Manipulation

#2

Brian's POV

I don't believe Kris.

A conclusion I've come to in the past week.

I believe in her, but I don't believe her. I believe that one day she would tell me the truth; but I don't believe that what she is telling me now is the truth.

My instinct tells me that there is more to this particular case than meets the eye. The presence of a certain Miss Darks at the scene of this new theft makes it even more dense.

I went through the case files again. The Darks sisters had lost their parents, Robert and Hillary, in a plane crash when Marie, the eldest daughter was just 13. She had taken care of both sisters. Which of them could be evil enough to kill her?

Reading the Damehill case, I recalled the interrogation with Miss Clarence, the accused.

Flashback

"Miss Clarence, what compelled you to steal from Mrs. Greens that evening?"

"Oh Detective! I-I-I was not in the right mind that day. I-I could not control myself, my actions, nothing. I had invited my friend for tea. I can never stop talking with Carrie around. But-"

"Carrie? Don't you mean Miss Carter?"

"Oh that! That's my nickname for her. She's so sweet. But suddenly that day, I don't know why, I said 'Carrie, I need to go to the market in like, 10 minutes. So can we continue some other day?'. And she was like 'Sure Clare, why not?'. And she goes off to God knows where and I take a bowl and I go to Mrs. Greens. I ask for some sugar and she invites me in and then I'm like-"

At this point she has started flailing her arms here and there like a madwoman.

"Miss Clarence, please calm down. Please drink some water." she sips on the water cup placed on the table.

"Continue."

"When she goes to get sugar I move to the end of the couch and slip the antique tea cup in my back pocket." she ends.

"Miss Clarence, you were aware of the whole act and yet you did not stop even if you wanted to. Why?"

"I could not control myself! As though someone else had entered my brain and made me do unforgivable sins."

She started sobbing while a female officer helped her out.

"Stein, this case is totally yours. I am mind boggled." my partner Detective Ray said.

I rolled my eyes and got up to leave, once I had collected all the files and notes of the interrogation.

End of flashback

I sighed. While Miss Clarence had given a quite accurate description of the events, Miss Carter would neither open her mouth nor show any kind of emotion or reaction.

I felt as though I need to search Kris's house. I hope she's at home though. I grabbed my coat and left the department office.

The first time I had come, I couldn't appreciate her house, but now I had enough time to look around as I walked its perimeter.

It was a small one storey cottage made of light coloured bricks. The garden was filled with gigantic rose bushes and dandelions. It gave off pretty positive vibes.Hmm...

Suddenly I felt something furry jump into my arms and it made itself comfortable in my arms. At first I thought it was a puppy. But then I heard a soft meow.

"Kayla! Stop running!" a familiar voice screamed. I arranged my arms to make the kitty comfortable.

"Kris!"

"Brian!" we said at the same time.

"Uh, hi?"

"What are you doing here? That too at 3 in the afternoon?"

"I was, uh, going home and needed to... take a pee."

"Oh! Come in then."