Double Personality; THOMAS BRADLY.

003.

The cop led them out, "you might want to follow us to the station and make a statement?" He asked them.

Denzel looked at Sophie and she nodded.

The cop nodded too and they stepped out together, but once outside, Sophie had to make a call to her boss that she might come in late or wouldn't even come in at all.

Almost immediately, Denzel's phone rang too.

He took it out his phone pocket and stared at the screen that had lit up with the name MOM JOHNSON on the screen.

That's the way he saved his mother-in-law's number on his phone.

He sighed. He didn't know if to pick or not in this situation. Tania was her only child. And if he doesn't pick, she's ready to rush down to his home.

He swiped green.

"Denzel?" Her voice fell through

"Mom. Goodmorning", he tried to sound normal as possible but she wasn't helping.

"Did Tania come home?"

He had never had a reason to lie and at this point, he couldn't even cook up one.

"Hello? Denzel?"

"Uh. Mom. Yeah. Can I uhh... Can I like call you back later?"

"Is everything alright, son?"

"Mom. I'll call you later okay?", He ended the call before she would inquire further.

How the hell is he suppose to break such message to this woman.

"Let's go", Sophie nudged him. She was done making the call.

They joined the cop and rode to the station.

"What really happened?" They sat before the cop's desk as he asked them.

Denzel was still recovering slowly, but he could talk now.

"We had a little quarrel yesterday morning before she left for work. You know. Couple quarrels. I prepared a meal. I prepared her favorite meal to ask for her forgiveness but she never came back."

"Called her boss?" The cop asked.

"No. I called her best friend here", he nodded at Sophie who was seated beside him, "confirmed she was with her and she wants to sleepover. I knew I could do nothing to have her come home that night, so I didn't beg further. I was just glad she was safe", Denzel said.

The cop obviously had personal marital issues at home or he was one depressed guy because even though he had seen and investigated a lot of brutal, death cases, he could at least show the least sympathy. But no! His face remained as stiff as ever.

He sighed and turned to Sophie who was completely red from crying.

"So? What happened? How did she turn up from your place to the river?" He questioned.

Sophie sniffed, "Tania didn't want her husband to know. They were quarreling and she wanted to make him worry a bit, but when he called me. I - I just couldn't say no.... I couldn't say no to the worry in his tone. I told him she was with me. I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have", she cried but she continued.

"When she learnt I had told him where she was. She got angry and she picked up her bag and left. She said she was going home. I tried going after her but Tania is really stubborn so I went in and I called him. I wanted to inform him that she'd left my place and was coming home".

"And..."

"He didn't pick up", she said and the cop turned to him immediately.

"I had slept off. She told me she was sleeping over and that wasn't the first time my wife would be spending the night at her place. So I was relaxed and I slept off, but she never came home ".

Denzel's phone rang again and it was still Tania's mom.

He knew she wasn't satisfied with their last conversation on phone.

"Can we go now?" He asked.

"Sure. We'd be in touch " the cop gave a stiff smile and Denzel helped Sophie up.

They stepped out and had to take a cab since none of them came in their cars.

They drove home without saying a word to each other. Each blaming themselves for what happened.

Sophie wished she didn't tell Denzel. She wished she insisted and didn't let Tania leave. She wished she had drove Tania home herself.

Denzel on the other hand wished their quarrel didn't happen. He wished he didn't fall asleep, then he'd have been awake to take Sophie's call and rushed out to get his wife.

They both regretted alot as they got to his house. They alighted and Denzel paid.

Walking to the front porch, he could see Tania's mom waiting.

"Fuck!", He cussed under his breath.

"Denzel", she rushed to him.

"Sophie", she hugged Sophie.

"Where'd you go? And why weren't you picking my calls? Where's Tania?" She asked and they both remained mute.

"Why you both avoiding my eyes? Where's my daughter?", She asked.

"Let's go in mom", Denzel held her.

She wanted to oppose but Sophie took her hand and squeezed it gently.

She didn't like the feeling she was getting.

Denzel walked ahead of them and opened the door. They all walked in.

"Say something both of you?! Where's Tania?" She yelled.

"Mom please", Sophie began crying and the woman felt a stab in her heart.

Denzel just threw himself on the couch and shut his eyes. He couldn't control the tears this time.

He cried.

"Denzel! Where's your wife?!" Her voice cracked.

"Tania's dead mom", Sophie bursted out in full tears and the woman staggered backwards.

"Where. Is. Tania?" She asked again.

Denzel badly wanted to console her. He wanted to be a man and be strong but this was his wife we're talking about here.

His wife. His best friend. His everything.

He couldn't even imagine himself living without her.

The old woman finally fell on her butt as she cried her heart out. He later stood and hugged her there on the floor. He helped her up.

"Mom. Please", that's all he could say. Nothing else.

The woman went pale immediately as he helped her to sit on the couch.

"Tell me what happened".

.

.

Sophie had left for her work place. She was going to inform her boss and possible take the week off. It wasn't just about helping Denzel and Tania's mom but for her own health too. She couldn't concentrate on anything any longer.

Her best friend was dead.

Meanwhile, Denzel remained at home with Tania's mom, he had explained everything to her and she too confirmed that Tania didn't come home. She might have come in late but her husband was at home and he confirmed she didn't reach their house either.

Something must have happened to her on the road.

It had already turned a murder case obviously and the cops were on it.

He had put the woman to sleep and he too kind of dozed off on the floor in his room where he had laid crying and mourning his wife.

He didn't know long he'd been asleep for, but her constant tapping, woke him up.

"Son", she shook him gently.

"Denzel", she shook him a little more and his eyes peeled opened this time.

"Sorry for disturbing your nap, but you've been asleep for long, you should eat something", she said.

He looked around and nothing seemed familiar, he darted his eyes to all corners but this was nothing like his room until his eyes fell on the woman sitting at the edge of the bed and staring at him.

"who are you?" He voiced.