A Place Called Home

Chapter 11

   I was seated in a single chair opposite a red haired woman in her early thirties. She flashed me her ID which indicated she was an investigator.  The air in the room was tense and the air tasted of dirt.
" my name is Linda and I would like to ask you some questions, do yourself good and answer them how wisely you can" she said and I nodded slowly, her tone had no emotion of whatsoever in it, her face was pale and hard like the surface of a cement floor.
"Good, now I know that you are aware of the murder of Fred and three other men, and you are aware that the only piece of evidence  the culprit left us was an unusual object with your initials carved on each one of them"
I nodded again
" can you tell me how you felt when you saw your initials on that piece of wood?"
"I was shocked at first but then I realised that MJ could mean something else, but what still amazes me I'd the fact that the police thinks I did this..... I mean me..... I'm just 17, do you think I'm capable of murder ?" I said nearly yelling the last statement.
" When it comes to carrying out our job we domt underestimate anyone......"
" but at least try to be reasonable'' I said yelling now
" we can't be reasonable, the government is on our necks and so is the press and the people, they want answers okay and it's out jobs to give those answers and put a stop to whoever or whatever is behind this killings, do you think these are the first killings .......... no, probably you havnt heard but two nights before Fred died a while family was murdered right here in New York, we searched for clues and evidence but we couldn't find anything, all we could find were your initials carved on the wooded door frame of the house they were slaughtered" she said, her tone was slightly harsh.
" like I said MJ could mean anything and I don't think in the only one whomgies by that name inmthe while of New York City "
"Yes, you have a point but it is ,y job to look into every single little detail and carry out my investigation thoroughly and this is something we can't just overlook, first time, second time, third time, fourth time?. And the killer is trying to tell us something with those initials and we have to catch on fast before he strikes again. I know you're not the culprit here but I think this is somehow connected to you" she said, her deep brown eyes staring harshly into mine. I could see years of a stressed young woman working far beyond her age behind those eyes.
" so what do you want me to do?" I asked
" tell is any information that you think would be useful, anything you know about these killings, anything at all"
" I don't know anything, I've told you that............. all I know was that I heard the ticking noise of the bomb on Fred's body and jumped in to save Lucas and Anna " I said
Linda sighed deeply and stroked her cheeks with the back of her palms.
" so you didn't see anything suspicious going on before the axe took out Fred's head?"
I shook my head
" okay let's drop that, back to your initials MJ, what do they stand for?"
" You're asking my full name" I said staring into her eyes, she looked away.
" yes" she said
" Mariana Jones " I told her
She nodded slowly, then after a long moment of silence she spoke " We would call you if we have any more questions for you, you may take your leave " she said in the same harsh tone.
I stood up and walked towards the door, implaced my hand on the door knob and before I opened it I heard Linda call
" MJ "  I turned back to face her.
"I've got my eyes on you  " she said, it came out more like a warning. I forced a smile and pushed the door open. Officer Joe was standing right in front of the door.
" done? alrady?" He said
" yeah "
" all right, let's get you home kid"

                                                 ***
I layed wide awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, many thoughts racing through my mind. I was worried about what was going to happen tommorow at sunset by the lake, I wasn't sure if I was ready for this, I was meant to be excited but I wasn't, I was anxious...... scared. I thought of what it would be like to see him again, after all these years. He was alive and he didn't reach out to me, why now?. Was I even ready for this?
I remembered my sixth birthday, Daddy had gone out the previous night and he didn't return. I was waiting for him to surprise me with a cake and my presents in bed but I waited and waited, he didn't come. I got scared and worried, I wondered where he could have gone. I had to spend the whole day all alone, eating leftovers from the previous night. Nightfall came and I tried to get some sleep but it was impossible to sleep without dad tucking me in. I waited and waited, suddenly it started to rain heavily, I had gone downstairs when I heard the clicking noise of the door, it was dad, he was wearing a black hoodie over his head, he was carrying something in his hands, I thought it was my birthday present but I was terribly wrong, without thinking I ran to him and threw myself in his arms, he dropped what he was holding and I couldn't believemy eyes, it was a gun..... a real life gun, his hands were covered in thick red fluid which I didn't want to believe was blood .
" Daddy what's this?" I had asked
I could feel his heavy breath on my skin, his heart was racing faster and faster.
" blood!" He said with shakily breath
" I accidentally shot a goat at the front of our house " He said
" where have you been, did you forget my birthday?" I asked
" no princess, I've been out working..... its late, we'll celebrate tommorow okay " he said picking me up and putting me on his shoulders.
"But it won't be my birthday anymore"
"I know princess, but I promise to make it extra special tommorow, okay?"
I nodded
"Let's get you to bed"
Dad was mysterious, always keeping secrets, he's was always busy with work and I had no idea what his work was, I had no idea who he worked. I wondered many times who Daddy was working for, I asked him once and he said he was working for someone he prays I never meet and then he told me never to ask him that question again.
    I stayed awake all night wondering what tommorow would bring. I was anxious and I didn't know why. I had this terrible feeling that I wouldn't. One what was going to happen tommorow. All I could do was hope everything would be alright.
That night I couldn't stop thinking about daddy, his face kept popping up in my mind, his pale green eyes, his hair, his smile, him whispering something in my ear, him kissing my forehead. His thoughts filled my mind till I drifted into a deep sleep.