Someone Hiding in the Shadows...

142 - A Desperate Man - Part One

Gemma turned towards me and as the letter fluttered from my hands, she picked it up and placed it into her bag with a sharp snap shut of the clasp. Although I processed her actions, I felt so stunned by the contents of the letter and trying to digest it, that I neglected to ask for its return. The words would be forever ingrained in my mind.

My head felt as though it would burst with all the thoughts running around in my head like a flock of headless chickens, trying to decide what I thought of it all and what I should do.

Jarod's mother took my free hand and clasped it with her own; I assume as some form of solidarity. It seemed she was trying to connect with me although she gave the allure of the of a woman who did not naturally emit that emotion. There was an odd coldness about her and I wasn't sure what to make of her. Gemma's eyes met mine, expecting a response. I was spent with crying and my head a blank at what to say to her.

Her eyes narrowed into small black dots and her cheeks became pinched, as air seemed to blow out of her nostrils like a thorough bred mare in agitation.

"Athina," she said as rubbed her cheek with her knuckles, "I have lost my husband who was my soul mate; now I have lost my only son. There is only you and the children left. Please can we be friends? I'm not the enemy here."

I felt my head nod of its own accord. How could I deny her or be unkind? Gemma looked as though she needed that to hold on to. Either that or she was an Oscar winning actress.

"The letter, it throws up more questions than answers." I said almost in a gasp.

"I can answer one. It seems Theodora turned one of the hospital staff's head. The male nurse was found suffocated with a plastic bag on his head. He'd been dead for some time and his bank cards appear to be stolen. His hospital swipe card was missing. So that answers how Theodora was able to come and go from the hospital."

"I wouldn't put it past Theodora to use anyone to get what she wants. Everyone is commodity to her. I don't feel safe, with the knowledge she is walking the streets," I said, as I felt my muscles tense in my hands. "It's not fair, she shouldn't get away with this."

My mouth felt dry, as the anger welled up inside me. The mixture of Theodora roaming the streets and the impending inquest tomorrow was a bad combination and I heard my stomach churn in reaction.

As I turned towards Gemma, my body felt warm and my heart beat so fast I could hear the sound reverberating in my ears, as my body all over.

"Do you know that your son skyped us having sex to that Judge. I don't have rock solid proof but I am pretty certain of it. Since they took the lap top away for analysis it's bound to come out at the inquest tomorrow. Can you imagine what all those vultures of the press will do with that. They will be noting down every detail and it will be plastered all over the papers and I can't do a thing about it. I feel utterly sick at thought of it. I owe you nothing. Jarod betrayed me." I shouted with rage.

"I'm a private person. I didn't sign on for this. He may be your son but what the hell was he doing? I was drugged! For all I know, there are videos of us having sex going round the internet!" I shouted out almost at a shrill, crying and screaming with the embarrassment and she was there to vent it on. She was all I had to lay it onto and I didn't care.

"Then there was the fact he seemed to enjoy physically hurting me at times! I don't understand why you would do that to someone you love?" I was on a roll now and there was no stopping me.

"Your son prostituted me, against my will! I was his fiancée Jarod was meant to love me. Did he want to be Judge so much? Was I the price he had to pay to get that?" I said as I squeezed my hands so tight, the nails cut into my palms.

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Many thanks Kimberley S B Lieb

The dedication to Zuzanna Miron is due to the fact that her comments inspired to keep writing.  Also deep thanks to my special Wattpad friends and fellow thriller writers linahanson anupamarc and h_coyle who have helped me so much in friendship and writing direction.

As always, Kimbers