Cursed [Jai Brooks]

The Truth- Chapter 43

Officer Arnold lifts his long slender finger and presses ‘record’ an eerie sound emerges from the machine, his eyes glaring into hers as she sat across from him. He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table, his fingertips tapping against each other as he began the interrogation.

“Interrogation for Rose Brown, possible witness for murder and criminal injustice” he pauses briefly before continuing “you don’t have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence”

Rose shifts uncomfortably in her seat, sweating under the lights that hang above her. I have to be careful what to say, she reminds herself, I have to tell the truth.

“Miss Brown, you came here this morning, alerting our office that you may hold valid information against a person or persons who could be involved in possible murder or future murder. Who is the suspect accused Miss Brown?” he asks, his eyes hold the upmost sincerity and Rose can’t help but feel comforted by his gaze despite his seriousness. She knew that this could be one of the most important moments of her life, one slip and she could be sending an innocent to prison, however she believed that the accused is far from innocent.

“Hope Miller” she whispers, her eyes darts around the room as if she’s afraid that someone is watching. When she returns her gaze back to the officer his expression is drawn with worry.

“Sorry Miss Brown, but could I ask you to repeat the name” he asks woefully.

She clears her throat before repeating “Hope Miller, the accused is Hope Miller”

Rose had never been involved in something so serious, other than her late divorce which of course did not involve such legal implications, and of course didn’t include subjects as serious as murder. Her thoughts wonder to her son, her wonderful little boy, who was only twenty three when he passed away, what a tragic time she suffered. She had lived in Santa Monica with her husband Craig since she was twenty six, three years later they had a wonderful baby boy Ruben, and they were the idealistic, photo frame family. When Ruben turned eighteen he was diagnosed with myeloid leukaemia and he died five years later, Rose and Craig’s marriage had suffered as a result of the tragic death and Rose suffered in her own remorse and grievance for as long as three years.  After her divorce she moved to New York, seeking some kind of escape, when she stumbled into Brooks diner she was greeted by an overly chirpy, young, Australia guy who used such phrases as ‘swag’ and ‘shit cunt’ and she honestly found him deplorable at first but quickly grew to love him. She had struck up such a relationship with the owner and his brother that she felt as if her lost years with Ruben were almost being repaired by spending such time with the two young brothers and she couldn’t imagine any harm coming to them. That’s why she had to do this.

“Miss Brown, from the beginning can you describe the crimes that you believe Hope Miller has committed” Officer Arnold turns his lips into an empathetic frown and Rose can’t help but press her lips together in a poor form of a smile.

“It all began the day that she walked into the diner, I had never seen her before, neither had the boys” she began, Officer Arnold holds his hands up briefly

“Sorry Miss Brown, but can you please confirm the names of the boys that you refer too” he pushes

“Uh, yes, sorry, I, um, I always refer to them that way” she stumbles over her words, afraid to say their names, afraid that she is going to drag them into this horrible mess, maybe if she had been honest from the start this never would’ve happened. Officer Arnold runs his fingers through his short black hair, and then brings them down to rub the stubble on his chin.