by J. Valentine
“Good morning Olivia,” Stephanie said, through a laugh.
Stephanie and Max were both smiling, having a good time, as he made breakfast for them all.
“Bacon will be ready in a few minutes Olivia,” Max told her.
“Good morning, glad to see you guys are so in love,” Olivia joked at them, getting Max to blush, and Stephanie to laugh.
The breakfast, and coffee was delicious as always when Max cooked. There was discussion about “day drinking” for the two lovers, but Olivia had much more important things to attend to. Even thought that did sound tempting. The positive mood in the kitchen helped lift her spirits. Thinking maybe there was still something she could do to solve this case. If whatever Barry told her was even important, that was.
“Anyways, Barry is asking to talk to me again, I gotta go see what the hell he wants exactly, I should go.”
The tone in the kitchen got more serious. They could see the situation was weighing heavy on Olivia.
“You’ll solve it Olivia. We know you can,” Stephanie comforted her, laying a hand on her shoulder.
“You got it sis,” Max agreed.
She got out the door, climbed into the Honda, and made her way to the police station. She parked in the same street parking and fed the meter, looking on at the intimidating building, steps leading up to the structure.
***
“Well hello again,” the receptionist greeted her, smiling.
“Good morning, how are you today?”
“I’m good. Here’s your visitors badge, I’ll just get you to sign in again,” she slid the sign in sheet underneath the glass barrier dividing the station from the public. “I’ll page detective Wilson.”
Brad stepped through the door leading her to the back.
“Hey Olivia, we got him waiting in interrogation again for you,” he told her.
“Any updates since before?” She inquired.
“Yeah actually. His tune may be a bit different. The chief and crown attorneys have decided to go ahead and press charges against him. He has his bail hearing tomorrow. I doubt he’ll be let out, considering the bitcoin and his previous escape attempt.”
“Wow okay. Well I’ll testify, and be here for anything you need,” she told him, upset that the potentially innocent man had been charged with no hard evidence. The Cartwright’s would be happy.
She could see him sitting in the chair through the window in the door to the interrogation room. They buzzed her in.
“You wanted to see me again Barry?” She asked.
“Make sure you get your money from that check I gave you okay? I’m sure it won't be in the account much longer. Anna and Layla will probably be suing me for it, my lawyer told me.”
“I didn’t solve the case though, it’s okay,” she said, putting a hand on the handcuffed man’s shoulder.
He pulled away. “No, I want you to have it.”
“Is that all you wanted to see me for? Do you have any other information I can go on? I’m not done investigating yet.”
“Did you find anything else out about Anna and Layla?” He asked her.
She looked over towards the mirror, knowing Brad was watching her, unknowing if she went to the cabin or not. “Nothing yet, and trust me,” she leaned in, to quietly say “I looked.”
“Okay. There is something else you need to know,” he told her.
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry… for what I’m about to tell you, but it’s been eating at my conscience, and I want you to know the truth.”
“You’re scaring me Barry, what is it?” Her heart rate started to increase, she began to sweat, panic coming over her. He looked incredibly guilty and upset by what he was about to say.
“Maryam was the driver who killed your mom. I was in the passenger seat. We were both drinking.”
“Whaa…” She couldn’t get the full word out of her mouth. The events flashed before her eyes. Maryam, the killer. Her eyes began to tear up, as her heart race increased further. Madness was beginning to take hold of her, and her anger towards Barry increased each second of deeper realization, “How could you?” She managed to get out.
Brad busted through the door to get her out of there. Concerned with what she might do to the man. Her client, who witnessed her mother’s death and failed to say anything.
“Olivia I’m sorry,” Barry yelled, as Brad escorted her out of the interrogation room.
Chapter 26
Olivia was devastated.
She stormed out of the police station in tears. Brad followed, but could do nothing to sooth her. She wanted to be alone, away from Brad, and all the other police officers who couldn’t help their family. What am I going to tell Max, her panicked mind thought. He’d be even more devastated, having taken the death so much harder. Another case solved, but at such horrible cost, the case of her own mother’s death.
She approached her car and turned back to Brad, “I just need to be left alone for a bit, please!” She begged through crying eyes.
Brad ignored her. Walking up to her, and embracing her in a hug. He was right, this was what she needed. She cried into his strong chest. “It’ll be okay,” he told her.
“How could he, how could he wait so long to say anything?” She asked.
“It’ll be okay,” he pulled her in closer, not knowing exactly what she needed to hear about the man.
“I have to go home, and tell Max,” she told him.
She broke away from Brad’s embrace, and went into the car. He stood, watching her as she pulled away, and drove towards home.
***
She cried the whole way home. Pulled up the driveway and saw Max’s car. She sat waiting in the driver’s seat, not sure exactly how to proceed.
Her mind raced, What am I going to tell him? The man who hired me to investigate a murder in Red Arch witnessed our own mother’s murder. And the murderer of our mother, is the murder victim, and my client is in custody being charged with the killing. What a fu*king entanglement. And everyone was fu*king everyone involved practically. Max was just getting past the death, and now this. He was doing well at work, good with Stephanie and his relationships, getting back into hunting since moving home. Now I have to tell him the truth.
She built up the courage to go inside the door. She walked in the kitchen to see Brad and Stephanie still there, cleaning up after the extravagant breakfast.
“You’re home early,” Max said, turning around and seeing Olivia’s tearful face. His face drooped, and his heart sank. “What’s wrong?” He asked.
Olivia looked towards Stephanie who had matched Max’s energy, looking scared and frightened as well. “Could you give us a minute Stephanie?”
She nodded, “Yeah, I’ll go,” she left the room.
Olivia went to her brother, and hugged him for a moment, not sure what to say. He hugged her back, and she could sense his worrying stress growing quickly.
“What is it?” He asked her.
“Can we sit down?”
They sat down at the table. Olivia wanted to give Max time to prepare himself for the blow that was to come.
“I know what happened to mom,” Olivia told him.
His eyes widened and mouth agape. “What?” He mumbled.
“Maryam Cartwright was driving drunk, and hit her. Barry was in the passenger seat.”
He looked down, beginning to now cry as well. He got up and walked over to his sister, giving her a warm hug.
“At least we know the truth now,” he told her.
“Yeah, at least we know the truth,” she agreed. Her brother took it surprisingly well. Maybe he needs more time for it to sink in, she thought.
“What do we even do from here? Where do we go?” He asked her.
“I don't know Max.”
They broke contact, and looked at each other in sadness. They’d have to inform the rest of the family now. Maybe call the insurance company, or lawyer to let them know what happened, and see what to do. They weren’
t sure.
“I’ll go get Stephanie,” he said after a moment. “She’ll be wondering what’s going on.”
Everyone in the community knew Mary Guilbault well. She cut a lot of their hair, and was a well upstanding member of the society. The gossip would spread quickly, and the Cartwright name will be very tarnished. Anna and Layla would be devastated to see their mother’s name so besmirched. Olivia would want to get more information about the situation, but decided she was too close to it. Investigating the death the first time was very difficult. Getting further answers would just hurt her soul even more. She imagined there would likely be lawsuits between Barry and the Cartwrights. They’d probably say it didn’t happen, it was all lies, or it was Barry driving. Only one witness survived though, so no one would be able to find out if what he was saying, was in fact the whole truth.
Olivia left Max to talk to Stephanie. She’d do her part in telling the town. Everyone wanted to talk to the bartender, and she was very well liked in the community. Olivia went upstairs and found an old photo album. Looking through it, admiring her mother’s beauty, and the love her parents had for one another. She found a great picture of them all at a beach in Red Arch. Max and her playing in the sand. Her mother looking up lovingly at her father. Her long brown hair draping down her bikini’d body, her father’s strong masculine frame standing tall next to her. She kept turning the pages, looking at their families happy history, cut short far too soon.
***
A few hours later she got a call from Brad. She still sat in her bedroom looking through old photos, trying her best to keep her thoughts happy. Her and her brother sat for a bit as well, sharing memories, and discussing what would happen from here.
“How are you doing Olivia?” Brad asked her.
“I’m okay. How’s it going over there?”
“He’s sticking to the story. He had his lawyers come back and answered all our questions. I believe him, I don’t think he was driving. Still, not reporting that is a crime, and it’ll be added to his list of charges. He’s asking for a deal now.”
“What does he want?” She asked, curiously.
“He wants to plead guilty to not reporting an accident resulting in loss of life, theft of the harddrive which he has already agreed to return to the Cartwright’s, assault of you, cocaine possession, and falsifying a police report for lying about his alibi, if we drop the murder charges.”
“So what do you think he’d get for that?”
“Probably five years, out in half with good behaviour. It’d be a life sentence if we get him for murder,” he said.
“I still don’t think he did it. You should take the deal. Save the taxpayers some money.”
“I thought you’d say that. He’d be out in less than three years, and be a multi millionaire if he doesn’t lose the inheritance. I’m sure the Cartwright’s are going to sue him for it, but I can’t imagine a judge will take the money away from him. They’ll probably strike a deal where he returns the harddrive if he can keep his cut of the inheritance. The Cartwright’s would be crazy not to agree.”
“Exactly, he can always just not tell you guys where the harddrive is exactly, and when he gets out of prison, smash it, or run to another country with it,” Olivia said.
“We’ll see how it all goes. What are you doing? Are you staying in Red Arch? Are you going to continue investigating?”
“I think I’m going to stay with Max for a bit, then leave. I haven’t gotten anywhere, and I’m beginning to lose hope of solving it.”
“I understand,” Brad told her, “I’ll keep you updated on everything, Olivia.”
“Okay, Brad.”
“And Olivia?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“If it means anything to you, I want you to stay.”
Chapter 27
One month later,
***
To my readers: Sorry for not updating in a while. You know how it is with death. Old memories brought to light. For those of you who don’t know, my mother was lost in a hit and run car accident. We found the killer. They won't be brought to justice as they have also been murdered. Maryam Cartwright. Still, there is no one convicted for her murder. The client who hired me to clear his name, had the murder charge dropped in exchange for pleading guilty to a myriad of other charges. He’ll be free in a few years, and will be very well off at that time.
I’m done for now in Red Arch. It’s my last day. I’ll be travelling back down south, hopefully to find a new case... that I will have more luck solving. Leaving a town before solving a case always leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It’s even worse when it’s your hometown. The people here have been so nice and welcoming when I returned. Hopefully I’ll get the same treatment, if I ever come back.
She finished updating her blog. Still saddened by the past few months events, and depressed about everything that took place. Her brother was doing well. He was downstairs cooking breakfast. Her train was leaving later that morning.
“You sure you don’t want to say goodbye to Brad before you leave?” Max asked her, as she walked down the stairs.
His breakfast was perfect as always. Coffee brewing in his oversized french press, bacon and sausages sizzling, hashbrowns frying, and eggs crackling. Alvi layed down, looking outside, at the late February snow that was beginning to melt.
“No, I’d rather just leave, and get out of here,” she told him, sadly.
Things had ended between Brad and her. He wanted her to stay in Red Arch, but she had to get out of the town, and away from her failures. Too much hurt in this town to stay. There had been a few arguments, but ultimately, nothing he could say would keep her here. It was over between them. All she had left were fond memories, and fantasies about reliving that night on the couch during the northern blizzard.
“Yeah that’s fair,” he agreed. “I’m going to miss you, Olivia.”
Max’s hair was beginning to get a bit scraggly. She hoped that Stephanie would be able to convince him to keep his short faded style that she had helped him with.
“I’ll miss you too, Max.”
They finished their breakfast together. Her bags were packed by the door, and Max was ready to take her to the train station. She was looking forward to having time to think, and relax on the long trip back down to the south. Maybe get some writing done. Maybe write about a different case, or something more happier than her time in Red Arch. Though, a sad memoir may be something different for her readers, and may be therapeutic to get down on paper. She wasn’t sure what she would do.
The drive to the station was quiet. She looked out at the beauty of Red Arch, appreciating it for what may be the last time. The various lake houses, docks stretched out onto the water. Smaller houses to store the rich folk’s boats and toys. She did her best to avoid looking at the Cartwright lake house, even though it was one of the most lavish and beautifully made. There were a few huts out on the water. People getting the last bit of ice fishing done, before the ice began to thaw, causing it to be too dangerous to be out there.
The tires gripped the road as Max drove around the corners of the lake side road. Soon after they were in the forest covered roads, leading towards the station, where he’d drop her off. She glanced out and saw deer, running through the woods, but quickly lost sight of them in the forest’s denseness.
***
The train hadn’t arrived yet. There were a few other people at the small station. She checked her ticket, and waited on the platform with her brother. It was a sad day for the both of them. The tracks had a small coat of snow laying on them. The outdoor benches as well. Max and Olivia waited inside the platform interior, watching the screens to see how far away the train would be. It was delayed ten minutes as of the last update.
“What are you going to do on the ride?” Max asked her.
“I’m not sure. Probably just relax, maybe write on my laptop a bit,” she said.
“Maybe check out the community pages, see some free gossip un
der your alias?” He laughed.
She smiled as well. “Yes, maybe.”
“That’s good,” he said, not sure how to respond to the short answer.
“What about you? What are you going to do when I’m gone?”
“Oh just work more, keep the house maintained. Spend time with Stephanie,” he said. Nervous that the mention of Stephanie may upset his sister, since her relationship with Brad had ended.
“That’s nice.”
“And the spring hunting season will be starting soon. I’ll probably start shooting my bow a bit more. Get some reps in.”
“Moose again this year?” She asked.
“If I get a tag. If not I should probably be able to get a deer tag, or just do small game with Alvi.”
“He’ll like that,” she smiled, thinking of how well Max treated the lab.
“I was thinking of buying a side by side too. Something that Alvi could sit next to me in when we drive through the forest.”
“Yeah those are really cool. There’s a few good dealers in town,” Olivia agreed.
“I was actually thinking of buying the new Honda one. Actually the same model that the Cartwrights have.”
Olivia shook her head, confused at his remark. “They have a side by side?” She asked.
“Yeah in those pictures you sent me, I snooped a bit and saw they had one registered. Insurance papers and stuff for one,” he explained.
“What?” She looked at him intently.
“They had insurance papers for a side by side. I figured they had one. What are you getting so excited about?”
“They could have moved the body using it.”
Chapter 28
“We have to go, I need to talk to Brad,” Olivia told Max, rushing to the car.