Chapter 6: Plans abortive

Chapter Six

"Today's headline: A prominent business tycoon in person of Mr Billy Herbert, CEO of so fabric Company. Son of Mr Herbert, a prominent lawyer, closest to the president has been arrested and incarcerated for attempted murder, rape, forgery and trespassing. According to report, Mr Billy was arrested at Ms Wilfred's mansion, who unfortunately is the victim.. Journalist present stated..."

Wendy was rape? Murdered? Oh! The heavens must be smiling down at him. Finally, the idiotic Wendy who had always been a pest was long gone. Cool! Time to start lamenting to the media. Johnny thought with a mischievous grin.

Johnny reclined on the couch, staring intently at the news while inwardly jubilating. A cup of coffee lay on the centre table. His legs stretched like a cat on the couch. "Such wonderful news!"

A picture of Carlin shoved inside a cop van with a manacle on her wrist caused Johnny to sprang up into a sitting position. Eyes still focused on the television, his hands searched frantically for the remote. Finding it, he increased the volume.

"Report also had it that one miss Carlin Johnny is the partner of Mr Billy. According to the suspect, Carlin is the master mind of the whole plot. The suspect, Mr Billy pleaded guilty today as he revealed his cohort. According to him, " Carlin's plans were simple. Sneak into Wendy's house, rape her while doing the video of it" Billy further stated that Carlin had earlier drugged Wendy in order to have a successful mission. Details shortly"

Damn it!

Fuck! This can't be happening! Wendy's ghost can't win even in the grave, no! It can't happen. Johnny's eyes darted towards the television. Picture of Carlin filled the screen. Gazing intently, he noticed the strips of mark all around Carlin's body.

What was going on? Could it be what he was thinking? Carlin's back faced the reporters. Johnny screamed, alerting Melissa.

"Oh no! How dare she?" Johnny yelled placing his hands on his head. "No!!!" He screamed like an insane man.

Melissa rushed in to meet Johnny sprawl on the floor as white as a shit. "Hey, is everything alright?"

Unable to speak, Johnny gestured to the television. Melissa's eyes darted to the images right in front of her. Melissa hands went directly to cover her mouth as she suppressed a scream.

"No! This can't be happening!" She whispered in denial.

"Take a fucking look at Carlin's body. She was whipped like an animal!" Melissa lamented bitterly. Feeling weak, she sat on the couch.

"At least, Wendy is death. We could meet a dermatologist concerning Carlin's body" Melissa suggested after a moment, gently wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yeah, you are right!"

"An evidence has been submitted by Wendy, the victim. Thorough investigation is still ongoing. Details shortly" the reporter announced.

Melissa and Johnny exchanged looks. "Did you hear that? Bitchy Wendy isn't death. She presented an evidence against Carlin which meant...."

"She is still alive and breathing." They answered simultaneously, yelling out in frustration.

"Oh God! Why can't that bitch fucking die. Carlin should have killed her, then arrange for Billy to rape a dead body. That way, no means of surviving even if some idiot try saving her ass"

"Shit happens for a reason!" Melissa concluded.

"But I fail to see the reasons behind this shit!"

****

The incident left Wendy busy, with no time for office work. Her time got divided between visiting the cop station, giving statement and offering evidences to back up her claim. Wendy sat on the chair, her head leaned forward with hands at the back of her nape.

Exhausted, Wendy closed an eye only for a moment. Picking her phone, she went to the video files. Searching for something special, her eyes caught a glimpse of it as she scrolled past it. Realizing, Wendy scrolled up, pressed the play button on the video.

"Yes. I co-operated with Johnny to steal the manuscript. I know I was not held at gun point but still I did it. I don't deserve some forgiveness but please try forgiving me!" Carlin's voice shout out in plead from the video clip.

Wendy smirked.

She has had enough of Johnny's drama. It was time to pull him down. And pull off his wings. Perhaps, she should just cut off his wings. Yeah. Right. Wendy stared at the phone in her hands, decision made, Wendy took hold of the phone by the side, punch in some numbers, held it to her ears while waiting patiently for the receiver to answer.

"Hello. This is Wendy. I have another evidence for you"

Intrigued, the voice smiled inside the phone. Curious but wondering what Wendy had up her sleeves. "Yeah. I am interested"

"In exchange. Ensure that Johnny get arrested today. No matter what that bastard might do, don't fall prey to his tricks. He is a con artist. Take him unawares" Wendy instructed, moving the chairs around in slow motion.

"Okay. How then will I get the evidence?"

"I will transfer it to a flash drive, then give it you. Deal?"

"Yeah"

"Good. See you later!" Wendy disconnected the call, setting out to carry out her own part of the deal.

****

The door bell rang noisily, glancing at each other. Melissa and Johnny stared back at the door. One of the butler went to open the door. Surprise boldly written on his face caused him to reel back. What was a uniform personnel doing in here? He wondered.

Remembering his manners, he smiled like meeting a uniform personnel was an every day routine. "Welcome. How may I help you?"

"Simple, is Mr Johnny in?" One of the men questioned.

"Yeah! Come in" he shifted away from the entrance, for easy access.

Johnny's heart palpitated at the presence of three uniform personnels. What actually happened? Why were they here? Did Wendy say anything to them about him? What could it be?

Mr Johnny's eyes held fear, in spite of his determination to conceal it, act different like though he had no problem in the world. No matter how hard Johnny tried hiding, his eyes and body language gave him out quickly without his knowledge.

"To what do I owe this surprise welcome visit from FEDs like you" Johnny joked, laughing at his dry jokes. He sobered up when he noticed no one laughed with him.

"Is there an issues?" He asked, staring at them. Definitely, there was a big issue. Johnny concluded still keeping calm.

"I am detective Cletus"

"Detective Paris"

Detective Clement"

Cletus introduced. "You are under arrest for stealing, infiltration and trespassing" his cold voice re-echoed in the silent room.

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked, feigning ignorant.

"Exactly what you heard. I will advise you remain silent as what you said will be used against you in the court of law" Cletus said, advancing towards him with the manacle.

"I need to contact my lawyer" Johnny protested.

The manacle held his wrist, resisting further advances. "You are at liberty to get a lawyer. Move!" Leading him out.

****

One life was almost over and often dozen of others were affected. It was his job to look at it logically, to check out the details, the obvious and elusive ones, untill he compiled under evidence for an arrest. It was the compilation that was the most satisfying aspect of police work for him. Paris was instinct and intensity. Cletus was method. A case was built, layer by logical layers, fact by detailed fact. Emotions had to be controlled or better, avoided altogether. It was a fine line, Cletus had managed to walk on. The line between involvement and calculation. If a cop stepped over edge on either side, he was useless.

The cup of coffee which Wendy drank from was taken to the lab for investigation. Cletus had ensured that.

His mother hadn't wanted Cletus to be a cop. She had wanted him to join his uncle in the construction business. You have got good hands, she had told him. You have got a strong back. You would make union wage. Even now, years later, she was still waiting for him to turn in his badge for a hard hat.

He had never been able to explain to her why he couldn't, why he was in the duration. It wasn't the excitement. Stakeouts, Cold coffee, or, as in his case, tepid tea, and reports in triplicate weren't exciting. And he certainly wasn't in it for the pay.

It was the feeling. Not the feeling when you shouldered on your gun. Never the feeling when you were force to draw it. It was the feeling you took with you at night, sometimes, only sometimes that made you realized you had done something right.

If he were in a philosophical mood, he would talk of the law as the finest and most important invention of mankind. But in the gut, he knew it was more elemental than that.

You were a good man. Maybe, just maybe it was that simple.

You enforced the law and depended on the court to remember the heart of it. Justice. It was Paris who talked of justice. Cletus pared it down to right and wrong.