Black Butterfly, Where Does the Black Butterfly Go Drink Water - chapter 53

“-Oh, I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m tired–”

“Come in and get some rest. How come you find it harder to talk to a counsellor for an hour than a few hours of catching a robber?”

Tim giggled and turned the steering wheel gently. Jude, who was drooping like a soft-boiled yolk on the passenger seat of Tim’s slowly-moving-car mumbled in a dying voice. After visiting the FBI New York branch and undergoing interrogations with a counsellor, it was already dark in the evening.

“They’re asking, asking, and asking again and again… I’m really tired. It’s a conversation that doesn’t have any substance. Anyway, thank you for giving me a ride.”

“What. It’s almost time to finish work anyway. It’s not far away. Aren’t you hungry? What do you want to eat?”

“Tim… Tim is my angel from heaven. You know I sometimes take it seriously, right? Tim is definitely going to heaven, I guarantee it.”

“Do you decide I’ll buy for you before we even go?”

The bewildered Tim soon burst into laughter. The voice full of resignation echoed inside the car, saying that it wouldn’t be a big deal to buy one more meal for a partner who was shrinking like a boiled vegetable in the passenger seat.

“Yeah, in any case, I’ll have to treat you so you can eat properly. Thank goodness you don’t get wasted on beer. It’s on me, what are you going to eat…..”

Wooong. Wooong. The cell phone cried in Jude’s pocket when he was about to answer Tim. Jude, who was leaning against the passenger seat, searched in his pocket with his eyes closed. A tired voice came out.

“It’s Jude.”

[Oh, Ju, Jude? I’m teacher Mary.]

“……huh?”

[Mary, Mary from the Waynebeck Orphanage. Don’t you remember? Jude.]

“Ah……… Ms Mary?”

Jude sprang up and adjusted his posture. He could feel Tim’s suspicious eyes. The voice over the cell phone was shaking with mild excitement.

[Yes, it’s me. Oh, how long has it been! Have you been so busy that I can’t even see your face once? How are you doing?]

“Oh… yes, of course. I’m doing well to a degree. How about you, teacher? Are you okay?”

[Well, for some reason I can’t reach you. Oh, it’s so nice to hear your voice like this.]

“Yeah, I’m glad too, but… well, how did you get this number?”

Jude’s voice, which was laughing out loud for a moment, showed his suspicion. Mary began to answer the question with a pleased voice.

[Your friend came today. I got it from the young man.]

“……my friend? Which one has gone?”

The only “friend” who knows about his experience of the Waynebeck Orphanage is the one sitting next to him. Mary’s cheerful voice came out when he peeked sideways at Tim and asked.

[Joan. He said his name is Joan Nelvis. He works with you, and he looked for me, to, uh, update your police personal information. He’s extremely polite, fresh looking and has a bright smile, like a straight-laced young man. Are you close to him?]

“…Joan Nelvis? What does he look like?”

[Huh? What does he look like? He has light brown hair and wore dark-rimmed glasses. His eyes are bluish-grey… No, Jude, why do you ask that? You don’t know him?]

Mary’s voice is mixed with anxiety. Jude, who was sighing so hard that he could not hear Mary for a moment, soon smiled brightly.

“No, I know him. We work together. We’re pretty close. I was just wondering for a moment if someone else was impersonating him seeing that the world is so harsh these days, don’t worry.”

[Oh, really? Good to hear that. I was surprised.]

“Aha, I’m sorry. How do you spell his name?”

[Oh, my, are you still suspicious? Speaking of being a police, I guess it is not a relaxing job either. J, o, a, n, N, e, l, v, i, s. Is that right?]

“Yes, that’s right, that’s right. You don’t have to worry.”

When Mary answered cheerfully while he chews and spit curses at the blue-grey-eyed young man inside, Mary over the phone said with a short sigh of relief.

[So, can you come to that event?]

“Oh… I’ll think about it. I’ll go if I don’t have work that day, but the police work is always-on. I’ll call you back at this number when that happens.”

[Yes, I understand. Always take care of yourself, and even if you can’t come that day, make sure to stop by. It’s been so long since I last saw you. I was so happy that he came and told me about you.]

“Oh, yes. I’ll visit you sometime. Stay healthy, too.”

[Okay, I’ll see you later.]

Tim questioned Jude, who closed his flip phone. It was because urgent calls from police stations or calls from the FBI, which had increased significantly until recently were the routine calls that were heard the most.

“Who is it?”

“Oh, orphanage teacher. She called to tell me that my friend gave her my number.”

“Friend? What kind of friend?”

“A guy from the orphanage. I was just in touch with him for a moment, and I think he must have informed the teacher… Oh, Tim! There, there! They said that Indian cuisine over there is amazing. I heard Dawson brags a lot about it a while ago!”

As Jude pointed at the restaurant sign that they just passed by and shouted, Tim forgot about the friend named Joan. Orphanage friend, not the one who sometimes bothers him about money – Tim quickly turned the steering wheel.