Criminal Essense

Chapter 9: The truth

Chapter 9: The truth

March 7th, 2013, 11:45 a.m.

Police interrogation room

Piper watched through the thick one-way glass, having trouble believing that the woman who had raised her for two years had killed the man who had abused her at that time. During the fifteen minute recess, Reynolds had called Windy over and told her the situation. He had a hunch, and he had been right. He really took Piper seriously when she asked him to investigate, though she felt that she would never forgive him. She wondered why Windy had given her money in the first place, thinking that perhaps, she wanted to be caught.

Windy was sitting in her wheelchair, her frail arms out in front of her resting on the table, her wrists in handcuffs, fingers interlaced. Across from her was detective Reynolds, who stared straight ahead, pressing the tape recorder before speaking.

"Can you please tell us what happened?" He asked, and she simply nodded.

"I had asked her to get me medicine," she started. "I wasn't doing too well, and we both knew that I wasn't going to last. The pain was so, so bad. She had done what I asked, though I knew she wasn't so sure about it. She left the room and I forgot to give her the money, so I went out into the hallway only to see that. . . . monster pull her away. I knew what he was going to do. I went to my window and climbed out, went up the fire escape. I was the room directly below them. I was still weak, but my limbs were running off of pure hatred and determination. I watched the girl point a gun at him. She was crying. I knew she couldn't do it."

She swallowed hard. "When she dropped the gun and ran, I went in. He saw me, grabbed the gun, but I threw a potted plant at him. Hit him square in the face. I grabbed the gun, and I just. . . . shot him. It felt so good, but I had no idea what the hell I'd do. I hated to have to point everything towards her, I did, but--" she put her head in her hands and started sobbing. "I'm so sorry, Piper," she said through tears, looking straight at her through the glass. "I'm so sorry."

Piper didn't wipe away the tears that fell onto her cheeks. She wished her father would've just killed her instead of abusing her all those years. She wished Windy didn't have to take her place. She wished a lot of things, but she knew that none of them would come true.

Reynolds stood, turning off the tape recorder and leaving the room. He came into the room where Piper was, her arms crossed over her chest, more tears spilling out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry about Windy," he said. She shook her head, saying nothing, not being able to stop the constant tears that would not leave her be. Reynolds had never been a sentimental or sympathetic person, but then, he reached out to Piper, pulling her close to him, embracing her in a hug. She let him. The smell of him was comforting, she decided, as she put her face into his chest and silently wept until it wasn't so silent anymore. They were like that for a long time.