Shattered

20. The Unknown Victim

The ground slipped beneath Alec's feet. His wife.... His Beth killed Melissa? His Melissa? But Beth didn't even know who Melissa was until he had talked about her. His arms tightened around Beth. "Please think before you speak Jaq. Beth didn't even know who Melissa was until she met me."

"Oh but she is still the one who killed her." Jaq was asserted. "I dug a little in her past, which was something you should have done but how could you, you were so fooled by her innocence." She spat the words out. "Did you know she used to live in Georgia before?"

Alec looked at his wife from the corner of his eyes. Another revelation about his wife's past which she had forgot to mention. "Yes, I know." He lied.

"Well do you know she was married before?"

"Yes."

"So you must know where her previous husband is right now?"

Beth clutched Alec's arm. Jaq was pushing Beth over the edge. Alec knew how much these wounds hurt. His still hurt and last night he realized he wasn't the only one. He didn't wish to hear these false allegations anymore. Jaq clearly wanted to break them up otherwise she wouldn't have come with Hosley by her side.

"Jaqueline, why don't we have this conversation later, it's Christmas today." Grace tried to intervene.

Ignoring Grace, she continued, "Well, do you remember the other car involved in Melissa's accident?" She pulled out a photo from her purse. When she turned around, it was the same picture Alec had memorised two years back. A black sedan lying on it's roof, Melissa's car's bonnet crushed into it's left side. Scattered glass on the road. Air bags spilling inside the car but.... But those airbags weren't enough to save Melissa.

Beth gasped loudly and turned her face away. She hid her face inside Alec's shoulder.

"Look at it this Beth, don't turn away, you know this picture very well darling. You know this black sedan very well, don't you? It's your car, isn't it?"

"Jaqueline!" Alec shouted at her.

"Don't shouted Alec! It's hers and she knows it. That is why she turned away from this picture."

"Jaq enough!" Grace tried to stop her too.

"You all don't believe me? We'll look at these, these documents then." Hosley handed her a file. "They clearly state that sedan is Beth's."

Alec grabbed the documents from her, she was right. The car was registered under  Beth's name. It can't be possible.... How on Earth? He turned towards his wife, "Beth? Is that...." He still believed Jaq was lying. He just wanted Beth to say it. Documents can be forged. Beth can't possibly be the reason.... "Beth is this true?"

"Two more people were injured in that accident, two more. Do you remember that Alec? Guess who they were? Beth are you going to tell them or should I?"

Alec looked at Beth again. He could feel his shirt getting wet from her tears. He gently tapped on her shoulder, "Beth?"

"Fine, I will spill the beans. Those two were Mr Noah and Mrs. Beth Richards."

Alec gulped. "Beth, please, just tell me this is all a lie. Beth say something. Please!" He begged her. He wanted to know what truth was. All he wanted to hear was that Jaq was lying and she was trying to break them up.
"Beth?" He asked again but she only cried in his arms.

"What more proof do you want Alec? She is the one who murdered Melissa!" Jaq pointed. Alec still kept looking at Beth. She only cried. "And look at you Alec, so pathetic, holding your wife's murderer in your arms!"