by Max Winters
Chapter 4
“Agent Steele what’s this I hear about a witness to the case?” Graham’s eyebrows rose in sheer curiosity as he managed to process the information he had just received regarding Malcolm’s case.
“Keisha Williams…Johanna Milton ascertains that she is the identical twin to the deceased.” Elizabeth explained flipping some file pages, searching for a particular file.
“Keisha Williams? How so… Isn’t she the deceased?” Graham’s mouth remained open from an unprecedented shock that struck from his marrows.
“Apparently the killer mistook her twin sister for her.” Elizabeth continued, pinning her gaze on the file in her hand and paying less attention to Graham who was desperately wishing she could look his way. She seemed so focused and possessed by her job and he let out a frustrating sigh when she slid out of the room leaving him all to himself. He felt attracted to her and their busy schedules never gave him the perfect opportunity to express how much he wanted her. Elizabeth on the other hand was a strict professional who was willing to stop at nothing to make Malcolm and his acolytes pay for their crime.
***
“Step in the witness box Miss Williams.” The court clerk ordered, with a Holy Bible in his hand. He asked Keisha to place her hand over it and repeat whatever he was going to say. “I Keisha Williams…do so swear that whatever I will say to this honorable court will be the truth and nothing but the truths …God help me.” Keisha repeated the words after the slender man who stood near the witness box. Malcolm sat in front of the court room, shaved to skin, with an orange T-shirt over a pair of sweat pants which was worn by other inmates. His eyes were weary and he blocked a sad stare at Keisha who went on elucidating to the court that Malcolm was after her life and that he may have killed Tessa thinking she was the one.
Tears trickled down her cheeks as she made her confession. Her eyes didn’t leave Malcolm’s for a second. He was the man she loved but maybe she needed to save him from himself. He had terminated her kid sister’s life even before she had the chance to be reunited with her. What was left of her relationship with Malcolm to safe guard over family bonds? He was a criminal and he deserved to languish behind bars for ever. Johanna had put up a strong defense and with the Keisha as a witness, Malcolm’s defense was weak. He was also charged for conspiracy as he refused to identify any of the people he had been working with.
“Mr. Smith, you are accused for the crime of murder, drug trafficking and conspiracy. How do you plead? Guilty or not guilty?” The judge asked Malcolm who stood in the witness box.
“Not guilty?” Malcolm spoke in a low tone that depicted his despair, his head dropped down and after stealing one last look at Keisha, tears trickled down his cheeks while he managed to hold his dying breath.
“After cross examining this case, there is evidence that points Mr. Malcolm Smith as the murderer of Miss Tessa Williams. I hereby sentence you to eighty years imprisonment with hard labor.” The judge announced while the court hard arose. The cops quickly glided towards Malcolm and placed handcuffs on him. Keisha sat down and looking at Malcolm, she felt a jolt of pain stemming from her soul. It hurt so badly to see that she was the reason why he was going to spend the rest of his life in detention.
“Let go of me.” Malcolm fought effortlessly with twisted brows as the cops dragged him out of the court room. “Keisha …I swear you will pay for this.” He yelled at the top of his voice.
“Shut the hell up.” The cops warned resisting his futile fight.
“You did the right thing honey.” Johanna pressed a hard hug over Keisha’s shoulders. “You deserve better than a jerk.” She continued looking towards Robert who had been watching them as though she meant to say that Robert was the perfect guy.
“It’s over now Keisha.” Robert consoled, taking her into his arms while Johanna went ahead with the other lawyers. She played a provocative grin at Malcolm’s lawyer as and stretched her hand to greet him. He greeted her with a long face and dismissed every disdain which she had sought to induce.
“Congratulations Johanna.” Malcolm’s lawyer said in a bizarre tone under a disappointed stare.
“Thanks Nick.” She responded politely but somewhat provocatively.
Pain would be an exaggeration of what Malcolm felt in his heart. It was a blend of anguish and rage. No one ever dared crossed him but the love of his life did. Jealousy caressed his cheeks even in the most devastating moment when he saw Keisha and Robert hugging tightly. “How soon she has found a replacement for me.” His guts commented, saddening his soul. It was so true that women were responsible for the downfall of most men. She had ruined his life but his perpetrators never go unpunished. He would seek revenge and pay her back in her own coins. For her he had been willing to be the best man but she had just arose the monster in him the moment her testimony aided the judge to convict him. He was going to go to war with his heart and there was no going back.
***
Keisha flipped through an old album that had been in her possession for about seventeen years. There were two children who looked identical and a beautiful woman who happened to be their mother. They looked very happy. She placed a hand over the picture, caressing it while a thin film of tears leaked down her cheeks. So much time had passed but she was able to go on because of the hope that someday she would be reuniting with her sister. Every flip of the ancient album came with taunting memories that tore her soul apart.
On that fateful day when her mom had set out to travel, Keisha stood with hands behind her back. Her eyes looked weary and she was sad as her mother cuddled her in her arms. She held her by her soft creamy cheeks and looked into her eyes tenderly.
“Honey…don’t worry okay, mummy will come back for you.”She mother assured the little girl. She was a beautiful blonde with eyes that matched her kids. She was in her thirties and had been abandoned by the kid’s father when she got pregnant. It had been so hard for her to raise the girls but with the untimely intervention of her brother Tim, had been a blessing despite the horrible conditions they lived in. She had run into an old friend who had promised to take her to Japan to start a new life. She hadn’t hesitated to accept the offer and decided to relocate to Japan. She had the opportunity to travel with one child hence she had taken Tessa who was younger, weak and rather sickly.
“Mummy don’t leave me.” Keisha said diving into her mother’s arms with eyes that streamed tears.
“I’m not leaving you okay? I and your sister are going to fetch you when we get a house, do you understand?” Her mother had assured as she managed to dry off the tears that almost made her cry too.
“Come here honey…don’t worry before you know it your mother will be back. I am here to take proper care of you.” Tim had assured her with eyes that lit. He was much younger at the time and he was more compassionate and affectionate towards family. He held Keisha in his arms and kissed her on the forehead. “I will always be here for you.” Tim reassured the little lass.
“Do you promise?” She asked putting a smile on her once saddened face.
“I promise you my princess.” Tim smiled at her taking her into his arms and tickling her slightly. She giggled and forgot her pain hugging her mother and Tessa. Her mother ran into the car avoiding looking back as the pain kept fell terrible each time her eyes fell on the little Keisha.
“I will miss you Helen.” Tim said, as he eyed his sister from the windscreen. His eyes formed tears but he managed to conceal it from Keisha who played an ignorant wave hoping her mother will be back home in less than no time. He fixed his gaze on her and without waste they dashed into the small duplex that was a part of an elongated block with several other apartments. About five years went by and Helen was making provisions to come home and take her little girl with her. Unfortunate incidents led her into prison and all went bleak. Tim was disgruntled after hearing the terrible outcome of his sister. He could no longer bring himself to care for Keisha anymore as there was no longer any paycheck as it obtai
ned in the past when her mom was financially viable. He resorted into gambling and neglected the child’s social upbringing. By some miracle he felt obliged to sponsor her until she graduated from high school. He became a gambler after a few years and things turned out for the worse. He completely lost his sense and began to hurt Keisha.
As her mom was convicted, Keisha lost contact with her twin sister and it was such a big blow. She never lost faith and earnestly prayed that God could reunite her to her sister someday. At the age of fourteen, Keisha began waiting tables to be able to make a living. The money she made was used to provide for her and Tim who ceased every opportunity to exploit her. He had threatened her severally that he was going to throw her out of the house-Probably a perfect way to lure her to sponsoring his excessive gambling tendencies with the little stipend she got from the several restaurants she worked for.
As time went by, things got complicated, Keisha sought for a job at La Salsa. She was a stripper at the bar. It was challenging for people to believe that she could make an honest living out of dancing. Most men wanted her body but she was not willing to compromise her body and dignity for money. The sexual harassment went to the rise and her refusal to comply put her job on the rocks. She tried her very best to act modestly with her customers until one night when she succumbed to the sensual enticement induced by one of her clients. She had rolled into bed with him and was shocked by the degradable treatment she had received the next morning.
The man was a beast in human skin. He had no regards for women whatsoever and Keisha felt like scum. She decided to quit her job to get something that was more acceptable and considered less appalling to the society as her job as a dancer tainted her reputation much more than she had ever envisaged. Her decision to quit dancing brought a raging tempest hovering over her as her uncle went terrifically mad. She had always contemplated leaving Tim because of his animalistic tendencies towards her but he was the only real family she had and she was aware that the man had stood by her when her mom travelled. She wanted to lend him the same kind of benevolence he had offered her. In spite of all, she had an ounce of hope that someday, her mother and her sister would return for her. She would be able to contend with her mother’s disappointment should she find out that he had left Tim alone as he had no other family in the city.
Chapter 5
“You better go out there and get a job or we are going to staff to death. As you can see I’m not what a dime.” Tim began with his frustration one morning, waking Keisha from her sleep. She pulled herself lazily off the rumpled sheets and in a sigh she shot a glance over the window, exposing the beautiful horizon of the sun rise. The morning seemed so beautiful but the future seemed bleak. She had endured a shooting and annoying Tim for almost half her life and every time she thought of living him, she felt pity for the guy.
“Ain’t I allowed to have a little peace in this house?” She demanded in a provocative tone. She had sought to ignore his ranting but from all indications he was taking her silence and composure for weakness.
“Since you have decided to be lazy, I have taken it upon myself to rain down trouble for you in this house.” Tim responded in a brooding tone.
“Like I told you before, a little more patience and I will have another job and you won’t have to remind me of how worthless I have become simply because I no longer have money to indulge your gambling habits.” Keisha had reprimanded. The man got on her nerves and sometimes she couldn’t hold back from giving him a piece of her mind. It had been difficult to get a decent job in the city after she decided to quit at La Salsa but she was determined to get honest work no matter how little the pay package was.
“I don’t have any more patience.” Tim groaned he probably had not recovered from the effect of the excess liquor he had consumed the previous night. The small room where Keisha slept constituted of a small bed and a circular table that graced the center plus white drapes that beautified the window area. It was the same house they had been occupying from the time her mother hadn’t left them. Memories of her and Tessa filled her world and in spite of Tim’s foolishness she still had the strength to carry on.
“Will you get the hell out of my room?” Keisha yelled as Tim tried to peep through her transparent nightgown to view the heavenly content of her soft skin that lay underneath. He had badge into her early morning sleep perhaps with ulterior motives but in a guise to piss me off as he usually did. The days had long gone when she had desired to mend fences as she sincerely couldn’t understand why there had developed heightened animosity between the two of them. He mother had entrusted her in his care and he had sworn on his honor that he was going to care for her as if she were his own but the tides of time had changed and they were living like cats and dogs.
Keisha spent more time on the social media as she had found on face book. She looked exactly like her but her outfit was more like that of a whore. She had tried severally to dig up information about her and what she had been doing after their mother went to prison but Tessa had always found her way to dismiss her sister’s numerous interrogations. Tessa had expressed how happy she was coming back to California. She seemed to have had a difficult day as she avoided talking about issues that concerned their mother. She had migrated from Japan to Colombia with her boyfriend. According to her, life in Colombia was much easier and she was making a fortune from her job. Goodness had perhaps smiled on her but Keisha was grateful that they would be reunited finally.
Keisha was more than thrilled as she couldn’t wait to hold her little sister in her arms. So many years had gone by and but the memory of her sister never faded. The absence of their father had perhaps left an open wound in her heart. Tessa had perhaps had a better life though her outward appearance spoke differently. Keisha gazed at her laptop for a while and then clicked on the icon Skype and suddenly it rang continually without an answer. She twisted her brows and then searched through her diary probably for a meeting scheduled or some appointment of some sort.
***
Tim sat steadily on one of the tall stools that encircled the gambling table as the cards were served. He had won a fortune that evening and he had also drunk to stupor. His excitement was at its peak as he beat the others to the game. He ordered for three bottles of champagne to be served to the other clients at La Salsa. The music stemmed from the central stage with the beautiful ladies succumbing to the beats. Tim’s face glowed as he continually won round after rounds. Luck had smiled on him and he was willing to make the most out of it. So many months had gone by and La Salsa had been renovated and redesigned.
Tim uttered provocative slangs at his opponents in the game and continued to play, he began losing simultaneously but he continued to push his luck. He had challenged Damon that same evening and he laughed and mocked him especially when he insinuated that George was a better player than him. Damon had placed a bet on George who was playing against Tim. He would offer any woman in the club for in exchange for Keisha should George beat Tim in the game. Tim accepted without any hesitation probably trusting his luck which was overwhelming that night or he was perhaps too ambitious for his own sake.
Two girls stood simultaneously on Tim’s and George’s shoulders rubbing them gently while Damon mingled with some of his friends at the other end of the club drinking Champagne cheerfully. He looked in Tim’s direction and played an angry grin. The games commenced but Tim began too loose once again. He shrugged to ease some tension while the sexy lady pressed mild kisses over his cheeks that rejuvenated him. He was a certified womanizer and it wouldn’t have been surprising to note that he was willing to sell off his niece to Don Damon for the sake of having a prostitute that will be at his beg and call.
He had been very unfortunate with women as most of the ones he had had could barely put up with his exaggerated temperaments and other nasty habits that were appalling. He too had been through his own share of love as a young man. He had been abandoned by the girl he loved so much for an older man. He had resorted in the past th
at all women were whores and should be treated as such. Nevertheless the last straw that broke the Carmel’s back was when his sister was jailed. He had never really been able to forgive her as he assumed that she had used her jail situation to avoid taking care of him-Such a bizarre mentality that possessed him. It would be unfair to judge Tim the way we could, but he had been through a tough life, helping Helena to raise her kids when her boyfriend absconded. He had hoped only for a reward when she was able to make the most out of her life but all he heard was that she had gone to jail. The pain in his heart was so grave and all he could do was drown his sorrows in drinking and gambling.
The evening was tough as the games went sour on Tim. He was an endorsed looser and the other men on the round table jeered at his inflated confidence. His eyes sank in despair as Damon came and declared that it was time for him to hand his niece to her. He went sad and furious all of a sudden. He was so confident in his luck that night and only realized how huge his price was when Damon stood in front of him to claim.
“Sir…Is there no other way?” He bleated lacking the right words that will express his plea to the maximum. He honestly wished there was something else he could give the man but he had already incurred debts and his life wasn’t enough to payoff.
“I am afraid Keisha is the only price that would delight me my good friend.” Damon jested lighting a stick of cigar. He smoked it and puffed the thick smoke into the air. “Everyone here knows how good Keisha is and I won’t want to lose her a second time.” He continued, throwing a glance at his customers who amused themselves with the girls snaking their willowy bodies on stage. “Not for anything in the world.” He announced boastfully ignoring the devastated Tim.
