Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty-Two

When I was in school, I was called David instead of Davy, and my teachers thought I was a fool.My tall, flat-chested English teacher, who fell in love with hiccup writers, said I lacked imagination and that my creative writing was just hard work.My French teacher didn't even know there was someone like me.I always sat in the back of the classroom and was ignored.My science teacher called me serious, my design and technology teacher called me competent, and my math teacher called me a mediocre student.Well, now I'm not mediocre, not mediocre at all.I am one in a million. It took me a while to get the hang of it.I tossed and turned that night, and finally fell asleep, but kept having disturbing strange dreams.My whole body trembled with unnatural alertness; any creaking or rustling frightened me.My skin tingled as I listened to footsteps on the road outside our house and waited, wondering if someone would stop at our door.I don't know whether the violent throbbing in my body, the trembling behind my eyes, is from excitement or fear.I woke up at dawn, ready for the day before anyone else in the house, but I spent a lot of time in the house before going downstairs.Standing in front of the mirror in a blue shirt and jeans, I shave my cheeks and practice my shy, childish smile.I sat on the bed with my back straight, my hands on my lap, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling.I heard Estelle get up and go downstairs after using the bathroom.Human voices could be faintly heard from the kitchen; she, Pipa and others: probably it was the man that Pipa brought home last night.I got up and stood by the window, watching Astrid go out.Although she still limps a little and I can see the bruises on her face even from the top floor, she walks lightly and holds her head high.She is walking down the street.Arrived in front of Peggy's house.Pass without hesitation.

I stay where I am.The postman came to this road very slowly, stopping in front of every house.I watched with bated breath as he rummaged through the mailbag, took out two envelopes, and pushed open the door of number 54.He passed the trash can, scratched his head in the warm weather, stuffed the mail into the mailbox, and walked back to the road.I saw him yawn and felt a smile on my face.I had to resist the urge to yell: he was so close to her body that he couldn't see anything.Mike next door coughed and moaned.The walls of this home are simply too thin. Although I usually don't like breakfast, I was very hungry that morning.When I went downstairs, I saw Pipa in the kitchen with a tall man with prominent cheekbones.He was dressed in a handsome suit, and he played nervously with his tie, tightening and loosening the knot.I guess he is married.He's only sneaky when he's married; he's more nervous than I am.Pipa looked like she had slept soundly for hours.She's wearing a gray suit with a skirt that doesn't come below the knee, and a white shirt with a very obtrusive button unbuttoned so I can see the top of her bra hem; , framing her face.She gave me a big smile with her lipsticked lips, and introduced me to the man, who turned out to be Jeff, who was about to leave the house.

Don't you think it was a bit noisy last night?I said this to test them, but Pipa didn't respond, and Jeff blushed; he must have thought I was referring to them both.I found half a packet of bacon in the fridge, and two eggs past their expiry date in the carton, so I helped myself to fried bacon with eggs, stewed beans, toast, and a large coffee with milk.Halfway through the best breakfast I've ever had, Mike and Owen came downstairs, who was disheveled and unshaven but in an artificial, unnatural decadence.They didn't talk much, but they didn't talk much in the morning.I could see that no one was suspicious.I really wanted to say something to break the smug, self-satisfied look on their faces.

On my way out to work, I walked past No. 54 at my slowest pace and glanced at the trash can.I was dismayed at the thought of not being around to see her body found; and when I got to the end of the road, as if I had missed something, I turned back to her house and passed the hidden body once more.All day long, my heart was throbbing with this secret, and I was as excited as a lover who fell in love, so I didn't want to work, and I simply left work early.Before Peggy's body was found, it was like I wrote a potentially life-changing letter and didn't send it. It was hard. At 5:30, I got off the bus at the end of the road from my house, and that's when I saw the cleaning team.I was stupefied with fright, my heart beat faster, my mouth was dry, and I felt that the whole road first shrunk and then expanded before my eyes.On the sidewalk were two cleaning crews, dragging trash cans to the back of the cleaning truck.At present they only clear up to the twenty-eighth.Anyone can smell the stinking garbage on a hot summer day.I would never be able to do this kind of errand.Who wants to deal with carrion and baby diapers unless it's a dead end?They seemed to be in a good mood.One of them was still whistling.

I stood where I was and lit a cigarette.I seldom smoked when I was alone, and I mostly passed hay to others; but this seemed to be a special case, and I had to find something to do.When the cleaning team reached the No. 52 door, I started to walk slowly along the road again until I was close enough to recognize their movements.Then I stopped and pretended to tie my shoelaces.House number fifty-four.The show is on.The two garbage cans, the green one for recycling and the blue one for general garbage, were pulled to the sidewalk and dumped onto the garbage truck.A few scraps of paper fell on the tarmac along with an empty shampoo can.A group of young men strutted past.

One of the cleaning crew turned around to pick up the trash bag I had pulled to cover the body last night.He grasped the tight part of the bag with both hands, and carried it on his shoulder.This action is almost comical.He stopped and looked at it intently for a long time, then called his work partner over and compared it with his hands.Now I can see one of Paige's legs, and the driver jumping out of the car.Then came the shouting and commotion. The news spread like magic.In about a minute, thirty or forty people came and surrounded the corpse in a semicircle. Everyone was either shouting loudly, stunned, or dialing numbers with their mobile phones.They appeared out of nowhere, and although they were close to each other, no one dared to get too close.It was as if there was an impassable boundary dividing the living from the dead.Only I cross that line.I joined the crowd, standing in the back and peering over the shoulders of the others into the focus of their eyes.Seriously, she's pretty much the same as when I left her last night.It becomes less like a woman and more like a thing.

I heard the sirens, and walked away at my leisure, into a small café that Estelle occasionally visited with Pipa for a cup of tea.Tea is a tranquil drink. It was like being the conductor of an orchestra.I went home and told Dalio there was an accident on the street, and he told Mike, and they went out to find out, and they came back with the excitement of the crowd. Maybe someone got robbed or something.Dalio said, and I clicked my tongue once or twice. Or worse, Mike said, someone got killed.That's what the people on the street say.I imitate how actors in movies react to bad news, smacking their hands over their mouths.

On our street?I asked. Am I overacting?It seems that there is no such thing.I think if I keep holding back, I'm going to explode.But who to tell?Estelle, of course: I had to be the one to tell her the news, so I called her cell phone.She's at the Horse and Knight, but I suggest she'd better go home first.But I didn't tell her the reason, because I wanted to see her face when she heard about the tragedy.Unexpectedly, Estelle went out again shortly after returning home, and seemed to have no interest in the whole incident, leaving me secretly disappointed, regretting that this plan did not work out.When Miles came home, I persuaded him and Pipa to come with me to see Peggy's now locked-down home.Even though the ambulance was gone, the police car was still there, and I went up to a young policeman and asked him what happened.

an accident.He said. Did anyone get killed?This is the way it is said in the streets and alleys. He just looked at me. Who was killed?Does anyone live here?We also live down the road, so whoever it is is counted as neighbors. An accident happened.He is very tight-lipped and only clicks to the end.an accident. Well, Davy, we'll find out soon anyway, said Pipa, wrapping my arms around me and pulling me away, you live in London now, not a small town.This was what was going to happen.You will get used to it. Still, it's unbelievable, right?I said, it happened around us. The three officers who visited the house made me feel harmless, especially the lead officer, Prieber.He said his name was Jim, and he smiled at everyone like he wanted to make friends with us.He is fat with a round face and a big flat nose.I knew right away that he liked me.I'm personable and want to help, while the others he clearly sees as a mob.Honestly, I'm not surprised by this.Dalio was hoarse and restless.Mike was silent to the point of rudeness.Miles looked bored.Pipa flirted too far, and at one point I caught Prieber exchanging glances with one of his colleagues.The police arrived just before the door, and Miles' girlfriend Leah also entered the door, but she treated them all as air, which is considered her strength, after all, the downstairs is full of people.I poured them tea, and then they took out their notebooks, sat down at the table, and asked if we had heard anything unusual last night.

No, Dalio said, nothing. It's noisy around here.Pipa added. In the night I heard people shouting.I said. When did this happen? do not know.Feel sorry.All I know is that I wake up and hear human voices, but it's nothing special.As Pipa said, this street is not peaceful.The best I can say is that it was after dark. It's dark, said Prieber gloomily, scribbling nonchalantly in his notebook, so there are seven of you all together? Not including me, Leah said, I don't live here. Not yet.Dalio whispered, then smirked nervously. Estelle is home too, I said, she's gone now.And I stopped and looked at the pipa.

It's gone, she said flatly, our house parties are pretty late.She smiled at me, and I dare not contradict her, but I returned a consoling smile and conveyed to her: Dawei is friendly and reliable, and will never reveal her secrets. Nobody found anything out of the ordinary? without.Mike said.This was probably the only word he uttered during the whole process of police interrogation. Who is the deceased?Owen asked. A man named Margaret.Ms. Farrell.Do any of you know her? We all exchanged inquiring glances, then shook our heads.No, we don't know someone named Margaret.Ms. Farrell. Really frustrating, isn't it?I said, she lives only a few houses away from us, but we don't even know her name?I didn't know this character until she was gone.I shook my head sadly. Are the rumors true?It appears that someone found her body in a trash can in front of the basement.Police say cleaning crews found her.Pipa asked.After she was killed, the body was dumped in the trash can of her house? I'm afraid that's true. So scary. But you will bring the murderer to justice.I said. We will do our best.He closed his notebook and stood up.Other officers will record your name and phone number.If you remember anything, please contact the police immediately.He took out a business card and put it on the table. Good luck to you, I said, and hope the police solve the case soon. The best climax of the night came later.Estelle went home, but Owen went somewhere.We were all sitting downstairs, aimless, but unwilling to go to bed.I sat next to Estelle, shifting my position every now and then so that my arm touched her uncovered blond arm.I pretend to read Portuguese, Estelle flips through a magazine, Miles turns on the TV, and we watch the end of one home decor show and the beginning of another cooking show, and a smiling woman cooks An exquisite delicacy, let her long hair hang down.Miles turns the channel, and a movie is about to start, and we don't bother to turn it off even though our interest is fading and no one wants to watch it.Suddenly Dalio bursts into the living room, excited like a child. Turn on the TV! The TV is already on.Myers said. Margaret.Farrell's body was found yesterday evening at the age of fifty-seven.Police have launched a homicide investigation I have to manage my time well.I waited for a while, then Pipa said: Margaret.Farrell is Paige! Peggy!Estelle repeated. So I opened the chatter and lowered my volume in horror.We saw her last night.Me and Dalio and Estelle.Saw her with my own eyes. I have to say I did a really good job.Tennis players pay attention to the most effective hitting point on the racket, and the vibration of the perfect shot.This sentence is natural and just right.I shifted to feel Estelle's warm, fresh skin against mine, her luscious hair brushing against my cheek.I close my eyes and savor the moment.