Twelve
Kate sank dejectedly
onto the sofa and placed her head in her hands.
She hadn’t expected this; she hadn’t thought for one second that twelve
people could be so taken in. “Here…drink this!” Joe told her, she looked up to
where he stood. “What good’s that gonna do?” she screamed at him, he took a few
paces away then placed the glass of brandy down on the small coffee table.
“It’ll calm your nerves Kate” she drew in a deep breath. “Well what if I don’t
wanna be calm? What if I wanna scream!”?
“Then go ahead…let it all out”
She screamed at the top of her voice.
“He didn’t kill him Joe…I know he didn’t!”
Joe looked doubtful, “How can you be so sure?”
“He just wouldn’t…I know him”
“But do you? Do you
really?”
“Yes!”
“Kate take off the rose coloured glasses”
“What?”
“Oh Kate come on…he hated Larry!”
“But that doesn’t mean he killed him!”
“Oh come on…Kate you heard the evidence as well as me…you got to
admit is were rather overwhelming!”
“It still don’t make him a killer!”
“Kate look at me…
“Does she really? Joe don’t
even get me started on her!”
“Oh Kate please please don’t be taken in by him!”
“I’m not!”
“Yes you are…I saw Chris’s temper first hand…remember?”
Kate opened her mouth to speak but closed it again on recalling
the incident.
The snow lay on the
ground that chilly November afternoon, Joe had been shopping in town when he’d
bumped into
“Yeah
“I’ve never noticed”
“Well maybe you should”
“Maybe I will…one day,” she laughed as they stopped outside her
house.
“Shit Chris’s here” she said worriedly eyes alert.
He suddenly appeared from the side of her home eyes ablaze as he
marched to the driver door. “Chris…buddy what the hell’re you doing?” yelled
Joe as he felt himself being hauled from the car, “Chris cool it buddy” he
added as a clenched fist smashed against his face not once but several times,
“What the hell are you doing with my girlfriend!” he snarled, Joe tried to get
up but Chris had him firmly by the throat. “Nothing…I just gave her a ride
home!”
He turned to
“Yes Chris…who the hell do you think you are…I might be your
girlfriend but I’m not and never will be your property!”
He let go of Joe and came to stand next to his girlfriend, “What’s
that suppose to mean…you’re mine Georgia!” he insisted, she shook her head. “No
I ain’t…I ain’t no-one’s property and if that’s what you think then it’s over!”
“Huh…that’s what you think…you’re mine and always will be mine!”
“No! I’m not”
Joe got to his feet and stood rubbing at his jaw while the
teenagers argued it out. “We’ll soon see about that” Chris simpered as he
marched away….
“Okay I’ll give you that Joe…but that was when he was a kid…things
were different back then” said Kate
“No they weren’t! Not that
different, Kate Chris is capable of anything where Larry is concerned”
“Are you saying he murdered Larry?”
“Yeah Kate…I am and the sooner you come to terms with the fact
that he’s inside for life…the better”
“I’ll never accept he’s in there for ever Joe…if it takes me years
I’ll get him outa that God Forsaken place!”
“Then more fool you,” growled Joe as he left and Kate burst into
tears once more.
The
woman pulled into her luxurious driveway and tried to avoid the glare
of the press who had been camped on her doorstep ever since the verdict had
been read. “Let’s get you inside darling” her husband said unhappily.
“Not until I tell them what I think!”
The grey haired man looked annoyed, “Inger No…it’s best to let
sleeping dogs lie” he said firmly
“What?”
The man got out of the car
and slammed the door.
“What? What do you mean by
that?” she demanded.
He fixed cold blue eyes on her, “Look I supported you during his
trial but it’s over now…it’s time for you to get on with your life…your son was
convicted of murder in the first degree”
Inger recoiled backward, “What are you saying?”
He manoeuvred her inside
their luxury condo where they continued the discussion. “I’m saying Inger, it’s time to get on with
your life…if you don’t this will eat you up inside”
“What? Give up on my
son? There is no way I will ever give up
on my son Henri”
“Then I suggest you give the matter some serious thought because I
cannot possibly be associated with this…not in my line of work”
“I am a very ambitious man Inger as well you know”
How could she forget the fact that her husband was high up in the
government. “What are you saying Henri…are you telling me to chose?” He stared
at her, “Yes Inger I think I am!”
“Well there is absolutely no contest…I shall pack immediately”
He looked stunned. “What?
Now let’s not be haste Inger?” he changed his mind.
“I will never give up on my son Henri…never!” she chided as she
marched from the lounge.
She had known before
she had married Henri Beaumont that he had been a very ambitious man but she
had fallen in love with him almost immediately, but he had never accepted
Christian into the family and had did his best to keep her away from him. Now she was left with the problem of getting
Henri to accept his daughter, she had promised him she’d care for her but it
would be difficult, the phone rang and quickly she reached for it. “Hello…oh
hello Annabelle, yes if you could, just for a little while longer…I’ve still to
discuss Jessica with Henri yet” she said solemnly “I’m baring up okay…then
again it hasn’t really hit me yet” she added “Yes Annabelle I will I know
you’re thinking of me” she sighed before replacing the receiver.
After showering she
changed into something casual before heading downstairs, she had heard Henri go
out and was glad of the peace and quiet, she poured herself coffee and took it
through to the spacious lounge kicked off her shoes and relaxed on the plush
white sofa with the book she had been reading, she then reached over and lifted
her glasses quickly putting them on, she intended reading. Reading would take her mind off of her
problems, it did in the past if she just concentrated then it would all just go
away, but not this time, this time it refused to go, this time she would have
to face up to things. “Oh God!” she
suddenly cried her heart breaking. “How do I deal with this” she asked herself
as tears begun to flow and she found herself weeping once again.