The Neighbor

Visitation Hours

"I didn't know this would happen! I didn't know this guy killed Ben's parents, I swear! I just wanted my sister to be safe!" Sarah was balling her eyes out in front of Detective Foster and Detective Wilson, who were giving each other annoyed glances. "Mrs. Kramer, you hired a man on Craig's List. If you wanted someone to watch over your sister like that, you should have come to us and we could have sent a police cruiser by every hour."

"But he would pick up on that!" She told them. "He would know I went to you and he would pretend to be Mr. Perfect, Dotting Husband!" Foster leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. "He seemed like the perfect, dotting husband when I saw the look on his face after he was told his unborn child was dead and didn't leave your sister's side for anything. I had my suspicions about him, I really did, but after seeing him today and how broken he was-."

Sarah scoffed and interrupted, "He's playing a game with you! He went to jail because he abused my sister!" Foster shot back, "Because she wanted to back inside the house you occupied to a serial killer and he wanted to do anything he could to stop her from encountering him. His charges against her have been erased because we all do things to save the ones we love, Mrs. Kramer. Both your sister and your nephew could have died today, do you understand that? Then, I wouldn't blame you if you thought he was crazy. Take a man's wife and child...you will pay the price."

**

Ben sighed as he threw down the tenth magazine within the hour. He's been waiting at the police station for an hour now because he was supposed to sign some papers so his charges against Cassie could be erased. Anything to get a clean slate again, he thought.

About fifteen minutes later, a policewoman came out and brought him to his arresting officers desk. He signed the papers and shook the officer's hand, spewing out apologies to him. He was quickly forgiven, as he understood Ben had to protect his wife and child.

On his way back to the door, he decided to take a sharp right into the back of the station. He walked down the isle of jail cells, one that looked very familiar, until he approached one with a smile.

"Sarah," he greeted. She was sitting on a chair in her cell, moping and sulking in a corner. Her head shot up when she heard her name and glared at the man before her. "What do you want? What are you doing here?" She asked.

He gave her a small smile before saying, "I'm here to get a clean slate--yet again--and I thought I'd pop by to see how the mother of children's murderous sister is doing. How are you?"

"Fuck off, Ben!" She snapped. He tsked at her and said, "If that's how you want to greet this meeting, then I suppose I'll just tell you that you have completely broken Cass. I don't think I've seen her cry more than I did the other day."

Sarah shook her head a cried, "Please stop." He ignored her and continued, "The one person she trusts most in this world and you betrayed her in the worst way imaginable. I mean, I realize I'm not one to talk, but--."

"So what are you going to do?!" She shouted at him. "Kill me like you did James and almost my sister?!" Ben smacked his hand against the bars of the cell and shouted back, "I wouldn't ever kill her! James, he deserved it, that piece of shit. Chuck, well as of 3:22 a.m., he is a cold, dead corpse. You...no, you're different. See, they wanted to hurt her, wanted to see her in pain, but you don't. I'll keep you here just to see the guilt eat you alive; the fact that you killed Cassie and I's child, almost killed Michael. Even if Chuck had succeeded, I still wouldn't kill you for it. You would eventually kill yourself and that would be even better to watch."

Sarah stared at him with a gaping mouth. Ben just turned into a completely different person in a matter of seconds and basically confessed his murders! And no one was around to hear it!

"I don't know if Cass will want to talk to you," he added, way calmer than he was just a few seconds ago. "But do us a favor and don't try and reach out. She'll talk to you when she's ready." With that, he walked out of the room and disappeared just as Foster walked in up to the cell. He ignored Sarah's shocked expression and told her, "You made bail. You're free to go home until your trial."