Seventeen

She paced up and down in the chief office; who was one of her friends; Mr Lawson. She knew this time, if she did anything wrong, he won't hesitate to punish her, friend or no friend; he would just be doing his job.

The door opened and Nick and Mr Lawson walked in; the chief was dressed in his usual morning clothes; black trousers on a white shirt and Nick had changed his shirt perhaps he had been wearing that for a while now, he had two cups of coffee on a tray. He placed it down as they took their seats. 

'Mrs Parker long time, no see.' He greeted.

'Same with you, chief but believe me, now is not the best time for pleasantries.'

'I know.'

'Then tell me, why I have been brought here and almost threatened to be separated from my daughter.' She said with a soft tone.

She watched the chief relaxed. 'You must have met Nick; he is.....'

'An annoying man, I don't care, please Mr Lawson, tell me why I have been called here, even if you don't know, let me call Richard there must be mistake somewhere.' She was tired of this, Katie was her daughter and they needed each other.

The chief sighed as he rest his back on his chair; 'Mrs. Parker do you think it is fair for police to let the offender or guilty go free.'

'I guess if the person is really guilty of the crime committed.'

He smiled. 'I am so glad you feel that way.'

'I want to talk to Richard.' She insisted.

The chief shook his head. 'Mr Parker is not available at the moment, he is in the mausoleum.'

She looked at him. 'Why, is he visiting somebody, why would he send me here?'

He sat up and looked at her seriously now. 'Mr Parker is staying in the cemetery.'

She looked at him; what was he saying?

'Richard passed away a month ago while you were in San Francisco.' He continued.

She looked at him; this is a joke, she chuckled.

'That is a lie; Richard was fine when I left him.' She said as she shifted uncomfortably on the chair.

'Unfortunately, few hours after you left with Katherine, he gave up the ghost.'

She blinked. Blinked and blinked again.

Richard was dead, he was gone. 'He wasn't sick, had never been sick, he drank and have never been confined.' She told the chief.

'Yes, that was the reports of the doctor in charge of his case.'

'What happened?' She asked him.

Mr Lawson sighed. 'He was poisoned, if we had found him on time, we would have been able to cure him.'

She looked at him. 'Did you find the murderer?'

He nodded. his eyes did not waver from hers. 'It is actually a female, Pearl.'

'Why would someone want to kill Richard?'

The chief shrugged.

'Have you arrested her?' She asked. Even though she didn't love Richard, she wouldn't wish him dead.

'Not yet.'

She couldn't believe it. 'What are you waiting for, do I know her, do you have evidence against her?'

'You know her and we have evidence against her.' The chief continued.

'What evidence?' Someone murdered Richard; what could that person have against him, Richard had money problems but not enough that someone would murder him.

'The fingerprints on a syringe.'

She nodded. it was great, they fought the culprit but what were they still doing? 'Who is she?'

The chief watched her face. She looked back at him and at Nick; who just sipped his coffee and said nothing.

'What is the problem?' She asked but all she got was silence.

'Who is she?' She asked again.

Then his next voice, caused her heart to freeze.

'You.'

Was he kidding? or maybe she heard wrong.

Pearl looked at Mr Lawson and at Nick and back at him.

'What! What are you saying? I killed Richard; the man I lived with for almost seven years of my life, even if I didn't love him, I killed him, be reasonable, chief, how can you say that? This must be a joke.'

It was Nick's turn to speak now. 'No, it is not a joke, you have been charged with murder. Why are you even sitting down here, you should be in jail.' He said as he walked towards where she sat.

'What are you talking about?' she asked him, and then she looked at the chief.

'Pearl, your fingerprints was found on the syringe, you and Richard must have fought for it and maybe you injecting him in anger and fear.'

She couldn't believe this was the chief talking. She stood up. 'Lawson, come on, I have never dreamt of Richard dead, I was more concerned about his relationship with my daughter and beside I would not have killed him coldblooded with Katie standing in front of us.'

'But you would have killed him quietly?' Nick asked her.

She ignored him and still spoke to the chief. 'I was a nurse but I never take syringe home with me, I don't even go to the store; Amanda gives me anything I want, why would I kill Richard, I lived in the same house, all I wanted was for Katie to be happy.'

'You could have maybe killed him because you were jealous?'

She turned to Nick. 'Jealous of what, he had girlfriends, I didn't care, the only connection we had was Katie.'

'You must have cheated, he must have found out and reproached you and maybe you got angry....'

'Shut up….Nick.' She snapped at him. This man didn't know what he was saying.

Nick turned to Mr Lawson. 'Chief, you know I don't like criminals, they should be locked up.'

Pearl could no longer stand this guy. She turned and face him, confusion on her face.

'You should be locked up; you are a corrupt officer, who deserves nothing but pity.' She told him and turned back to the chief.

'Chief, please, I beg you I didn't kill Richard, please believe me.' She pleaded as she placed her hands on his table.

But the chief stood up. 'Pearl, till now we have been friends, I don't want one thing to tarnish our friendship, please call your lawyer, your case has already been sent to the court.' He said and walked out.

'Jackson, you will need the best lawyer.' Nick said and followed giving the office guard an order to take her into custody.

She slammed on her seat. This couldn't be happening to her.

She paced up and down in the small cell with the gate in front that locked her in, she walked round like what seem like hours; how was Katie, where was she and how could she kill Richard, when he had wanted to hurt her, he had been talking about money at night when she got back with Katie and there was a syringe filled with a liquid.

Flashback

'Where have you been?'

'I went to pick up Katie and I got groceries.'

'Is this the perfect time for a wife to be coming back home with her daughter?'

She had looked at him then as if he had drunk more than he should, to start thinking they played the role of husband and wife.

'Richard, look, I'm tired and I'm hungry, have you had anything?' Although she never loved him, she cared about him at least that was the least she could do to the father of her child.

'I am not hungry; I want to talk to you.'

She looked at Katie and back at him.

'Katherine, go into your room and I need to talk to your mom.' He told her.

Katie without a word walked into the kitchen.

He stood up. 'I saw the letter you've hiding from me.'

'What letter?' She was surprised. She haven't seen any letter.

'The letter from your grandma, I think she wants you back and she wants you to leave me and leave me with nothing.'

She scoffed. 'What are you talking about?'

He moved towards her with the syringe in his hands.

'What are you doing with that?' She asked looking at his fingers round the syringe.

He looked at his hand. 'I figured if I didn't do anything; I would die in poverty, Katie would have no name.'

'What are you talking about?' She was confused

'God! You are really rich, Pearl.'

She shrugged. 'So?'

'Why would you choose this kind of life for Katie?'

'Richard, I have reasons.'

'What are they because I am tired and I have made up my mind?'

She looked at him as he moved closer to her. 'What?'

'I have a chance to be rich and I won't risk it.' He said as he pointed the Syringe to her.

She held his hand and tried to snap him back to reality.

'Richard! Are you out of your mind, what are you doing?'

'What I should have done years ago when you came into my life.'

She shouted as she tried to run from him. They didn't notice when Katie walked in.

'Mom, what is going on?'

'Honey, go back, stay there.'

Katie just stopped, wasn't listening.

'You think you can have everything you want, I won't give you that pleasure.'

They heard a bang which made Richard stagger and fall. Katie had hit him on the leg with a trophy which she had won in her school last year competition.

Pearl watched him; then she took the syringe and plugged it into his thigh, she dropped the syringe and looked at the man; who look at her back;

'What are you doing?' She asked him, and then she took Katie's hand raced upstairs, she told her that Richard wouldn't find them, that they would be safe till he calmed down, then when she had some of Katie's things into her bag pack and she put all her emergencies and some money and credit cards into the bag, she took Katie's hand and they left the house.

But now he was dead and she killed him.

End of flashback

'Mrs Jackson....'

She looked up at the police guard in front of the cell.

'You have a visitor.'

'I want to make a phone call.' 

The police guard nodded as he opened the cell for her.

They walked to a small room with a big dark glass in front of the table and chair in the middle of the room and the guard closed the door as soon as she was inside; she turned round, someone was sitting on the chair.

'I thought you didn't do it.'

She recognised the voice immediately as she heard it; it was Amanda; a friend which she worked in the same hospital as a nurse. She walked to her.

'Amanda, I didn't do it.'

'But your fingerprints are on the syringe, don't you have a heart, now the Press are calling you different names, they might even want your autograph.'

She shook her head. 'I didn't do it, Amanda.'

She looked at her friend. 'I thought we worked for the same cause; we only try to heal not to kill.'

'Amanda…..'

But, her friend was disappointed in her. Amanda raised her hand and stood up.

'I just came to clarify what I have heard, how could you.' She said and walked out.

'I didn't do it.' She said behind the close door.

She didn't do it, why didn't they believe her, even if she did it, she hadn't meant to hurt him.

She walked outside as the guard told her, she could use the phone, and she dialled Texas.

But it wasn't her sweet, sweet mom; it was Doris; who picked.

'Hallo, who is this?'

'Doris, it is Pearl.'

There was a little excitement at the other end. 'Ma'am, how are you, we've been worried about you.'

'I'm fine, Doris, how is everybody?'

'Fine, We're fine here, how is little Katherine?'

She nodded her fine. 'Is Ma there, I want to speak to her?'

There was hesitation at the lady's end; her mother was there, she just knew it.

'No, ma'am, she is in her room, do you want me to call her?'

She nodded over the phone.

'I'm sorry, I wish I could but grandma Sarah says not to, I'm sorry ma'am.'

She nodded. She should have known her grandma wouldn't forgive her so easily.

'Is she there, please put her on?'

There was another pause and then she heard a sigh. It was a grandma; who usually talk to her like this when she was angry with her.

'Grandma? Please help me, I'm sorry.' She spoke to the woman; she hadn't seen for almost seven years now.

She knew the woman wouldn't succumb.

'I know you must have seen the news, please I need your help grandma, please.'

'I told you so, Perry; I told you so, help yourself.' She said and hung up.

Pearl stared at the phone in her hand; how will she get help now. She gave the phone back to the guard. 'Thank you.' She said as he led her back.

What will happen now? Who will help her?

William walked into his friend's house; who had given him free will to stay as long as he like since he was not around, he should make himself at home; Jacob took care of setting up the table and William made breakfast; they had gotten here late last night and hadn't been able to do anything on till now.

Soon after the breakfast, he called Roberts and they decided to meet up, Jacob promised to be good beside William's friend video games, so Jacob was occupied, he needed to make go use of his time.

He headed out.

At 4:30pm, they sealed the deal, he hadn't think it would be this easy to convince him and he had planned to stay more than a day; there was Jacob's sightseeing and there was Pearl.

He looked at his friend as he shook Robert and he turned to take his leave and then he noticed a dark hair with a woman, from her side face; she looked like…..

'Katie?'

The girl turned and looked at him; there was smiles all over from her face as she ran to him.

'Dad, where is Jacob?'

He hugged Katie. 'He is with me, where are you going, where is your mom?'

Sophie turned to them and walked towards him.

'Good afternoon, Mr William.'

He nodded at the woman.

'Where is Mrs Jackson?' He asked her.

'At the station.'

'Where are you taking Katie?' He asked her.

'To the court. The judge is going to decide whom she will stay with.'

'I don't want to go, dad, I will stay with you and Jacob and I won't disturb.' She said looking at Sophie.

He raised his brows and dropped them.

'Honey, let the judge decide that.' Sophie told her nicely.

'You know what? I will go with you, I will convince the judge that whatever the problem might be, Katie can stay with me and my son.'

Sophie nodded. 'Let's go.'

He nodded towards his car as they entered.

'How was the birthday? Were there clowns, was there any band?' Katie chattered happily as she sat in the front seat.