Riverside Bench

Wounded Heart

Running with all his might, the wind soaring through his hair. He screamed for his wife to step off the edge. His hands reaching out to catch her. He was so close but he felt so far away. But alas it was too late. She put her foot over the edge, tears rushing through her eyes. Staring at his flushed face. She buried her nails into her palm, letting out a whimper of fear. Then she jumped. His son stared at his mother at the bottom of a rocky cliff, he was only three years old. He dropped his teddy bear down the endless cliff, "Will mommy catch teddy". Alan stared at his son in tears and shock, "Mommy and sister will play with teddy in the sky". His heart stopped as he picked up his son. 

                                                **************

Alan stood with a rose and a teddy bear in his hand. His palms buried in the dirt as he cried. On his knees sobbing. He put the rose on his wife's grave and Calvin's teddy bear for his unborn daughter. The teddy bear was the only thing left from his wife's death. He also placed Jessie's favorite book on her grave. Alan made the graveyard a daily visit, sometimes Calvin came. But it was too painful for Calvin to come, It had been five years since his mom died. Usually, Jessie would reassure Calvin with his sad feelings. 

The case of Jessie Myers was the most important case of his life. Jessie meant a lot to him, she felt like a mother to Calvin. So Alan was set on completing the case. He first had to get tests on the knife. If the results came back matching Jessie's blood or any fingerprints, he could have a lead or usable evidence. The picture did him no good anyway. 

His friend Liam Graff, always stood by his side. Even when Alan was wrong, Liam always believed him. But this time, Alan was hoping he would be right.  He sat in a leather chair, goosebumps running up his skin.

 He had hoped the results were correct. But maybe it was because he wanted to return the favors to Jessie. Maybe he felt guilty, that he did nothing in return for her. Or maybe it was the urging pain that stuck by him every day, that he didn't save his wife. He watched her fall right in front of him because he wasn't fast enough. Maybe that was the whole reason for this. Being a detective helped him cover up his scars and pain. So maybe he just wanted to feel like a hero for once. That is because he didn't save his wife, so he wanted to try to get that bulging guilt out of his head. 

The results came back positive, the knife matched the blood found on Jessie's neck. But no fingerprints were found. He smiled knowing he was right and that he could bring justice to Jessie. But that meant a murder was on the loose, and it was time to find the suspects. But his first step is to tell Sam after he recovers. 

No one knows how to explain that feeling of proved-my-case-of-my-friend-getting-murdered. But Alan sure had it. He was filled with mixed emotions but he still felt happy. Jessie's murder deserved to be confronted and put into jail. 

Sunday morning, Alan walked with pride into Sam Finald's office. Sam still looked weak, but it was an advantage for Alan. "Jessie didn't die of natural causes. She was murdered." Sam chuckled, "And how ca- can you prove tha- that". Sam struggled with his words, but Alan sure knew his. "I did a test on the knife found in your office, it matched Jessie's blood. Plus the river current that day was low tide and the rocks were too far away for her to be carried to." Sam stared in shock and in anger, as he slammed his fist on the table. "I'm tired of this Alan. You think you are clever but then, you fail the case. You make the station use money than waste it because we believed in you. I know you feel guilty because of your wife. But this will make you no hero. Leave your worries in the past." 

Alan made a stern face and sat down on the uncomfortable chair. "I just want for someone to believe me. I have no one. I want to have another chance. I never had another chance to save my wife, maybe I'll save Jessie by finding the murderer." Sam scratched his head, "Find me another detailed clue, then come back. Then we'll start the investigation." 

Alan was about to close the door when Sam yelled out, "Don't le- let me down, Brender." Alan walked home that day feeling proud, something he hadn't felt since his wife was here.