Pt 10 - It gets crazy

Today was a very ordinary day. Nothing major was going on at the office. I had just gotten off the phone with a client who scheduled an appointment with me. I would be taking a detailed look at his file at some point before the appointment, but not now. I took sometime to marinate on the last few days. Ash was dead and no one had come asking any questions. I assumed the cops did have any reason to question me. Maybe they caught the killer, I told myself. That meant there would be no investigation coming my way. Easy had called Mr. Cross and explained the whole situation to him. He got worried about us when no body was brought to his pig farm as planned. The car we traveled in had been discarded of. Everything was pretty much taken care of. And yes I was now engaged. Val had said yes to me. I still felt guilty about proposing on the same day I discovered Ashley's dead body. But I was so emotional that day and it made sense at the time. It still made sense.

Once again the sadness of Ashley's death came back. I had cried some more the night I proposed to Val. While my woman slept, I stayed up thinking of Ash. Memories came back to mind. I even got confused at a point wondering why I was so sad. I mean I was going to do it myself but then I began to understand something about my relationship with Ash. Even though she hurt me and tried to do destroy my present relationship, I still felt something for that woman. We were a couple for quite a long time. Feelings like that do not just fade away. This was painful.

The phone snapped me out of my thoughts. A police officer is on the phone for you, my secretary announced. Cops I thought to myself, did they get on my trail? No, they would be here reading my Miranda rights to me and carrying me away in cuffs if that was the case. It was probably something else. I will take the call Julia, I replied.

Hello? I could swear it was Val's voice on the other end of the phone. Val! What's up, I asked? I got arrested a few hours ago Mannie. The police have been questioning me at the county head quarters and I finally saw the district court commissioner. They said there would be no bail because the charge is murder. Murder Mannie. Who would I kill? I would never kill anyone Mannie. Help me baby, I'm so scared. Murder? This was definitely a mix up. Val could not kill anyone. Whose murder? I will be right there baby I assured her. As I rushed out of my office, I called out to Julia, Cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day.

I was at the police station in less than 15 minutes. It was downtown not too far from where I worked. Shea was also on his way. Shea had advised me not to go to the detention center just yet since that would be futile since the commissioner had held Val without bail. I had called him on my way and told him that Val had been detained by the cops. I didn't get it and neither did he. Almost immediately after I entered into the lobby, Shea did too. He seemed like he was really familiar with this whole thing because he was asking after different officers by name. I want to see Sgt. Harper now, he demanded. He tried to calm me down assuring that it would be alright. No I could not loose my baby, no.

A tall stern looking officer emerged who I got to understand was Sgt. Harper. Shea had worked with this man on many occasions. Many of Shea's clients had included very wealthy individuals who had been accused of various crimes, murder amongst other things. This man did not like Shea at all. Shea also hated him from what I could see. Mannie this is Harper, the man to go to when there is a murder investigation in this town. This was no time to be polite I just nodded. And your friend, Harper said referring to Shea, is the man to go to when you want to get a murderer off the hook. Well innocent until proven guilty was Shea's reply. I did not have time for this old beef. Where the fuck is my girl friend mister? You have got to understand, this is out of my hands Mr. Peters, and the Sergeant began to explain. You see, the murder that Val is accused of committing occurred in North Carolina so this is not even my case. Your fiancée was picked up on an arrest warrant and charged as a fugitive from justice. And soon enough she will be extradited to North Carolina soon as she signs her waivers. Well what if she refuses to sign? I asked. Sgt Peters just smiled, Sir it is really just a formality to some extent. If she doesn't sign, the state of North Carolina will issue a governor's warrant to demand her extradition without her consent, there will be a hearing at the state capital. Bottom line is that she will end up in North Carolina. Just then another officer walked up to us. John Brown looked like a no nonsense cop. He went straight to the point. Your friend allegedly murdered a woman on my watch, in my city. And I intend to pursue this to the full extent of the law gentlemen. North Carolina? Yes he replied. Mr. Peters, call me Mannie I said, everyone calls me Mannie. Ok Mannie I have a few questions for you if you do not mind. Shea immediately interrupted, "Is Mr. Peters under investigation here?" Not at all Detective Brown replied, I simply want to establish the relationships here. I looked at Shea and he nodded me a go ahead and so I answered yes. Do you know Ms Ashley Okudoh and if you do, what was your relationship with Ms Okudoh? Once again Shea gave me the go ahead. She was my girl friend back in college and for a while after. Is Ashley alright I asked? Pretending like I was oblivious to her death. Hope there is nothing wrong with her. I still did not understand how Val fit into this equation though. I am sorry Mannie but your ex girlfriend is dead and we have reason to believe that your present girl friend murdered her. Val murdered Ash? My Val Murdered Ashley?