????ABIGAIL
INOCENCIO????
(The Murderer….)
By, Precious Pinky
Chapter 39????40
•••••
{ A CLUE? }
???? “A murder took place two nights ago at Santos Hospital. A young girl of thirteen years old who has been hospitalized since the age of seven happens to be the victim. Two years ago, murders took place as well in Santos Hospital but the detectives in charge of the case weren’t able to catch the criminal. And now, the murderer is back to start off from where he or she stopped. Everyone is panicking and_”
An elderly man of sixty-two years old grabbed the Tv remote control not far from his reach and switched off the TV.
He looked so pissed off that his face was as ha-rd as a damn rock.
He can’t believe the family hospital was going throu-ghthis again. It happened two years ago and now it seems like history was repeating itself again.
Mr. Hart, Jersey’s father gro-aned at the back of his throat, clenching his fist as he stared blankly at the black TV screen but got distracted when he heard a knock on the door.
“Yes? Come in.” He mumbled.
The door to the study room flew open and his wife, Mrs. Hart strolled inside.
“Honey,” She called out in a quiet voice, stepping closer to him.
“What did he say?” He asked, going straight to the point without exchanging pleasantries.
“He said the detectives promised to do a better job this time.” She answered.
“A better job?” He scoffed. “This isn’t just about the detectives doing a better job. The image of our family’s hospital is at stake here for Pete’s sake. Why in God’s name are all these murders happening in the hospital? Who did we unknowingly offend?”
Mrs. Hart let out a de-ep and frustrated sigh as she sat down beside him on the soft cream couch.
“I honestly don’t know, honey. It is getting out of hand and believe me, I am as pissed off as you are.”
“Maybe I should never have given the director’s position to Jersey.” He grumbled.
“What? Why will you say that?”
“Why can’t I? Can’t you see what is going on? All these murders began two years ago under his watch.” He exasperated.
“But that doesn’t make it his fault.” She stated angrily.
“Then whose fault is it? Mine? Yours?” Mr. Hart rolled his eyes.
“Jersey is not the murderer here, I think I should remind you of that before you get things twisted and more complicated than it already is.”
Mr. Hart didn’t say anything.
“The detectives are willing to do a better job this time around. I don’t think there is any need for us to worry. The criminal will be caught sooner or later.”
“Two freaking years! And now…” He gro-aned. “The whole world is hearing about this and everyone is talking about it. It almost feels like the murder took place last night when it happened two nights ago.” He ruffled his hair, coming up to his feet. “What if families start transferring their sick relatives to other hospitals? Do you still remember what happened two years ago after those murders?”
Mrs. Hart slowly nodded her head.
“It will repeat itself again and I’m afraid the hospital might not be able to stand strong during this chaotic tornado like it did the last time.”
“We should retain faith, honey. The murderer will be caught this time around, I’m sure of it. We can’t give up on God and Santos Hospital.” She stood behind him, watching him closely.
It hurts her so much to see her husband and son unhappy and stressed.
“Are you hungry?” She asked when he didn’t say anything.
Mr. Hart shook his head as a no, pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes tightly shut.
“Honey, you need strength. And you can only get that throu-ghfood.” She whispered softly.
“Food?” He reiterated, turning around to look at her. “Should that be my priority right now? If the hospital goes into bankruptcy, do you think we will have enough money for food, clothes, or shelter?”
“You know that’s not possible. The billions we’ve made already from the hospital is enough to feed 20 million children.” She said.
“Have you heard of the saying; the rich get richer?”
“Uhm, yes.”
“Exactly my point.” He paused. “About the detectives in charge of the case…did you see them?”
“No, I didn’t.” She answered.
“I will have to talk to Jersey when he comes back home. If the detectives happen to be the same people who took care of two years ago case and failed woefully to catch the damn psychopath, then I will have no other option than to ask the chief executive officer to put competent detectives in charge of the case and not incompetent fools.”
Mrs. Hart nodded her head in agreement.
•••••
Sandra’s loud laughter filled the large office.
She sat opposite Marshall, her head thrown back as she laughed her a-ss out, tears rolling down her face.
Marshall watched her, a smile playing by the side of his li-ps.
She sniffed, wiping off her tears as she stopped laughing and gazed at her partner-in-crime.
“Hold on, you mean all that happened in here and I’m just hearing it?”
“Mm-hmm.” He nodded.
“Woah. I can’t believe this. You should have texted me to come over so that I can watch the whole scene and drama while eating from a bowl of popcorn.”
“There is no popcorn here.” He reminded her.
“Ah, that’s true. Let me rephrase,” She cleared her throat. “I will watch the drama while sipping on a glas-sof wine.”
They both chuckled.
“Now that,” He wiggled his brows. “we have it here.”
“Yeah, right. Did you at least take a picture of how she looked like?” She questioned.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t.”
“Shit.”
“I’m sorry. Don’t worry, next time I won’t disappoint.”
“Nah, next time I wouldn’t miss the show.”
“Of course.” He smirked. “You see, I told you that you have nothing to worry about. I’ve got everything covered.”
“I believe you, darling.” She smiled. “How were you able to convince Thelma, though?”
“That’s my little secret, baby. What matters is that she will keep shut and tell the cops what she knows.”
Sandra raised a questioning brow. “And what is it that she knows if not seeing me that night dressed in all-black attire?”
“Let’s say I twisted that part and put in another character to replace you.” He tilted his head to the side, grinning psychotically.
•••••
It was dead silent between Emma and Thelma for what felt like forever.
Emma could see the internal emotions going throu-ghThelma’s head throu-ghher clouded eyes.
The young nurse seemed like one who was contemplating something very important in her mind.
The young detective didn’t say anything to pressure the nurse. She only patiently waited until the lady was ready to answer the question hanging in the air.
After what took like forever, Thelma met the detective’s gaze and finally opened her mouth to answer the question, breaking the silence that was choking the air out of Emma’s lungs.
“I’m sorry but I didn’t see the face of the person,” She muttered, shrugging her shoulders with a dreadful look on her face.
Emma pinched her brows together, looking very confused.
”You didn’t see the face of the person?” She questioningly repeated.
“I didn’t.” The young nurse shook her head repeatedly, playing with the hem of her uniform.
“Wait a minute, I thought you said it was one of the doctors who had a day off?”
Thelma nodded her head, pressing her li-ps in a straight flat line.
“But you didn’t see the face of the person?” Emma asked again just to be sure she heard the nurse correctly.
“I tried to make out the face but I couldn’t.”
“How then did you know it was one of the doctors if you didn’t see the face of the person?”
•••••
“How was the interrogation?” Robert asked just as Emma entered the pa-ssenger seat of his car.
“Awful.” She retorted.
“Awful? How do you mean?”
“I thought I was close to finding out something from Nurse Thelma only to be disappointed.” She said, untangling the messy knots in her hair as she ran her fingers throu-ghthe locks of her black lengthy hair.
“Care to explain?”
“Listen carefully because one, I won’t repeat myself, and two, I am going to ask questions.”
Robert furrowed his brows, looking very amused and intrigued at the same time.
“Okay? I’m all ears.”
“So,” Emma readjusted herself in the car seat, facing him completely. “I asked her certain questions and she answered them perfectly until it got to the last question.” She paused. “I asked if she noticed anything strange that night in the hospital and she said yes. I asked her to decipher which she did. She said one of the doctors who had a day off that day dropped by in the hospital dressed in all-black attire so I asked her who it was. And guess what her reply was,” She gave a dramatic drum roll, leaving an unnecessary tension in the air. “She said she didn’t see the face of the person!”
“How then did she know it was one of the doctors who didn’t come to work because they had a day off?”
“I don’t know. I asked her the same question and she said her guts tell her so. Don’t you think she is hiding something?”
Robert nodded his head. “She obviously is. I mean, her story makes no sense at all.”
“I felt the sudden urge to arrest her and torture her in jail until she tells me the whole fuc-k ing truth.”
“You can’t do that,”
“You think I don’t know that already?” She scoffed.
“But on the brighter side of all these, we get to know that a suspicious person was present that night, don’t you think?”
“Yeah.” She yawned.
“There is no need for us to go to the station,” Robert stated, staring at the time on his phone. It was past six in the evening. “I will drop you and Ginny at your various homes.”
“Speaking of that brat, where is she?”
“She went to get something to eat.” He responded.
On hearing food, Emma’s stomach grumbled loudly, grabbing Robert’s attention.
He stared at her and then moved his gaze down to her stomach, smiling.
“Look away from me. I am dying of embarra-ssment here.” She hissed.
Robert chuckled, shaking his head at her comment and silliness.
“We will continue the investigation tomorrow.” He said.
She nodded, not saying anything.
Ginny opened the pa-ssenger side door and frowned upon seeing Emma seated there beside Robert.
“Go to the backseat, I was here first.” She said.
“Excuse me?”
“I said…”
“I heard what you said the first time but why should I seat at the back?”
“Because I want to sit here. Besides, I got here before you but left for a moment to get something for Handsome and me.”
“I don’t care. I didn’t see you seated here in the first place and come to think of it, I always sit in the pa-ssenger seat whenever we are going to investigate a case.”
“Does it look like_”
“Ginny,” Robert cut in, getting tired of the argument between the two ladies. Will they ever get tired of quarreling over every little thing? He guess not. “sit at the back.”
“What? Why should it be me and not her?” She whined.
“Because technically, she always sit down here even before you came along.” He answered.
Ginny hesitated before slamming the pa-ssenger side door shut very ha-rd and went into the back seat, slamming the door shut just as hard.
“Listen here,” Robert turned to face the girl. “I can tolerate anything from you but you see my car? Don’t ever slam the door shut like that next time. It is my baby and you, even you,” he pointed at Emma. “must respect her, do I make myself clear?”
Neither of them answered.
“Are you both deaf?” He growled.
“We’ve heard you.” They answered in sync.
“Good. Put on your seat belt.” He ordered, wearing his seat belt as well.
“Why do you think your car is a girl and not a boy?” Ginny asked, dumbly.
“Because I want her to be a girl.” He answered flatly, igniting the car engine, and drove out of the hospital premises.
“I bought you sandwich and milkshake.” She announced, dropping on the car holder in between the driver and the pa-ssenger seat.
Emma stared at the food with the side of her eyes, biting her lower li-p and praying to God for her stomach not to rumble in the presence of the bit-ch y spoilt brat.
Maybe she will ask Robert to stop by the first restaurant they come across so she can buy food for herself.
Ginny was eating her own food while chatting with friends on her phone.
“You can eat the food she bought for me, Em.” Robert stated.
“What?” She asked, not hearing him clearly.
“I said, you can eat my food.” He repeated.
“Nah,” She shook her head.
“Hey, come on. You are hungry, you should eat.” He said.
“What about you?”
“I’m not really hungry.”
Emma’s stomach rumbled again, and Ginny started laughing from the back seat.
She didn’t hear their discussion but heard Emma’s stomach grumbling loudly.
“Are you hungry, Detective Emma?” She teased.
“Call my name again and I swear I’m going to toss you out of this car,” Emma said throu-ghgritted teeth.
Ginny huffed and continued eating her food in silence.
“If you don’t start eating, I’m going to feed you the food myself.” Robert told Emma with a serious look on his face.
“But… I don’t think she would want me to eat the food she bought for you.”
“I will pay her back the money if she makes a big deal out of it.” He promised.
“No, I will pay _”
“Emma, eat the damn food because trust me, I am not going to stop the car at any restaurant for you to buy food from.” He said as if reading her mind and knowing of her intentions.
“Fine,” She said in defeat, grabbing the sandwich from the car holder.
“What are you doing?” Ginny asked. “I bought that food for Handsome and not you. Drop it!”
“Ginny, stop. I asked her to take it.”
“And why will you do that?”
“Didn’t you buy the food for me?” He queried.
“Yes, I did. I bought it for you. Y-O-U.” She spelt out, glaring at Emma who has already started eating the food.
“So I get to decide what I want to do with or who I give it to, right?”
“Yes. Bu…but…”
“If you have a problem with that then I will pay you for the food.” He told her.
Emma smirked and took a large bite of the sandwich, mo-aning.
”It’s delicious. Robert, take a bite.” She pushed the food to his mouth but he shook his head in disagreement. “Hey, come on, take a bite. I will feed you.”
He opened his mouth and she shoved part of the sandwich inside his mouth. He took a bite without taking his eyes off the road.
“Delicious, right?”
“Absolutely.” He agreed while chewing the food in his mouth.
The drive continued with Emma and Robert sharing food while Ginny angrily watched them from the back seat, wishing it was her in place of Emma.
•••••
“What the fuc-k ? That wasn’t part of our damn agreement, Thelma!” Marshall shouted.
“I know and I’m sorry. I tried_”
“You tried?” He harshly cut her off. “You fuc-k ing gave her a clue without doing what I asked of you. Now they will know that a suspicious person dropped by the hospital that night. Do I need to remind you of who the suspicious person is?” He growled.
Sandra quietly sat down at the corner of the office, nervously biting her bottom li-p while fiddling with her fingers.
This wasn’t going as planned.
The detectives are going to investigate and then, they are going to figure out that she was the mysterious and suspicious person Thelma told them about.
She felt like sprinting towards the damn nurse and beating the shit out of her, making sure to scratch out her eyes and watch her bleed to death.
Her life was at the peak of destruction and she have Thelma to blame for it.
“I swear I was going to mention Dr. Abby’s name but I just couldn’t do it.”
“Why not?” Sandra snapped, coming up to her feet. “Why can’t you fuc-k ing pin the blame on the stupid doctor?”
“Dr. Abby is a nice person. She has been good to me and…and…I’m scared of doing what you asked of me, Dr. Marshall.” She muttered, lowering her gaze.
Sandra gro-aned loudly, turning her gaze to Marshall.
“This plan of yours is going to backfire and guess what, I am the damn target.” She stormed out of the office in agitation and jabbed the door closed behind her.
“fuc-k !!!!” Marshall roared, knocking down some books on the black desk.
•••••
“You are back,” Abby muttered, stepping away from the door to let her best friend in.
Emma smiled. “Yeah. How are you?” She asked, striding inside the warm house and then shutting the door closed.
“Shit.”
“That…wasn’t the answer I expected.”
“Well, you can’t blame me for feeling like shit, you know.” Abigail scoffed, going back to the main living room.
Emma took off her shoes by the side of the door and wore a fli-p-flop before strolling to the main living room as well to find Abby seated on the couch while staring at the blank black TV screen.
“Is this about…Tara?”
“What else can make me feel this way, bestie? Tara was like a junior sister to me and I wanted to possible best for her. Why did her life have to end this awful way? Why her?” She sighed. “And it hurts me more that I can’t shed a single tear.” She placed her plan on her chest. “The pain…the emotions…they are all sto-red up in here and I can’t relieve myself of the burden. It hurts, Emma. It really hurts to feel like shit.”
Emma sat down beside her friend. “Hey, everything will be fine, I promise. I’m doing everything possible to catch this bastard and put him…or her behind bars where they rightfully belong.”
“What if I’m the killer?” Abby blurted out.
Emma’s eyes wide-ned and her breath caught up in her chest. “Wha…what?”
“Emma, don’t forget I gave Tara a lot of goodies before she died. What if she was poisoned?”
“That’s not possible, Abby. You couldn’t have poisoned the goodies you bought for Tara, babe.”
“That’s where you got it all wrong, babes. I wasn’t the one who gave the goodies over to Tara. I only ordered them and asked Nurse Thelma to get them from the delivery guy and give them to Tara.”
“Wait, you…you are right.”
“It is odd. Tara had no cuts or injuries on her body. The murderer could have used these two ways to kill her; One, she was poisoned. Two, she was over-drugged.”
••••
Sandra stood in front of a river, staring down at a syringe.
“I can’t get caught. fuc-k ing hell, I can’t be the one to lose… David needs me.” She wiped off her tears with the back of her palm. “I have to remain by my son’s side. I can’t bear to watch him grow without me by his side.” With that said, she threw the syringe into the running water and watched the wave take the piece of evidence with it down to the depth of the ocean. “I will never get caught.”
TBC.