Connor stood at the scene of the accident where Kim’s jeep collided into the tree. After the elevator report he just discovered, he no longer believed that the jeep incident was a mere accident.
He looked at the tree, the signs of the collision was still on it. The tree must be so strong to not have fallen. He thought. He didn’t trust Kim, probably because of the way things went down between them, but he believed that the fear she showed when Mr Eze, the mechanic drove her car at the police garage was genuine.
He looked at the narrow road.
Someone was about to get away with attempted murder. Who exactly was that?
******
“We need a new babysitter” Silvia Gabriel said. She was the wife of Barry Gabriel, the prison warden.
“I know that” Barry replied.
“Yet you’ve done nothing about it” Silvia said.
She and Barry were in their bedroom. Their home was on the prison grounds.
“Who said I’ve been doing nothing?” he said.
She kept quiet and rolled her eyes. “It’s been stressful” she said.
Barry removed the pillow from beneath his head and sat uprightly. “You won’t like my answer” He said.
And Silvia chuckled, “unless you want to bring a terrorist near our daughter” she said and laughed.
She patted his arm. “Come on. Tell me who you’ve chosen” She said.
Barry breathed, “Kimberly Harrison”.
Silvia chuckled “Nice joke” she said “who have you chosen?’
Barry waited and then repeated, “Kim…”
“Why her?” Silvia’s voice rose. “How can you consider letting a murderer come near our daughter” She said.
“Harrison also has a daugh…”
“I don’t care! She’s a murderer” Silvia yelled and stood up from the bed.
Barry held her cloth. “All these prisoners are the same” he said. They often used one of the female prisoners as their babysitter, since every prisoner had to have a duty they performed daily. More so, their previous babysitter whose prison sentence has now been completed was a prisoner. And the one before the last one was also a convict. Imprisoned for shoplifting and driving under influence.
“She’s worse” Silvia said.
“She isn’t. Her spoken English is sound. Many of these other prisoners, like our previous ones, have never seen the four walls of a classroom. Kimberly Harrison will be able to at least help Nicole with her homework” Barry said.
“Get another prisoner!” Silvia cried “probably one who was caught embezzling or...”
“A crime is a crime” Barry said
“Murder is worse” she answered back.
“Even if we decide not to take a prisoner. We can’t be certain that whoever we pick has never killed anyone before” He said “It only means that they have not been caught yet” He added.
Silvia folded her arms “I’m not sure I like this” she said.
Barry moved close and kissed her. Carried her back to the bed, “you always love everything I do” he said as they both started laughing aloud.
******
This was the fifth mechanic workshop, Connor was checking. They said the fifth time was the charm, or was it the third? He really hoped it was the fifth time and that it was true because the sun was frying his head and about to turn it into melted butter.
He walked into the large shop. This shop was one of the mechanic shops within reasonable distance from where Kim had her motor accident. Without waiting for the owner of the shop, he went ahead and started looking around. His eyes scanning the various vehicles in the garage. The abandoned ones and the ones under repair. And then, he saw it.
Three jeeps in a poor state. Same colour with Kim’s vehicle. He entered the first jeep, rummaged through it, for anything he would recognize. And found nothing. He moved to the second jeep, inspecting once again for something that might ring a bell. Something that he knew was connected to Kim.
Thirty minutes later, he left it and walked to the third jeep whose bonnet was shattered, the brake links, broken and the brake drum, drained. He entered the car, checking every nook and cranny of it. Almost an hour later, he was tired and about to give up when he saw a chain beneath the driver’s seat. Curiously, he pulled it out.
It was a locket.
He opened it. In it, was a picture of him and Angel.