And If You Wrong Us

Part 9: The Fall

Sarah's face was red, jaw clenched, but he didn't speak.

"Did you kill your father, Miss Pemberly?"

Sarah glared up at him, nostrils flaring. "He deserved it."

Mr. Raven sighed heavily. His gaze passed Sarah and fell on the door to the office. "Come in."

The door burst open and several armed men entered and swarmed around Sarah like angry bees, quickly apprehending him. Sarah struggled against their hold, kicking and screaming. Mr. Raven looked on, muscles tensing. Sarah quit his tantrum long enough to address Mr. Raven vehemently.

"And you called me the liar, the trickster!" He spat at the ground, hissing. "Let's see how long you can live with yourself after this, Cirius. I lived under my father's abuse for nearly seventeen years. Then I lived these past two years being ravaged by scum like him!" He laughed desperately. "I don't regret killing him. I don't regret killing any of them! I was doing everyone else a favor. If I didn't get rid of them, someone else would have suffered their abuse. I will never regret that decision. What about you, Mr. Raven?"

The room went still.

"Do you have regrets? Were your 'bad choices' for the greater good? Or are you just another selfish socialite, always out for yourself, trampling whoever gets in your way? I wouldn't have done it, you know."

Mr. Raven stared back at Sarah, brow furrowed.

"I never would have hurt your family. Sophie, your children — they don't deserve any of this." Sarah seemed to relax momentarily, allowing the guardsmen to shackle his wrists. "That's why you're doing this, isn't it? Now that they're gone and safe, you can put me away without having to worry about them." He shook his head. "It seems you don't know me as well as I thought."

"I couldn't let a murderer run free; I didn't know if it would happen again. I had to go to the police."

"You are the vilest kind of cruel, Mr. Raven, toying with my heart to get your confession."

They began to drag Sarah from the apartment.

"When they bury me, Mr. Raven, I hope you'll come visit me and remember this moment. I hope it eats you alive."

"Enter." Mr. Raven did not bother to look up when the door to his office opened. He took another deep drink from the glass on his desk.

"My, my...how the mighty have fallen." Sylvia's voice cut through the silence.

"Come to jeer, have we?" His laugh was hollow. "Go on, then. I know you've been waiting for this moment."

"Yes, I have; but not for the reason you think." She reached out and snatched up his cup. "I'm not here to poke fun, Cirius." She placed the glass out of his reach. "I know Sophie left you. Took the children too. That was rather harsh — but expected."

Mr. Raven finally looked up, irritation mounting. "Yes, yes. You know, the town knows, everybody bloody well knows. Now; what do you want?"

Sylvia smiled deviously. "Oh, I'm a simple woman, Cirius. I want the same thing I did when you married that little prim and proper Sophie. But now — now you have nothing to hold you back, do you?" She slipped behind the desk and placed herself in his lap.

Mr. Raven, somewhat inebriated, put an arm around her. "You just keep coming back..."

"Yes, and I'll continue, until you give me what I want." She pushed his silver hair away from his eyes. "Cirius; what have you to lose?"