07

RICHARD

I was about an inch away from flinging the remote straight at the newscaster being displayed on my flat screen TV.

I pulled at my hair as the exactly what I was worried about came to life on the TV screen.

I then sighed and watched helplessly as the female African American newscaster expressed different theories as to what was really going on with the investigation of Michael's murder and why the police force refused to released any new statements or information concerning it. Most of which had to do with Hallé being a cold blooded murder and paying off the police force to keep things quiet until a suitable fall guy is found.

I groaned out loud, I really *couldn't* wait until all of this was finally done with and I truly hoped to God that if she actually did kill him, she wasn't stupid enough to get caught and take me down with her; all sympathies aside.

*I really should have just taken the Ariana grande job*

...............................

DETECTIVE GOMEZ

I couldn't be in a worse mood, watching the news this morning was definitely the worst idea I'd had in a while and adding to the fact that I'd been getting no sleep, I was not one to be crossed today.

As I took a swig from my horribly rushed coffee; I just silently pleaded with God, Jesus and the Holy spirit that the Chief was able to pull some weight with her Uncle and get me that case file.

I rushed up the stairs towards her office practically salivating at having Hallé's case records in my hands when I spotted Solange walking out from behind her door, *Oh fuck no*; when she caught me staring a wide smile took over her face as she slowly moved towards my direction.

She was just about to walk past me without a word, when I placed a hand on her arm and stopped her, "*What the hell are you doing*", at that her smile dropped and she snarled at me "I should be asking you that, what are *you* doing; why are you acting like this".

I scoffed "What do you-".

She jumped in "You know what the *hell* I mean, the way you just walked into my home and harassed my family. My parents might have kept quiet about it but I know they're hurting. They considered both you and Michael as their own. So for you to just turn on them like this, I don't even know who you are anymore"; She finished with squinted eyes.

I huffed "Harrased? You're lucky I didn't drag you and your sister out of there in handcuffs" I replied purposely ignoring her last sentence and I saw her face blanch at my words *Ha! She is hiding something*.

I was about to jump at the falter when the Chief walked out of her office and turned her burning expression on me, "My office, now!".

At the sound of the searing heat in her words, Solange quickly recovered, directing a self satisfied smirk my way "Good luck with that" she added in a smug tone and walked a way with a victorious skip in her step.

*Bitch* I thought as I made my way towards what I knew would be the scolding of a lifetime.

...................................

"So you now use your power as a detective to harass people in their own homes, Gomez?" Chief Adeolu asked standing over me and staring me down.

I gulped visibly "No ma'am I-"

She laughed coldly and leaned over her desk "*No*, really; then tell me why Hallé's sister *a very high class lawyer* just walked into my Station threatening to sue everyone from me down to the lowly front desk boy because you basically stomped over Hallé's rights to be innocent until proven guilty with your bare accusations and then took it a step further by also accusing and harassing her parents in their own home?"

I sighed "I'm sorry Chief, I guess I went a bit overboard; I promise it won't happen again".

She finally took a seat "Oh it better not 'cause you're on strike two and I've already promised Solange that if anything of the sort were to occur again, you will be taken off the case immediately, do I make myself clear".

"Yes ma'am".

She nodded with her head down and I was going to try my luck for the case file but decided against it and made to leave her office before her voice stopped me "One more thing, here's the case file you asked for" I had to hold myself back from grabbing the file from her hand as she slowly pushed it towards me "This better give you the insight you're looking for because you know how much I hate using my uncle's position to my benefit".

I nodded and quickly made my way out of her office before she changed her mind.

....................................

HALLÉ

# "Good morning, I am Evangeline Green and this is News Weekly, and firstly on today's agenda I'll actually be bringing to your attention no news...I mean no news involving the recent murder of Michael Hayes, a director of critically acclaimed biographies and indie films also the husband to three time Grammy winner Hallé Bailey and its been a month since this incident and yet we've had no further details from the Dallas local police force concerning this incident; one can only assume that my theory was right, there is more to meet the eye about Hallé, she truly did murder her husband and now the force is just waiting on an adequate fall guy to protect their-"

Then the screen went blank shutting off the words of the newscaster on the morning news reruns I was watchin and I flipped my head towards my sister, who stood at the back of the sofa I was on as she held the remote in her hand while rolling her eyes.

I rolled mine back at her in response "I was watching that"; she ignored my retort as she walked into the kitchen and I followed.

"Where were you?" I inquired as I noticed she had on a quite formal attire and I was aware that due to the entire issue on ground she wasn't really taking on new cases.

She avoided my eyes as she replied "I went to see the Chief of Police" and I released a heavy sigh "S, I told you not to bother with that" at my tone she pushed her head up and fixed her gaze on me and I could see the storm brewing in her clear grey eyes; "Well I did because someone needs to talk some sense into Luis and he's clearly not interested in listening to any of us"

"Okay okay I don't want to fight" I replied moving my hands in a "surrender" motion and I saw she was just about to dig into me when her phone went off. She released a snarl of annoyance as she dipped into her purse to take out her phone.

Then I watched her expression darken and her face became ashen when she gazed at the caller ID and though I could not see who it was from my position, I could still clearly observe that she was completely shaken up.

So I decided to ask "Um, who's that?, what's going on?".

My words seemed to pull her out of her shock and she released a short laugh "Oh no, nothing important I just forgot; I was meant to meet a colleague for lunch today and I totally just spaced out, that was her calling, I have to be on my way".

With that she ran out and I could hear the front door slam shut.

I let out a quiet laugh at her troubled behaviour *oh sister*.

SOLANGE

I dialled back the number of Hallé's infuriating neighbor placing it on speaker as I zoomed out of her driveway.

I jumped on him immediately he picked up "Lane what the hell do you want! Don't tell me you're back in Dallas! Was the 500,000 dollars not enough??"

He laughed nervously "Well when you think about it, a place like the Bahamas, 500,000 is almost nothing".

I snarled out "You stupid bastard! Do you know how much trouble you could land me in?!, That's why I paid you to stay away! And never to call me on this line!"

"Well, it wasn't enough and I bet the police would be real interested in what I have to tell them, so pay up"

"Oh my goodness! Fine, just meet me at the previous location"

*God just what have I gotten myself into*

.................................

DETECTIVE GOMEZ

I slammed down the file in front of Shadow with a Cheshire grin on my face. She squinted down at it over her tiny desk which she had pretty much installed in my office; "What's this, another file? I literally just finished looking through all those files from Josh that you demanded I cross checked and there was nothing new, her dad is an ex police officer, she was adopted...except from the case record we don't- wait!"

I grinned wider "Exactly! On your desk is right now is the case records of the one and only Hallé and thanks to yours truly you'll get enough time to digest it all by yourself"

Her eyes nearly popped "By myself?....but where are you going?"

I sighed "Well Josh just informed me that the neighbor, you know the one who found the body and called 911, then three days later decide to take an impromptu summer trip"

She scrunched up her face "I thought you already corroborated his statement, and he wasn't needed anymore in the investigation? Besides what about visiting the motel Hallé stayed at?"

"Well Josh also already did that, went this morning before he got the information about the neighbor and the front desk on duty that day confirms the statement, so right now I'm taking all the leads I can get" with that I pushed myself off the desk and towards the door "Don't wait up Shadow".

...................................

"So Lane your aunt isn't home?" I asked trying to start up conversation.

The twenty one year old with a big white frat boy vibe folded his arms and leaned his feet on the wooden centre table and replied "Nah, she travels a lot yunno huge business woman and such"

I nodded, "Right, so really I'm just-" and then he put his left hand up and dug his right arm into his pocket and then took out a lighter and cigarette, lighting it up, blowing out a puff of smoke before saying "You don't mind do you and do go on; I mean why are you here I thought my statement was already cleared"

I plastered a fake smile onto my face "No, its fine and well I'm really just making the rounds and honestly I just found your vacation timing a bit off"

"And that's what you came here to ask me about, boy you must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel huh".

I gritted my teeth; I could already see this was a waste of my time.

He drew in and released a breath of smoke throw his nose before he finally gave me a reply "Well its summer and I was already planning to leave around that period, trust me the murder got in *my way*. My aunt transferred the money through one of her accounts and I left. Now if that's all detective, I think you need to leave".

....................................

The minute I walked back into the office Shadow jumped off, her hands fraying and displaying. I had to chuckle at her excitement in spite of my stress and frustrations; "So I gather it was worth your time?"

She vigorously nodded her head "Just listen; I've never seen anything like this and before I go on I think you'd want to see this" she said placing down printed photos on my desk.

"Fuck-" I stared at the images placed in front of me, a man lying dead on the floor with his eyes wide open and a bullet hole in head and what I presumably assumed to be brain matter and blood scattered all over the walls and floors.

"How old was she?" I inquired. At this Shadow sighed "Twelve years old, and according to this report she was found in shock, rocking back and forth, repeating the words "Yoncé did it, not me"; and when questioned she insisted that the personality "Yoncé" was the one at fault but also saying that she only did it to protect her"

"Personality?" I repeated and in response she nodded "Yes, it was later agreed that this was a case of a dissociative disorder, Hallé was in a foster home back then and the man in the image was the son of the woman who ran the home, the son physically abused Hallé and the two other foster kids but the night before took it a step further with her....sexual abuse; that's when the other personality decided to take action to protect Hallé and the other kids as the "oldest" among them".

"And the other kids attested to this testimony in court?" I asked trying to get the whole picture.

She went on in response "Yeah exactly, the mother sued wanted Hallé thrown in Juvenile detention and then later tried as an adult for murder but the public defender who took on Hallé's case fought hard and due to the testimony of the other foster kids and the officer on scene both the Jury and the Judge were extremely moved; so much so that the Judge decided to not only rule in Hallé's favour but get her case and criminal record sealed as long as she never appeared in his court again".

She was breathless at the end of her recount, panting in the anticipation of what she was about to say next.

"Don't you see, Hallé is practically a victim. I mean can we really try an individual with a personality disorder for murder and expect to win?, I mean what if Hallé's husband hurt her badly and triggered her other personality?"

Yet that wasn't what I was focused on right now "You said the officer on scene testified to Hallé's case? Who was that?"

She paused as if recalling there another piece of important information she ran over "Oh...right the officer on scene, Mr Jerome Carter; it was Hallé's adoptive father".