Place called Home

Fox and Sour Grapes

I am in the court for a pretrial hearing with my lawyer David Murray. As a witness in a civil court case not as a murder suspect.

Ivan's murder is still unsolved and with Dimitri at large the likelihood of solving that crime is very slim. The only thing the police were able to confirm from independent sources, is that Dimitri did have a gun. No one could verify the gun's make or model.

Even if the gun was illegal, the evidence against him is flimsy. The police can convict him, only if they can apprehend him with murder weapon in his hand.

No murderer in his right might would still be carrying that gun. Although a person in his right mind would not be killing another human being.

The Police could not find any evidence to refute our alibi. They even searched our hotel room for the gun.

Sam discovered that, Police were unable to get any fingerprints or other physical evidence at the crime scene. Ivan was shot in the chest and fresh bed linen were put on the body to cover him. The hospital room was cleaned thoroughly in the morning. The cleaner just assumes that Ivan is in deep sleep due to sedatives. She noticed the blood when she tried to wake him in order to make the bed. She panicked after the discovery of large bullet hole in his chest. By this time she calmed down, she had wiped most the evidence clean and contaminated the remaining.

At the back of my mind I still question whether Sam is really innocent in all this. He is no fool. He would definitely make sure there is nothing to connect him with the murder. The reason for it eludes me. If he starts killing people just because they harass me then there won't be a teacher left in my school.

I don't have much time to think about it as the proceedings are about to start. We enter this room with sturdy square table and chairs designed to make sitting on them for any length of time uncomfortable.

Gary and his lawyer are already sitting. Introductions start with the lawyer introducing himself as 'Paul Newman' in a business like manner.

"Miss Alice Campbell it's an pleasure to meet you."

David the defence attorney jumps in at this point. "Actually she recently married Sam."

David is supposed to keep quite and just watch all the proceeding. I give him an irritated glance for this infraction.

I can see surprise in Gary's face after the lawyers announcement of our marriage. It's funny how no one told him about it. We have been back for more than a week. There was plenty of time for the news to spread.

"It's all right you can call me Alice. My legal name is still the same. Only my title is changed to Ms"

Actually thats not only thing that has changed. Lot of other changes are happening. I am now officially 'The Queen of the block'. We are still living in separate bedrooms. There is no point in moving together as we never sleep together. Depending on the time of the day, one of us has to leave the other one sleeping.

Sam is very unhappy with the fact that I went straight back to work after coming from Vegas. Why should I take the time off when he is working all through the night and half a day. It's not as if we are going on the honeymoon or anything. I did go to Vegas with him and look how that trip turned out.

I am also making so many 'compromises' to keep the harmony in our family. Even today I had to use all my persuasion skills to keep Sam away from this place. I somehow agreed to taking the lawyer that is currently accompanying me.

Sam is insisting that I leave my job and I am about to give in. I can certainly afford to do it because of the generous allowance Sam has bestowed upon me.