Seventy Seven

When I got to the police station, I saw Mark's car already parked in the garage. I prayed silently that it wouldn't be late before I reached her. If she signs those papers, then no manner of defense or evidence would be able to take her out of this. She'd probably be sentenced to death for murder or sentenced to life imprisonment. The former seems more certain.

"I need to see my client, Miss Kam."I said to the man who sat at the counter. He raised his eyebrows. He looked different. Not the usual fierce ones that I meet almost every time.

"How many people in one day would want to see her?" He said. "As far as I know, she doesn't have a lawyer yet."

I took out my ID with the hope of saving myself the stress of explaining. Actually, there's nothing to explain.

"I need to see her now."

"Okay. Follow me."

I sighed. This one is better. I shouldn't hate them all. He just saved a life. 

The life of a criminal?

My gut doesn't speak so.

*

He chained her hands to the table. "Five minutes. She has other visitors." and left.

Of course, Mark and his counterparts had come to confirm her guiltiness "once and for all ". If I ask myself why I am doing this, I would not be able to create an answer. I've asked myself time without numbers last night. I only have two bugging questions on my mind. What kind of surgery did she have before the incident? Who was Jude Kam to her?

She doesn't look like a killer. But that would be thoughtless to say. Criminals don't have marks on their faces for identification and a certain school of thought believes that the most innocent face has the darkest heart.

Just like my dad.

Miss Kam stood by the table, head bent as usual, obviously not wanting to speak to me.

I swallowed. You are fight a case that doesn't even want to be solve. What are you doing, Kamila?

My subconscious questioned me. And I replied immediately.

I'm doing something. Something which would always be better than nothing.

"Will you at least have your seat?"

"What are you doing here again?"She murmured.

"I..."I swallowed. "No reason. I just wanted to talk to someone and I've become obsessed with you since I saw you yesterday."

I heard a faint laughter, one she must have hidden very well. "You're crazy. I'm not the kind of person you should flatter, okay? If you have nothing to say, please tell that man in uniform to help me out of here."

She coughed.

I quickly took out a bottle of water from my bag and passed it to her. Of course, she couldn't take it herself but I was too scared to hold it up for her.

"I never asked for that. But thanks." She pushed it away and sat down.

I sighed.

"I'll help you with it then." I then had enough courage to help her hold the bottle. She wasn't fierce like yesterday and that was enough motivation for me. I reminded myself I had only five minutes.

"I can remember when I was six. That's twenty years ago. I lost my mom. It was a very devastating period for me. Not only because she died, but because I witnessed her death. Justice wasn't served."

This story, my story moved me to tears. I sniffed.

"What justice?"She surprisingly asked.

"It was my dad who killed her. He warned me not to speak. He threatened me. I lived in that trauma ever since she died till he died "

"He died?"She whispered.

"Of cancer. Last year."

"Serves him right." She clenched her fist. I was baffled.

"Yeah. I used to hate men very much. Because of him. Because of what he did to my mum. I just wanted to be away from that gender forever. " She was staring at the ring on my finger. 

"Well, that was until I met Kyle."I smiled painfully. "I guess he's my reward for all the pain... God knows how much we need peace and he provides it at the right moment. I got my freedom and I want you to get yours, Paige."

"I'm not you. I have chosen my own destiny. I am a murderer. I swear, I killed him.

 You don't even know me. Yet you tell me all these things about you. Why?"

"Well, I guess as long you are in here you can't hurt me."I joked, but regretted it immediately. I shouldn't have said that. Aargh Kamila! You talk too much!

She was quiet. I glanced at my wrist watch and my head throbbed.

One minute.

"You know my mum used to call me Hope. That's my second name. When she died, no one ever called me that again. But yeah, hope is what the future will be through God's eyes. I need a favor from you, Paige."

"What?"

"Some men will come see you now. They want to take your case to court. Please don't tell me you plead guilty. Don't sign those papers. You might have made a mistake once, but God never really leaves his people. There's Hope, Paige. Allow some investigations..."

"I can't!"She shrieked.

"Why?"

"What's your business?"

"My gut."I decided to spill out my mind. "Since I heard of the case I have been okay. I know something is wrong. I know you wouldn't have killed Jude Kam without a reason. Come on, Paige! I lost my mum, justice was never served. I'm going to pay that back. I'll help you out of this. I don't need you to say anything to me yet. They'll be here any moment from now, but please don't accept that ugly fate. Plead innocence. Please..."

"Time up!" I saw the warder walk in with Mark and a few others. My knees suddenly went weak as I forced myself to stand up.

Mark fixed his usual evil glare at me. I took one last glance at Paige, who seemed to be lost in thought and worked out.

One thing is sure. I won't get away with this. I've gotten on his toes. That's what his stare said. I just prayed that she would listen to me.