Another Last Chance

by Tristan Walker

  “And the officers breaking down yuh door to respond to the shooting?”

  Kevin became confused.

  “No.” He shook his head. “The officers didn’t break down the door.”

  “So, you don’t remember that part either?”

  “Well, I remember the officers being there, but they didn’t break down the door to come inside.”

  “So, how they get inside then?”

  “They pick the lock.”

  The corporal glanced at him from the corner of his eyes as if he thought Kevin was being ridiculous. He waited a few seconds, giving Kevin the opportunity to correct himself, but when he realized Kevin wasn’t saying anything he continued talking.

  “So, what you telling me is that the officers responded to a shooting at your house, and took their time to pick the lock to get inside the house?”

  “Um...” Kevin realized how stupid it was sounding. He knew he’d have to go in-depth with the story if he wanted the corporal to understand the situation, but that wasn’t something he was prepared to do since he didn’t know if the corporal was part of their crew.

  “Okay, this is what happened. I went to my house to get some money and clothes and other stuff and before I could leave the officers picked the lock to come inside and lock me up.”

  “Okay.” The corporal nodded. “And how yuh friend Wendell come into the picture?”

  Kevin only wanted the corporal to reveal whether his apartment was burnt down or not, so he’d know whether the memory card was still in play. But the situation was turning out more complicated than he had expected.

  “He was my driver. He dropped me there to collect my stuff and he came back to pick me up when I called him.”

  “Okay, and the officers follow him there and pick the lock to get inside?”

  “Yeah.”

  The corporal leaned back on the chair and crossed his feet as if he was a shrink, studying the complicated mind of his patient. He looked very calm while doing so.

  “So, what about Wendell family?”

  Kevin raised his brow when he heard the corporal mention the family. He had almost forgotten about them.

  “Hmm.” He sighed. “What about them?”

  He waited a few seconds before answering. “They went to the station and made a report that you assaulted his sister before tying them up and going to meet Wendell.”

  Kevin nervously passed his hand through his hair and on his face. He kept his fist over his mouth. “That was all they say?”

  “From the information I get, yeah.” They were both silent for a short moment. “So it is true?”

  “Well…” Kevin was contemplating whether to tell the truth or not and decided that lying would only make things more complicated. “Yeah, somewhat.” He shook his head, disappointed in himself for what he had done.

  “So, what exactly is true? Everything or just the report his family make?”

  Kevin looked at him as if he was crazy to be asking such a question.

  “Only what his family say. Wendell was my friend. We had we ups and downs in the past, but I would never think about doing something like that.”

  “Okay, calm down. I not here to interrogate you or anything. We just talking, right?”

  “Yeah. I know… I normal.”

  The corporal was thinking.

  “So, if you don’t mind me asking, what was yuh intentions after tying up his family?”

  Kevin looked at him and shook his head. He was beginning to sound more and more like an investigator and Kevin was becoming annoyed.

  “Listen, this whole thing plenty bigger than you think okay. And no matter what I say, it not going to make a difference. So we could just forget about it for now, alright?”

  The corporal frowned.

  “Alright, I understand what you saying but let me just explain something,” he said. “I just here to guard you, nothing else. Now that you wake up, I have to call the investigator who dealing with this matter and he would send his people to stay with you until you medically fit to stand trial. I not even supposed to be talking to you. And, because of that, I can’t mention any of this. So, don’t worry.” He was studying Kevin’s reaction. “So, now that, that out of the way,” he continued. “Hear what. You tell me exactly what you want to know and I would tell you just that. This whole situation too confusing for me to deal with anyways.”

  Kevin thought about all the things he would want to know.

  “Okay, well… What is the information you get concerning Wendell?”

  “Well, based on the investigation, they working with the theory that he wanted to turn you in for the reward money so you killed him,” the corporal said.

  Kevin slapped his hand on the bed, then looked up at the ceiling in disbelief. He then took a deep breath and tightened his fist, in an attempt to control his anger. It was like the police were working overtime to make sure he’d have to spend the rest of his life behind bars, since they didn’t succeed in killing him. It was beginning to seem impossible to get out of their mess.

  He looked at the corporal.

  “And what about my apartment?”

  “Well, you didn’t succeed in burning the evidence. You end up pouring the gas, but the officers came in time to stop you in yuh tracks.”

  “By shooting me?”

  The corporal shook his head. “What else you expect?” You shoot behind the police and run out…”

  “I didn’t shoot behind no fucking police,” Kevin said, angrily, then stopped. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Sorry, is not even your fault.” He shook his head and turned to the window. The corporal gave him a few minutes to calm himself.

  “Anything else?” he asked.

  Before Kevin could reply, an attendant entered the room. She was pushing a trolley that contained boxes of food and drinks. She seemed surprised that Kevin was awake.

  “Morning. I didn’t know the patient was up,” she said to the corporal as she handed him his breakfast and a cup of tea. He took it and rested it on top of the table right next to the newspapers.

  “Yeah, he wake up a short while ago.”

  “I would tell the nurses and when they finish with him I will come back with his breakfast, okay?”

  “Alright, no problem.”

  The corporal stood up and went to the door. The nurse was smiling with him.

  “Don’t forget to let me know when you leaving,” she said to him.

  “Yeah, don’t worry. I would check you as soon as they reach.”

  “Alright, I hope so,” she said blushing, and left the room. He had a broad smile that took a while to go away.

  He returned to his seat and asked Kevin if there was anything else he wanted to know for the second time, and when Kevin shook his head the corporal got up and contacted someone on his cell phone, telling them that the patient had awoken.

  Two Nigerian doctors came into the room a short while after and during their conversation with the corporal Kevin learnt that he was shot four times. Twice in his back, and twice in his left leg. Luckily for him there wasn’t any major damage done to his organs and there was also a drastic improvement with the internal bleeding. The corporal took notes.

  After the doctors left, the smiling attendant returned with Kevin’s breakfast, which was a bread and tuna sandwich and a lukewarm cup of tea. Before he had finished eating several officers came into the room and were greeted by the corporal. They were all dressed in the blue and black tactical wear and equipped with machine guns, and unlike the officers at Kevin’s apartment, their faces were not hidden.

  One of the men told the corporal that they were the officers who were specifically assigned to continue the guard duty until the patient was discharged. He also mentioned that each officer was assigned to work a twelve-hour rotation period.

  After their discussion the corporal left without saying a word to Kevin, but he made eye contact and that was when Kevin remembered that he said he wasn’t supposed to say anyth
ing to him.

  The officers were briefed and then taken outside to be introduced to the doctors and nurses who were assigned to Kevin. When that was completed, the officers came back in the room.

  They walked around and looked under the bed and mattress for anything out of the ordinary. When they were satisfied only one of the officers remained. He secured the windows and went outside the door. He checked on Kevin once or twice within every hour.

  The first few nights passed uneasily, as Kevin had to learn to sleep with limited movements due to his hand and foot being cuffed to the bed. He also had pains from the bullet wounds and other bruises.

  The doctors and nurses had their specific visiting times, so during the night when his pain became unbearable they would only attend to him on their timing. On a few occasions the officer on duty would come to him and quiet him down by making threats to harm him since he was also interrupting their sleep. All that had stopped when Kevin had learned that the pain he was feeling was nothing compared to what they did to him when he didn’t keep his mouth shut.

  Tuesday morning after breakfast a slim East Indian man entered the room. He was dressed in a suit and carrying a folder under his arm. His head was bald, and his face was clean shaven. Kevin thought that he was either in his late forties or early fifties. He walked straight to the bed and sat on the chair where the corporal was once seated without looking Kevin directly in the face. He made himself comfortable before saying anything.

  “Morning, how everything going with you?” he said and waited for Kevin’s response.

  “I good for the hour,” Kevin answered, wondering who he was.

  “Alright, good.” He looked relaxed and unbothered. “My name is Jason Ramoutar. I attached to the Arima cid, and I is the main investigator in your case.”

  Kevin gave him his attention.

  He opened the folder and began studying the first page as if it was the first time he was looking at it.

  “Kevin Jones, age twenty eight of 54 Kenneth Street, Enterprise,” he said with a half-smile and then closed the file and kept his eyes on Kevin for a moment.

  “You know, for the past few weeks I was working hard on this case, and I was trying to figure out how somebody like you end up in all this mess. I mean. I was dying to know where you went wrong. You don’t have any criminal record and you never had any problems with the law before. But, after digging deeper I realize after getting lay off from your work early last year you started hanging out with Steve Thomas, Marcus Elliot and Wendell Pierre. All three of them had drug related offenses before the court. I think hanging with them fellas was the first bad decision you make. And I believe that is the problem.”

  Kevin was looking at him and listening. He was impressed by what he had gathered from the investigation and was anxious to know what else he knew.

  “I have my theory of what went on at that nightclub and things not looking too good on your part.”

  “And what is your theory?” Kevin said.

  He smiled. “I glad you ask. That mean you willing to cooperate.” He opened back the file and turned the page.

  Kevin remained quiet.

  “Okay, this is the facts I have. You and yuh boys have allyuh little drug thing going on. So somebody arrange a birthday lime for the deceased, Marcus Elliot and everybody attended, all good and well. Except, you had something else up your sleeve. Yuh girlfriend pregnant and like any father you want the best for your child, so you decide to get rid of everyone in the crew and take everything for yourself and head south for the winter.” He paused and looked at Kevin with a smirk on his face and then shook his head as if he was disappointed in him.

  Kevin bit down on his jaw and looked away for a moment. He was eager to intervene, but he’d decided to listen to everything the investigator had to say, before speaking.

  “After killing Marcus and leaving Steve in his critical condition you went into the Brasso Seco forest with the intentions to lay low for a few days.” He turned the page again and scan through before he continued with his story.

  “Unfortunately for you, our officers went into quick action and they eventually caught up with you in the forest. You fired at the officers and somehow managed to escape.” He looked up at Kevin to make sure he was following.

  “After hiding for a few days you contact Wendell and convince him that you didn’t have anything to do with the shooting at the club. He believed you, as expected, and the both of you arranged to meet at your house for whatever reason. At that time a reward was already on your head and Wendell decide to go against allyuh friendship and turn you in for the money. You found out his plan and put a bullet to his head without showing any remorse. The gunshot alerted the police and within no time police broke down your door and you started shooting behind them yet again. But, this time you wasn’t so lucky, hence the reason why you lying on this hospital bed here today.” He closed the file and was smiling.

  Kevin shook his head and turned away. He could feel the anger and frustration building inside him. They had done everything necessary to clear their tracks.

  “So, what you think?” the investigator finally said.

  Kevin turned to him and used his free hand to wipe away the tears from his eyes.

  “What you mean what I think? You know that is not what happen.”

  “Well, let me share ah little something with you. Is not always about what happen. A lot of times it is about what you could prove happen. And, unlike you, we could prove all of this.”

  Kevin thought about it and he knew, even with the memory card he couldn’t prove much. The evidence on the memory card wouldn’t be enough to prove he was innocent in the nightclub’s shooting, or in Wendell’s murder.

  “So, what you want?”

  The investigator showed a straight face now. “Nothing much, but before we get into that let me just say something. You see how important it is to not interfere. It is always better to mind your own business. If you did just leave that memory card where it was, none of this would be happening today.” He leaned closer to Kevin and lowered his voice. “Too much people involve in this operation. So, I hope you understand why we couldn’t just leave it like that.”

  “Hmm…” Kevin was thinking. “So allyuh not going to back down until allyuh get that memory card?” he said in a weakened voice.

  “No. And that is one of the reason you alive today. We didn’t want to take the chance of it getting in the wrong hands.”

  “Yeah, that obvious. I figured that much. And what I getting in exchange for the memory card?”

  He opened the folder to a page where Kevin could see a few loose pages.

  “It real simple. All you have to do is cooperate. We would send a lawyer for you and all you have to do is sign a confession statement.”

  Kevin heart raced on the thought of getting a sentence of life imprisonment for committing both murders. His eyes where opened wide. “A confession statement of what? Your theory?”

  “No, of course not. We have another conclusion. It going to benefit you more because you would be serving less jail time.”

  “How much less?”

  “Anywhere between five to eight years.”

  Kevin thought about it. He knew they had already done a good job in tarnishing his name. At this point he knew they were capable of doing anything in order to stay out of prison.

  “And what about Steve?”

  The investigator looked surprised by the question.

  “What about him?”

  “He getting charge for anything?”

  “No. Unless you want to give us some information, we don’t have anything on him. We have a good idea that he still dealing with drugs. But, that is all we have. We don’t have any concrete evidence.”

  Kevin was glad to hear that.

  “So, let me get this straight. The deal is, I would be getting less jail time and you guys would continue doing what allyuh doing without the fear of eventually getting caught by whoever would have access to
the memory card?”

  “Yeah, exactly. Is a win-win situation for everybody. Unless you decide to serve the life sentence. That way it would only be a win situation for us.” He smiled a crooked officer kind of smile.

  Kevin was given an ultimatum, but serving anything less than a life sentence would be the obvious decision.

  “What is the new story?” he asked.

  The investigator shifted the loose pages. “Well, we willing to take you off of the nightclub shooting by pinning everything on Wendell. We would even make it clear that he went to your house to finish what he started at the club and you somehow managed to call the police. When we reach there, you ran through the door and he shot you a couple times. At that moment, we had no choice but to take him down.”

  “Okay, and what about my face being all over the news?”

  “That is what you can’t get away from and we had no choice but to add it in your statement.” His eyes went back to the folder. “So, after the nightclub shooting you were fearful for your life and went hiding in the forest, hoping that things would clear up and we would find Wendell before he find you. While searching the forest for suspects we caught up with you and you managed to shoot yuh way out. Luckily no officers did get hurt.” He handed both statements to Kevin so he could examine them.

  Both documents were a combination of the investigator’s summary of the evidence he had gathered and Kevin’s confession statement.

  The new statement cleared him of both murders along with some other major offences. It was a good deal.

  Kevin’s eyes left the pages and went to the investigator.

  “What? Something wrong?” He asked when he noticed Kevin’s concerned look.

  “How I so sure you would keep your end of the deal?”

  He smiled. “That is the best part. You would only give us the memory card after yuh first hearing. As long as the judge see the statement you good to go. It don’t have anything we could say or do to change that.”

  “Oh, okay.” Kevin continued studying both statements for some time.

  “So, we have a deal?” the investigator interrupted his reading.

  “Yeah. We have ah deal.” Kevin said without taking his eyes off of the documents.