CHAPTER IV: ENDLESS WAITING AND AND WONDERING

It was Saturday and Ryan was off work until Monday...and we didn't have anything planned either, so it was sit and wait. Breakfast was pretty muted. Joey and I said little and Ryan just seemed lost in himself, which I understood. It was frustrating to feel I didn't quite know how to reach him...but maybe time would help. I sure hoped so.

We spent the day reading, watching movies, and a couple hours in the pool. All of it mostly silently which is really pretty unusual for me. At least some of the time anyway. Dinner time came and I put together some home made pizzas and salads and we ate in the breakfast room...again, with little conversation from any of us. I would look at Joey and he at me and we at Ryan, but there just didn't seem to be anything to say, and too I didn't know what Ryan could handle right now. He seemed to be having a hard time internally processing the events of last night. Again understandable.

About 7 some friends called and wanted to know if we wanted to come over and I begged off saying we had company, and that was that. I couldn't wait for bedtime to come, although not for the usual reason. Lol. Eventually it did about ten and Ryan stood up and said he was tired and was going to bed. I said that was fine and asked if he needed anything. He said no and with that he left to go upstairs.

I looked at Joey.
"My God. I don't know how to help him, honey."
"I know," he said looking sad too. "But maybe we need to just let him come to this in his own way and time."

As usual, logical and smart. That's my boy.
"Yeh, you're right."
"Maybe we need to get some rest too, honey," Joey said and stood up with his hand outstretched. I took it and away we went.

Sunday was pretty much a repeat performance.

Monday, we called the supermarket where Ryan works and I talked to the Human Resources Manager whom I knew...telling her what had happened and that Ryan needed some time off, and she said how sorry she was and how she knew he could never have done something like this, and to take whatever time he needed. I thanked her and we hung up. One thing down.

Then about 11am, Jonathan called and said the detective wanted to see Ryan again...and to please bring him to the station. I called Ron and he agreed to meet us there. I asked if we could sit in but was told no.

It seemed like all I could do was sit and stew and feel helpless not to mention incredulous that this could be happening. Ryan? A murderer? Sweet gentle Ryan?

No. I refused to believe it, but did it really matter what I thought?

The interrogation went on for about an hour and then Ryan and Ron came out. Ron told us it was just a repeat of asking about the details of Friday night and Ryan couldn't add anything to what he had already said. The detective seemed increasingly agitated and frustrated but that didn't help a whole lot. Ron did tell me in confidence that he felt that Brantford seemed convinced that he had the murderer and that was that. He had his mind made up.

"How can that be? What possible motive could Ryan have had? He liked his landlady...and besides, Ryan is just not capable of anything like that."
"I know Dylan, but I just wish I knew how it came to be he had the knife in his hand but Ryan swears he has no memory of it and no idea of how any of it happened. Frankly, it sounds Dylan almost as if he was drugged, but how did that happen...and why? Who would have wanted her dead and it appears that robbery was not the motive. Nothing seems to be missing according to the detective."

A mystery to be sure.

                                       CONTINUE TO CHAPTER V