Jeopardised Crime

Epilogue

~three months later~

Aaron taps his fingers onto the table restlessly, he guards his wristwatch to make sure he isn't losing too much time.

"Look who's here, the last person I expected to see, never thought I'd see your face ever again." Jazmine attracts Aaron attention while taking a seat opposite him. "You don't look good yourself." the detective comments noticing  the baggy orange jumpsuit she is attired in and her decreased body weight.
The young lady found it quite offensive. "Oh,I get it. You came all this way to bother me so you can insult me and inspect how 'well' prison's been treating me."

"If I didn't have anything better to do with my time, then that would be the case, but fortunately that's not it."he responds monotonously. "Besides, I've been trying to get ahold of you for the past three weeks and I couldn't, please tell me why's that?"

"I am in solitary confinement, obviously it takes away privileges of having visitors, so I'm not going to be available whenever it pleases you."

"Hmmm, you must be a problematic inmate then." Aaron assumes, and that annoys Jazmine even more.
"Just cut to the chase...what do you want?"

"To give you this." the detective slides a brown envelope closer to the young lady, Jazmine doesn't touch it nor does she open it, but rather looks at it puzzled. "What is it?"

"Something I should have given you three months ago."

From that point she opens the envelope; taking out the paperwork and begins to read the words written on it.

"So the remains buried in Andrew's grave, isn't his?"

"Well, if that's what the results say."

"So, he's alive then?" Jazmine happens to think out loud.
"He could be alive but with a different identity or dead with a different identity, it could go either ways." Aaron replies.

"Is it me or have you become cruel?"

"I don't know what you mean." the detective responds emotionlessly, but you could clearly see he is curious about the inmate's remark. Jazmine doesn't refer back to her comment earlier and just shakes it off or rather tries to rephrase it "I mean thank you for eventually handing this information to me. Now, I have some peace knowing that I'm no longer insecure about Andrew's status."

"Just doing my job."

"Have you found your daughter?" Jazmine inquires courageously, even though she's aware it's not the best topic to discuss between the two of them.

"No, it's been over two months since we started to search that area for the supposed human remains of my daughter, but so far there's nothing. Are you hundred percent sure that's where you dumped Vanessa like some dog?"

Jazmine is about to get emotional and frustrated, but she manages to suppress these overwhelming emotions.

"Look, Aaron, I murdered someone.That's not something you can just sleep it off and forget all about it by tomorrow morning and move on like it's nothing. This is something that's stuck with you until death. Every single detail you can never forget. So, I know she's there."

Aaron is deep in thought trying to figure out whether to take her word for it or not.

"Wait a minute...it's a possibility that my brother might have relocated her body or she...might also be alive."

The middle-aged man across her makes an exhale "This case is like a labyrinth, just when you think you're getting
somewhere, going the right way, it leads you into another dead end."

Jazmine is remorseful; feeling the urge to console the man that sits across her. The young woman's hand makes its way to those of Aaron that rests onto the table; her petit fingers tenderly take hold of his and embraces them. To her disappointment, he pulls away; rejecting her efforts to comfort him, followed by rising from his seat and setting a route to the exit.

Jazmine calls after him, surprisingly making him stop in his tracks. "Miss Travis, I'd like to stay and...converse...but I came to realization that my lunch break is almost up."

Jazmine could sense that he just making up an excuse just not to be around her, but she's able to turn a blind eye on the matter.

"There's something you need to know."

Aaron is reluctant to turn back, but then the young lady continues to beg eventually making him return to her.

"Okay, you've got a minute."

Jazmine looks down at her feet and begins fidgeting around with her fingers, she seems nervous and unable to get the words out.

"Are you going to say something, because time is ticking."

"I can't get myself to say it, but I can show you, it's also related to me being in solitary confinement."
Aaron is getting less interested by the minute "Just what is this about?"

"Please give me your hand." the man before her is hesitant, trying to figure out what Jazmine is on about. "Just do it, please."

Aaron surrenders completely; reaching out his hand freely.
The young woman takes his hand into hers; bringing it to her abdomen and letting it rest there. Aaron could feel her bumpy stomach that's unnoticeable to the eye; due to the baggy jumpsuit. He removes his hand "What is this?"
"Do you want me to spell it out for you?"

The man knew what she is talking about "I don't believe you, even if you are pregnant, I doubt it that I'm the father. It could be your boyfriend...or something."

"No, Eugene and I always played it safe, meanwhile we didn't."

Aaron is still supposingly in denial "I have no reason to believe that this is real." he claims while pointing towards her stomach."You know why?Because you're a liar, deceiver and every synonym I can think of."

"Fuck it! I knew this was going to be your reaction. I'm only three months pregnant, so my baby tummy will not be that obvious."

"Why are you doing this?Let me guess, you're trying to get back at me, one way or another, isn't it?"

"Why would I gain from...you know what..."

Jazmine takes a breather to calm herself down "...it's okay if you're in denial...well, I've got news for you, 'good' news no less. The doctor told me that this life growing inside of me, might not even make it into this world..."

Aaron's infuriated expression loosens up,upon hearing her claim. "...Just look at all the benefits you gain from this; your reputation won't be ruined, our little secret won't come out, and your sweet little family will remain intact. You win round two, yay for you, and you win the whole thing...and you're free to go." Jazmine concludes aiming towards the exit.

"Jazmine, wait..."

"A minute is up, so get outta here. Guys I'm ready to go back."  her last statement is for the prison guards.

"Jazmine, wait a minute..."

"No! You're making me feel emotionally strained and tense, and I don't need this right now. So, bye-bye, have a good life and don't come back." she ends of while the guards escort her back to the cell.

Aaron just stands there, deep in thought.