Broken Mirror

Chapter Seventeen: Broken Mirror

My heart felt as if it had stopped, my breathing quickened, and my mouth instantly became dry, preventing me from saying anything to Ryan. As the horrible, foul news settled into my mind I kept trying to deny its validity, but I knew Ryan was telling the truth for I had never seen him in this weak of a despairing state before.

I rushed out the door following my brother after yelling to Macy to watch over Momma.

Ryan didn't bother asking me about my command to my maid for his mind was consumed with one, raging thought: to find out what had happened to father and who was responsible for his death.

I followed my brother to the car and we left without waiting for a chauffeur to drive us, Ryan driving fiercely in a hurry.

As we passed by Thomas's house I barely caught sight of the building still aglow in the night as the party behind its walls continued on, not a single occupant aware of my present situation and I knew most of the selfish, family members wouldn't show pity or concern for my troubles.

"What's going on?!" I asked my brother in a panicked fury for he took a corner at a great speed making me slide in the seat next to him.

"I don't know," he answered in a hollow, distant voice, "The last time I saw father was after the fighting was calmed down around midnight. He told me he was going back to his hotel room and I should stay and help clean up the mess in the hotel. He was found dead outside his hotel an hour later, but I didn't receive word until about 3:30 and that's when I rushed back home to get you."

I swallowed hard still not being able to comprehend our father was gone, taken from us in the prime of his life, dead at forty-five.

"Are there any suspects?" I began to wildly ask questions, "Do the police have any idea about who was behind it?"

"No, not yet," Ryan growled, "But you should probably have some idea yourself. After all you've been the one dealing with thieves and murderers."

"We can lay blame later!" I snapped back, "Let's just focus and prepare ourselves to be in a fit state when we arrive so we can learn some useful information."

"We both already know who to blame!" Ryan yelled as he slammed his hands onto the steering wheel, "It's your fault our family has been ripped apart because you've been too proud to admit it was your fault in the first place! Your immaturity has cost us one parent and no doubt you and that despicable gangster were behind all of the chaos that ruined our father's party! I can only imagine how many were killed in that mess! You have blood on your hands and it will never come off! I can't believe I'm even allowing you to come with me because it's your fault our father's gone! You've changed, Bella, and after today is over I won't be able to forgive you because I don't know how to!"

His words cut through me like a knife, but I refused to dwell on them and the truth they contained. No matter how many times I was told all fault for my actions lay inside myself I continued to place my blame on others, for I didn't want to accept the truth about what had happened to me.

Ryan had fresh tears rolling down his cheeks and I thought it best not to antagonize him any further and I stopped talking completely.

The rest of our drive was silent except the squealing of the tires upon the road from their harsh treatment and it was like we had both been sucked into a dark, empty void from which there was no escaping from.

When we reached the city limits we began to see the sights of crowds of people gathering in swarms as they walked the sidewalks and streets trying to learn more about what had taken place the past night.

The excitement reached its climax as we drove nearer to father's hotel and Ryan stopped the car in the middle of the road much to the annoyance of the police officers present, but they were kept busy with trying to control the large group of people and they didn't force Ryan to move.