INFINITE TIES

OLD GRUDGES

Chapter 3

OLD GRUDGES

“Hmmm, Ciara, I'll make you miserable that you will live your life regretting why you got married into this family!” Mrs. Helen said to herself and smirked.

“Your father turned down all my advances despite my beauty and wealth, and married your mother. And you think I'll sit and watch you have a happy home with my only son? Never!” She said inwardly as she slouched to the fridge to get a glass of juice.

“Inspector Peterson, did you really send your men to come over and arrest me?” Ciara demanded politely as she sighted him when she entered the police station.

She sighed at his silence towards her question, but then also felt a bit relieved when she saw Mr. Peterson. He was the only one that stood by her side during her father's mysterious death. Inspector Peterson had assured her that he would try everything possible to bring the culprit to book. He had been a good friend to her father when he was alive.

“Mrs. Ciara Marcos, at this point I don't think I can help you further. The evidence against you is too strong to be false. Just answer the necessary questions.” He declared after staring at her for a while.

Tears began rolling down her eyes. She couldn't believe that a day would come when she'd be accused of a crime as such, and the only man that has been supportive to her is now saying he can't help.

So unfortunate, the day of her father's memorial is the same day she's been accused of killing him. The respect she had planned on giving him at the graveyard is hunting back at her as the suspect.

“Mrs. Ciara, where were you when your father was shot?” The policeman interviewing her asked.

“You all know what happened already, officers. I left him in the car while I crossed to buy water on the other side of the road, and before I knew it, two masked men with heavy ammunition came out of the vehicle parked behind us and shot my father right in the chest before they sped off." She explained that while her voice began to c***k, her fragile heart couldn't hold it but break into pieces, making the hidden tears to start streaming down her cheeks as she remembered the scenario surrounding her father's death.

Ciara waited for her husband's arrival with their family lawyer but saw none of them till sunset.

She had tried calling him severally with the telephone, but all her calls were futile.

Isn't this the man who said he's right behind her when the police came to pick her?

No one came to Ciara's rescue, and she had to sleep in the cell.

Well, the only family she had was her husband.

Her father and mother were both late. Her only elder brother, Kenneth, despised her with everything in him because she was their father's favorite, his next of kin, even when she was married.

“Mrs. Ciara, you refused answering some questions yesterday, claiming that you'll only talk when your lawyer is around, and this is another morning, meaning you've spent 24 hours in this cell and your lawyer has not shown up.”

“Even your husband that you two have been parading yourselves as the best couple on social media has not stepped his leg to see you! Isn't that convincing that you're truly guilty of the crime, and everyone is trying to detach himself from you?” Inspector Peterson commented in whispers.

Ciara was stunned to hear those derisive words coming from the person she considers her second family. She felt like bursting into tears, but at this point, she has to be strong for herself.

“You've cried enough, Ciara. Be strong and fight for yourself. Everyone has left you, so you have to be strong!” She consoled herself, and instantly, she felt a fresh air of strength and relief in her bone marrow.

“Detective, who put you up to this? I am innocent! And you all know that!” Ciara yelled with a hint of disdain in her tone.

“It doesn't matter if someone put us up to this, so long as there is concrete evidence pointing an accusing finger at you!”Detective Mark Liam declared.

Ciara focused a fierce gaze at him with an inward feeling of resentment for his whole generation, which was unknown to her.

“Mrs. Ciara, is it true that you are the youngest, yet your father put you as his next of kin?”

Ciara's lips remained silent; she only nodded in reply.

“And rumor had it that the week he wanted to change his next of Kin to your brother's name was the same week he was shot dead, and coincidentally, you were the one driving the car before you left for a shop. Is that true?”

“Officers, believe whatever you want to believe. All I can tell you is that I'm innocent. How can I kill the only person that made me who I am today?” She said, her tone gradually turning high at the nauseating words uttered by the police.

“Officers, take her back to the cell. I'm done for now.” The inspector ordered, and she was lead to her cell like a hardened criminal.

Ciara called one of her brother's friends, who was a lawyer, but she got no response. All the contacts she tried making to come to her rescue were not responding.

Mrs. Helen Marcos played her cards well! She had ensured that she followed up with everyone that was close and might come to her help with a huge amount of bribe.

Yes, that's how desperate she was to crush Ciara's life.

Ciara was to appear in court after forty-eight hours of detention.

Sitting on the floor with her face resting on her knees, she wept bitterly at how she now shares a room with mosquitoes as her companions, their ceaseless bites, which was now a normal thing to her.

“Someone is here to see you, Mrs. Marcos.” One of the officers stood at the cell bars and called her.

She gradually lifted her head up and navigated to the counter. “Finally, thank God Adrian is here to end all this mess!” She said to herself and heaved a sigh of relief as she walked towards the counter.

“Mr. Smith, she's here,” the officer said and repositioned himself.

“Mr Smith? Who is that? Ciara cannot remember knowing anyone who bears that name—not even one of her husband's relatives.

She gazed at the men seated at the counter, and there was no familiar face among them. Probably, they were also there to see a detainee as well.

A tall, handsome, and brown-eyed man walked towards her direction.

“Good evening, Ciara Jacin. I'm Barrister Davis Smith, Adrian's lawyer,” he introduced himself with an assuring smile, making Ciara's mind to leap for joy amidst her tears.