Dangerous Dana (A Suspense Thriller)

by Doris Miller

A couple of days later on a Sunday afternoon, Christine and her family members are at the jail trying to find out about Dana and Landa. They stay at the jail for a while. Later on, Christine and her family members leave the jail and go back to David's brother Kevin's house, where they are all staying.

  Missy comes by her Uncle Kevin's house later on. She rings the doorbell. Christine's brother Alan opens the door and lets Missy inside the house. Missy walks into the living room and goes to her mother Christine. She says, "Mom? I want to speak to you in private."

  Christine looks at Missy and asks, "Missy are you alright? Is everything okay?"

  "I'll tell you when we're in private."

  "Okay. Let's go down in the basement." Christine then turns to her family and says, "I'll be back later everybody."

  "Okay," Christine's family tells her as she and Missy start to head off towards the basement door.

  Christine and Missy then go inside the basement door. Christine closes the basement door behind herself and Missy, then locks it. She and Missy start to go down into the basement where they could have total privacy. Missy sits Christine down on a bed inside the basement. Missy then looks around the basement to make sure that no one else is around to listen or hear. Christine looks at Missy and asks, "Missy, what is it? What's wrong?"

  Missy is very nervous. She sits down beside her mother and starts to nervously say, "Mom, I have a confession to make to you. It's a confession I've been holding back for all these years."

  "A confession? What confession Missy? What's going on?"

  "Mom, you remember when we were all small back home in Jamaica, when I was around 6-years old? You took us all to this mineral bath every day?"

  "Sure I remember taking you all to that mineral bath everyday Missy! Why what about it?"

  "Well, you remember that time it was the end of the day at the mineral bath and all the children and parents were about to go home and we were all about to get into the cab, and as we all was about to get into the cab, we discovered that Londa was missing? You and the cab driver went all around to look for Londa, but Dana and the rest of us found Londa instead? Remember when we brought Londa back over to you and she was crying and screaming?"

  "Yeah, I remember all of that! Why, what about it?"

  "You asked Londa where'd she been and Dana told you that Londa was locked inside the bathroom and she couldn't get out?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Well, Dana lied to you that day Mom! Dana didn't tell you the truth about what happened to Londa!"

  Christine becomes stunned. She asks, "What do you mean Dana lied to me? What in the world are you talking about Missy? What do you mean Dana didn't tell me the truth about what happened to Londa? Did something else happened to Londa?"

  Missy takes a deep breath. Her eyes become filled with tears as she cries, "Mom, when we found Londa, we didn't find her locked inside any bathroom! We found the maintenance man pulling and grabbing on Londa inside a large room, inside a small building!"

  Christine becomes shocked! She hysterically grabs Missy by the shoulders and shouts, "WHAT!" She quickly lowers her voice to keep anybody else in the house from hearing. She hysterically asks, "What are you saying Missy?"

  "After you and the cab driver went around to look for Londa, Dana angrily pulled me, Linda and Landa out of the cab to go look for Londa! We went to the mineral bath to look for Londa! We went all through the mineral bath! We looked all around for Londa, but we couldn't find her anywhere! We looked around for a while! Then we heard a child screaming! The scream was coming from the small building! We ran over to the building and opened the door, and when we looked inside the door, we saw the maintenance man pulling and grabbing on Londa!" Christine's eyes open wide as Missy continues, "Londa was screaming and trying to get away from the maintenance man, but the maintenance man was refusing to let her go! Dana and the rest of us all ran in there to get Londa! When the maintenance man saw us coming, he ran out the back door! Dana was about to go after the maintenance man, but she decided to bring us all back to you and the cab driver! That's when we all came back to you! That's when you asked Londa where'd she been and then Dana jumped in and told you that Londa had gotten locked inside the bathroom!"

  Christine becomes more shocked! She shockingly shouts, "MISSY, YOU MEAN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, YOU DECIDE TO TELL ME THIS NOW? THAT WAS OVER 20 YEARS AGO! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT ONE OF MY BABIES WAS ABOUT TO BE ATTACKED AND MAYBE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY THE MAINTENANCE MAN AT THE MINERAL BATH AND I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT FOR ALL THESE YEARS? OH MISSY HOW COULD YOU ALL KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS AWAY FROM ME?"

  "We all wanted to tell you right then Mom, but that's not all to the story!"

  "WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT'S NOT ALL TO THE STORY?"

  "Mom, remember when we all got inside the cab, and then Dana wound up missing, and you and the cab driver went all around to look for Dana?"

  "Yeah I remember!"

  "Well while you and the cab driver went looking around for Dana, me and the triplets saw Dana running in the distance through the weeds! We got excited to see her so we called her, but she didn't hear us! She just disappeared! Then me and the triplets decided to get out of the cab to follow Dana! We ran to the spot where we saw Dana but she wasn't there! Then we saw her running again in the distance! She was still running through the weeds! We got excited and started to call Dana again, but she still did not see or hear us! She just disappeared again! We ran to that spot where we saw Dana! We didn't see her anywhere! Then the triplets and I heard music playing! That's when we saw the gate of the mineral bath place halfway opened! The triplets and I snuck up close to the gate to take a peek inside of it, and when we looked inside, we saw the maintenance man cleaning up the mineral bath! He had a plugged in radio playing nearby! The triplets and I got scared when we saw the maintenance man, so we decided to back up so the maintenance man wouldn't see or hear us! As we were backing up, we saw Dana inside the place! She was standing several feet behind the maintenance man!"

  "You saw Dana inside the place? She was standing several feet behind the maintenance man? What was Dana doing standing behind the maintenance man?"

  "Nothing Mom! She was just standing there, looking at him, and watching him! She was looking real angrily at him! The maintenance man didn't know that Dana was standing there behind him, watching him, and Dana didn't know that me and the triplets were standing at the gate, watching her! As me and the triplets were watching Dana, all of a sudden, we saw her pick up the radio that was playing on the ground! Then she ran straight towards the maintenance man with the radio! She shoved the radio right into the maintenance man and pushed him right into the water of the mineral bath! When the maintenance man fell into the water, Dana held the radio high in the air and threw the radio right into the water, right on top of the maintenance man! The radio was still plugged into an outlet! When the radio hit the water, it started to spark up and smoke! The maintenance man started yelling and screaming! His body started shaking and jerking right inside the water! He was being electrocuted Mom! His entire body was shaking and jerking for a while! Blood was coming out of his mouth and out of his eyes! After a short while, his body stopped shaking! He was dead Mom! He died right in the mineral bath!"

  Christine becomes more shocked! Her eyes open more widely as she frighteningly looks at Missy as Missy continues, "The triplets and I got so scared I started to scream! That's when Dana turned around and saw me and the triplets standing frighteningly at the gate! When Dana saw us standing there, she started to angrily run towards us! The triplets and I got so scared, we started to run from Dana, but she caught all of us! She grabbed us all and started yelling at us, asking us what were we doing out of the cab! That's when she brought us all back towards you and the cab driver, then you saw us coming! When we had all came back to you and the cab driver, you had asked Dana where'd she been and then she lied and told you she had gotten locked inside the bathroom! While you were hugging on Dana, she was facing me and the triplets! She gave us a
ll this cold look! By that look she gave us, we all knew what she meant! Not to say anything! And we haven't said anything about it to anybody ever since! I've never told a soul about it Mom, until I just told you! And as far as I know, the triplets never told another soul about it either! We never told anybody what really happened to that maintenance man!"

  "Missy! What are you saying?"

  "Dana killed him Mom!"

  Christine's eyes open more wider! She takes a deep breath and frighteningly whispers, "Missy, are you saying that Dana killed that maintenance man?"

  "Yeah Mom, she killed him! The triplets and I saw and witnessed the whole entire thing!"

  Christine becomes frightened and hysterical! She is about to pass out from the horrifying news as she shouts, "OH MY GOD MISSY! I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! THIS CAN'T BE TRUE!"

  "It's the truth Mom! That's why when we went back to the mineral bath that next morning, we found out and heard that the maintenance man was found dead inside the mineral bath with his radio in the water! That's why we saw the police and the paramedics out there at the mineral bath and all the parents and children were standing outside! You had asked one of the other parents what happened and that parent told you that the maintenance man was found dead inside the mineral bath! He told you that the police think that the maintenance man had tripped over his radio and fell into the water! That parent told you that the police didn't understand why the maintenance man had his radio so close to the mineral bath in the first place!"

  "MISSY!" Christine frighteningly shouts! "ARE YOU SAYING THAT WHEN THE POLICE WAS OUT THERE, AND THEY AND EVERYONE ELSE THAUGHT THAT THE MAINTENANCE MAN HAD TRIPPED OVER HIS RADIO, IS THAT HE DIDN'T TRIP AT ALL? BUT THAT HE WAS PUSHED INTO THE MINERAL BATH? BY DANA? MISSY, WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS THAT DANA WAS BEHIND THAT MAINTENANCE MAN'S DEATH?"

  "Yeah Mom!"

  "OH MY GOD MISSY, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! DANA WAS ONLY 8-YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME!" Christine's eyes become more wider! She takes a deep breath as she frighteningly asks, "MISSY, WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME, IS THAT DANA WAS A CHILD KILLER! MY OWN CHILD WAS A CHILD MURDERER!"

  "That's exactly what I'm telling you Mom! Dana was 8-years old when she killed that maintenance man!"

  Christine is about to fall out! Missy goes to catch her! She grabs and holds her mother! Christine holds on to Missy! They both start to cry hysterically! Christine shouts, "AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THIS? OH MISSY HOW COULD YOU ALL KEEP THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AWAY FROM ME?"

  "We wanted to tell you right then Mom, but Dana wouldn't let us!"

  Christine becomes very choked up as she frighteningly cries, "Oh Missy, what about your father and your brothers? Did any of them ever knew about this? DO ANY OF THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS?"

  "No Mom! Nobody knew or knows about this but me, the triplets and Dana! And now you know! Oh Mom this has been eating me up inside for all these years! I wanted to tell you about this so bad, but Dana wouldn't let any of us tell anybody! I didn't know what to do! I didn't know what would happen if I told you and I didn't know what Dana would do or how she would react if she found out that any of us had opened our mouths!"

  "OH MY GOD MISSY, THE TRIPLETS! THEY WERE BARELY 4-YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME! WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT AT 4-YEARS OLD, THE TRIPLETS WITNESSED A MURDER! ESPECIALLY A MURDER COMMITTED BY THEIR OWN SISTER!"

  "Yes Mom, they witnessed the entire thing! So did I!"

  "OH MY GOD MISSY! DO THE TRIPLETS STILL REMEMBER ALL OF THAT!"

  "Yes Mom, it's something they will never forget! Neither will I! We're never gonna forget watching somebody die! We're never gonna forget watching somebody die a horrible death! Especially a horrible death committed by our very own sister! We're never gonna forget seeing that maintenance man being electrocuted! We're never gonna forget seeing his body shaking and jerking inside that water, or seeing sparks from the radio attacking his body while he was inside the water, or seeing blood shooting out of his eyes and his mouth, or seeing his body laying dead at the surface of the water with his eyes wide open, or seeing Dana just standing there boldly, angrily staring at that maintenance man's corpse!"

  "My God Missy! You and the triplets must have been frightened!"

  "Yes Mom, we were very frightened! We're still frightened! The other day, Linda told me and Londa that she gets nightmares about it once in a while, that she would wake up with cold sweats! That's when Londa and I admitted that we get nightmares about it also and wake up with cold sweats! And I'm sure Landa gets nightmares and wake up with cold sweats too!"

  Christine stands up and shockingly cries, "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! MISSY, YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, ONE OF MY BABIES WAS ABOUT TO BE ATTACKED AND MAYBE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, OR MAYBE EVEN KILLED BY THE MAINTENANCE MAN AND THAT MY OTHER BABY WENT OUT AFTER HIM AND KILLED HIM FOR IT? AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS FOR ALL THESE YEARS?"

  "Yes, it's true Mom!"

  Christine cries and puts her arms around Missy! They both cry hysterically and put their arms around each other! Missy cries, "Oh Mom, Dana would have never done that to the maintenance man if he didn't try to attack Londa!"

  "What you're telling me Missy, is that Dana caught this maintenance man attacking her baby sister, and then she gave him a death sentence for it?"

  "Yeah Mom! We don't know what that maintenance man's attentions were when he was grabbing and pulling on Londa! But he was obviously pulling on her for a reason! We don't know what he would have done to Londa if Dana and the rest of us hadn't caught him in time! He might have been a child molester! He might have been a child rapist or maybe even a child killer! We don't know! The whole point of the story I'm trying to make Mom is that the maintenance man was trying to attack Londa, and for him doing that, Dana went back and killed him!"

  "Oh my God Missy! Why didn't Dana just come and tell me?

  Why didn't she just have us all go to the police?"

  "Because I don't think that's how Dana operates Mom! I think she believes in taking bad matters into her own hands! Maybe she doesn't have faith in the system or something, I don't know! Oh Mom I wanted to tell you about this for such a long time, but I was so confused! I didn't know what to do! I was so torn between telling you and not telling you about this! I felt by me not telling you, I was betraying you! And then I felt if I did tell you, I would be betraying Dana! And that's the last thing in this world I want to do Mom is betray either one of you! Oh Mom, I love you and Dana both very much! I felt that if I did one or the other, I would be betraying one of you!"

  "Oh Missy, no wonder why you seemed so depressed the night before and the night we found out that the maintenance man was found dead! No wonder why you seemed so depressed when you sat at the kitchen table that night! You didn't really want to eat your food those two nights! You knew! You knew what happened, but you didn't say anything! You knew what happened but you were afraid to say anything!"

  "Yeah Mom, I was!"

  "And Dana, she didn't say anything either! That morning we went back to the mineral bath and heard that the maintenance man was found dead, she overheard me talking to that other parent! She overheard the other parent telling me that the police think that the maintenance man had tripped over his radio! You all overheard the other parent telling me this but none of you said anything! You all just let me believe that! And when the police brought the maintenance man's body out in that body bag, still, Dana nor any of you said anything! And when we got back inside the cab to ride home, Dana didn't seem to have any conscience at all! She just asked me can't we find another mineral bath to go to!"

  "Well Mom, that maintenance man didn't seem to have a conscience or anything when he was grabbing and pulling on Londa as she was crying and screaming, trying to get away from him! He didn't seem to have any kind of conscience! I guess in Dana's mind, why should she have any conscience for him! Listen Mom, Dana is my sister and I love her very much! The triplets and I all love Dana very much! That's another reason why we didn't say anything or tell anybody about this f
or all these years! We didn't want Dana to get into any trouble! We didn't want the police to come after Dana and put her away! That's why we kept the whole thing to ourselves! We wanted to protect Dana Mom! We didn't want her to be put away! We didn't want her to be put away!" Missy and Christine cry hysterically on each other's shoulders!

  Missy then pulls back and says, "Now Mom, whatever you do, please don't mention a word to anybody about what I had just told you alright? It was very hard for me to tell you about this and it was very hard for me not to tell you about this! Please Mom, don't tell anyone about what I just told you? Especially Dana! Please Mom? I'M BEGGING YOU! Let's just keep this entire conversation between ourselves? PLEASE don't let Dana find out that you know about this Mom, PLEASE?"

  Christine gets choked up! She takes a deep breath and says, "Missy, I won't let Dana know that I know about this, but I have to let your father know about this!"

  "WHAT! MOM, YOU'RE GOING TO TELL DAD ABOUT THIS?"

  "Missy, Dana is your father's child too! It wouldn't be fair of me to keep this away from him! I have to tell your father about this! I have to! I also have to let your brothers know about this also!"

  "OH NO! THE MORE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT THIS, THE MORE IT WILL GET BACK TO DANA! SHE'S GONNA KNOW THE TRIPLETS OR I OPENED OUR MOUTHS AND BETRAYED HER! OH MOM I DON'T KNOW WHAT DANA WOULD DO OR HOW SHE WOULD REACT IF SHE EVER FINDS OUT THAT ONE OF US OPENED OUR MOUTHS!"

  "Missy, whenever I do tell your father and your brothers about this, I'm gonna tell them to keep it strictly in the mediate family! I'm gonna tell them not to mention a word to Dana or any of our relatives about this alright? I'm gonna let your father and your brothers know about this, but I'm not gonna let anybody else know about this Missy! I won't tell anybody else about this! But where's Londa and Linda? I want to speak to them about this also!"

  "OH MOM! NOW THE WHOLE ENTIRE FAMILY IS GONNA KNOW ABOUT THIS!"

  "Missy I have to speak to Londa and Linda about this! I have to! Landa is still in jail with Dana so I can't speak to her about it yet! Now don't worry Missy, I'm only going to speak to the mediate family about this and no one else! I'm gonna tell them all not to speak to anybody else about this either! I'm gonna tell them not to even speak to Dana about this! I want to ask the triplets about this Missy, because it's just so hard for me to believe!" Christine starts to become woozy! She says, "Oh my God! I don't feel so well!" She starts to hold her head! She then holds her chest!

  Missy becomes frightened and nervous as she grabs and holds her mother, shouting, "MOM, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Missy starts to call out upstairs for someone to come down and help her mother!

  Christine's family members hearing Missy's cries try to open the basement door, but it is locked! They start to bang on the door! Missy rushes up the basement steps! She unlocks the door and opens it! Christine's family members come rushing down the basement steps! When they come down the stairs, they all see that something is wrong with Christine! Christine then passes out! Her family members all grab a hold of her, coming to her aid as her brother Alan shouts, "WHAT HAPPENED MISSY?"

  "We were just sitting here talking and she just started to hold her head and then her chest!"

  Christine's family members start to carry her up the stairs! She is then rushed to the hospital!

  Twenty minutes later, Christine's family members arrive to the hospital with her! Christine is then put on to a stretcher and carried off through the hospital corridor.

  After a while, Christine lays in the hospital bed, passed out. Her family members stand there by her side, including her children. Doctor Matthews, an older black gentleman, soon comes into the room and tells Christine's family that she is suffering from stress. Alan tells Doctor Matthews, "Well she has two daughters that are in jail. That's why she's probably suffering from stress."

  "Oh yeah?"

  "Yes."

  Everyone looks at Christine as she lays passed out on the bed. Missy looks on nervously, but does not say a word. Alan starts to talk with the doctor. After a while, the doctor leaves the room.

  David and his family soon rush inside the hospital room to see Christine! As both families stand around Christine, Missy pulls Linda to the side. She tells Linda, "I want to talk to you in private."

  Missy brings Linda out into the hallway. She leads Linda down the end of the corridor where they could talk in total privacy. Missy and Linda stop. Linda then leans her head and back against the wall with her arms folded as she looks at Missy. Missy takes a deep breath. She starts to whisper, "Linda, you remember what we were talking about the other day, about what happened back in Jamaica when we were all small, and we were all at that mineral bath? When we caught that maintenance man grabbing and pulling on Londa, trying to attack her, and then Dana went back after the maintenance man and killed him for it? The one you said you get nightmares about?"

  Linda's eyes open wider as she takes her head off the wall! She firmly asks, "Missy why are you bringing that up now?"

  "Because I had just told Mom everything about that a little while ago at Uncle Kevin's house!"

  "YOU WHAT!"

  "Yeah Linda! I told Mom everything! That's why she's in here right now! She had gotten shocked and sick from the news!"

  "WHAT! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT YOU TOLD MOM EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE MAN GRABBING AND PULLING ON LONDA? TRYING TO ATTACK HER AT THE MINERAL BATH? AND THEN DANA WENT BACK AFTER HIM AND KILLED HIM FOR IT?"

  "Yeah Linda! I told Mom everything! I told Mom everything that happened back then!"

  "OH MISSY WHY IN THE HELL DID YOU GO AND DO THAT FOR? WHY DID YOU HAD TO TELL MOM ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN? WHY DID YOU HAD TO TELL HER ABOUT WHAT THE MAINTENANCE MAN DID TO LONDA? ESPECIALLY WHY DID YOU TELL HER THAT DANA WENT BACK AFTER HIM AND KILLED HIM FOR IT? YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER TOLD MOM ABOUT THAT MISSY! SUPPOSE SHE GOES BACK AND TELLS SOMEBODY ELSE ABOUT IT! SUPPOSE SHE GOES BACK TO DANA AND MENTIONS THIS TO HER! DANA IS GONNA KNOW ONE OF US TOLD MOM ABOUT THIS BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE KNOWS ABOUT THIS MISSY! NOBODY ELSE WAS THERE! IF DANA FINDS OUT THAT MOM KNOWS ABOUT THIS, YOU BETTER BELIEVE SHE'S GONNA BE FURIOUS WITH US MISSY! AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IN THE WORLD SHE MIGHT DO!"

  "Linda I already told Mom not to tell Dana or anybody else about this, but she said that she's gonna tell Dad and the boys about it! She said they should know about it, but she said she's not going to tell any of our relatives about it! She said that she's not going to mention any of this to Dana and she said whenever she tells Dad and the boys about this, she's gonna tell them not to mention a word to Dana about it either!"

  "BUT STILL MISSY! NOW THAT MOM KNOWS ABOUT THIS, SHE'S NEVER GONNA LOOK AT DANA THE SAME WAY AGAIN! WHEN SHE TELLS DAD AND THE BOYS ABOUT IT, THEY'RE NEVER GONNA LOOK AT DANA THE SAME WAY EITHER! FROM NOW ON IN THE FUTURE, EVERY TIME MOM, DAD OR THE BOYS LOOK AT OR SEE DANA, THAT INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE ALL GOING TO KNOW IS GONNA STICK IN THEIR HEADS FOREVER! JUST LIKE IT'S BEEN IN OUR HEADS FOREVER! THE NEXT TIME MOM, DAD OR THE BOYS LOOK AT OR SEE DANA, THEY'RE ALL GONNA SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE! A FORMER CHILD MURDERER! THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ALL GONNA SEE THE NEXT TIME THEY LOOK AT OR SEE DANA!" Linda angrily starts to walk away!

  "LINDA!"

  Linda turns around and takes a deep breath as she frighteningly and firmly says, "Boy Missy, I sure hope that none of this gets back to Dana! I sure hope Dana doesn't find out that one of us went back and told Mom about what happened at that mineral bath! I sure hope she doesn't find out about this!" Linda continues to walk away. Missy nervously hurries behind her.

  Linda and Missy enter back into the hospital room where Christine is still lying unconscious. Their family is still in the room with Christine as Christine still lays passed out in the bed. Harold asks David, "We're not going to let Dana and Landa know about this right now are we?"

  "No, we don't need to upset them anymore than they already are.

  Missy and Linda look on nervously. Doctor Matthews soon enters the room again. He tells both Christ
ine's family and David's family that he will keep Christine in the hospital overnight for observation. After a while, the doctor leaves the room.

  Soon Christine's family and David's family leave the room. They all then leave the hospital.

  The following Monday, Christine is back to conscious. She calls up Missy from her hospital room. She tells Missy, "Listen Missy, I want you, Londa and Linda to all come up here to the hospital, okay? I want to speak with all three of you in private. Make sure just the three of you come alright, Missy?"

  "Okay Mom! We'll be there right away! See you!" Missy hangs up the telephone and hurries away!

  A half hour later, Missy, Londa and Linda arrive to the hospital. They enter Christine's hospital room and approach her. They all smile and give her a big hug as they all ask, "So how are you doing Mom? How do you feel?"

  "Not so good."

  "What's wrong Mom?" Londa asks.

  Christine looks at Londa and Linda and asks, "Which one is Londa?"

  "Me Mom," Londa says. "What's the matter?"

  Christine's eyes become teary as she says, "Come sit down Londa." Londa sits down on the bed beside Christine as Christine says, "Missy told me about what happened a long time ago back in Jamaica, when I used to take you all to this mineral bath! Missy told me about the maintenance man trying to attack you Londa, and that Dana went back after him and killed him for it!"

  Londa becomes shocked as she shouts, "WHAT!" She looks at Missy and shouts, "YOU TOLD MOM ABOUT THAT MISSY?"

  Christine shockingly says, "Then it is true! It is true that the maintenance man tried to attack you Londa! It is true that Dana went back after him and killed him for it! I was sure hoping that it wasn't true! All this time and I didn't know any of this! Oh Londa, when your sisters had found you, Dana had told me that you were locked inside the bathroom and you couldn't get out, but Missy told me yesterday that you were never locked inside any bathroom! She told me that Dana and them found the maintenance man grabbing and pulling on you inside a small building! Is that true Londa? Huh? Tell me the truth! You were never locked inside any bathroom were you?"

  "Yeah Mom, I was!"

  Missy and Linda shockingly look at Londa! Londa continues, "I was locked inside the bathroom at first, but it wasn't Dana and them who found me inside the bathroom! It was the maintenance man who found me locked inside the bathroom! I was in the bathroom all by myself at first! When I was getting ready to leave the bathroom, I realized I couldn't get out! The door was locked! I actually was locked inside the bathroom Mom! I kept trying to get out but I couldn't! I thought everybody was gone already! I was getting scared! I started to scream! I started to lie on the bathroom floor, kicking my legs up at the door so somebody could hear me, so they could know that I was still in the bathroom and I couldn't get out! I was locked inside the bathroom for a while! That's when I heard the bathroom door unlocking! Then I saw the bathroom door opening! It was the maintenance man! He had opened the door and found me inside the bathroom! I got so happy that someone finally found me! When the maintenance man found me, I thought that he was going to bring me out to the front where everybody else was, but he didn't! He decided to take me the other direction!" Christine, Missy and Linda shockingly listen to Londa's story as Londa continues, "I had asked the maintenance man where was he taking me! He told me he was going to take me to where he had a lot of toys hidden! I told him I wasn't supposed to go anywhere without my mother or my oldest sister! He told me that's alright, he'll bring me back to them later! That's when he took me inside the small building Mom! We were all alone in there! Nobody else was in there! I was getting scared being alone with the maintenance man, so I started to walk away, but he didn't let me! He told me I wasn't going anywhere until he was finished with me! I started to run, but he caught me! I tried to scream, but he putted his hands over my mouth to keep me from screaming! I kept trying and trying to get away from him, but he did not let me go! I kept trying to scream! I managed to scream a few times, that's when Dana and them found me Mom! That's when Dana and them ran inside the building to get me! That's where Dana and them actually found me Mom! They found the maintenance man grabbing and pulling on me inside the small building!"

  Christine, Missy and Linda are shocked as Missy says, "Londa you never told us about that part! You never told us that you were actually locked inside the bathroom and that the maintenance man found you! You never told us that he took you the other direction! You never told us any of that part!"

  "I was afraid to tell you about that part! I was afraid to tell anybody about it!"

  Christine is more shocked as she frighteningly shouts, "OH LONDA! OH LONDA HOW DARE HE! HOW DARE THAT MAINTENANCE MAN TRY TO KIDNAP AND ATTACK ONE OF MY BABIES! HOW DARE HE! HE COULD HAVE KILLED YOU LONDA! OH MY GOD! ALL THAT TIME WHEN WE HAD HEARD THE NEWS OF THAT MAINTENANCE MAN BEING FOUND DEAD INSIDE THE MINERAL BATH, I KEPT FEELING SORRY FOR HIM! I KEPT SAYING AND THINKING HOW SAD IT WAS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, HOW SAD IT WAS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM! EVEN TILL THIS DAY, AT TIMES I BE THINKING HOW SAD IT WAS THAT IT HAPPENED TO HIM! I KEPT FEELING SORRY FOR THE GUY, NOT REALIZING WHAT HE TRIED TO DO TO MY BABY! I KEPT FEELING SORRY FOR HIM, NOT REALIZING WHAT HE'S PUT ALL MY BABIES THROUGH! ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! OH LONDA HOW DARE HE! YOU KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN RIGHT THEN WHAT HE DID TO YOU, OR IF I HAD CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT MYSELF, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING DANA DID! WHO KNOWS? YOUR FATHER PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING HIMSELF! OH LONDA HOW DARE THAT MAINTENANCE MAN ATTACK YOU!"

  "You know Mom," Missy says, "I had already told Linda yesterday that I had just told you about the incident before you came into the hospital! I had told Linda yesterday that you know about it now and she is very worried that you might not look at Dana the same way anymore! She's worried that when you tell Dad and the boys about it, they might not look at Dana the same way either! We were worried that you all might see Dana as a former child murderer!"

  Londa becomes shocked as she shouts, "MOM, YOU'RE GONNA TELL DAD AND THE BOYS ABOUT THIS?"

  "YES LONDA I HAVE TO! YOUR FATHER AND YOUR BROTHERS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS! BUT WHENEVER I DO TELL THEM, I'M GONNA TELL THEM NOT TO MENTION A WORD TO DANA OR ANY OF OUR RELATIVES ABOUT THIS ALRIGHT? AND IT IS TRUE THAT FROM NOW ON WHEN I LOOK AT DANA, OR WHEN YOUR FATHER AND YOUR BROTHERS LOOK AT DANA, WE WILL ALL SEE A FORMER CHILD MURDERER! A CHILD MURDERER THAT WAS VENGING FOR HER BABY SISTER! LISTEN GIRLS, DANA MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CHILD MURDERER, BUT ACTUALLY, SHE SAVED YOUR LIFE LONDA! IF DANA HADN'T FOUND YOU IN TIME, THAT MAINTENANCE MAN PROBABLY WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU, JUST TO KEEP YOU QUIET! HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MURDERER AND YOU WOULDN'T BE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW! AND IF THAT MAINTENANCE MAN WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU LONDA, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL MY FAULT!"

  "Your fault? What do you mean your fault Mom?"

  "WELL I'M THE ONE WHO TOLD DANA NOT TO GO LOOK FOR YOU! SHE KEPT WANTING TO LOOK FOR YOU LONDA, BUT I TOLD HER TO JUST GET INTO THE CAB AND STAY PUT! I KEPT FUSSING AT DANA AND TOLD HER THAT I'LL LOOK FOR YOU AND I'LL FIND YOU, BUT SHE STILL KEPT WANTING TO LOOK FOR YOU! DANA WAS SO DETERMINED TO LOOK FOR YOU, BUT I KEPT TRYING TO STOP HER! I KEPT FUSSING AT DANA TO GET INTO THE CAB AND STAY PUT, BUT SHE TURNED OUT TO BE THE ONE WHO FOUND YOU AND PROBABLY SAVED YOUR LIFE! I KEPT HOLLERING AND FUSSING AT DANA, TELLING HER TO GET INSIDE THE CAB AND NOT TO GO ANYWHERE, BUT THANK GOD SHE DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME THAT TIME, BECAUSE IF SHE WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO ME, SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT THE CAB AND NEVER WOULD HAVE GONE OUT TO LOOK FOR YOU! AND IF SHE NEVER HAD GONE OUT TO LOOK FOR YOU, SHE NEVER WOULD HAVE FOUND YOU IN TIME AND THAT MAINTENANCE MAN PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED YOU AND THEN PRABABLY KILL YOU! OH LONDA, IF IT WASN'T FOR DANA, YOUR BODY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND AT THAT MINERAL BATH THE NEXT MORNING INSTEAD OF THAT MAINTENANCE MAN'S BODY! OH GOD I FEEL SO GUILTY NOW! I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO DANA FOR FUSSING AT HER! I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO DANA FOR TRYING TO STOP HER FROM LOOKING FOR YOU LONDA! I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO DANA FOR FUSSING AT HER ABOUT GETTING INTO THE CAB AND EVERYTHING!
I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO DANA SO BAD, BUT I CAN'T! ACCORDING TO HER, I'M NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS!"

  "Oh Mom," Missy says, "if you feel that way, maybe there's some way you can try apologizing to Dana without letting on to her that you know about this! Maybe there's some way!"

  "THERE IS NO WAY MISSY! IF I START TO APOLOGIZE TO DANA, SHE'S GONNA LOOK AT ME STRANGE AND WONDER WHAT THE HECK I'M TALKING ABOUT, AND I CAN'T EVEN TELL HER! I CAN'T EVEN TELL HER WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Christine starts to cry hysterically on Londa's shoulders! Missy's and Linda's eyes fill with tears as they put their arms around their mother's shoulders to comfort her. After a short minute, Christine looks at her daughters and says in a calmer, but firmer voice, "Listen girls, I know you all probably worrying about me seeing and looking at Dana in a different way! I know you all are worried about me, your father and your brothers seeing Dana and looking at her as a former child murderer! But no matter what I just found out within these two days, Dana is still my child! She's gonna always be my child no matter what! I'm gonna always love my child and I'm gonna always be there for my child! I'm gonna love and be there for all of my children, do you all understand that! Nothing I heard within these two days is gonna change my feelings about Dana! Nothing! But it will change my feelings about that maintenance man! I no longer feel sorry for him! I dislike him for what he tried to do to my baby! I dislike him for what he put all of my babies through!" Christine starts to cry and put her arms around Londa. Christine and Londa tearfully give each other a tight hug as Christine cries, "Oh Londa I'm so sorry! I should have kept my eye on you back then! If I had kept an eye on you more closer, none of this would have ever happened! If I would have just kept my eye on you, the maintenance man would have never had a chance to try to attack you! And Dana would have never had to go back and kill him for it! Oh Londa, could you ever forgive me? I'm sorry baby!"

  "Oh Mom, it's not your fault," Missy cries. "You had all five of us to keep an eye on back then! You did your best!"

  Christine continues to cry as she gives all three of her girls a big loving hug.

  The following Tuesday, Christine is about to leave the hospital. She is tired and dreary. Her family members and David's family members come to pick her up. Missy is also there. As the families stand around talking, Missy privately asks her mother, "Mom, are you alright?"

  "I'm alright Missy. Don't worry, I'll be okay."

  "Good. Mom, what about Landa? Are you still gonna speak to Landa about what you just found out?"

  "Yes Missy. I'm gonna speak to Landa whenever I get the chance. I just have to make sure Dana is not around when I speak to Landa about it." Christine gives a warm smile to Missy as she puts her arm around Missy's shoulders! They then get ready to leave the hospital room with their families.

  A week has passed. Tony starts to go back to work at the bank. A few hours later, he starts to get terrible pains in his chest! The ambulance is then called. It arrives to the bank. Around 5 or 10 minutes later, Tony is being rushed to the hospital! The ambulance soon arrives to the hospital with Tony! They then carry him off into a stretcher and take him down the corridor!

  Tony is admitted in the hospital for severe chest pains! His family is soon notified. They quickly rush to the hospital. Tony gets the same doctors who had treated him before when he was in the hospital. The doctors tell Tony's family that he is suffering from chest pains do to stress, which had putted him in the hospital before. Tony's family gets stunned by the news. They are all scared and nervous. They then call up Dana's family to tell them the news that Tony has been admitted to the hospital again. They tell Dana's family that Tony is in the hospital suffering from chest pains again, which the doctors say are due to stress. Dana's family soon rushes to the hospital to see Tony. When they reach the hospital, they all stay with Tony at his bedside for a while.

  Tony remains in the hospital overnight. He is then released the next day and goes home to stay with his family at their home.

  It is now Friday, a few days later. Christine is in her brother-in-law Kevin's house. She gets on the telephone and calls up Gracy and Mike's house. David picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hello, David?"

  "Yeah Christine. How are you?"

  "Oh I'm so glad it's you David!"

  "Yeah it's me Christine. Is everything alright?"

  "No David, everything is not alright."

  "What are you talking about Christine? What's wrong?"

  "David, I have to talk to you. It's very important! I have to talk to you and the boys! You, Sammy, Thomas and Robert. I have to talk to you all together! You think you can all come over here later on tonight, like around 10:00 or 11:00?"

  "Sure Christine! I'll try to get the boys over there tonight. Why? What's the matter?"

  "I can't speak about it over the phone David. It is very important that I speak to you and the boys in person, and in private."

  "Okay Christine. I'll get the boys over there tonight."

  "Thanks David. I'll see you all later when you get here."

  "Okay Christine."

  "Okay David. See you later. By now."

  "By Christine." David hangs up the telephone. Puzzled, he stares into space, wondering what's so important that Christine wants to talk to him and the boys about. Then he looks at the telephone.

  Around 11:00 that night, on a dark quiet street in Cambria Heights, Queens, David and the boys pull up in a car in front of Uncle Kevin's house. They all come out of the car and look up at the night sky. The moon is shining very mysteriously. David, Sammy, Thomas and Robert start to walk towards Uncle Kevin's front door. Before they could get a chance to ring the doorbell, Christine suddenly opens the front door. She whispers, "I was already looking out for you all through the living room window."

  "Oh," David whispers. David and the boys then walk quietly through the front door. It is very dark inside the house. It is very quiet. Christine's family members are all asleep upstairs. Christine leads David and the boys towards the basement door. She sends them all down the dark basement steps. Christine then goes inside the basement door and closes it behind herself.

  The following Saturday morning, Gracy is up early in her house. The telephone rings. She goes to answer it and says, "Hello?"

  "Hi Mom," Christine says. "It's me Christine. How are you this morning?"

  "Good Christine! I'm okay! How about yourself? Are you feeling much better now?"

  "Yeah, I'm feeling better now."

  "That's good."

  "Mom, I called because I want to speak to Missy real quick. Is she there?"

  "Yeah, she's here."

  "Could you put her on the phone? I have to speak to her right away."

  "Sure Christine. Hold on."

  A minute later, Missy comes to the telephone. She gets on the telephone and says, "Hello Mom?"

  "Hello Missy! Missy I need you, Londa and Linda to get over here right away! Get over here as fast as you can, alright? It's very important! Please get over here right away! You, Londa and Linda!"

  "Okay Mom! I'll get them up! We'll be over there as soon as possible!"

  "Hurry!"

  "Okay Mom!" Missy quickly hangs up the telephone and rushes away!

  An hour later, Missy, Londa and Linda arrive to their Uncle Kevin's front door. Before they get a chance to ring the doorbell, Christine suddenly opens the door. She tells Missy, Londa and Linda, "I was looking out for you all through the living room window. Come on in."

  Missy, Londa and Linda walk through the quiet house. Christine's family is all still asleep upstairs. Christine leads the girls towards the basement door. She opens the door and leads the girls down the basement steps. When the girls enter the basement, David, Sammy, Thomas and Robert quickly rush to them and hug them all very tightly! The guys are all hysterical! David tells the girls, "We just heard the news of the maintenance man attacking Londa back in Jamaica! And Dana going back after him, killing him for it!" David and the boys are all weeping. They a
re all very sad. Being that it is hard to tell Londa and Linda apart, David looks at them both and asks, "Which one is Londa?" Londa raises her hand. David and the boys then grab and hold on to Londa. David whispers, "Oh Londa, are you alright?"

  "Of course I'm alright Dad! That happened over 20 years ago!"

  "Londa, we didn't get a chance to ask you are you alright 20 years ago! So we're making up for it now! Are you alright? Or were you alright after what happened back then?"

  Londa hugs her father and cries, "I'm alright Dad!"

  Soon, everyone in the basement is crying and weeping. They all hug and hold on to one another very tightly. Missy then asks, "Dad, you're not going to mention anything to Dana about this are you? None of you are going to let Dana know that you all know about this, are you? Because according to her, nobody else is supposed to know about this, but me and the triplets! If Dana finds out that any of you know about this, she's gonna know that either me, Londa, Linda or Landa opened our mouths because we were the only ones that were there who witnessed the entire incident!"

  "Don't worry Missy," David says. "We all already made a promise and an agreement to your mother that we won't mention a word to Dana or anybody else about this!"

  "Yeah Missy," Sammy says. "We won't say anything to Dana about this, or anybody else."

  Missy and Sammy tearfully hold on to each other. Everyone starts to cry and weep as they all hug and hold tightly on to each other.

  Another week passes. Dana and Landa are still behind bars. They continue to remain behind bars until their court date arrives. As time is approaching towards their court date, Dana starts to become very ill. She becomes ill with the flu. She starts to suffer real bad from it. She has headaches, high fever, high temperature, sore throat, sore eyes, ear aches and aching bones. Her complexion is very red with fever. She is also sweating a lot. The facility doctor and nurse come to check on Dana. The nurse takes Dana's temperature and feels her forehead. Her body temperature feels very hot and warm. The nurse then gives Dana some cold fluids and some medicine. She puts drops in Dana's eyes. She then puts drops in Dana's ears. The doctor checks Dana's heartbeat and takes her blood pressure. Landa stays by Dana's side the whole time holding tightly onto Dana's hand.

  Afterwards, the facility transfers Dana to the prison hospital. Landa is also sent there to be by Dana's side. Dana will stay in the prison hospital until her and Landa's court date arrives.

  It is a week later now. It is time for Dana and Landa's court date. Dana is still very sick and ill with the flu. She cannot make it to court. The prison hospital will not release her. Dana and Landa's court date have to be postponed. Their court date is set for another week.

  The week goes by. Dana and Landa's second court date finally arrives. Their family and friends are all about to go inside the courtroom to be there for them. As Christine and Missy are about to enter the courtroom, Missy turns to Christine and asks, "Mom, are you okay? Are you going to be alright?"

  "I'll be alright Missy. Don't worry. I'll be okay."

  Christine, Missy and the rest of the family start to head down towards the front of the courtroom. They see Dana sitting in front of the courtroom, leaning against David as David hugs and holds tightly onto her. David hugs and holds onto Dana, being that she is still suffering slightly from the flu. George Hanson, Walter Stevens, the court officers and Dana's entire family surround Dana as she sits there in front of the courtroom, leaning against David. Christine then sits down and takes a seat on the opposite side of Dana. She and David sit on each side of Dana as Dana leans against David.

  Pete Daniels is in the courtroom again. The judge soon comes into the courtroom. He tells everyone to take a seat. Everyone goes towards the middle of the courtroom to sit down. After everyone takes a seat, Christine takes Dana's left hand and looks at it. She sees a heavy bandage wrapped around Dana's left knuckles. She looks at Dana. She sees Dana's eyes closed. Puzzled, she looks at David as David looks back at her. Christine then puts her arms around Dana, holding and hugging onto Dana very tightly as Dana leans against David, still feeling ill. Christine and David both have their arms wrapped around Dana as Dana sits between them.

  The court is about to begin. The judge is going to decide whether or not if Dana had acted in self-defense when she gave that fatal blow with her bare fist to the victim's head and temple as she was trying to protect her sister Landa from a rapist. The judge is going to hear from Dana, Landa, Claudette and a few other witnesses who were there at the scene of the incident. Dana, Landa, Claudette and the other witnesses will take the stand, one at a time.

  Claudette is called to take the stand. She tells the courts the entire story about what happened between herself, Landa and the suspected rapist. After Claudette finishes taking the stand, Landa goes to take the stand. Both of her hands and wrists are wrapped in bandages as she takes the stand. As Landa is being questioned, she tells the courts the entire story about what happened between herself, Claudette and the suspected rapist. She then tells the courts what happened between herself, Dana and the suspected rapist.

  Dana, who now has her eyes half open, sits tightly between both of her parents as they all look on at Landa, listening to Landa's statement.

  After Landa finishes being questioned, she gets up from the stand. She goes to take a seat. After Landa takes a seat, a black woman who was at the scene is then called to take the stand. She speaks in Dana's favor. After she finishes taking the stand, another witness, a black man is called to take the stand. He also speaks in Dana's favor. After he finishes, one more witness, another black woman is called to take the stand. She also speaks in Dana's favor. After she finishes, Dana is called to take the stand. Thomas quickly walks over to Dana as Sammy follows behind. Thomas, Sammy and David all hold onto Dana and help her walk towards the stand, being that she is still weak and suffering from the flu. They help Dana get up on the stand, then help her sit down on the witness chair. They go back to take their seats.

  Dana is now being sworn. After the sworn, the court begins to question Dana about what happened at the incident. As Dana sits there on the witness stand, she firmly shouts to the judge, prosecutors, lawyers and everyone else in the courtroom, "LISTEN EVERYBODY, I WANT TO TELL YOU ALL SOMETHING, ALRIGHT? NOW LANDA IS MY SISTER AND I LOVE HER VERY MUCH! I LOVE ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS VERY MUCH! I LOVE MY ENTIRE FAMILY VERY MUCH AND I'LL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT THEM! I'M GONNA ALWAYS PROTECT MY FAMILY NO MATTER WHAT! I'M GONNA ALWAYS BE THERE FOR MY FAMILY AND IF YOU" as she points to the prosecutor "OR ANYBODY ELSE IN HERE DON'T LIKE IT, THAT'S TOUGH BECAUSE I'M GONNA ALWAYS PROTECT MY FAMILY NO MATTER WHAT YOU" as she points to the judge "YOU" as she points back to the prosecutor "OR ANYBODY ELSE IN HERE SAY!" Everyone in the courtroom is shocked and stunned by Dana's firm statement! Christine and David look on at Dana very shocked and stunned!

  Being that the victim was an alleged rapist and trying to cause an attempted rape, Dana is charged with justifiable manslaughter. The court is going to release Dana and Landa from jail. The court is going to give Dana a year of probation, mainly because of her past assaults. Dana is not allowed to get into any fights or anything for a year, unless it is absolutely necessary to defend herself or her loved ones if a matter of a life or death situation happens to come their way. The courts cannot deny Dana to defend herself or her loved ones if it actually came down to it. Dana has to make sure that her or anyone else in her family's safety or life is in danger. Dana and Landa do not have to go back to jail. Their family and friends are all happy and there for them! Their family and friends go to meet them at the front of the courtroom! Landa, Claudette and the witnesses all claim that they now have one less rapist in town that they all have to worry about.

  Dana and Landa still have belongings back in the jail. They go back to the jail to pick up their belongings as their family goes to the jail with them.

  Forty minutes later, while Dana and Landa get their belongings from the jail, their family waits for them in the waiting area
. Soon, a male black doctor around his late 40's comes up to the family and speaks to them. He tells them, "Dana is still suffering real bad from the flu. She is going to need a lot of bed rest and some medication. She is going to need lots of fluids too. Here are some medication and some prescriptions for her. You can pick her prescriptions up from any pharmacist." He hands Dana's family some prescriptions to be picked up from the pharmacist. The family all thank the doctor. The doctor then says, "Now Dana and Landa have to keep those bandages wrapped around their hands and wrists for a few or several more days. After that, they can get the bandages taken off by any doctor."

  "Thank you Doctor," the family says.

  "Okay. Take care."

  "Bye Doctor."

  The doctor walks away.

  Around 30 minutes later, Dana and Landa finally arrive. Everyone is so glad to see them! Their family cries and gives them both big hugs and kisses! Dana and Landa are finally let go and released into their family's custody as their family takes them home.

  Forty minutes later, the family soon pulls up in their three cars and a van in front of Gracy and Mike's house. They all come out of the cars. David goes to open up the car trunk to get Dana's and Landa's belongings out. Dana goes to the trunk to reach for her belongings, but Sammy and Thomas tell her that they'll take care of carrying her and Landa's belongings. Christine, Gracy, Diane D and Aunt Celeste take Dana and Landa by each of their arms and quickly bring them both inside the house.

  Around two hours later, the whole family is inside the house. The telephone rings. Gracy picks up the telephone and says, "Hello?"

  "Hello, this is Teresa!"

  "Oh hi Teresa!"

  "Hi Gracy! How are you?"

  "I'm alright Teresa! How about yourself?"

  "I'm doing okay! How is Dana? Has she and Landa come home yet?"

  "Oh yes they're both here! We all came in around a couple of hours ago! Dana and Landa are both upstairs right now!"

  "They are? Well how are they both doing?"

  "Well, Dana is still sick and weak, being that she still has a slight case of the flu. My family and I putted her in the shower, then we putted her right in the bed where she's gonna stay and rest for a while. And Landa's hands and wrists are still covered with the bandages."

  "What! Landa still has the bandages wrapped around her hands and wrists?"

  "Yes! So does Dana!"

  "What! They didn't get their bandages taken off when you all went to the jail with them?"

  "No! The doctor says that Dana and Landa still have to keep their bandages wrapped around their hands and wrists for a few or several more days! Then they can get their bandages taken off."

  "Boy! I guess Dana didn't realize her own strength the whole time she was holding onto Landa's wrists and the time she knocked that guy out, huh?"

  "No I guess she didn't! Dana was a strong baby you know!"

  "She was?"

  "Yeah! Her own parents had a hard time dealing with her when she was a baby! When Dana was several months old, she used to throw temper tantrums! She would kick her legs up and around all wild, that she wound up breaking her own mother's and father's hands and fingers a couple of times!"

  "What!"

  "Yeah Teresa! Her own parents had a hard time with her!"

  "Oh come on Gracy, you're kidding!"

  "I'm not kidding Teresa! You can ask David and Christine! Dana almost broke my hands and fingers when she was a baby that I had a hard time dealing with her myself! Dana WAS a strong baby Teresa!"

  "I bet she was! Well, I'm glad both Dana and Landa are home now."

  "Yeah me too Teresa. We're all glad!"

  "That's good! Okay Gracy, I'll let Dana rest being that she's still sick. Just tell her that I called and I'll stop by and visit her tomorrow."

  "Okay Teresa, I'll tell her that."

  "Good! Okay Gracy, you take care!"

  "Okay Teresa, you too! Bye!" Gracy hangs up the telephone.

  It is now a couple of weeks later, on an early Monday morning. Dana is feeling much better from her flu. She is back on the road, driving to work with Teresa again. Teresa is happy to have Dana back as her chauffeur.

  When Dana and Teresa both arrive to the stockroom, they stop at the back desk where Kenneth still is. Around 19 employees stand at the stockroom doorway. They all look down the hallway towards the back door. They are shocked and amazed to see Dana! Everyone at the stockroom stares down the hallway at Dana! They all know that Dana has been in jail again for killing another person! They all know that Dana had killed a suspected rapist, this time with her bare fist! They all want to approach Dana and question her about the incident and everything, but, they do not dare to. They are all afraid to say anything to Dana! They do not want Dana to verbally attack them all like she did before, when they all tried to question her about her being in prison for choking and killing Rose. They do not want a person known for two or more manslaughter charges and several suspicious murder charges to jump down their throats, so they all decide that it is best to just leave Dana alone and not to bother or say anything to her.

  Dana and Teresa start to leave the back desk and walk down the hallway towards the stockroom. All the employees see Dana and Teresa coming their way! They quickly head back inside the stockroom!

  Dana and Teresa soon enter the stockroom, talking with each other. As they are talking, all the employees stare at Dana, but do not say anything to her. Dana and Teresa then turn their heads and look at all the employees. The employees quickly and nervously turn their heads away from Dana and Teresa! Dana gives a hard angry glare at the employees as Teresa nervously looks on! Dana then turns her head back to Teresa and says, "Teresa, I have to go see Stanley real quick. I'll be back."

  "Okay Dana," Teresa says as Dana turns around and walks away. As Dana heads towards the doorway, all the employees turn then-heads back around to look at her. They all stare at Dana as she leaves the stockroom. Once Dana exits the stockroom, Hector turns to the other employees and asks, "Do you all think that door will be safe, now that she's back around?"

  "THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION MAN!" Morris angrily shouts! "THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU ALL THINK THAT WE WILL BE SAFE, NOW THAT SHE'S BACK AROUND?"

  All the employees agree! They hurry and approach Teresa! They start to question Teresa and anxiously ask, "Teresa, how the HELL can you still hang around and drive around with a person capable of manslaughter? How does Dana feel about herself killing another person and going back to jail for it?"

  Teresa firmly tells them all, "Listen you all, I don't know how Dana feels about herself killing another person! I do not know! Dana doesn't talk about it! I mean she does not talk about it at all! She doesn't even talk about it with her own family! Her own family doesn't dare to question her about it! Now if Dana doesn't talk about it with her own family, then what makes us all think that she's gonna talk about it with any of us? Huh? Think about it! Killing somebody is not something that Dana goes around bragging about! She just doesn't talk about it! Listen you guys, if anybody really wants to know what happened the times Dana fought and killed both that woman Rose and that suspected rapist, and how she killed them, then it is best to ask people that were there! Just don't ask Dana! It is best to ask people that were there who saw and witnessed the entire incidents! I wasn't there at any of those incidents, so I won't be able to tell any of you about what really happened then!"

  "Well wasn't Dana's sisters there when Dana choked and killed that woman Rose?" Mary asks. "And wasn't one of Dana's sisters there when Dana killed that suspected rapist?"

  "Yeah, her sister Landa! Dana's sister Landa was there when Dana choked and killed that woman Rose, and Landa was there when Dana killed that suspected rapist! Landa had gotten arrested with Dana when Dana killed that suspected rapist! They were both in jail together! They were both in the same cell! They both stayed in jail together the whole entire time! You know that rapist tried to attack Landa, from what I heard in the courtroom! After that rapist tried to at
tack Landa, Dana went after that rapist and fought him! When she fought that suspected rapist, Landa jumped into the fight to help Dana! And while Dana was still fighting that suspected rapist, all of a sudden, I heard that she gave that suspected rapist a real hard blow to the temple with her bare fist and wound up killing the guy dead! She knocked him out cold! I heard he died right there on the spot! The impact of Dana's fist to the guy's temple was so fast and hard, that it shattered his bone which caused a bruise on Dana's knuckles!" All the employees are stunned as Teresa continues, "Dana still has a slight bruise on her knuckles from when she hit that suspected rapist. I noticed it when we had stopped by a store on our way here. When Dana was at the store counter paying for her stuff, I saw her knuckles and asked her 'how was her hand'. She got a little annoyed and told me she didn't want to talk about it. I quickly left the subject alone and went on about my business inside the store. When I turned around towards Dana, I caught her giving me a hard glare as she was leaving the counter. Then she looked away from me and just walked right out of the store!"

  "What!" Jay says. "You mean to tell us that you were concerned about her hand, then she gave you a mean look, walked right out of the store and left you?"

  "Yeah!"

  "So what did you do?" Hector asks.

  "I hurried out the store to follow her! As she was getting back inside her car, I got back inside her car too! Then we rode here! Then when we got here, Kenneth asked Dana about the bruises on her knuckles also while Dana and I was at the back desk!"

  "Oh yeah?" Victor asks. "What did she tell him?"

  "She just told him the same thing she told me, she doesn't want to talk about it! That's when we walked away from the back desk and came in here!"

  "Boy Teresa, I don't know how you deal with that," Morris says. "If I were you, I wouldn't have gone back inside her car with her after she gave me a hard look, then walking right out of the store leaving me! I would never get into a car with that violent dangerous woman!"

  One of the employees, Calvin, a male black around his late 30's jokingly says, "Well, since Dana doesn't seem to want to talk about any of her incidents, maybe we can ask her sister Landa! Since Dana's sister Landa was there when Dana choked and killed that woman Rose, and Landa was there when Dana killed that suspected rapist, maybe we can ask Landa about what really happened at those two fights! Maybe Landa can tell us how Dana really feels about killing somebody, since Landa was locked up in the same jail cell with Dana!" Everyone annoyingly looks at Calvin! He then says, "Hey, I was only joking, I was only joking!"

  April, a black woman around her mid 30's angrily shouts,

  "YEAH? WELL IT WON'T BE A DAMN JOKE IF DANA DECIDES TO COME AFTER YOU AND WRING YOUR NECK FOR BOTHERING OR ASKING ANY OF HER SISTERS ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!" Calvin looks at April as April continues, "IT WON'T BE A JOKE THEN! MANSLAUGHTER IS A SERIOUS THING! IT'S NOTHING TO JOKE ABOUT CALVIN! IT'S NOTHING TO JOKE ABOUT!" Calvin looks down shamefully.

  "Listen everybody," Teresa says, "joke or no joke! My best advise to everybody is not to question Landa or ANY of Dana's other sisters about what really happened at those two fights, okay? My best advise for everybody is not to bother any of Dana's sisters! I heard Dana didn't allow anybody near her sister Landa the whole entire time they were in jail together! I heard she even chased the doctors and the correctional officers right out of the cell to keep them away from Landa! The only time Dana allowed anyone near her sister Landa, is when she realized that Landa's hands and wrists were swollen from her strong tight grip! The doctors had to wrap bandages around Landa's hands and wrists because Landa's hands and wrists were so swollen from Dana's tight grip on them!"

  "Gosh Teresa, I don't know what to say," Anne says. "From what I just heard, I'm afraid to come near Landa myself! I'm afraid to come near ANY of Dana's sisters!"

  "Yeah, me too," Mary says. "You know Teresa, I sure hope Dana doesn't turn on any of us! I sure hope she doesn't! I'm so afraid that if she continues to work around here, she just might snap and turn on us some day! Listen Teresa, I don't know if I could continue to work in the same place with a person capable of killing people, especially with their bare hands and fists! The thought of that just scares me!"

  Wallace Smith soon walks into the stockroom. Mary and the other employees walk away and return to their work. Teresa looks at Wallace and gets started on her work.

  During the meantime, Dana is inside Stanley's office. She is sitting in a chair in front of Stanley's desk as Stanley looks at her probation papers. Stanley says, "Well Dana, I see that you have served your time in jail and I see that you are released on probation. Wallace already knows about your situation Dana. The courts had gotten in contact with him while you were away. Wallace says that you can still work here, being that he learned and that it says right here that you were acting in self-defense for a family member. I mean nobody can stop you from protecting your own family, especially if you see that your family member or your loved one is in danger. Okay Dana, you can start back to work today."

  "Thanks."

  "You're welcome. But before you start back to work Dana, you will have a new assignment."

  "A new assignment? What new assignment?"

  "Right here," Stanley says as he hands Dana a set of papers.

  Dana looks at the papers. She then says, "That's the back office!" She looks up at Stanley and asks, "Why are you sending me to work in the back office? I'll be working in there alone!"

  "Yeah that's true Dana. Wallace thinks that it'll be best for you if you could work in your own private space from now on."

  Dana's mouth goes towards the side of her face as she gives Stanley a cold stare. Stanley nervously and quickly responds, "I mean where you won't be disturbed or annoyed by anybody! I mean wouldn't you like to work alone and not be bothered by anybody? A lot of people would like to work alone in their own private space and office! A lot of people wish they could have their own private space and office and not have to work around so many other people, right?"

  "Yeah, I guess you're right."

  "Good! You can get started on that assignment right away if you'd like. Now, is there anything you would like to say or ask Dana?"

  "Yeah. I want to say thank you. Thanks for letting me come back."

  "You're welcome Dana. Now keep those papers with you, and I'll see you later, okay?"

  Dana gets up from the chair and heads towards the door. Stanley then says, "Now remember Dana!" Dana stops and turns around towards Stanley as Stanley says, "Try to keep calm and stay out of trouble, okay?"

  "Okay, Stanley I will." Dana turns back around and leaves the office as Stanley stares behind at her.

  In the stockroom, as the employees continue to stand around Teresa talking, Dana suddenly enters back into the room. The employees see Dana coming. They quickly and nervously move away from Teresa as Dana approaches Teresa! Dana angrily shows Teresa the papers from Stanley saying, "Look Teresa! Stanley is gonna have me moved right into the back office," as she angrily points her finger towards the back of the stockroom. "He's gonna have me work right in the back office alone!"

  "Oh really?"

  "Yeah! He's gonna have me work right in the back office all by myself!"

  "Oh yeah? Why?"

  "I don't know," Dana angrily says as she looks down and shuffles through the papers.

  As Teresa looks down at Dana's papers, her eyeballs secretly look up towards the room. She notices that all the employees are trying to move and ease away from Dana, one by one, trying to keep their distances away from Dana. Teresa notices that some of the employees are sneaking out of the side exit, one by one. She then notices that some of the other employees are sneaking out of the back door, one by one. Dana does not seem to notice that all the employees are trying to move and ease away from her. She just continues to angrily stare down and shuffle through the papers as she angrily hands each of them to Teresa, one by one. Teresa then notices that the entire stockroom is empty now. She notices that it's ju
st her and Dana standing alone in the stockroom! She understands that nobody wants to be near a person with a violent temper! Nobody wants to work near a person with a violent temper! Nobody wants to be around a person capable of murder or manslaughter! Nobody wants to work around a person capable of murder or manslaughter! Teresa nervously smiles at Dana, then looks back down at the papers as frowning Dana continues to show them to her. Teresa seems to be the only friend that Dana has in the stockroom.

  The next Tuesday morning, Missy is inside the school. She approaches several of her co-workers that she sees standing in the school hallway. She smiles and says, "Hello," to them. They all nervously smile and say hello back to Missy. Neil, a black male around his late 30's, says, "Hey you guys, I have to make a phone call before classes start." He then hurries off and leaves!

  Another co-worker quickly says, "I have to go to the restroom before classes start. I'll catch you all later." That co-worker then hurries off also!

  A third co-worker says, "I have to stop by the office for a quick moment. You guys take care!" That co-worker also leaves quickly!

  A fourth co-worker also makes an excuse to leave the crowd. Then two more co-workers make excuses to leave the crowd. Missy notices that all her co-workers are disappearing from her presence one by one. She is then left standing alone. She looks around, wondering what the heck that's about.

  Later on, Neil asks a fellow employee, "Hey Russell, could you ask Missy if she would like to stay for the after-school program?"

  Russell, a white male around his early 40's with wavy blonde hair, says, "I'm not asking Missy anything! I don't think that it's safe to be near or around Missy! I don't want her violent tempered sister to come after or follow me! I would like to live a little bit longer, thank you! Why don't YOU ask Missy if she would like to stay for the after-school program!"

  "Well if you don't think that it's safe for you to be near or around Missy, then what makes you think that it's going to be safe for me to be near or around her?"

  "Well you're the one who asked me to be near her and ask her a question! You're the one who asked-me to take the risk!"

  "Never mind forget it! I'll just ask somebody else if they would like to stay for the after-school program."

  That same afternoon, Landa and Londa are both driving to a local store in their grandfather Mike's car. They approach near the local store and park the car. They come out of the car and run into a few people that they know standing outside the store. They approach the few people and say 'hello' to them. The few people nervously speak back to them and quickly start to make excuses to leave Landa and Londa's presence. Landa and Londa notice the few people disappearing from their presence one by one. Landa and Londa are soon left standing alone. They look around, wondering what's going on. They continue to go inside the store. They go and pick out a few merchandises. Afterwards, they run into Rick. They say, "Hey Rick!"

  Rick quickly and nervously says, "Hello Ladies" to both Landa and Londa. But before Landa and Londa have the chance to open their mouths again, Rick quickly says, "Good-bye Ladies," as he dashes off with his shopping cart!

  Landa and Londa look on at Rick as he dashes right out of the store! They stare for a while. Landa angrily turns to Londa and asks, "Hey Londa, how come I have this strange feeling that nobody wants to talk to us?"

  "Beats me! They all act like they're afraid of something! They act like we got some kind of disease or something!"

  "Yeah? Well the HELL with them! Who needs them anyway? Come on let's go." Landa and Londa go to the counter to pay for their merchandises. They then leave the store and head back to their car. They get inside their car and pull off. Everybody out on the sidewalk outside the store stares at them as they pull off.

  Rick then says to a couple of people standing outside the store, "You know I hated to be rude to them, but I was afraid to be near them! I don't want their sister Dana coming after me! I don't want their sister Dana to come after me with a baseball bat or choke me to death! And I don't want their sister Dana giving me a hard vicious blow to my temple with her bare fist! I don't want to wind up dead!"

  The other people standing outside the store agree.

  That same evening, a disappointed looking Linda comes inside her grandparents' home. Gracy sees Linda and asks, "Hey Linda, I thought that you and Terrance were going out bowling tonight?

  "Yeah I thought so too!

  "Well what happened?"

  "I don't know Grandma! I drove over to his house a little while ago to pick him up! His grandmother comes to the door and tells me that Terrance can't make it to bowling tonight! I mean all week long he kept begging me to go bowling with him this weekend! All week he kept begging me to go! I finally agreed to go bowling with the guy and pick him up, but as soon as I come over to his house to get him, he sends his grandmother to the door to tell me that he's busy right now and that he can't make it to bowling! I don't know why the hell he kept begging me to go in the first place if he didn't really want to go! He had me waste my damn time going over there!" An upset Linda starts to walk away and head up the staircase.

  "I'm sorry Linda," Gracy says as Linda continues up the stairs.

  The following Wednesday, Christine calls up Missy on the telephone from David's brother Kevin's house. She anxiously tells Missy, "Listen Missy, I want to speak to you and the triplets in private! I want you four to stop over here at your Uncle Kevin's house tonight, alright? I want you all to come over here around 12:00 midnight, okay?"

  "Okay Mom. The triplets and I will be there."

  "Good! And Missy?"

  "Yeah Mom?"

  "Try not to let anybody know that you girls are gonna come over here tonight. Don't let anybody know that you and the triplets are stopping over here! I don't want anybody in the family to know that you girls are over here! Like I said, I want to speak to you four in private, just the four of you."

  "Alright Mom."

  "Now Missy, when you and the triplets get over here tonight, make sure that you girls park the car around the corner far away from the house, or park it a couple of blocks away from the house. I don't want anybody in the family to see the car and know that you girls are over here when you all get here. Make sure the triplets don't let anybody know that you all are gonna come over here tonight, alright?"

  "Alright Mom. I'll make sure they don't tell anybody. And I'll make sure that we park the car far away from the house to keep anybody in the family from seeing it."

  "Okay Missy. Thanks. I'll see you all later."

  "Okay Mom, we'll be there."

  "Alright Missy. By now."

  "By Mom." Missy hangs up the telephone.

  Chapter 22

  Footsteps In The Dark