Inked by death

Chapter two

While making dinner I turn the tv on. There is a news anchor talking some bullshit about some memorial in L.A.  I'm not really listening and focus on my dinner, but then I hear a name I haven't heard in a long time. "As we're all gathered here today to commemorate the loss of lieutenant Mark Millstone, husband to detective Victoria Gray and father to Olivia Gray, who he unfortunately never got to meet. He will me missed as a loving husband, father and great cop". I turn mu head to the tv and see three pictures. One of the woman I let go, the biggest mistake of my life. One of the husband I killed and one of a child. A mixed child. An abomination. I quickly do the math and it seems that the woman was already pregnant when she was in my grasp. Another thing I didn't notice. Another mistake. And I don't make mistakes. Perhaps it's time I head back to see my old friend and fix that mistake.

I finish my dinner, do the dishes and head to my laptop afterwards. I look up the earliest flight that leaves for Los Angeles and book a ticket. I open a drawer and pick out a new ID and passport. Time to change my looks, I've grown quite a beard and it's time I shave that off. New looks, new victims and new beginnings. that exhilarating thrill I haven't felt in a while is back and it's hungry. I take all my money and wrap it in a bag, then I gather my clothes and put them in a suitcase with the money, some toiletries and my new ID and passport. I get ready for bed because my flight leaves in six hours considering you have to be there three hours before the plane actually leaves.

Way to soon my alarm goes off and I get ready to head to the airport. After five hours the plane lands at LAX. I get my suitcase and go outside to get a cab. 'Can you take me to a motel just outside of the city?' I ask the driver as I get in. 'Sure thing'. he says. We drive for about ten minutes till we gert to a motel called Vagabond Inn Palm Spring. I get my suitcase out of the trunk and walk to the reception. 'Can I have a room on the upper floor in the corner?' I aks the lady behind the desk. 'You're in luck, we have one left. On the left side of the building.' she says. I take the key off the counter and make my way upstairs. I open the door and drop my suitcase on the bed. I take my laptop out and connect it to the free wifi. I need a car, so I start looking on the internet for a cheap car. After a few minutes of looking I see a Jeep for a couple grand that doesn't stand out too much. I sent a message to the owner of the car saying "I would like to buy your Jeep. Can I pick it up today at three o'clock?" As I wait for him to reply I look my favourite detective on google. Let's see what she has been up to for the past six years. First I check her social media and I immediately spot the six year old child they were talking about on the news. Hmm interesting. I scroll further down and see a few pictures of her with a couple of guys. A picture of her with a much older guy. which I assume by the caption that goes with it, is her father. I guess the other three men in the pictures with her are her brothers. Also interesting. Futher down is a silly picture of her with another woman and the caption "besties forever". A latina woman. Disgusting vile creatures. Abominations of the earth. The ping of my phone interrupts my thoughts and a message pops up. "Three o'clock is fine. I'll see you in a bit."  I look at the clock and see it's only one o'clock so I have some time to kill before I leave. And yes that was pun intended.

I decide to take a refreshing shower because the people I sat with on the plane were utterly disgusting. Crying children, men in suits talking loudly on skype calls, the whole plane ride long and those weren't even the worst people. The worst one was sitting next to me, a fat smelling asian man who took up way to much room. I turn the shower off and dry myself of with a towel. I get dressed, I put on some simple jeans and a white shirt, some socks and my worn out vans. I get my money out of the bag in the suitcase. I start walking to the reception to ask for the nearest bus stop. 'You walk to the street then take a right, go straight for two blocks and make a left and you should be walking straight at it.' I thank the woman and start walking, she says it should take me about fifteen minutes to get there. As I walk around I sniff the familiar air and look at the crowd. Like ants crawling. Always in a hurry, going to work or meeting up with some friends for lunch. If they would just slow down for a minute they would see all the riches this city has. The things you could do and see.

I get on the bus and four stops later get out. I walk for a few minutes, to the adress the guy send me, and see the Jeep in the driveway so I walk to the door and ring the bell. The payment is quickly done and the car looks fine so not long after I drive away in it, back to the motel. I park the car and lock it. I make my way to my room. Once inside I lock the door and sit down in front of my laptop and continue my research on the detective. I keep scrolling down on her social media and stop when I see a picture of her in a white dress with the caption "best day of my life". My blood stars boiling. How can someone marry a black man. It's disgusting, but it gives me an idea. I open a new browser and start looking for wedding chapels to see when there are some weddings. After a short while I come across a couple that looks interesting. It's a latina woman and a caucasion man. The woman looks almost like the detective's best friend. They're the perfect couple. I look at the date. It's in two days so plenty of time to prepare and there is much to prepare for. I don't do well without it.