Lurid Tale of Bradley

Chapter 8

"BREAKING NEWS! A woman named Julia Carson was found dead in her house yesterday at exactly nine forty-five in the evening."

He stopped on mopping the floor when he heard the name of the woman he would never forget. His focus landed on the television screen and saw a big picture of Julia, smiling from it that caused him to loosen his grip from the cleaning tool.

"Based on the autopsy, more than thirty stabs were found on her body, arm, and face. This brutal death became a cause of her only daughter's trauma . . ." the reporter from the news said, showing the zipped bag body of Julia through the screen.

His eyes were wide and beads of sweat continued to get out of his skin pores. Last time he had seen Julia was last night, and he was pretty sure that he left them safe and sound. But how? Just how did it actually happened?

His head hurts because of all of this then he deliberately sat on the ground with the mop beside him. Suspecting Kyle and Maddie was a bad thing, but he can't help but think about it.

Yet, accusing someone without any proof was a stupid thing to do. Of course, he felt bad and surely not happy at what happened to her. She was a good woman and a mother, why would she have someone to hate her to the point that this particular person would be willing to kill her?

He didn't know either. What made him worry was, Jessie just had lost her only parent. The girl seemed to be super traumatic based on what he had seen on the television awhile ago.

Cara should know this!

Not in a second, he stood up and left the house by running toward hers.

"What. The. Heck."

He brushed his palm throughout his face as Cara muttered that words. They're both sitting on a couch inside her house while talking about Julia's brutal death.

Removing his palm from his face, he stared upon her in despair. "She doesn't deserve that, Cara. Yesterday she even made me come over to play with Jessie. And now, this was the news I'm going to receive from her?" he asked with so much sadness in his tone.

Letting out a big sigh, she stood up and sat beside him patting his shoulder in a light manner. "I understand your feeling, Brad. No one deserves it."

He stood up and paced back and forth. Jessie suddenly appeared in his mind, causing him to turn his gaze at her. "Jessie must be really sad about her mother's death. We should get ready for Julia's funeral tonight," he said as he grabbed her hand to stand up.

ONE WEEK LATER.

All of the people that surrounded the coffin continued to cry as they put it down the soil.

Cara sobbed while hugging Jessie in a comforting way. The girl cried out loud and screamed her mom's name in a rasp and tired voice.

Brad couldn't help but cry at the scene he was witnessing. The girl's helpless screams were heard all over the place as she tried to jump down the grave but Cara wrapped her arms around her tightly, restraining her back.

All along their way home, the girl just gawked and became too silent. Cara decided to let her stay in her house, to comfort her. He agreed at her decision to help the poor girl start her new life.

"What did you saw, Jessie? Tell us the details so we could arrest this person. Who did it?" the investigator asked, focusing only at the girl who was seated in a couch in front of him.

Brad crossed his arms as he watched the girl being interviewed. All of a sudden, Cara appeared and stood beside him.

The girl stared down the floor and started quivering. Soon, her blubbering appeared out of nowhere as she wiped her tears using the back of her hands.

He became alert so he strode onward and hugged her in a gentle manner. "Ssh. . . it's okay, baby. Just take a rest for now."

When he pulled away, the girl nodded while sniffing as she ran toward Cara. She snaked her arm around the girl's shoulder then walked out with her.

He turned his attention at the detective, whose face was laced with sympathy. "Sorry, Mr. Winn. But she can't answer your questions for now," he apologized to him.

The old man nodded with a slight smile on his face. "I completely understand. She must be really in pain because of what she have seen." He let out a large sough and stood up from his seat. "Whoever did it was a real demon. This person must be really close to Cara, Julia, or you," he added as he looked at him straight.

His throat ran up and down with that kind of stare. It was as if the old man can read his mind and past, digging him whole.

A chuckle went out of his mouth, standing up in the process. "Let me guide you to the main door, Mr. Winn."

The old man only nodded with a look that he couldn't get. Soon, they shook their hands in a polite way possible.

"Have a nice night, Mr. Evans. And please . . ." He grabbed his shoulder then squeezed it. "Protect the girl whatever happens. She holds the only evidence," he pleaded.

He removed his hand from his as he nodded, indicating that he would walk out. "Call me when you need someone to take care of her."

"Okay," he said.

When the detective left, he found Cara and the girl inside the kitchen. Jessie had a glass of milk in her hands as Cara rubbed the girl's auburn hair which she inherited from her mother.

"Is he gone?" the girl asked, batting her eyelashes in an innocent way.

He nodded and sat down beside the girl with a smooth beam on his face. Then, he patted her shoulder lightly with sympathy tied in his expression.

"Jessie, from now on, I promise I will forever be by your side. Me, and Cara will protect you from everyone who want to hurt you in physical and emotion," he assured, glancing at Cara who gave him a warm smile as she continued to rub the girl's hair.

It made the girl smile in triumph as she put the glass on the table and embraced him like he was her true father.

That melted his heart to the point that he felt as if she was his daughter. He just hope that everything would be okay even though it was too far from that.

Peace can never be mine.

To be continued...

Author's Note: Hola! Hope you enjoyed the chapter I made for you all.

Te amo, los bebés!

Truly yours,
creepy_stalker199