Under Abnormal Conditions (22 page)

“Had?” I asked.

“I talked to Joey and she gave me enough
information to get you released-”

“Released?”

I was sure the relief on my face was obvious.
If had to spend another night in that cell I don’t know what I
would have done.

Williams stood there biting on his lower lip.
After a few seconds he seemed to just give up and banged on the
door to be let out.

“We are going to get you. Count on it,” he
said before leaving the room.

Before I could even ask, Mr. Higgenbottom
said, “I just gave them the idea that a multi-million dollar
lawsuit against this department would bring this town to its
knees,” he smugly stated. “If they didn’t stop everything the
second you asked about a lawyer, they infringed on your Fifth
Amendment privilege.

“What about the fingerprints?”

“They didn’t get your permission before they
took them. The judge would have thrown all the evidence out, and
they are releasing you into my custody. Don’t get too excited. Once
they gather more evidence, independent from their interrogation,
they will probably arrest you again.”

The guard brought in a large envelope and a
clear, plastic bag containing my clothes and handed them to me.

“Whenever you’re finished knock on the door,
and I’ll escort you out.” He said as he exited the room.

“So I’m free?”

“Wow, you look like you spent the night in
jail,” Joey said sarcastically. “I called Trey the minute we got
off the phone. He said he must have just missed your call.”

I hugged her and thanked her for coming to my
aid. Trey’s father talked to me as I got dressed.

“Michael, I’m just sorry we couldn’t have
gotten you out last night. Everything is okay now. I’m sure you can
explain everything,” David said sympathetically.

“I hope so,” I said as I retrieved my wallet
and keys from the envelope. “Let’s get out of here, and I’ll
explain it in the car.”

Trey banged on the door several times and the
waiting guard led us out to freedom.

When the cool air hit my face, I thought I
might cry. Twelve hours before I had almost given up hope. At that
moment, I promised myself I would return to visit my jailhouse
friend. I just hoped that when I did return, I would have the
option to leave as well.

“Where to?” Trey asked after we finally made
it to the car.

“What if the police are setting me up?” I
asked.

“Why would they let you go?” he said with a
look of puzzlement on his face.

“Someone is controlling every move I make,
and right now they are the only ones I can think of. If I’m out in
the street’s it’s easier to get rid of me.”

“You’re crazy. If they wanted you dead they
could have killed you last night.”

“Not necessarily. If he were to die in that
cell, they wouldn’t be able to cover it up as well. I know all the
dirty tricks these guys pull,” said the elder Higgenbottom.

“Exactly. If I’m killed while I’m out on the
street, the case is basically closed, and everyone moves on.”

“Who do you suspect?” Trey’s father
asked.

“It has got to be someone in the police
department.” I answered. “I know it. Now I just have to prove
it.”

Chapter 31

We got back to Trey’s apartment around noon.
He dropped me off and then took his father to the airport. Before
he left, Mr. Higgenbottom assured me I didn’t need to worry. He
would handle my case personally, and I was his number one
priority.

I helped myself to Trey’s bed and tried my
best to relax. His bed was much more comfortable than the cot I had
the night before. Before I knew it, I was asleep. The sleep of
freedom was sweet and satisfying. Satisfying until the dreams
started.

I was driving down a dark deserted stretch of
highway. Sara was at my side, and we were laughing and talking.
Suddenly, the lights on the car shut off, and I couldn’t see where
I was driving. The brakes wouldn’t work and I couldn’t stop the
car. I could hear her screaming, but I couldn’t make out what she
was saying, and then she slapped me.

Then I was in a courtroom wearing a black and
white prison outfit with my hands and feet shackled together. To my
right was Mr. Higgenbottom. He just stared at me blankly shaking
his head. Before I could say anything to him, the jury walked in.
The jury consisted of my grandparents, Sherry, and Michelle.

The bailiff was the prison guard from last
night. “All rise for the Judge,” He bellowed. Wearing a long black
robe out walked Phil. He slammed down the gavel and pronounced me
guilty. The jury sat emotionless as the bailiff took me away. All
the while Phil just laughed. Not a regular laugh, but a cruel
merciless laugh. The type of laugh where you knew something no one
else did, and that was what was so funny.

In the blink of an eye, I was sitting in the
electric chair. There were two executioners, both wearing black
masks. One secured me to the chair, and the other walked over to
the switch. He raised his hand to the switch, but before he pulled
it, he removed his mask. It was Detective Williams. Standing
directly in front of me, was Detective Stone. He placed his mask
over my head and . . .

I woke with a start. I sat straight up trying
to catch my breath. Confused about where I was, I just sat there
trying to figure out what was real and what was fantasy. I finally
remembered where I was, and why I was there. I hoped, wished I had
just dreamed the entire ordeal but I knew that wasn’t the
truth.

I flipped on the lamp next to the bed and
picked up the telephone.

“Hello.”

“Ester, this is Michael.”

“Can’t you return a phone call? I left five
messages, and I even came by last night. Where have you been?”

“I can’t get into it right now. How is the
baby?”

“She’s fine,” she paused. “When are you going
to come see her?”

“Soon. I promise I will come by soon. I need
you to promise me something.”

“Hmmm, like what?”

“If something happens to me, don’t let her
forget about me.”

“Michael, I-”

“Promise me, Ester. Promise me.”

“Okay, Okay, I promise. Are you in
trouble?”

“With everything that happened at the club .
. . it could have been me that was killed. I don’t want the way we
feel or don’t feel about each other to interfere with her well
being.”

“I understand. I don’t want our relationship
to be the way it is. I don’t know why I act the way I do
sometimes.”

I was relieved we could put aside our
differences for Regina’s sake. She didn’t ask to be brought into
that mess, but it was our responsibility to make sure she knew it
wasn’t her fault.

“Michael, is there something wrong?”

“I wish I could tell you, but it probably
wouldn’t even make sense. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

I heard a long deep sigh and then she asked,
“Is it about a woman?”

It wasn’t the normal way she would ask a
question like that. Normally her tone was more confrontational.
That time it was almost like she had genuine concern.

“No, it’s nothing like that. Please just be
patient. I promise I’ll let you know everything as soon as I
can.”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t. I’ll be fine. Goodbye.”

I didn’t want her to worry, but a prayer
would have been nice. After I changed the sweat stained sheets from
Trey’s bed, I took a long shower. I wondered how long I would have
my freedom. It’s almost funny how trouble can always find you, but
good luck could easily be missed in an instant.

My night with Carmen only confused things
more. It was what I thought I needed, what my flesh needed, but my
soul was left empty. The next morning everything came down on me at
once. Out of nowhere, everyone except me had control of my
life.

I got out of the shower and dried myself off.
Trey didn’t have anything my size, so I put my clothes back on. As
I was putting on my shoes, he walked in.

“I heard you rumbling around. You okay,
Doc?”

“Yeah, I’m Ok. What time is it?” I asked. I
could see it was dark outside, but I wanted to know just how
late.

“Eight-thirty, you slept like a dead
man.”

“Dead man. If you only knew! Can you give me
a lift back home?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here?”
he asked.

“I have something I need to take care
of.”

“Yeah. Let me grab my keys. Are you sure you
don’t want anything to eat? It won’t be anything like you had last
night though,” he cracked.

“Wait.” I said as I grabbed his arm. “Did you
get your dad off all right?”

“Yeah. He’s headed back to New Orleans,” he
answered and tried to pull away. I think he knew where the
conversation was heading.

“What did your dad say about my case?”

Usually quick with a joke, his words fumbled,
“What? You know he can’t discuss that stuff with me.”

My grip tightened.

“I can’t . . .”

“Trey? Please?”

“He said if they knew what they were doing,
they probably wouldn’t have released you. He said they had you dead
bang guilty.”

I released his arm, and he finished.

“He wants to send one of his investigators
back to try and get a lead. It’s doubtful the police will try to
investigate anymore. Everything leads back to you.” He looked at me
with crestfallen eyes and asked, “Are you happy now?”

“Is that it? Is that everything?”

He paused and then walked towards the
kitchen.

“Come on. Tell me the rest.”

“You just don’t know when to quit, do you?
Are you one of those sadomasochist people or something? Do I need
to put you in a diaper and spank you while I’m telling you all
this?”

“Trey, just tell me. I need to know exactly
where I stand with everybody. If he is my lawyer and he doesn’t
believe me, what am I supposed to do?”

He wants you to call your dad,” he yelled
from the kitchen. “I told him you would sooner hand feed an
anaconda, and he dropped it. Now, can I get you something to
eat?”

“No, I don’t want anything,” I said and
walked outside. I was hungry, but not for food. I needed answers,
and James Allen was going to supply them, one way or another. He
was the only other one that knew about the affair.

A few minutes later Trey walked out carrying
a sandwich that probably weighed more than he did.

“You all right?” he asked.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I asked,” he
replied.

“No. I mean about calling my dad.”

“You know how I feel about it. If it can
clear you, what’s the harm? He’s your old man. He is supposed to
help you with stuff like this.”

“I think it’s already too late for that.
There’s nothing he can do now. A week ago I thought things were
finally starting to look up. I was about to finish school and get a
better job. Last year was the worst of my life and with the
murders, I feel like I’m cursed.”

“It’s almost like you’re in a bad movie,” he
said before he took a bite of the huge sandwich. “A bad horror
movie,” he mumbled between chews. “How are you going to kill the
monster?”

“I have to find the monster first.”

“That’s the bad thing about real life. The
monsters look just like you and me.”

Chapter 32

As he drove me home, I told him of the dreams
I had been having. As expected, he didn’t take them very
seriously.

“So what? Are you a psychic now?” he
asked.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. It’s just
something or someone is trying to direct me in my dreams.”

“Someone? Well, the traffic cop in your head
is not doing a very good job. It just doesn't make sense, Doc. You
need to concentrate on the real world to get some real
answers.”

We got to my house at about nine o’clock.
Trey was right about one thing. I did need to get a few things
straight, so I didn’t even bother going inside. I got into my car
and drove to the Allen residence.

When I turned on their street, I turned off
my lights and slowly drove by. His truck was there, but Sara’s car
wasn’t. I drove over one street and parked in front of a vacant
lot. I had done the same thing countless other nights when I wanted
to see Sara. Instead of sneaking in through a window, I rang the
doorbell.

James was quick to the door. His smile
withered to a frown. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

Forcing my way past him I said, “I’m here for
answers.”

“Answers?” he exclaimed.

He didn’t look or smell like he had showered
since the last time I had seen him. He was wearing an old bathrobe
and holding a beer can.

“You knew Sherry was having an affair. That’s
why you killed her!”

“Oh, I killed her now! You are out of your
mind,” he shouted, still standing next to the open door. “From what
I heard, you are the main suspect. Sara is not here, so . . .”

I walked back over to the door and slammed it
shut. “I’m not going anywhere until I get some answers. I’ve spent
one night in jail. It was my first and my last.”

“I don’t care!” he shouted, pushing me aside.
“Yeah, I knew she was cheating, but it was over. She was coming
back home!”

I couldn’t let him walk away. I had to see
the look in his eyes, so I again blocked his path.

“Coming back? She wasn’t coming back. From
what the police said, her and Phil planned a trip to the Caribbean.
Unless you were going with them, they were skipping town.”

“Phil? It was Phil?” I could see the tears
well in his eyes before he turned away in disgust.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know.”

“Just get out!” he yelled with what seemed
like all of his strength.

“What about the detective? I know you hired a
detective to follow her.