ℂ𝕃𝕆𝕊𝔼ℝ 𝕋ℍ𝔸ℕ 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕋ℍ𝕀ℕ𝕂

║TWENTY～FIVE║

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“What happened next?” Nicole said and  wiped her tears away with her hand, sniffling.
“She truly got married and she stopped contacting me.” he sobbed. “So, I had to get even. I exchanged my motorcycle for a gun and I got to know where she lived with her husband and I murdered them.” he wept, remorsefully.
“How did you get to know their home address?”
“First of all, I knew where James worked, so, I just walked into the company one day, pretending to have a book I want to publish. From there, I got information about James–his telephone number and home address and that is how the ballgame started.  Everyday, I tracked his movements, when he lives home and when he comes back.”
“How did you kill both of them?”
Gary sighed, rubbing his face with his palms.

▂ ▂ ▂

FLASHBACK

2:10pm

   
Gary hid behind the bushes opposite the McBride's house, waiting for the McBride's to come out from  their grey estate wagon. He watched them audiently, he was sober as a judge, waiting patiently for the right time to attack. He  was exasperated when he saw James hold Sally's waist, kissing her as they walked into their home. He clenched his teeth as he brought out his rim fire handgun from his black leather hood, loading it with a bullet of size 2.34 . He had already hatched his plan. At exactly 2:15pm, he jumped out of the bush where he hid all the while, walking slowly towards the McBride's home. He was going to pretend  like as if he was a visitor. As he came closer, he heard Sally laugh heartily and that drove him mad. With how infuriated he felt, he still managed to knock on the door gently.
“Hey, good afternoon.” James greeted him, when he opened the door.
“Good afternoon, I am Mr Xavier Ginsberg.” He said the name he introduced himself as when he went to James book publishing company.
“Oh! Mr Ginsberg, please come in. You are welcome.” James ushered him into his home excited. “Actually, the proofreader is already doing his job, by next week, you'll be an author, owning a paperback book. Please sit.”
“Nah, I don't plan to stay long, ‘cause I am to be at an urgent meeting .” Gary simpered.
“Okay, so what brought you here?”
“You.”
“Pardon?”
“Take me down to your basement!” Gary ordered.
“Why?” James was shocked at his change in attitude.
Gary immediately brought out his gun, pointing it at his forehead “Will you take me down to your basement?” Gary walked closer to him while James moved backward, a step at a time, scared for his life.
“Y…es.” James answered with quivering lips.
“Move! Now listen and listen good, if you try to act funny by calling the police or scream for help, I'll blow off your head.” Gary threatened him as he followed him down to the basement.
“Sir, what do you want from me?” James summoned the courage to say when they finally reached the basement.
“Sally, I want Sally. Aren't you wicked? Sally was supposed to be for me but, you,” Gary used the gun to poke James’s chest. “bewitched her with your riches. Sally was meant for me…”
“Sally never told me she was dating anyone.” James stammered in fear.
“We weren't dating, we were courting. We were an inseparable bond before you came into the picture, Sally loved me and I loved her. But, her family chose you over me, because of your filthy riches. Because of you, my life is worthless, because of you, I lost her, she was the only sunflower in my garden that I took care of and what did you do? You plucked it off… I lost everything!” he cried aggressively.
“I am sorry, I…” James choked on his words as a bullet hit him on his knee.
“I am making you pay for all I went through huh? Look here, It isn't only rich people who have authority, third class citizens like me do too and I hope that sink into your thick skull!” he shot  at his chest this time and the impact made James fall on his knees to the ground.
“Forgive me.” James tried to say but his word were surpressed as blood began coming out of his mouth.
“It is too late. Don't you get?!” he shot him again at his chest and this made James fall face flat to the floor. “I lost everything because of you!” he shot him at his head, continuously, until he exhausted the bullet. After he was sure James was dead, he left the basement, looking for Sally.
    Unfortunately, the master bedroom door was left open and Gary saw Sally in her bathrobe and with the scent of  coconut oil from the room, he could tell she just finished showering.
“Hey, James you…” Sally shuddered when she turned to see who it was. “My God! Gary what are you doing here?!” she yelled at him.
“I have come to save you, Mrs McBride's.” he smirked, touching her cheeks seductively.
“Will you get your hands off me! By the way, how did you get in here?” Sally narrowed her eyes at him.
“Your husband and I are good friends, so I came to see him. See there is no time for explanation. Get into the bathroom, now!” Gary ordered.
“Are you nut? Get out of my house now! James! James!” Sally called for James.
“Shhh,…” Gary silenced her with his forefinger on her lips. “Your James isn't going to save you because, he is dead.” Gary said through gritted teeth.
“What have you done to my husband?!” Sally held his leathered hood aggressively, shoving him.
“What did you do to me, Sally? It was easy saying, ‘I am breaking up with you’ six years ago right? But today, I'll show you who the loser is!” he slapped her hard on the face.
“How dare you?!” Sally retaliated by kicking his manhood.
“Ouch!” he held his groin area, writhing in pain and Sally tried to use the opportunity to escape but sadly, he grabbed her by her hair and she slipped, spraining her ankle.
“Gary let me go, please!” she pleaded with him.
“Not until I am finally done with you!” he pulled her by her hair, into the bathroom.
“Pull off your bathrobe!” he ordered.
Sally gaped. “How do you expect me to do that?!” she yelled at him, crying.
“Do it or else…” he brought out his gun, knowing fully well it wasn't loaded with bullet although he used it to threaten her.
“Okay, okay…” she succumbed, removing her bathrobe.
“Good, now get into the bath!” Gary said after she had stripped off her cloth and Sally did. He yanked the shower curtain from the shower rod, tearing it with a scissors and he made a rope out of it, to tie her hands and legs together, he stuffed her mouth with the handtowel present in the bathroom so her scream wouldn't be heard, whilst filling the bath with water.
“I am sorry Sally but, you have to pay for making the wrong choice. So, if paradventure, you come again in the afterlife, you'll have to choose me or else this will happen to you again.” he said as he pressed her face into the water, suffocating her. He  smiled wickedly as he watched her struggle, gasping for air until she didn't have the strength to and thereafter, she died of suffocation and Gary ran out of the McBride's home immediately. That same day, he changed his blood stained clothes in a motel and left London for Bristol.

   ▂ ▂ ▂ ▂

“So, that is how everything happened.”
Nicole said and blew her running nose into her handkerchief.
“You called her sunflower too.” She muttered, whimpering.
“Yes.”
“If you loved her, why did you kill her?”
“I really loved her but, my emotions controlled me so, I didn't know what I was doing anymore.” he cried uncontrollably
“What about the  brown socks found at the crime scene?” Nicole brought out her phone, showing him the picture.
“It is not mine. Maybe it's James's own.”
Nicole sighed, “No wonder the DNA gotten from it, didn't help matters at all.”
“Gary, you lied to me, I don't even know who you are, anymore.” she cried as she used her hand to rub her neck brace.
“I am Gary Baxter, I don't have any sister who is married, living in Rome neither do I have a sister named Sally. I am so sorry for being a camouflage all this years. I just couldn't…” he cried so hard, knowing fully well he had betrayed the girl who loved him so much though he didn't love her back, to that extent of spending the rest of his life with her. He just courted her, to obliviate his past. How cruel he is.
“I know I don't deserve your for…”
“I forgive you.” Nicole leaned forward, taking hold of his sweaty hand.
G

ary looked at her in utmost surprise.
“It is really hard  for me to but, I just have to let go. God forgave me,  though my sins were as red as crimson, he made it as wool, then why can't I?  Gary Baxter, I forgive you from the bottom of my heart. I also want to apologize for my insincerity. I lied to you about my occupation, I am a Detective, not an editor.” she sniffled, wiping her tears away.
“It is okay. Everything happened together for good. I am glad you are born again. I am too. Well,” he cleared his throat, squeezing her hand gently. “I will never forget the sacrifices you made for me, Nicole. I will miss you, thank you for forgiving me and for visiting. I hope you find the Mr Right, that will love you unconditionally.” Gary said in tears.
“Thank you.” Nicole muttered whilst sobbing.
“Goodbye, Sunflower.” Gary said to her as she stood up to take her leave.
“Goodbye.” Nicole waved at him, crying. She stared at him for a while before running out of the visitors room, crying.
“Nikky!” Yvonne called Nicole, when she saw her, running out of the police department. She has been waiting for Nicole, outside the gate of the police department.
“Mum!” Nicole flung herself on her mother, weeping vehemently.
“What went wrong, honey?” Yvonne asked her, stroking her hair, worried as she let her lay her head on her chest, as they stood outside the police department.
“Mummy,” Nicole raised up her head, looking at her mother's face. Her black curly hair, stuck to her sweaty face.
“Why is it always hard to say, goodbye?”