I Did Not Kill My Wife

2

I figured out Al's message easily enough. The patrolman on rounds kept the keys in his left pocket. And the exit was to my left after escaping. I escaped in the safety of the darkness of the middle of the night, after (ashamedly) I pick-pocketed the patrolman's keys.

I fled from the prison. It gave me a chance to recall the events of the past month.

3 Weeks Earlier:

"All rise for the honorable judge, Sir Andrew Sidebottom."

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered today to address an alleged murder of one Alice Bloom. I am hereby to preside over the accusation of her murder by her husband, one Gerard Bloom. Is he present?"

"Yes, Milord." I replied.

"Let the proceedings begin."

"I solemnly swear to speak the truth and nothing but the truth." I pledged.

"Are you Gerard Bloom?" The lawyer asked.

"Yes, I am, Sir."

"Were you present in the same room as your wife on the night she was fatally stabbed?"

"No. I was far away."

"And why be that, may I ask, Sir?"

"I was away... On business."

"Very well. If you don't wish to speak the truth, I'm afraid there's very little we can do to..."

"I AM NOT LYING!" I barked.

"Oh is that so? Milord, I have incriminating evidence against this man here Gerard Bloom, that he was having a romantic affair with a woman named Chantelle and had resorted to killing his wife, Mrs. Alice Bloom who had threatened to sue him for his infidelity." He shrieked.

"That. Is a complete lie, Milord." I reciprocated.

"Order shall be maintained!! Order! Order! Behave yourselves."

"Apologies, Milord." He said.

"Beg your pardon, Milord." I said.

"Please continue with the proceedings."

"Where exactly were you on the night your wife was brutally murdered?"

"With Sh..Sh...Sha..." I cleared my throat. "With Chantelle."

"Very well then. Milord, I've got nothing more to say. Therein lies your proof of how much of an infidel he was."

"For God's sake, I have, had and will always love my wife and I won't cheat on her for a fortune."

"Mr. Bloom, who's Miss Chantelle and how's she related to you or your wife?" The judge asked.

"Erm, well, to be honest, erm... I don't really know her."

"I'm afraid I don't follow you, Sir."

"Well, erm... Well, she... Erm. I was.. Actually she said..."

"Witness for the defense, Mr. John Gilderoy Goldsmith!" A man from the audience stood up and declared aloud.

"Permission to bring up the witness to stand trial?" My lawyer, Mr. Jerome Anderson, asked, who was being thoroughly dominated into submission by the opposite lawyer, Mr. Graham Jones.

"Nay, but that's not allowed!" The opposite number vehemently protested.

"Permission granted. Mr. Jones, take your seat, please. Mr. Goldsmith, come up here, please." The judge calmly said.

"I solemnly swear I will speak the truth and nothing but the truth." Mr. Goldsmith, my father-in-law, said.

"Permission to question witness?" Mr. Anderson asked.

"Permission granted." The judge replied.

"Introduce yourself, Mr. Goldsmith."

"As stated earlier, I am John Gilderoy Goldsmith. I am the father-in-law of Mr. Gerard Bloom. Alice was my daughter."

"Very well, what have you got to say, Mr. Goldsmith?"

"That I have known Gerard for many years. He can never commit such a heinous crime. And forget killing Alice, he could not even physically harm her. As far as my memory serves, I have never even seen him having an argument with his wife. He loved Alice with all his life, and I find it impossible to believe that he can ever feel about any other woman the same way. Not only is he one of the most eloquent people I have known, he's also one of the most well-groomed, cultured men I know. Besides, you'll have tough luck finding a husband and a father as doting as him in the entire country."

"And do you know where he was, the night Mrs. Bloom was murdered?"

"Yes. He was with me. He would often come visit me in autumn. That fateful evening was one such occasion."

"Thank you, Mr. Goldsmith, for your time." Mr. Anderson said.

Mr. Jones got up. He definitely didn't look happy.

"So you're suggesting that this man was with you, when in fact, he himself admitted he was with Miss Chantelle? Don't you sound prejudiced? And a liar perhaps?"

"Shut your trap, young fellow! I am not lying. Gerard was indeed with me. On the contrary, he lied about being with Chantelle. Although why, I have no idea."

"Why be that, Mr. Bloom?"

"Well, erm..."

"Tell him, Gerard! Tell 'em! The truth. What happened that night. What's your problem?"

"I, erm..."

"Either you speak up, or this is not ending well, Sir." The lawyer threatened.

"I erm..."

"Tell him if you know something. Tell them... NOW!!" My father-in-law implored with me.

"I erm... don't know."

"In that case, Milord, I press charges of murder, conceit, and of course, obstruction of justice too!"

"Mr. Bloom, in the event that you could not present substantial enough evidence on the given day, you have been charged with murder, contempt, conceit and obstruction of justice. You are hereby sentenced to be hanged till death on the wee hours of the morning of 25th October of the year 1889. My decision is full, final and irreversible. Court is adjourned and dismissed hereby." With that said, he put the hammer down.

Mr. Jones looked relieved. Mr. Anderson had concern writ large all over his handsome face. My father-in-law was sobbing. He dashed at me and slapped me.

"You vile creature! Why do you want to die?! Why do you want to be mis-accused? Did Henry's thoughts not even cross your daft mind?!"

Suddenly, Henry's images blurred my vision. I started feeling numb. My boy. My little boy!! Oh Henry, forgive your father for the coward he is! No. No. No no no. Surely, this is not over yet. No. I love Henry. I love Alice. No. It can't be.

"Don't worry, Mr. Goldsmith, it's not over yet. God willing, the truth shall come out." I told him, before I was taken away to the prison cells.