

By Abdulmenem Hamdache

Heather witnesses a murder while doing her daily jog. She identifies the murderer in a police lineup. He turns out to be deaf. They lock him up as he awaits trial. Heather is traumatized by the incident and sees a therapist, Sarah, to prepare her emotionally for the testimony day. Instead of giving her a full treatment, she gives a placebo one. Heather meets Tim, a new client at her wedding planning agency. He is a sweet talker and gentleman. They start dating. This infuriates Sarah. Tim goes to extremes with Sarah and Heather revealing a strong link between the murderer and Tim.

Product details

ISBN-10 : 1086919181
ISBN-13 : 978-1086919189
Publisher : Independently published (August 2, 2019)
Language: : English

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abdulmenem Hamdache
• Release date: Dec 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005989675

Abdulmenem Hamdache

I am a lecturer at the college level and fiction writer. I live and work in Lebanon.

Book preview

Baffled by Abdulmenem Hamdache

Abdulmenem Hamdache 2019 Copyrights

CHAPTER 1: IN THE PAST In a beat-up chicken coop like kitchen, he peered down at the woman as she stood him up on a chair and started to undress him. She slowed down to a halt as she reached his groin area. She stared at it. She tossed his dirty clothes away and picked up clean ones. She paused. She turned him around and ran her fingers all over his body. He covered his genitals in embarrassment and shivered from cold. He whimpered. He was five years old.You’re just one dumb boy and...I’m fine with it, said the woman.There was a fifteen-year-old boy watching the woman through the door crack of his bedroom. He went to the bunk bed and lifted up the mattress. He grabbed a syringe and drew some blue liquid into it from a cup. The fifteen-year-old boy crawled on the floor towards the woman. He tiptoed behind her and jabbed the syringe in her neck and squeezed the plunger hard and left it dangling. The woman ululated and fell on the ground wrapping her hands around her throat trying to remove the syringe. The fifteen-year-old boy picked up the little boy’s clothes and motioned him to dress. He stood in front of the woman and looked her intensely in the eye as her face turned blue. He bent over and snatched her golden bracelet, ring, and earrings. The little boy signed something to him. The older boy peered around and with a muffled voice he said:Weyre, said the older boy. Sheyr, said the little boy.He knelt down and looked underneath the chair. He saw her necklace. He seized it. They grabbed each other’s hands and darted away.

CHAPTER 2: AT THE PRESENT TIME Office walls were bedecked with wedding photos of couples in various venues. Some were in Copacabana, some in the Swiss Alps, some in Cairo. A bejeweled crown and gold snake necklaces and sacred amulets sat on her desk. Heather was thirty years old, full figured, big hips, and hair up. She was wearing a chic summer dress of white linen, slit on one side showing her toned leg every time she walked. She watched a man and woman across from her leafing through a catalog. The man pointed out to a photo in the catalog.I’m gonna go with the beach, said the man.The woman flipped to the end of the catalog. She stopped on a picture of a rural house.This is the one! said the woman. I don’t know—This is not a reason. Convince me—Heather stood between the couple as to offer a buffer zone. She pulled the catalog from them and placed it on a nearby couch.Heather Matrimonial Services, the front cover read.Guys, guys, said Heather. I know this is a big moment in your life. It’s nerve wrecking. They’re both terrific places.The man and woman exchanged looks.I say you go home and make up your mind. You still got time, said Heather.The couple stood up to leave. Heather accompanied them to the agency front door, waved goodbye, and then headed to the receptionist. Nicole was sixty years old. She was at her desk typing from a clipboard.Anything pending before I leave? said Heather.Mr. Hanson called. He asked about the videography, said Nicole.The flowers are on us, what else he wants?His family is a longtime client—Heather threw her hands in despair.Ok. Videography as well.Heather staggered to her car carrying a big pile of albums. She opened the back door and dropped the albums in the back seat. She hopped in and closed the door. She shut her eyes and stretched her arms out and took a deep breath. She removed her hair clip and let her hair down to its full length. She reclined in the back seat exhausted. Her phone rang. The ring tone sounded like Careless Whisper. She sang along for a few seconds drumming her fingers on her thigh then answered.Hullo? said Heather. OK. I’ll be there. I hate you!She ended the call and smiled. The cellphone was protected with a special design case -- a skin of sea