“There is a reason why I haven’t come around to visit. If I am here and we are not discussing an important matter pertaining to an active case or something that can be one then I going to leave.”
“Oh no. I have something to discuss with you.” She crossed her legs. “It’s about the case you are on now. It’s sad on how that poor girl died.”
“Yeah it’s a shame that she was killed. She haven’t even had time to become someone.”
“Yeah. We all know that that boyfriend of her is guilty. Whether it had something to do with her death or at least her whereabouts.”
“Actually we don’t know if he is guilty or not. What is point are you trying to make here?” Christian said.
“I need you to be a good boy and loose this case. Because see the family of the lawyer you are going against is maybe our ticket to be at the top.”
“Excuse me? Our?”
“Me and Dan. You remember him right?”
“Oh you mean the man you abandon me for because if I was in his family I would tarnish his image.”
“You could think of him that way, but I prefer the loving man I came to marry after you father.”
“I’m not going to send an innocent person to prison all because you want me to help the self-centered bastard out. What has he ever done for me beside kick me out my own home?”
“That was not his doing.”
“Oh really because he didn’t stop me from walking out that door when I was sixteen so that make him an accomplice.”
“I tried to make this easy for you. I invited you not to ask whether or not you want to. It more like an order.”
“Well I’m sorry but I am grown and I am not taking orders from mommy anymore. You can tell your husband that he would have to find a different way to get what he want.”
“Christian, you are playing with fire. Not doing this we will turn your life into a living hell.”
“I thought you already took care of that when you conceived me and you know you nothing but a manipulative bitch.”
“You kiss your mother with that mouth.” The scarlet woman said smiling.
“I wouldn’t know because I never kissed my mother.”
“You are messing with forces beyond your kin.”
“You both can burn in hell.”
The scarlet woman laughed.
“You want us to burn in hell? What, like you father?” She said.
Christian face hardened.
“Yes. I know you were there. Someone one has been getting there hand dirty. But I hope you do know playing with fire is just an old saying, not a literal interpretation.”
“I didn’t cause that fire. I only went there to amend and destroy the feud in between us.”
“Well who’s to say that? You say that you were they to make up with daddy but all I saw was an arsonist leaving the scene of one of his projects but that’s not the kicker.” She leaned forward. “And in the process you killed you very own father. But why would you do such a thing. Maybe you went there to make up but in fact that it didn’t go the way you wanted. You, enraged burned down the building because he burned you.” She said in a voice
Christian sat with his eyes tearing up.
“You’re despicable. I never understood why he was so upset about losing you?”
“I hope that will make you reconsider.” She uncrossed her legs and stood. She turned as she was going to walk away but then turned back. “Oh, one more thing. It was nice talking to you again.”
Angry, Christian walked out of the house. He walked outside breathing heavily like he held his breath since he arrived. He felt in his mind in did as he anticipated more bad news. He couldn’t believe his own mother would turn against him for her husband, and because what he wanted. But in through all the disbelief he could believe that she would do such a thing cold heartedly to her son, she did send him away when he was only fourteen.
“I met a new man, Christian.” Said his mother.
Christian sat silently looking at the floor. She kneeled down in front of him.
“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“You are planning on sending me away. Why do I care about you meeting, when you doing nothing but abandoning me.”
“I am not abandoning you.”
“Yes you are. I heard you talking on the phone.”
“There is nothing I can do about that.” She said lifting his head. “I you could stay here I would let you, but frank doesn’t won’t anymore kids?”
“You are your own person. It not just about what Frank wants. You are you own person, you make your own decisions. Don’t make excuses for yourself.”
Christian walked out of the room leaving his mother on her one knee. She stood still, and didn’t speak. She sighed and then got up and walked in Christian footsteps out of the room.
Kyra sat at home. In her mind she kept thinking about the accident.
“How could I mistaken the light for green? How could I’ve lived and he died?” She thought as she washed one glass plate over and over again without realizing it. Victor walked into the kitchen with Lily.
“What are you doing?” He said.
“I am washing the dishes before they pile up.”
“Isn’t that what the dishwasher is for?”
“Oh I guess it slipped my mind.” She said looking at the dishwasher that sat under the counter. “I guess I would make a load.”
She opened up the dishwasher and sat the plate that she was washing inside it. She sat them in at a slow and steady pace that sped up to a rushed and jumble clatter.
“Kyra, you got to let this whole accident thing go.”
She threw a plate down. It shattered and the pieces dance across the kitchen floor “Don’t tell me to let go when you don’t know what I am facing every day! I wake up not being able to sleep, I keep having that night replay in the back of my head, and I have to where the wounds that go along with movie in my head! You weren’t there, and you were the one who was driving the car killing an innocent man!” She said infuriated with her hair flung over her face.
“You are right. I wasn’t the one driving the car and killed an innocent man. That was all you’re doing and if you want to go down to the police station and tell them it was your fault that now a man though could or could’ve be drunk is dead, then fine be my guess. I am not going to keep stopping you from trying to ruin your life because of something you think has happen when in reality no one knows what really happen that night. So you know what I am going to do I am going to go and you can do whatever the hell you want.”
Kyra scramble to her feet.
“Where do you think you are going?’ She said as she watched him sit Lily into her playpen.
“I am going out because I am tire of sitting here and watch you send yourself through this endless cycle of guilt when you can’t sure of what happen. All I can tell you to do is not worry but that seem to not work. I mean what do you want me to do? I am trying my hardest I can to help you but you don’t even want to help yourself through this.”
He grabbed his key and walked out the door slamming it behind him. She screamed out only having her screams be echoed in the empty house. She collapse to the floor and sat against a wall.
Christian made it back home. He threw down his things and sat. He felt tore on what he should do. He looked at a picture of Lisa that lied on the front of a newspaper. She was vibrant with her smile. She had a care-free look that many of us would grow envy toward her to have.
“I promise I won’t let you die like this.” He sat the picture down. “Let hell rain down on me.” He said opening his suitcase and taking his files and sitting them onto the desk.
Mr. Hoffman was at caressed Lynn in his arms and they both sat on the couch and enjoyed the silence of the house.
“The last man I loved hurt me. He never came back and left me and my daughter alone. Shortly after my daughter had gotten sick with some type of virus and had complication from it. She closed her
eye the night before and never came back from it. The doctor came in to inform me that she was too far gone. That my precious Sylvia would not wake up and I tried to deny it for as long as I could. I tried but soon enough days had passed and those turned into weeks. I just kept rubbing her head hoping that one day she would come through, that she would fight back. This whole time I was trying to stay strong for both of us and I wasn’t strong enough. I never told anyone this.” Said Lynn.
“I’m sorry.” Hoffman said with remorse.
There was a knocking at the door.
“Who could that be?” Said Lynn sitting up.
“I’ll go see who it is. You just sit here and relax. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Hoffman got up to see who was knocking at the door. He opened up the door to see it was the scarlet woman that was visiting.
“Hello, Brian.” She said dressed in a white dress with a ruby red hand bag.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just came to inform you that I took care of business but I’m pretty sure he won’t comply so you will have to find a way to win the case.”
“Who was it at the door?”
“It was just a visitor for me.”
“Kudos for sleeping with the judge on an active case.” The scarlet woman said.
“I am not going to have her, be on my side just so I can win the case. They’re has to be another way.”
“I didn’t crawl to you asking for your help. You came to me and I am letting you know all of your choices on how to get what you want.”
“Hello.” Lynn said going for a handshake.
“Hello, my name is Evelyn. I was just dropping by to inform Brian on a little project we were doing.”
“Is there anything I can help with?” Lynn said.
“Oh no. Everything is working out fine. Although you are a beautiful woman. I can see why she is a catch.” The scarlet woman. “Brian has told me so much about you. But don’t worry your secret is safe with me.”
“Good to know.” Brian said.
“Okay then I will be on my way. And remember times a ticking.” She opened up the door and left down to her car.
“I can explain. I…” Brian was kissed passionately by Lynn as they stood near the front door. He wrapped his arms at her waist and lifted her from the ground. She laughed as she was spun around and taken into the
Kyra sat on her bed staring into space. She didn’t speak, she didn’t move, she just sat staring awaiting the arrival of her husband. She had known he was right. She wouldn’t even help herself. She kept worrying until they broke into the brink of insanity. She heard the downstairs door unlock and even though she knew it was Victor she still didn’t move. He came upstairs into the room.
“I’m sorry about earlier.” He said.
“No need. I need you to tell me all those thing because you were right. I need to just let go because I am going to lose everyone including myself in the midst. I needed that explosion to put everything in perspective.” Kyra said looking up at Steven. “I should’ve tried harder to help myself than to depend on you just to help me.” She stood up and walked passed him out of the room and down the hall. Victor sat down on the bed sighing as he sat.
The court was brought together again. Everyone made they’re claims and testimony and Evelyn watch as her son began to win own the jury with his evidence that had no intention to kill his girlfriend.
“On this tape this is a conversation that me and my client had a few day prior to today.” Christian said.
He played the tape of their conversation and the jury listened.
“What point are you trying to make Mr. Collin?” Judge Lynn asked.
“What motive would he have? He did not know of the theft until we questioned Magi at the stand and yes he admitted to being upset but otherwise who can legitimately say that they had never a rocky relationship. Relationship has dysfunction and without that then you will drive yourself insane finding all those qualities that you thought were perfect.” Christian walked to his side. “Nothing further your honor.”
He sat.
The court was adjourned again and Christian left. As he walked he ran into his mother.
“You are trying so hard to win only to lose. I would have thought for sure my fear speech would have made you change your mind.” Evelyn said with an immense ego.
“Then you don’t know me because if you were going to call the authorities you would have already had done it.”
“You know all these years I thought your teachers were full of crap calling you a genius and all but you are truly the detective. I would have thought to call them by now because I knew you would give up on the case, you were just going to keep trying even after my threat. To prove that you couldn’t be swayed by anyone. But you know I’m done with words, it’s time for action.” She said.
“You want to know something, you are nothing but a snake. You manipulate whoever you want and you expect the results to be in your favor. You can careless for who is hurt or is lost in the process to make everyone else’s life a living hell by because you can’t stand to look at that person in mirror. The only reason why are still with you is because you do the dirty work for him or else he would have left you on a side of the road like the trash you are. So you can do what are snake are good for and bite me.” Christian said as he walked away. “Time to buckle up. This is going to be one hella of a ride.” Christian spoke to himself as he walked out into the streets.
Chapter VI
Kyra went to the hospital to have her cast removed. She sat in her car as her husband drove. She stared out the window as she has done so many times before. Neither wanted speak, and neither did and haven’t in a little under eight weeks. They sat isolated as they were strangers again. Just meeting for the first time. They made it to the hospital and pulled into the garage that lied under building. Victor got out of the car leaving Kyra in passenger car. He approached the elevator door but before he did, Kyra shouted.
“Steven, you are leaving me! I need your help.”
Victor turned around and walked back to help her.
“I’m sorry. I just spaced out and forgot.”
He truly did look like he had something on his mind and it wasn’t Kyra. She didn’t bother to ask any questions she just board the elevator with Steven.
She sat patiently waiting for the doctor to come in. Victor was still silent, looking down at the floor. The doctor came in.
“Hello, Kyra you are back. I am assuming that you want that cast removed?”
“Yes.” Kyra responded.
“Eight long weeks. That a long time to be immobilized.”
“I found a way to manage. I am a mother after all.”
“I know. It’s in your blood. It’s in your instinct. Well why we don’t get started.”
“Yeah.”
She had reached for the cast saw and clicked it on. I buzzed loudly filling the empty air filled with quiet with a hum of the tool.
She got into the elevator with her crutches and pushed a button down to the basement. She and Victor stood still in the elevator, not speak as they did when they arrived. She had walked down to the car putting her crutches in the back seat and she sat in the front. Victor followed behind her getting into the car and driving off.
Christian returned home to see that his door was cracked open. It was splintered along the edges. The door was kicked in and as he opened the door he saw torn papers thrown everywhere, tables flipped and glass was broken. He looked at a fragment of paper and realized that these were his document for his case his suitcase was broken in two piece with both piece through to both sides of the room. His answering machine beeped and he walked over to it and pressed play to listen to the messages.
“Hello darling.” Evelyn said. “This is your mother. You really should’ve heaved my warning and dropped the case. But now it came down to this, because you perseverance and courage got the best of you. Now you know, anywhere you go you can’t hide.
We can get into place and we can destroy you. Don’t let your guard down just yet because this is only the beginning of the ride of your life. Welcome to hell son.” A long beep ended the message and it was clear to Christian. Either drop the case or be harassed. He feel down to his needs looking around at the destruction.
“She won’t stop until one of us is dead.” She stood back up and left his home. Walking back out into the streets.
Kyra sat in the car when they made it home. Victor stopped the car and turned the key in the ignition. He got out of the car but Kyra stalled behind, waiting in the car. She reached up to grab the visor to look in the mirror. A picture fell down onto her lap. It was of another woman.
“Who is this?” Kyra said.
“It wasn’t none of her friend, or clients she had. She don’t even remember getting a picture. She flipped it to the back and saw a phone number in written in black ink pen on the back. Kyra rushed to put the picture in her pocket. She got out of her car and closed the car door. She began walking up the path to their door and saw that was on the phone with someone. She didn’t confront him, instead she waltzed up the stair calmly and hid the picture in her jewelry box.
Matt waited outside the police precinct wanting to go inside. Anticipating the moment where he grow the strength to tell them what she had done. He stared at the traffic in and out of the building. He knew that would make thing escalate. What could the police do? They probably are turned against him to. They would never believe him. He couldn’t be sure he left the street and went back home.
He sat in front of his answering machine again. He press play to the next message his mother left.
“Oh and I forgot to tell you. There is nothing you can do to stop me. You can try to run to the police department but you need to understand one thing… I cannot be touched.” The beep ended the message again.
Kyra sat looking at the picture of the mystery woman. She kept looking back at the number and grasping her cellphone in the other hand. She unlocked her phone to the dialer and dialed all the number in and held it looking at the call button. She clicked the power button on her phone closing the app and locking her phone. Victor walked in looking at her.
A Murder Of Our Own (Inevitable Darkness) Page 5