THE INEVITABLE

CHAPTER 7: The Birthday Present

10 YEARS BEFORE THE INCIDENT :

The station was as busy as usual. The case files were piled up, and the sound of the clicking keys of the typewriter filled the air. Benjamin Hamilton Carter came in to see Alex. Alex was 28 years old, and an efficient cop. Ben took care of the autopsies. He was the one who prepared the autopsy reports. His son, John Hamilton Carter was 15 back then. John was a prodigy, and he didn't like to talk that much. He was not much of a people-person. So, no one in the station actually knew him.
"Wait here sir. Officer Alex has gone to a crime scene nearby. He will be arriving within an hour."

Ben was sitting in Alex's desk. He quickly fixed an audio recorder under it.
He was driving down the memory lane. Tomorrow was John's birthday, and here he was. Sitting in the station, waiting for an explanation.

Just then, Alex entered. The feeling of uneasiness grew up in the air. Both of them quickly exchanged unfriendly looks.
"You wanted to see me?" asked Alex.
"It's about the autopsy report. My report clearly stated that Mr Edward was poisoned. He didn't die naturally. Why did you change the report?" asked Ben.

"Let's be calm here all right? Edward was a successful business man, and my uncle. I don't want the world to know he was poisoned. Please understand. Now, if you don't mind, please leave this place. I need a little privacy" said Alex.

Ben went out of the place. After checking whether he really had gone, Alex called Raymond.
"We have a situation here. The autopsy guy, Ben may be a disturbance. He knows that Edward, your father was poisoned. What if he finds out that the one who poisoned and killed him for the assets was actually you?" asked Alex.
"Now, that IS a problem. We wouldn't want that, do we? Just get rid of him" said Raymond.
Ben was in his house, hearing this whole conversation. He realized what he had got himself into. There was no escapism. There's no use going to the police now.

'Even if I submit this as an evidence, they would brand this as a fake. This is it for me. I at least want my son to live on.'
He at least wanted to save his son. So, he locked the house and went out.

The next morning, John woke up, expecting to see his dad's happy face on his birthday. But all he saw was a tape recorder, lying in the table, and the news of an accident that took place nearby.
His dad was dead. It was a hit and run. The driver's identity wasn't found.

John came down in tears. He was suffering. The one person who he admired the most, the one to whom he showed all his love, the one who was with him the whole life, from his first steps till yesterday had gone forever. John lost his father.

A few months passed, and he now had the courage to actually listen the tape.
"Hey champ! How's it going? Its your dad. Now listen to me carefully. You should NEVER say about this to anyone. I wanted to protect you, and hence I took off without even a goodbye.
I don't know if this is right. I just wish I could be there for you. I felt that you needed to know the reason behind my death. It will not be an accident, even though they may say it is. I uncovered something that I shouldn't have. I found the truth behind a death. I even have the recording of that.
I was thinking about going to the police with that evidence, just when I found out that one of the officers was involved in it. Now even the police can't help me. I heard that officer talking about dealing with me. I will die. I will be killed by them. I say this again. Please do not talk about this with anyone. I love you son. Please live on. I'll always be there for you. I love you. "

John was drowning in his own tears. All the time that they spent together flashed before him. His heart was filled with rage. He was going to have his revenge. He was going to avenge his father's death. He vowed to make the killer's life miserable.

9 YEARS BEFORE THE INCIDENT :

A year had passed since Ben died. John explored through his father's office and found the tape. He now knew who were responsible for his father's death.

ONE YEAR BEFORE THE INCIDENT :

It has been almost a month since John became a detective for the force. He was now close with both Alex and Raymond.

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE INCIDENT :

John bought two bracelet watches for men, released by the company, HOPSIN WATCHES. One for him and the other for Alex.

He went to Alex's house to gift it.
"Hey Alex. I've got you a gift." said John, taking out and showing the watch to him.
"That is one hell of a good looking watch! " said Alex.
"You know that we both have the same wrist size right? I bought two watches. One for you, and the other for me. We can be watch buddies!"
John had started executing his plan.

FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT :

John was in a shoe store.
"A pair of office shoes, size 7 please."
"But your shoe size is 6 isn't it sir? ", asked the shopkeeper.
" Its for a friend of mine. "
Alex's shoe size was 7. John had taken another step towards the execution of the plan.

An hour later, in another shoe store:
" A two inch extension for this shoe please. "
John was 5'4", and Alex was 5'6". With the 2-inch
extension, he would be 5'6". Alex's height.

John had everything prepared. A pair of shoes, with size 7, a two inch extension to that shoe, so that he would be 5'6", and the watch. All the specifications of Alex. Fortunately, both John and Alex had the same hand size.
Now all he wanted to execute the plan was a rainy night.

THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT :

After the three of them finished eating dinner, John went home and stayed awake. Ten years ago, his father died on this same day, and John just ate dinner with the ones responsible for his father's death.
He was awake the whole night thinking about his father. Just then, he saw something flash by. LIGHTNING! It was raining!

"Prepare to die, Raymond!"

THE INCIDENT :

3:55- John goes inside through the ground, wearing the size 7 shoes.
4:00- He comes to stab Raymond .
4:05- John kills Raymond and soaks his hand in Raymond's blood, and imprints the handprint in the wall.
4:10- the rain stops.
4:15- John deletes the recording between 4:00 and 4:15, and then leaves through the ground, hence leaving footprints.

John presented himself with the best birthday gift. REVENGE!

PRESENT DAY:

"Raymond killed his own father to become the chief of the company. You and Raymond killed my dad just because he knew the truth. He was a good and honest person. YOU KILLED HIM! AND NOW I HAVE MY REVENGE! " John said with a sense of accomplishment in his heart, a flaming rage in his eyes, and an evil laugh. Alex could feel the hatred that John had.

" I said that you knew to hack into the system and delete the recordings. But I am the expert in hacking! I said that someone involved in the investigation and who has access to the forensics HQ could steal the blood sample. I was the one who sent the blood sample to the HQ in the first place. I knew about Paul's bike all along. I just pretended that I didn't. I was the one who stole the blood samples. It was me! It was all about me, from the start! I KILLED RAYMOND AND FRAMED YOU FOR HIS MURDER! JUSTICE IS DONE! " John said with anger.

He then walked out of the cell, leaving Alex to rot behind the bars.

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Thanks to all the lovely people who read my story till now. The support you all provide means a lot. Any reviews/suggestions is always welcome. Comment /vote if you liked my story. Sorry for the long chapter. Thanks again :)

P.S.

I'll be publishing the epilog within the next 24 hrs. Be sure to read it too:)