They finally caught her.
They finally caught the woman who has been terrorising my friends, my family and me. It's over. It was all over and I couldn't have been more relieved.
I watched as they hauled her through the door. Her eyes were fixed on me, filled with hate from the minute she stepped in--as if she knew I was here.
Her hands were behind her with a cop holding onto her as he pushed her forward. I wasn't afraid of her, but a shiver ran through me as she walked passed me, her eyes still trained on me as they led her into the same room her brother sat not even two hours ago.
I knew she couldn't see me from inside the room, but she kept staring. And the freakiest part was, she wasn't even giving away nothing with her expression. She just looked terrifyingly calm--like she wasn't even aware that her life was over.
She even dressed like she was ready to go somewhere. As if she knew they were coming after her. Her hair was perfectly curled, and her make-up precisely painted.
Nonetheless, I just stood there, staring at her, ready for a second round of question and answer.
This time, it was Detective Edwards who sat across from her, leaning back with a chill look on his face. Tristan stood beside me, momentarily rubbing small circles in the small of my back for comfort.
"We caught her" I mumbled out loud, everything still feeling so surreal.
"I know baby. You're safe now" Tristan muttered in my hair as he gently placed a kiss there. I took a deep breath, realising that Mia was no longer looking in my direction.
"So" She smirked, staring at Detective Edwards. "Baby brother outed me huh? I knew you'd catch him eventually, and he's too much of a coward to keep his mouth shut till I got him outa here my way"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She had no remorse for the boy's life who she basically scarred, and now had him in a small jail cell. Detective Edwards, however, just avoided her statement.
"Mia, you are aware of all the charges that are against you right? Attempted murder in the first degree, breaking and entering, illegal possession of firearm, attempt-"
"Yes yes I know all the charges. I don't care what happens to me. SHE ruined my life already anyways " She screamed, pointing aimlessly at the one-way glass. "I know you're out there! Watching me when you should be in jail you little bitch!" She screeched, and I could see the hate blazing in her eyes like nothing I've seen in my life.
I was always a hard person to get along with, especially when I was going through school. So I knew what hate looked like. But this? This was something else.
"Ms. Walters. I need you to sit back down" Detective Edwards instructed calmly, to which she surprisingly obliged. "I'm going to ask you a few questions okay?" He asked and she simply nodded with a shrug.
He proceeded to reading her her rights, and I was surprised that she hadn't demanded a lawyer like a her brother did. It was like she was going down willingly, which I didn't understand. But, did I have to?
"Okay let's start with something easy" He proceeded to get him pen and notepad, whilst setting down a recorder. "On the second of this month, were you present in Ms. Leir house, in her bedroom?" He asked, and I remembered the day perfectly.
It was the first day I had seen her. I had marched down to the station to report it, and nobody gave me much of a glance. Niw look where we are.
"Yes I was. It was the first time I approached her about what she did"
"So you are admitting to going into her house uninvited as a stranger, which you know and understand as a crime?" He raise a perfectly arched eyebrow at her, and she simply nodded. "Say it out loud please."
"Yes I did. And I went again a few days later and left a message on her door. But she came home while I was in the house. I was trying to find evidence against her, but I wanted her to know that I was unto her, so I broke her precious vase" She smirked as she gazed in my direction.
I shook my head in disbelief. We knew it was her from the prints Trsitan pulled from the shattered fragments, but she didn't even look regretful
This can't be a real person.
"Okay." Detective Edwards nodded. He was surprisingly being easy on her. "Have you ever tried to harm Ms. Leir?"
"Harm? She tried to kill me!" I was flabbergasted. 'Harm' was an understatement.
"It's okay Cianna. He knows what he's doing" Tristan assured. If only he had that much confidence in you.
"Yes I tried to kill the bitch, and I wont hide and say it. " She spat. "She doesn't deserve to walk the face of the Earth while my Sheldon is under it!"
"So you're admitting to attempted murder in the first degree?"
"Yes whatever fancy word you call it. Yes I shot at her at that party. Yes I tried to kill her in that hospital room last week. And I would've too if it wasn't for that Texas girl. I should've killed her too" She mumbled the last part to herself, but it was very much audible.
I sighed, feeling overwhelmed again. Here she was, fessing up to everything without a hint of resistance. It's like she wanted them to take her away.
Detective Edwards wrote down a few things before continuing. "Did you involve your younger brother, Jason Walters?"
"I didn't involve my little brother. He was going to leave me! I had to find a way to keep him with me. Don't you see? He wanted to help me. He wanted to help me get justice for my Sheldon"
"He wanted to or you forced him?" His voice came out a bit harsher with the question.
Finally.
She was getting it far too easy.
"I didn't force him. He's been my best friend for years. He would've done anything I asked of him." She defended. "Maybe I had to rough him up a bit but-"
"Did you or did you not ask Jason Walters to shoot Cianna Leir with the threat of withholding his money?" He cut her off, hitting her with a yes or no question.
"Yes I told him to when you guys were hindering my mission by tracking me down. Don't you see that I'm the victim here? She's the one who killed Sheldon" Mia argued, pointing at the glass since she knew I was standing behind it.
"Why does that sound familiar?" He mumbled to himself, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Not the time Detective. Not the time. "So you are admitting to forcing Jason Walters to kill Cianna on your account, with the threat of holding onto his freedom?"
"Who told you that?" She gasped. "If Jason left like he said, he would've found his way back home. He cant live without me. I'm his guardian"
"He's an adult"
"An adult with no knowledge of the real world! I had him homeschool after our parents died so that he was always close to me. This world is too cruel for my little JJ. Cruel people swarm this place"
It was then that I started to recognize the issue that Jason mentioned. She wasn't just obsessive of her lovers. It seemed she was obsessive with anyone she grew close to. Maybe that's why it seemed like he was her only friend.
I know her type too well.
She would seemed normal at first--maybe even charming. Just an average adult making it through life. You get a few drinks, and love how much of a conversationalist she is. And when you get close, she never wants to let go.
I wasn't sure of what the illness was called, but as much as Mia needed jail-time, she needed help too.
"Cruel people like you Mia?" He accused with a perfectly arched brow. "You almost killed an innocent girl, had her in the hospital for days. You were trying to murder a woman who-"
"Who deserved to die!" Sce screamed again, jumping from her chair. "I was doing the world a favour by getting rid of her. And I know I'm no saint either. Why do you think I never resisted arrest? I was willing to give up my freedom for a couple year or maybe even life, just so that the world could be free of a monster like her, and bring justice to my Sheldon."
"Even if Cianna was behind the murder, it was NEVER your place to decide how to bring justice! " Both his hand slapped the table at his exclamation, and I jumped at the sudden rise of anger in his voice. Was Detective Edwards defending me?
"Yes it was!" She hissed just as loud. "He was mine! Meaning his justice is MY responsibility. You guys shouldn't have gotten in the way. But still, I won" She's smirked as she turned, and for the first time since all the times she would turn to look at me, it seemed like she was meeting my eyes. "I have already won Cianna. You cant escape me"
"Oh my gosh Tristan she has someone else after me" I concluded as I turned to face him. His eyes were still trained on her as he spoke.
"I know." Was all he said. I stared at him in questioning until he turned to face me.
"What do you mean you know?"
"She didn't resist arrest, nor did she seem phased that Jason was in custody too. And with you still alive, it wasn't hard to conclude that she had a back up plan if things should go a different way."
"A different way like this!" I panicked, feeling all the relief I felt being washed away. "Tristan I cant do this anymore. I cant-"
"Hey nothing will happen to you" He held my shoulder firmly as he stared in my eyes. They held nothing but confidence, but oddly they didn't assure me. Not like always. "I will protect you. Even if I have to get extra security measures. You know that right?"
I simple nodded as I stepped away from his hold, heading for the door. I needed air. Fresh air would help clear my head.
The minute I was outside, I felt better. The cool breeze did wonders to my nerves, and the slight throb that started in my head slowly retreated.
"Get a lid on it Cianna. You fear no one" I mumbled to myself.
'You fear no one but death himself', my subconscious taunted, but I couldn't help but acknowledge how true that was.
I was still so young--I have so many dreams I want to achieve. My first promotion, moving into a bigger house, marriage, kids , Thailand. And now it was all on edge because some woman believed it was her right to decide my fate.
I suddenly felt conscious, thinking that my killer could be lurking in these very parking lots. With that thought, I quickly ran inside, bumping into an officer on the way.
I immediately lodged myself back to Tristan's side, realising that despite my fears, it was the only place I felt safe. Relief swam his eyes when he saw that I returned.
All I wanted was to be locked away with this man.
I realised that Mia was now weeping on the other side of the mirror as Detective Edwards pointed an accusing finger at her. I had no clue what the accusation was, but it surely upset her.
"What did I miss?" I asked Tristan. Only minutes ago, she was smirking and preaching how she had 'won'.
"He asked her if she was behind Sheldon's murder. She was outraged, but Sean got a little rough. It's odd how she admitted to everything else, but not this" Tristan explained, and I noticed he had his thinking cap on. I shrugged.
"It's obvious that she has a condition. Maybe it has led her to believe that even though she was the culprit, I was the MAIN reason why he had to die, hence ultimately making me his killer and now her main target?" I suggested, trying to understand her twisted mind.
"Maybe" Tristan semi-agreed. "It's hard to tell what really goes on in her mind."
"Really Mia? Really? So is it not possible that after Sheldon refused to leave Cianna, you decided that you'd kill him and her too?" Detective Edwards inculpated, causing her to shake her head rapidly through tears.
"No I would never-"
"You were so blinded in rage, that you decided that if you cant have him, then no one else can. So you paid someone to do the dirty work for you, because you knew you'd be too deep in guilt to deal with it if you killed him yourself. But after the deed was done, you knew deep down that YOU still killed him. YOU were behind it and it's YOUR fault. So what do you do? You twist every logic to make yourself believe that Cianna was the reason--that she was the true murderer"
Gosh even I felt convinced after he ended, but the way how Mia was hiccuping through sobs told me she didn't. "I didn't! I would n-never cause any harm to Sheldon. I-I had nothing t-to do with his death!"
"Or..." Detective Edwards continued, not paying her any mind. "After you insisted that Sheldon break up with Cianna or you'd kill her, poor Sheldon knew it was a red flag and decided to leave. Ain't that right?" He asked calmly, but after a while he asked again. "Ain't it Mia?!"
Tristan wasn't lying when he said he knew what he was doing. If they worked together, I could see that they could crack any case.
"But you didn't like that now did you Ms. Walters?" He casually stood to circle her chair. "So you arranged to get him killed, knowing your love for him wouldn't render you do do it on your own. And when that was over, you went after Cianna with twice the rage because you felt guilty, deprived of love and angry. Isn't that right?" He taunted as I bit my lip nervously.
"No! I didn't!"
"Then why are you crying?" He slammed his palms against the table again, leaning over it to peer in her eyes.
"Because I'm being accused of something so..so absured! When I asked who killed my Sheldon, I was told that his ex-girlfriend was a suspect! And I knew, just knew it was her."
"That's confidential information. That officer can get in a lot of trouble for telling her that" Tristan mumbled to himself, and I sorta agreed until I remembered that he basically walked me through all the evidence of Sheldon's murder. He could get in a lot of trouble too.
"I swear I didn't do it! I swear on my parents' graves that I did not kill or arrange to kill Sheldon Myers!" She cried in desperation. "I admit to everything else because I know what I did. But I did not kill my finance! I didn't I swear." She sobbed, begging with her eyes for someone to believe her. " I didn't kill him. I loved him! I didn't-" She paused as she broke down in sobs.
Oh my God.
She really didn't kill him.
I didn't know why my mind was telling me something so stupid. If she didn't, the who did!?
It didn't make sense. This was her. This was the killer I'd been in hiding to be safe from. And yet, now watching her in that room, I just knew it wasn't her who killed Sheldon. She was guilty of a lot of things, but this wasn't one of them.
"Tristan-"
"Very well then" Detective Edwards ended, uncuffing her from the table and handing her over to the officer waiting.
He emerged from the room looking very much frustrated. I watched as they led her passed me, and her eyes never left mine.
I knew I was a lot safer now that she was being put away, and I wont have to worry about her ever again. She was still sniffling as she passed me, eying me with utter contempt as they led her down the hall.
I still hated her with every fibre of my being, but if she really wasn't against Tristan murder, that meant the real killer was still out there.
Somewhere.
Nonetheless as my uncle use to say, one day at a time. This was a victory on its own. A criminal was being put away.
They didn't have enough evidence against her in particular that they could use to charge her for the murder, but they had enough to keep her away, and get her the help she needs.
As for Jason, I wasn't sure what deal they made, but with my little knowledge from what I've learnt or read somewhere, he'd probably be gone for a year, knowing now that he acted under duress, and he helped with Mia's arrest.
"It's over hun. She's gone" Tristan mumbled in my hair as he hugged me. I quickly tried to push him away in fear.
"Tristan you're at work" I tried to talk sense into him.
"I don't care." He protested, and I melted in his arms as my heart grew a little.
We were official. We could move on and be a little more relaxed and at ease.
"Tristan..." I started as I backed away a little, deciding to share my thoughts about Mia with him. "I don't think-"
I was stopped immediately as I felt a sharp, sudden pain scourging through my back. I gasped as my eyes widened in shock, as I watched as Tristan's face morph into shock, pain, anger and fear at the same time.
My voice was lost in my head as my world moved in slow motion. I could feel the liquid soaking through the back of my shirt and dripping down my calves as my eyes scanned the direction Mia went in. They were still walking her away, but the smirk on her face as she gazed in my direction made me know that it was all her.
I heard the muffled sound of shouting, and I could see some cops tackling an officer close behind me as my world became hazy.
Tristan's voice sounded far as I reached behind me, confirming my thoughts as I felt the sharp, cold metal under my fingertips, still lodged in my back.
That officer stabbed me, and it was all Mia's doing.
This was what she meant when she said she had already won. She had her plan B, C, D and E. Hell, even her plans had plans.
The last thing I felt was Tristan's arms around my shoulders as my knees wobbled, his scared shouting still being lost in my still world.
And the last thing I saw was Mia's smug smirk as they turned the corner with her, and my whole world became dark.
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