Grounded
CHAPTER 13

As Monte walked to the counter counting his footsteps, he thought about what he would love to eat. He was tired and stressed; he was also losing as the day of his demotion and possible retrenchment was closer than it was yesterday. He walked up to Marie who was resting her frail body on the counter and offered her a handshake. She took his hand reluctantly and let it go as soon she held onto it.

"I wanted to know how far you had gone with the case." She said, her voice sounded raspy.

"There is no real point to begin from. We haven't begun anything." He replied, his hands in his pocket.

"What do you need to know?" she asked disgusted.

"We need to know who she was with before she left from home, where she was headed, possible places she might have stopped by before reaching her final destination and where she was possibly headed on the night of the attack." He told her, forcing a rigid smile.

"I have all that information written in the statement." She replied.

"I know that, but_"

"What do you need to know exactly?" she asked fiercely, interrupting him.

"I am aware that Mrs. Lydia Evans has a son, and it is only right to ensure that he is in safe hands." He answered giving up on trying to play smart.

"She has no child, she married no one; she is a spinster and a staunch career woman." Marie replied undauntedly.

"Why do I feel like you are hiding something from me?" Monte asked squinting "Excuse me?" she exclaimed loudly.

"Calm down Miss Marie; trust me, we are doing all we can to locate her and once we do that, we will contact you immediately. All I am doing is verifying the information given and ascertaining the certainty of these information; they will be of help to us in locating her." He explained trying to calm her.

Marie took a deep breath and exhaled intensely, she almost lost it there and she was very unhappy that she was in such an ugly position; she was worried because every day, Michael awaited her return to ask her the same question; "Where is my mummy?"

Monte looked at her frail face, wondering what thoughts filled her rather small head. He felt sorry for her, he knew how it felt to lose an important person; deep down, his heart criticized him for refusing to inform her of Lydia's where about. He needed to use the opportunity to replace his son first, but he didn't know if he could play along any further. He was worried. What if Michael had died? What If someone had taken him away? He hated the situation he was in. he began to grow upset as he thought of how selfish he was to have kept Lydia away from the people who love her just because he didn't want to lose her a second time and because he wanted to replace his son. It began to occur to him that he could just open up, get his wife back and automatically, his son too.

"I'll return some other time." Marie broke into his thoughts with her raspy voice as she stood up to leave. He watched her go without a saying a word.

Few minutes after she had left his office, Monte jumped to his feet and like one undergoing an epileptic shock, he hurried down the hallway that led out of the Police department and hastened his footsteps as he began to get close to the infirmary.

"Sir, I don't think that it is advisable for you to go in there." Ken said holding him back as he got to the door of the infirmary.

"What's wrong?" he asked Ken, fear written all over his face.

"Trust me; you'd need to remain here." Ken advised.

Monte broke loose from his grip and marched into the infirmary almost fuming as he went, cursing under his breath. He met the nurse, a bandage on her arm. His heart began to beat faster as he approaches her. "I'm here to see Lydia Evans, victim of homicide, room 18." His voice was shaky.

She searched on a small wooden table for a file and then handed it to him; he heaved a sigh of relief and began to breathe freely again.

"I'm sorry sir, she's dead." The nurse said staring at him as his face went blank.

He stood in the exact same position, he wanted to move but his legs failed him; he wanted to scream but his lungs felt compressed, his tongue tied. Sharon was here just days ago; she was battered but she looked strong. She had always been a tough woman; orphaned by her mother after her father died, she never truly knew what it meant to be loved until she met Monte. She inspired him to be all he was, her determination, zeal and passion to be successful were some of the attributes that attracted Monte to her. While she served as a source of strength and inspiration to him, he served as a source of love and joy to her. She turned out to be a better mother than her mother, she was the perfect companion and wife; he could not believe she was dead.

"We were attacked; she added as she realized he was not going to say a word; "it happened in the middle of the night. There was a sudden power outage and then everything happened so fast. I heard her screaming from her room, but I was attacked too when I managed to replace my way to her in the darkness." She narrated, pointing to her bandaged arm.

"I think there was a breach in the supply of electricity. The power outage wasn't a coincidence if you ask me sir; the file I just handed to you would have gotten to your office since morning, but he asked me to wait until he gave me the go ahead. He might be able to explain better, he was in the victim's room during the attack." She concluded almost in a whisper, pointing at Ken who stood at the entrance, waiting for Monte.

"And her body?" Monte managed to ask.

"With the coroner, an autopsy is being carried out." She replied.

Monte stormed out of the infirmary holding onto the file tightly with one hand and clenching his fist with the other hand. His breaths were short and painful and his steps brisk. He fought back the tears that was about to flow down his cheeks freely. Ken followed smartly behind him, trying to keep up. Monte breezed past Hazel who was at the counter, barely noticing what was going on.

"You need to be strong, if not for anyone else, for your son." Ken said amidst short breaths as he followed closely behind him. Other Police officers looked on as they passed by wondering what was going on.

Monte turned around to give him a listening ear. He was wondering why Ken was still at the infirmary at the middle of the night and why he was with Sharon. He could not believe that Ken could not save her and that he stood before him unhurt. He looked at Ken with suspicion, ignoring the words that he spoke.

"Now, we need to replace Michael and that serial killer, things have gone out of hand." Ken added.

At that moment, Monte saw all he needed to nail him. He looked closely at Ken's pocket to be sure and like lightening, he pulled out the material he casted his eyes upon from Ken's pocket.

"A single stalk of black rose flower." Monte whispered as he looked at the flower intently to be sure.

Ken looked on, his mouth agape and shock written all over his face.

"No, no, no, you certainly don't believe it." Ken said almost in a stammer trying to defend himself.

"Arrest him! Monte commanded in a loud voice pointing in his direction; "and fetch me Anna." He demanded in an oppressed voice as the confused officers surrounded Ken and cuffed his wrists.