Craving

(Chapter 3)

Chapter 3

Honey I swear, I swear didn't-"

"She's dead," the officer replied, right when I entered the CSI Room as Delilah and I used to say. CSI really loves the questioning room. I never thought I would enter one, let alone for my Dad.

"Dead.....she's dead?!" Dad's jaw locked. He looked at me, eyes swollen, "Honey I-" he tried to repeat, his fists tightening, wrists in chains, chained to his metal chair.

"Didn't do it. I know. That's why I'm here, to clear your name," I replied, voice sounding like Mom's.

"But-how?"

"Dad, I think I got this."

He sighed, "Okay."

"I would like to speak with you alone please," the officer told me, grabbing a file, with my mother's name scrawled across the top. I nodded, as he guided me out of the doors, leaving my petrified Dad alone. I entered another CSI Room, and sat in the metal chair, shaking.

"So no chains for me?" I piped up.

"Unless you killed your mother then-no," he replied.

"Then why is my Dad chained? He didn't do it."

He paused, looking into my eyes, "Detectives have a different theory."

"But-"

"Now, I need you name, birth, and what you were doing when your mother was pushed down the stairs by her drunken husband."

"My name is Raven Richards, age 17. Born September 21, 1993. I was just waking up when I called them."

"Called them?"

"I nodded. My parents haven't......hadn't really paid attention to me after Delilah's death."

"Delilah?"

I nodded, "But yeah. Ummm so I called them to see if they would come. Then they began to fight, verbally not physically. Then she fell."

"So your father pushed her?"

"No!"

"Did you see this for yourself?"

"No......"

"I'm sorry but this case has been con-"

"No! No! He didn't kill her! I swear something else pushed her!"

He raised a thick eyebrow, "Like?"

"A ghost."

He chuckled, "A ghost pushed your mother?"

"Yes, look I know I sound crazy but she wants everyone I love dead so she can-"

"I'm sorry for your lose but stop making up such things! Look, we have a stack of evidence it was your father's fault. He will go to jail after the court hearing at this moment. Then another hearing is in six months. Then, maybe if you have your proof, he will be released and not have to sentence 5 years in prison." He got up to leave and turned around, "I'm so sorry."

I clenched my fist, "I'll prove you wrong."

He nodded, "I hope you do."

"Ready?"

I closed my eyes and inhaled the last scent of this house. My house. "I'll never be."

"I know this is hard, and I believe Blake didn't kill your mom. My brother was a drinker, but when he drank it didn't turn him into a violent man."

I opened my eyes staring into the dark brown eyes of my Aunt Hope. She was always so beautiful, her dark brown hair up in a tight pony tail. She decided to let me live with her, a true American. I love her so much, even though I haven't seen her since I was 13. "Yeah Aunt Hope, I know he didn't. Can I just be alone for a minute or 2? I just want to say a final goodbye."