15-16 July 2019
The night was a bit cool but now a breeze provided a pleasant refreshment from the hot sun. Although it's a work day Vilnius Town Hall walk quite a lot of people of different ages.
Alexander Vernavičius after buying two disposable cups coffe at the newsstand "Narvesen" near the Vilnius Cathedral, pressing them in both hands he grabbed the Castle street towards City Hall to meet a girl name Silvia. She is on vacation just like him. As he steps in, the gentle breeze lightly curled his curly and dark brown hair. Like many passersby he wore light blue shorts, a light gray t-shirt of which the top saga is torn, wore light brown boots.
After coming to the Town Hall he sat down on the bench and placed the cups close by carefully.
He met Silvia a year and a half ago. The first time they accidentally encountered late at night when Alexander visited his brother, who was recovering from the accident, into which he got into being drunk. Alexander was going to spend the night in the hospital until the doctors are convinced that the brother will not suffer complications. He went to buy coffee to the apparatus in one of the high corridors. Simultaneously coffee wanted to buy she too. Their hands clasped together. Instinctively they withdrew from each other. Letting her buy coffee first he later bought its himself. Then he returned to his brother's ward. When he entered, he was already asleep. And he hadn't met her for a long time. They met again after a month at the marketing agency where he works. At that time the latter, located in one of the business centers in Šnipiškės, undertook a new project - their team task was to create marketing campaign for the new "AJ Lithuania Products" presentation of dairy products. A three-month period only was granted.
The team was recruited to work a new person. Everyone was eager to get to know it.
The next day he was left pleasantly surprised after seeing the same girl whom he had encountered in the hospital. Once the project has started, he and Silvia became more and more in contact, spending more and more time together. Free time like many couples they visited cafes, in cinemas, walked together enjoying being together. He was a little surprised that she love to watch not just drama but also horror movies. Together they watched movies such as "The Witch", "Carrie", "Invasion of the body snatchers" and others. Really in adolescence he didn't like horror movies but during study time he took an interest in this genre. He often pondered that it would be great to create a movie of that genre. When relationships get really serious, the two agreed that it's time to introduce each other to family members. They decided that she would first introduce him to her family, later - he will introduce her with his family. Only she unexpectedly decided to talk to him.
"I have to tell you something" mentioned she.
"What?"
"You've heard my family name after all?"
For a moment she didn't understand why she was asking it. Of course that he knows - Daboravičiai are one of the richest families in the country. He nodded that he knows this last name because of something more. Just didn't remember why. Therefore he only said that he really wits her family. It's her grandfather, after all founded the family business at the beginning of 1993. He unawares remembered for what else he knows her last name.
"Wait! Your father was killed seven years ago."
She nodded in approval.
In memory came what he had heard from acquaintances and the media about her father's murder. However like many he didn't know exactly from whom he died. Even his family, which knew her parents, didn't know it.
"He was poisoned by the venom of one snake."
"You don't have to tell it."
She was inclined to tell everything. And she did that.
She nodded – during the investigation police found that the killer entered in Daboravicius' house after breaking the door lock. The killer was helped by this that her mother Nerita – what a strange name! – she had turned off the alarm knowing that husband would be back late for reason that it would be easy for him to enter the house. The gate locking mechanism was also broken. He heard from her that her father – what a horror! – was poisoned by snake "Bungarus Candidus" venom who paralyzed her father's nerves as well as causing spasms eventually paralysis; nothing more was found except the fingerprints of family members. According to her the police have stopped the investigation for more than a year.
The next day they went to dinner with her at the family home. Her parents, originally living in the Laurel settlement, didn't want to depend on one of the most luxurious settlement unwritten rules but they wanted to be masters of ourselves. So they built a large two-storey house in the village a few kilometers to the Laurel settlement. While driving, he thought the house would be so eye-catching that he will immediately notice it. When he arrived he saw that though this is huge the exterior colors are such that the house blends into the landscape. Once inside, he met her mother Nerita which he imagined as a woman affected by widowhood – with blank concave eyes, concave cheekbones, the face ridged of wrinkles. Whilst he met met a charming middle-aged woman long straight golden hair. The skin on her face was smooth. He just noticed small wrinkles around the eyes. In contrast to Silvia her nose was straight. And Silvia's a bit curled.
Daniel –brother of Silvia – had black and charcoal hair. Their shade wasreminiscent of burnt coal. He is the same tall sporty-looking likeAlexander himself. Silvia had told him that her mother now heads thecompany; her brother after graduation, he became employed foreigngame company branch in Vilnius.
When they meet they sat down to have a dinner – ate prepared noodles with seafood. For Alexander, the evening passed pleasantly.
The next day he took her away to introduce her to his parents Algirdas and Barbara and his brother David. Silvia, when she saw his tall father of curly hair which is leading one of the largest publishing houses in the country, immediately realized that he inherited most of his traits from his father rather than from his mother. The latter works for a foreign-owned investment bank. She appeared to Silvia as a woman not afraid of her age because in the face was visible small wrinkles, black hair was adorned with gray hair as well. David looked so much like a brother: the same height and solid build, currently employed at one of the largest travel agencies. He was employed here just after graduation. In the future he hoped to start his own business.
–
"Did you buy coffee for us? I hope it hasn't cooled down yet."
The voice brought him back to the present. With eyes raised before him the whole stance stood Silvia. A smile lit up his face. He stood up. He greeted her and handed her a cup of coffee. She sipped the drink.
"Not cool."
With a nod he took his cup; asked where where they were pulling.
"Did I forget to mention it?" She looked at him. "We will go to the jewelry salon to pick up a gift for mom's birthday.
"Exactly," he smiles. "I remembered. You really mentioned it."
And they really did talk about it on the phone yesterday.
"Let's go?"
When they asked, they clasped their hands together, pulled away. While sipping coffee they to German Street. After some distance they turned to Trakų street. Soon they entered the jewelry salon "Yurga" which is founded by a jewelry writer Jurga Lago.
"Will you give her a piece of jewelry?" he asked.
She nodded, stepped closer to the counter. In front of them a girl darted. Silvia reeted and handed to her order receipt. The woman glanced at him, looked at the computer and disappeared in the room asking to wait for the moment. Soon the girl returned at the counter carrying the packed pendant. At Silvia's request it was taken out so he could see it.
"What do you think?" when she looked around, she asked him.
"Wonderful. Your mom will really enjoy it."
Silvia looked back at the girl with a smile asked her to pack it nicer. The girl again disappeared in the room and returned with the jewelry already packed. When an invoice was submitted, Silvia paid that. After taking the piece of jewelry they left the shop together. They went to a cafe on German Street in a block of flats built many decades ago before drinking coffee and throwing away cups. After finding a free table and sitting down they cold water with lemon. Soon the order was brought.
"How did you prepare up with such a gift?" Alexander asked her.
"I remembered my friend Sandra gave her mother a similar gift. I thought my mom would enjoy it." She sipped the water.
He nodded in approval.
After they talked little bit more, they paid off and came out of the cafe. Silvia pulled back towards City Hall where she left the car. He lowered her gaze. As she turned, he waved to her. As she disappeared, he grabbed another street towards the Arch Cathedral. He left his car there nearby.
When he got home his parents and brother were not at home. So he changed his clothes and ran away. When he returned his family were at home. As usual they made the dinner together and sat down to eat it.
"How about meeting Silvia?" Barbara inquired.
Alexander told a meeting with her, mentioned the pendant.
"A truly wonderful gift" said Barbara. "No doubt, Nerita will really enjoy it. I would love it too."
Silvia with her mother and brother sitting at the table – finishes eating dinner, preparing to drink tea. Nerita decided not to drink it.
"Are you going to sleep?"
"I'm going to work in workroom. After that I will go to bed," she replied to her son.
She disappeared into the dark hallway. There was a moment of silence in the kitchen.
"What are you going to give to your mom?" Daniel asked the sister.
She leaned in closer and told about the pendant.
This late night at Suderve Catholic Cemetery – in one of the main cemeteries of Vilnius – there was nothing. The cemetery itself were closed. To the watchman looked like this night will be calm as usual. He looked up to the sky and saw the darkness.
He noticed like something crossed the fence to the cemetery. The man ran to one of the graves with a flashlight. The watchman hurried to the side where the light was coming from. He none felt something standing behind his back. Standing behind him stumbles upon a stone. He hears a slap on his own skull, collapses on the ground. The man casts the stone away, pulls the knife out of his pocket. It squats near, grasps his hand and points the tool at your fingers. It hints and strikes with all his might.
Like all mornings Nerita Daboravičienė woke up earlier than the children. She is now dressed in the kitchen and cooked breakfast – cut the fruit, baked toast, heated the coffee. Before she covered the table in the dining room leaving jars of cherry and strawberry jam on it, filled the glasses with orange juice. When she put on the table fruit and toasts, children went down for breakfast. Nerita sat down at the table. For yourself and the kids she poured coffee into the cups. He took a toast and smeared some cherry jam on it.
"Will the hired people arrive in the afternoon?" Nerita asked, biting her toast.
Silvia nodded, sipped coffee.
"Yeah. They will prepare everything for the evening."
"Don't forget to come back sooner." Daniel said.
"I won't forget. I'll have to prepare myself too."
The three laughed lightly. Still a bit staying with the kids Nerita went into the room where she took the papers and the handbag. Leaning down, he said goodbye to the children and drove off to the office.
Leaving the car in the underground parking lot she climbed the elevator to the top floor. Here she was immediately greeted by her secretary. The one who escorted her to the office previously worked for her husband August. As usual, there was a pile of documents waiting on her desk and a cup of coffee. She sat down and sipped a drink. She wondered if anyone was waiting for her to call. The secretary just shook her head so she went to work when she left.
Almost seven years have passed since her husband's death, and her office has remained almost unchanged. The dark-colored table is loaded with her favorite pens, a simple desk lamp stands to her left. Near just as he was alive are computer, children and husband photos. In fact, she never wanted to run this company but this obligation falls upon the spouse's death. And doing better than she expected. She managed to make two big deals during those years. A new branch is expected to open in Tallinn soon. Yet even the work and the children did not fill the void created by the death of August. Every morning, looking at the empty side of his bed she was still in pain, even though she was relieved and angry that in so many years his killer was not found. She craves that the culprit of his death would be rewarded.
She looked at the husband's photo. Feeling the flooding emotions she leaned to the papers.
Her daughter with brother were waiting for people to arrive. When they arrived, she went to the bathroom leaving her brother to take care of everything. Opened the tap, added bath foam. She screwed the bottle into place.
After leaving the bath filled with water, she returned to the room. She decided what to dress for the evening and undressed returned to the bathroom. Turned on the tap and entered the bathtub.
A little earlier woman usually visiting a brother's grave when there are few people here, came out of the stairwell of the second house in Chiune Sugihara's street. As she went, she crossed the street and entered to Suderve Catholic Cemetery. where she was not expected to put flowers on her grave – just a few graves passed, she was horrified to see the blood clan spinning around the cemetery guard lying around. It seemed to scream, but the scream stuck in her throat.
When she kept up she called the police by telephone.
Shortly afterwards, the curious began to gather at the cemetery seeking to know why so many cars from police and other officers arrived.
At five in the evening Alexander's parents Barbara and Algirdas drove home. Alexander and Silvia were still on vacation, so he spent the afternoon at home. After running away before breakfast he talked to Silvia on the phone. After his lunch he sat quietly in the room reading the Lars Kepler's detective "Stalker". Like the previous ones this novel has included him from the beginning.
His brother had also left for work and returned immediately after his parents.
Alexander only having reached them all hurried to get ready.
Before five in the evening Nerita was still in the office. She glanced at the clock – noticed that besides five five and closed the binder. After placing it on the pile of others, she took his handbag and rushed out of the cabinet. After saying goodbye to the secretary she went down to the parking lot and sat in the car.
Upon arriving home she noticed that the yard of the house was ready for celebration.
She ran into the bedroom after saying hello to the children. She slammed the door, dropped his handbag on the bed, hurried to change clothes.
When she was dressed in a long dark blue dress, stucked in high-heeled shoes, wearing diamond earrings she went down to the bottom where the ready son and daughter were waiting for her.
The guests began to gather. Alexander came first with his brother and parents. When they said hello the servants escorted them to the courtyard and a served gift by Alexander's parents left in the salon. Next came Nerita's husband, now her business partnershareholder of the company Nautaras Tumanavičius who is fifty-three years old. His ex-wife Sofia and her daughter Lukrecija live in a large apartment in Viršuliškės in Chiune Sugihara's street. He handed Nerita a gift and, accompanied by a servant, entered the courtyard where he noticed a table on the back of which stands a graphine filled with whiskey. But he was in no hurry. He took the wine glass brought to him. He felt relaxed, even though she received an anonymous letter the day before yesterday which had a message written in rough handwriting: DURING THE PARTY HOSTESS OF THE PARTY WILL RECEIVE A TERRIBLE GIFT. THEN YOU WILL DIE. Although it was supported by a vicious joke, he relaxed just now.
When all the invitees gathered, Nerita appeared with the children in the garden. When everyone started to greet her, Sylvia returned to the house with an apology and appeared again carrying a gift bag. Asked attention she congratulated her mother on her birthday and handed her a bag. Curious Nerita pulled a box out of it and opened it.
"What a wonderful pendant!" she lit up and hugged her daughter.
"I'm happy that you liked it."
"Certainly I enjoyed it. Maybe can you fasten?" Nerita smiled as she removed the pendant.
Silvia took it from her mother, cuffed her around her neck. Nerita looked at everyone and wondered how she looked.
"Amazingly!" The guests responded with a chorus. Nerita handed the bag to the staff who worked several times a week, which she carried inside. The woman returned to print the box in her hands.
"Mrs, for you are left a gift."
"Me?" She took the box by surprise. "Daniel, is this your gift?"
He shook his head.
His mother opened the box and glanced inside.
Her face twisted in horror. The box fell out of his hands and hit the ground. Content leaked from inside. Alexander and the others got close and swoon – five human fingers were lying next to the box. Alexander grabbed Silvia which like others in horror, covered her mouth. She seemed to be nauseated.
A similar feeling flooded Nautaras Tumanavičius. He ran to the table. He set the cup and grabbed the glass, and filled it with whiskey. Although he had taken a glass of wine, he always preferred to drink this drink. He shook off from the sight he had just seen, he drank whiskey at once. He felt relieved.
Suddenly he stagnated and felt to the ground. The glass slipped into a comb. When the people heard the noise, they turned away and noticed Nautaras lying there, they were horrified.
"He's dead!" Someone, inflated near to him and checked the pulse, screamed.