Lisa gathered her strength. She picked up the pictures and tore them to pieces. She threw them out of the car and managed to drive down to the police station.
Benny was already waiting at the police station. She pulled over and ran to him immediately she sighted him.
“My husband is not a criminal! He isn’t the murderer! You can’t detain him! He was supposed to be a witness here!’ Lisa raked.
“Ma’am, we are trying to do our job. We are curious as to why your husband was at Marie’s at the time of attack and death.” Detective Jude said.
“What?! Do you mean my husband was almost killed?” Lisa panicked.
“Exactly but he wasn’t! Why was he spared? Isn’t it suspicious?” The detective questioned.
“What do you mean? Marie could have had issues with anyone. Do your investigations thoroughly and come with an arrest warrant.”
The detective shoved the papers at her face. She scanned through and her heart skipped a beat.
“You have turned an innocent man into a murder suspect! This is crazy! Ben, please call the lawyer,” Lisa said.
“He is right on his way,” Benny responded while Lisa paraded the detective’s office.
“You still don’t get it. A lot did not add up here. We believed your husband had motives strong enough to murder our victim. She was his ex whom he left after he discovered her unfaithfulness. This same woman claimed he is responsible for her pregnancy. She is possibly behind the fire outbreak that gutted his company and almost took his life. She even sold the company’s data. And what? He was present at her bedside when she was killed. Isn’t the killer obvious?”
” How did you know all this?”Lisa questioned “Your husband of course said them.”
“Take me to my husband,” Lisa demanded.
She was led to the interrogation room where Alex was kept. His head was bowed and the cuffs were in place. He lifted his head Immediately he heard footsteps. It was Lisa.
“Lisa, I am innocent. I didn’t do it,” he whispered. “No doubts.. but why were you at her place? You refused to pick my calls,” Lisa questioned.
“I was mad after seeing what Dec did. I was sure Marie sold the data. I rushed down out of anger but would never have done that to her. She was already stabbed before I got to her,” Alex explained.
“I know you ain’t the killer but your presence at the crime scene isn’t good,” Lisa replied.
Alex brought out Marie’s phone and handed it to Lisa. “Give this to your investigator. There could be something on it. Get on it right away,” Alex said.
“Alright, will you be ok all by yourself?” Lisa asked. “Sure, Benny is here and my lawyer will soon be around,” Alex said.
“I will surely get you out of this,” Lisa said and got on her way. She got into the car and drove back home.
“How was it?” Jane asked. “Marie is dead and Alex has become a murder suspect. He was right there when she was murdered.”
“What are you talking about?” Jane asked anxiously. “It is what it is, Alex gave me Marie’s phone. He wanted Patrick to have it. It could possibly contain tangible evidence. I have spoken with Patrick, he should be on his way already,” Lisa said.
“Please, I still can’t get you.” Jane was bewildered.
Lisa’s phone beeped and it was another mail. She yelled suddenly and ran into her bedroom. She bolted the door from behind and settled down to read the mail.
“If you get this mail, it means you haven’t replied to the previous mail. You have just an hour to reply, else your pictures will swarm the media.”
“Damn it!” Lisa yelled and fidgeted. She was ready to give whatever it required to get this out of her way. She picked up the phone and typed shakily, “I will do all you want. Where should I bring the money?”
“EVANS THRIVED IN ERRORS. EVANS CEO MURDERED PREGNANT EX. THE WIFE OF EVANS’ CEO CAUGHT IN SEXUAL SCANDAL’
Lisa laughed like a crazy woman as the topics popped up in her head. Suddenly she clutched at her heart and whizzed. Her panicked attack got her without warning.
She fell slowly and crawled to the door. She unbolted the lock and Jane, who had been knocking, beheld her.
“No way!” She exclaimed and pulled her to the living room where there was better ventilation.
She laid her flat on the floor and examined her. “Breathe, Lisa, just breathe!” Jane exclaimed. Lisa nodded vigorously and whizzed. She blinked hard as she tried to get air into her lungs.
Patrick made his way in and met the whole show. “What is going on here?” He asked. “Oh Pat, you are here. It’s Lisa, she is out of breath. Though the worst is over,” Jane responded.
Gradually, Lisa stabilized and dozed off. Jane did not know details and could not fill Patrick in. She remembered Lisa spoke about Marie’s phone. She got the phone and gave it to Patrick.
Patrick drove down to the crime scene. It was barricaded and two policemen were on guard. He provided his identity card and he was allowed in.
He searched around and all seemed normal except for the bedroom, the bed was painted red.
Patrick walked from room to room, he took down some notes and walked into the compound where he lingered.
He noticed a man and a woman discussing at the far end of the compound and he made his way down quietly. He eavesdropped on their conversation and after he had heard enough he said.
“Please, can you repeat all you just said as a witness in the police station? An innocent man was arrested for your friend’s death.”
Luke and Jennifer were startled. They turned around to the direction of the voice.
“Who are you?” Jennifer asked and tried to catch her breath.
“I am a friend… “Alex’s friend. If you feel any sympathy towards your friend, it will be the last favor you can do for her. I am sure she won’t want Alex to end up as a murderer after all she had done to him. Alex was here when she was murdered, he was taken in as a witness but he has been detained as the murderer,” Patrick responded.
“No! Alex won’t do that. Not him! I will testify… We will testify,” Jennifer responded looking at Luke.
******
“l am sure Lense Clinic is behind this. Marie sold the data she took from Evans to Lense Clinic exclusively but she broke the contract, she resold the same data to Dec. I represented her at Dec because she did not want to be caught,” Luke told the police.
“Any proof to your claims?” Detective Jude questioned. “No’, Luke responded.
“Yes detective, there are proofs,” Patrick walked in and exchanged a handshake with the detective.
“Investigator Patrick,” he introduced himself. “Detective Jude,” the detective responded and collected the phone that Patrick was shoving at him.
Detective Jude checked through Marie’s Phone. Mails and texts with dates that validated Luke’s claims were discovered.
Jennifer’s testimony was also taken. She broke down and made her statement amidst her hysteria.
“I put her up to this. I told her to make a fool out of Alex and make him take responsibility for her pregnancy. She wanted to scare him with the fire when she realized Alex wasn’t taking her seriously but it went out of hand.” She sniffled and Continued.
“Yesterday, Marie visited me and told me she was done with all the shit. She said Alex was a good man and she can’t believe he knew he wasn’t responsible for her pregnancy and still decided to save her ass. She said he ditched the insurance money just to cover up for her,” Jennifer said and sniffled again.
“How can someone as sacrificial turn to murder. It’s not true! it doesn’t add up!” Jennifer finished her statements in sobs.
Detective Jude walked into the holding cell and removed Alex’s cuffs. “You are a free man for now. All thanks to your wife. She is a great woman. I heard she brought in the investigator. The came with circumstantial evidence that proved the witnesses’ claims. I think he brought in the witnesses too,” Jude said.