HUES OF A MURDER

Chapter 19: Blackened Hearts

"Whoa! This is... I don't even know what this is..." Scarlett's eyes bulged out in disbelief.

Rose snorted in disdain, "And I can't believe I decided to run away when I faced lesser problems. I wouldn't even survive if I had to go through such situations."

"Someone trying to kill you is not a lesser problem," Rusty chided her.

"Zelena was a target for murder too... Not to mention that she had witnessed her mother's death and had to be silent about it all these years. I cannot imagine the trauma she went through. The abuses she had to suffer. Her husband and his aunt were killed. She had no one, but a half-burned little baby, to help her survive the trauma of a fire. When someone tried to kill me, I had my family and my friends to form a protection around me. You can't compare her trauma with mine. Its... its incomparable. Not to mention that she was younger than me when all these happened to her." Rose shook her head.

All of them were assembled in the Gorman kitchen. Rusty and Scarlet were helping Iris cook dinner while Rose and Rowan were setting the table while listening to Cyan and Skye's narration of their encounter with Zelena.

"What are you going to do about this? Shouldn't we go to police?" Rowan demanded.

"No. What's the point? She's dying. I asked Jasper if we could help them. He showed me the medical reports. The cancer has spread everywhere. Even if we go to the police, I think she would be dead before the trial starts. Why should we put her through all that trauma?" Skye dismissed.

"I agree. I think she has suffered enough. And I don't think being murdered was enough punishment to a man like Oleander. He had an easy death, if you ask me," Iris tossed around carrots and onions.

"Grandma!" Cyan laughed at his grandma's audacity.

"Oh! Don't be so coy, Cy! You should know that justice sometimes transcends human laws. Considering the atrocities that man had done, he deserves more." Iris waved the spatula at him. Her face softened, "Poor Zelena. I always thought that something troubled her even as a kid. Even if knew, what could have been done? Oleander had too much money which protected him."

Everyone murmured agreement.

"Why don't you get the Merlot from the basement Cy? Get two bottles. We can also open the strawberry wine Carmine made." Cyan nodded and left.

"Ooh! Can we drink?" Scarlett checked the oven.

"Of course. Don't tell me Carmine doesn't allow you to drink." Iris smiled at her.

Scarlett put on the gloves, opened the oven and took out the roasted asparagus, "Of course she does. I passed out drinking last Christmas. Dad was furious. Nana told dad he should be glad that I was passed out at her house rather than somewhere else and that it was a rite of passage. Dad wasn't amused, of course."

"But I'm not sure we should allow her to drink. She's on probation. Last time she drank at The Black Truffles, she started singing and dancing on the table and Uncle Rory had banned her from drinking ever." Rusty said with a laughter.

Scarlet threw a towel at him which he dodged.

Cyan and Skye appeared with the bottles. Skye opened one. Rose got the wine glasses and they served everyone.

"So, what's our next step?"

"Zelena gave me the number of someone from Yellowridge and asked me to talk to him. He asked me to meet him tomorrow," Cyan said.

"I will go with you," Skye sipped his wine.

"I have to go to the hospital tomorrow. They are taking out the stitches." Rose showed them the hand.