Karma's a Bitch: A Short Story
Page 7
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Debra Evans sat down in the disheveled chair that looked like it was forty-years old. She picked up the phone and began talking to her husband. They were separated by a clear plastic divider. She had tears in her eyes. "Clint," she said in a tearful voice, "what have you done?"
"I know how it looks Debra, but I swear I didn't do it. You know me, I couldn't kill someone," he said pleadingly.
Debra blotted her eyes with a tissue. "I don't really believe you killed her, but that doesn't mean you didn't have a relationship with her."
"I swear, I didn't. Look, I did flirt with her a couple of times, but it was just flirting. I'm sorry, but I admit it. It felt good to flirt. I feel like you still look at me with disdain."
"Now it's my fault?"
"No, I'm not blaming you. The way you feel about me is my own fault and I'm trying to prove that I'm worthy of your love and affection again, but I'm still a man. All I’m saying is that it felt good to have a female show interest in me. That's all. I swear, I never acted on it."
"How do you explain the hair in her car and the texts she received?"
He shook his head in confusion. "I don't know how the hair got there. I think about it all of the time. I'm positive that I never even went near her car, and as far as the texts go, the police have no proof that I sent them."
"Do they know where the texts came from?"
"No, they can't find the phone."
"Well, then how can they prove it was you?"
He slumped down in his chair. "They believe the hair, my previous felony, and the fact that I have no alibi is enough to get a conviction."
She buried her face in her hands. "It doesn't sound good.” She looked back up. “I can't go through this again."
"I know, sweetheart. If I'm convicted, you need to divorce me and get on with your life. How's Jake doing?" Debra started to sob. Clint sat up straight in his chair alarmed. "What's the matter? Is Jake Okay?" Debra was crying so hard she couldn't get the words out. She was shaking her head no. "Debra, please, tell me. What's wrong with Jake?"
"Our little boy has run away," she said between sobs.
"Run away! Where did he go?"
"I don't know. As soon as he heard about your arrest, he left. I knew he was already doing drugs, but I think it’s even worse now. He's hanging out with a bad crowd."
Clint rubbed his face with his hands, as tears filled his eyes. "This is all my fault."