Protect Me Not

Chapter 29

The loud bang resonated through the office. Gwen was shouting for Victor to leave but he was never one to back away from protecting the one he loved. Camden was equally startled with the loud crash when Victor kicked open the door to the locked office. Victor never expected to find Camden holding a gun to Mary however the unpredictable situation didn't stop him from approaching. Still dressed in his Clyde Halloween costume, Victor drew his fake hand gun out of his waist band and pointed it directly at Camden. It was his only option to try and defend himself.

"Drop your weapon...I have back up coming," Victor shouted in a strong and forceful tone. "You don't know what you're doing man!"

"I know exactly what I'm doing...man!" Camden retorted in a sarcastic manner.

"Let's talk about this calmly, like mature grown men," Victor said while lowering his fake pistol, now trying to reason with his words.

"I can't think straight. I'm falling apart. I don't know what to do anymore," Camden admitted still pointing the gun, but this time at Victor.

With a steady reach, Victor extended his hand out to Camden signaling him to hand over the weapon. Inching his way toward Mary, Victor needed to make sure she was okay. Her limp body and flaccid posture was not a good indication of her well being.

"She's fine," Camden spoke up when he noticed Victor's attention was solely on Mary. "I gave her Rohypnol. Don't worry, she's had it before, she won't remember a thing when she wakes up."

"You gave her what? Okay...okay...okay," Victor repeated trying to gather his thoughts before his next move. "I'm going to walk over to her slowly and check on her, alright?" Victor asked not wanting to aggravate Camden more than he already was.

"You're not going near her!" he shouted. "Not before we get a few things straight."

"Listen to me Camden," Victor uttered trying to take control of the situation. "We're friends. We've been friends for many, many years. You're one of the guys I've always looked up to. You're smart and enthusiastic about everything, always soaring above and beyond anyone's expectations. This isn't you," Victor continued to say while pointing at Mary still unconscious in the chair.

"It's who I've become ever since you killed my wife and unborn child. I changed the night you took them away from me. You stole my entire world, my worth, everything that ever mattered to me right from under my feet. You did this to me...you!" Camden bellowed out through a thick build up of slobber and spit. Victor could see Camden's rage escalating with every attempt he made to justify his change in behaviour.

"I don't understand how I did this to you? Please help me understand so I can make it right again," Victor pleaded as he watched his friend continue to break down.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm sure you remember the accident you caused that night in Barrie...when you ran my wife's car off the road," Camden started to explain. "With all those years in the courtroom combined with your exuberant ability to remember every last detail about a case that grants you a win in court over and over again and you're trying to convince me that you don't remember a car accident? Excuse me, not just an accident but an accident that killed three people and seriously injuring one other?

"Yes, I was involved in an accident...in Barrie but I had no idea that was your wife," Victor confessed with visible sadness emanating from deep within his core. "You have to believe that it was an accident Camden. An unfortunate accident that I wished never happened, more so now than ever."

"Oh, you wish it never happened do you?" Camden childishly repeated as if mocking Victor's remorse would help the situation. "I bet it keeps you up all night long as you lay beside that beautiful wife of yours; all cozy and comfortable, making plans for the future. The future I will never have with my wife and child. The future you took from me."