TWENTY-NINE: Back to Swanson

THERE HAS TO be an end to the madness that has become my life. Cornelia thought while on her way to the station. She wasn't sure what she would tell the officers as a reason for her visit to Harold Hill, but she decided to try and charm her way into talking to him.

She decided not to go to school. She couldn't face them, she couldn't face Abigail, and she had more important things to deal with. She was anxious about her attendance affecting her grades, especially with the growing desire to leave Formid Root. She just knew that she had to get out of there, especially after everything.

After a thirty-minute walk to the station, she arrived there only to find Lucien Amarok standing in all his muscled glory, looking like a God among the lesser mortals. He seemed like he was waiting for something, and she dared to think that he was waiting for her.

She walked up to him, and before she could say anything he said, "Daniel told me what happened. I believe it would be better if I go with you. I think I can have some influence."

She bit her lower lip and gave him a short nod. While walking inside, she asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

"It was nothing major. I told you I'd be okay." When they were in, Lucien did all the talking and the officers looked more than glad to help him.

A certain officer, one that she had seen at her house the day before, looked at Cornelia, "I hope Mr. Cooper is okay."

She plastered her smile, "Yes, he's all good. Thank you for asking."

She knew that officer quite well, Matt Beckett. His family owned a small bakery which they called Eat & Treat. The Beckett family was nice, and for a while Mrs. Beckett had been friends with her late mother.

Matt eyed Lucien then his eyes averted back to her, a look of worry passed his face. "I think you shouldn't really be doing this, let alone with him. You know how people talk."

Despite his whisper, Lucien heard him quite fine, but he didn't comment nor say anything. Cornelia widened her smile, "If people wish to believe the rumor then that's their thing. However, Mr. Amarok here is a good friend of my family, and it was Daniel Darwin, who Mr. Amarok consider as family, who saved my father yesterday. So, there's no need to worry."

Matt looked sceptical, but he helped them to Hill's cell all the same. Cornelia moved forward, "Mr. Hill, I would like to talk to you for a second."

Harold Hill regarded with remorseful eyes, nothing like the way he looked the day before. "I can't believe I was about to kill him." He walked up to the cell bars slowly, holding them in a tight grip that his knuckled turned white, "I hate him, and I hate you, but Ann..." His voice quivered slightly at the mention of his wife's name, "She would have never agreed to such a thing. She was such a peaceful person."

"Mr. Hill, I would like to know what happened between you and my father seven years ago. And why did you come for vengeance after all those years?" Cornelia asked in a soft tone. Something in her felt bad for him; she could see his brimming with tears of sorrow and regret. There was so much pain on his face.

"When Ann's parents passed away, they owned a house and they left for her in their will. We were barely surviving you know, I don't have a stable job, and money isn't something we had plenty of. But she lived with me through it all." He had a nostalgic smile, "She never complained, but when her parents left us the house, she was ecstatic. It would have solved many of our problems."

"But her brother got involved, claimed the will was forged." She concluded and Harold nodded his head.

"We received a notice from the court, and with Jerry Cooper's reputation, we knew he was out best shot." Harold added then gave a sardonic laugh, "The worst decision ever."

"And you think my dad helped your brother-in-law." Cornelia told him with furrowed eyebrows.

"No, I don't think, I know he did." He shook his head, "He got the house, and only a week later we found that Ann had stage four cancer." Harold began weeping, "I couldn't even afford the meds, and neither of us had insurance."

"So, you're blaming Mr. Cooper for her death." Lucien interjected for the first time.

Harold's face morphed into anger, "If he didn't help him, if he won the case, we could have afforded her medication." He then glared at Cornelia, "Your father is going to sell you out the first chance he gets. Whether to get more money or better connection, or to save his unworthy life."

Cornelia was no longer taken aback by the accusations thrown at her father, and with her silence, it was Lucien who spoke. "I have to ask you this, Mr. Hill, why did you try to kill Mr. Cooper yesterday, why after all these years?"

Harold was silent for a second longer, his eyes lingered on Lucien for a second and a look of confusion passed his eyes. "I'm not sure. I don't know what came over me, it was like and urge to get to him, to end his life, to make him pay for what he had done."

Lucien gave him a curt nod, his face still emotionless and a cold look on his eyes, "Can you remember the last person you met before you were overcome with that urge?"

Harold tried to recall the events of the day, "I was in the diner, I had met several people. The waitresses, the cashier, and Jared joined me for lunch."

Cornelia furrowed her eyebrows, "Jared?"

Harold nodded, the memory of the man made him a bit puzzled, "It was starnge, he was never that friendly. He even paid for my lunch and bought two bottles of beer."

"Do you mean Jared Swanson?" Cornelia asked him. He was by far the only Jared in town, but the Swanson family came to her mind because of Lana's involvement with Luke Johnson.

Harold nodded his head, but tears fell on his wrinkled face once again. "It's all too late now."

Cornelia's eyes found Lucien, and both shared a look of understating. He gritted his teeth but nodded his head and they both left the station.