CHAPTER 5 - Seeking the truthPart 2
Tonia lived in a small isolated house on the end of the Belladonna Cove. House was surrounded by high, stoned walls and many cypresses, which were standing here so silent and steady like some dormant guardians .
"That's maximum security" tried Tonia to make a joke but Rain didn't found it funny; Tonia is hiding here, behind stoned walls, from her husband. That was so unbelievable. So horrifying. She suspend her tears and followed her in a house.
Tonia's house was small but cosy. She showed Rain her's room; she put a crib for Alice there also, that Rain found very nice from her.
"You put a crib here too..." she was touched. Another tear was approaching...
"Hey, I want you two to feel comfortable here, ok? I know this it's very hard period for you and I was just trying to help you as much as I can."
"You're such a good friend..." whispered Rain.
The rest of the afternoon they spend playing with Alice; fortunately, children easily forgive and forget, so after few moments she was happy again playing with some new toys that Tonia has bought for her. Rain sighed.
R: "I still can believe what's happening to me" said Rain after putting Alice for her's afternoon nap. "Like this is an ugly dream, and when I wake up again, I will be back in my house, with my husband who loves me and..." she couldn't
retain her tears anymore and they start to drip uncontrolledly. "I'm so confused, so sad, so without a clue what to do next...Alice is asking me constantly when we will go home to daddy and where is daddy and hundred of questions about daddy... daddy, daddy, daddy...and I freaked out today. Tonia, I never raised voice on my child before...till today. I was totally distressed, I didn't knew what to do...and she started to cry and then I felt like a monster, but still I didn't do anything, I just continued to pack our things...but how can I tell her her's daddy is a monster who wanted to kill her mother and almoust killed her in inobservance..."
T: "Look Rain, Alice is still a child and I'm sure she's not angry at you and also I'm sure she forgot it. And I understand you completely, well I admire how strong woman you are, cause I'm sure in situation like that, I wouldn't be. It's normally you're stressed and confused, and it's hard to act in front of Alice like everything's ok. But I ensure you, soon it will be all over. It would be hard to explain it to Alice, but when she gets little bit older, she will understand. She will understand her mother is a hero cause you are a hero Rain, there's no others like you."
R: "Without you, I would be dead now..."
T: "Don't even mention it. I love you." Tonia hugged her.
R: "Well...there's something I haven't told you."
Then she told her all about Nikki, her little -affair- and Matt's attorney.
T: "Uh...you shouldn't do that. And you said he's having a wife?"
R: "Yes, but that I found out today...he never told me that before."
T: "Strange. Maybe I can ask my investigator to do some research about him..."
R: "Not now. We have more important things to worry about now. I don't want to include him in this, it's enough complicated."
T: "But, you said that maybe he told Matt about you two..."
R: "Yes, but now I have new theory; that was his wife."
T: "I still think we should do a research. Wait, the phone rings, maybe is Gordon-my investigator."
After few moments, Tonia returned from a kitchen.
"Yes, it was he. He's on a way here, he wants to meet you. You can trust him Rain, he will explain you everything."
"It's strange...I haven't told my mother anything, and now I will tell to a complete stranger."
"Yes, but your mother cannot help us and he can."
Gordon Waits was young, likable and pleasant person. Altought his look wasn't the look of some serious investigator, Rain resisted to be distrustful and told herself to listen what he's have to say. Soon she found out that suit really doesn't make a person.
G:"So, Rain" started Gordon slowly. "May I call you Rain?"
R:"Sure."
G:"Tell me...you have met Matt Simons during your freshman's year on the Faculty Of Law; what was your first impression when you saw him?"
R:"Well...he was handsome, nice...unlike the other guys on campus. They were all just slacking around, drinking and seeking for parties and more parties, and he was different, he was serious, smart and he had goals..."
G:"So, that's why you liked him?"
R:"Yes."
G:"He worked in a software researching company, right?"
R:"Yes."
G:"But, he's got fired exactly two weeks before you two got married. Here is official transcript from company that manager gived to me. He wasn't satisfied with Matt's work. He called him - a slacker."
R:"Oh my God..." Rain sighed scrolling the papers.
G:"You never doubted in his work?"
R:"No, he was bringing his payment regularly, he always worked late and talked about promotions..."
G:"Yes but,maybe on his black market. You see, Matt is one of a few big heads on the prostitution market right now."
R:"Tonia told me that..."
G:"Ok, nevermind that now, let's go back to your relationship with Matt. Howcome you decided to marry him so soon and to leave your study?"
R:"Well...actually, that was not my dream, to be a lawyer. That was my father's dream. And after his death I wanted to fulfill his wish but...then I met Matt, and I felt in love...and got pregnant. That just happened, we haven't planned that or something, and at first I wanted to abort but Matt was so angry when I mention it...look, Matt was raised in the orphanage, he never knew what happened to his family and why they leaved him and he wanted to have a family so bad, so...he asked me to marry him, and I said yes. At first I tought I can continue with my studies, but after few months it becamed really hard for me and I gived up. I tought I will continue some day...but yet hat day haven't comed."
G:"Tell me about your wedding."
R:"Well...it was a small wedding. My family and friends, and few of his friends...well, nothing spectacular. My mother wasn't happy with my choice...oh, she haven't talked to me for a week. But since my mother never was happy with anything I do, I considered it normal."
G:"Rain...your father was very rich, am I right?"
R:"Yes. He owned small company that turned into really big brand company for a few years...he was very innovative and ambitious. When I met Matt I found him to be a very intelligent and feeling man, and very similar to my father...but I guess I was wrong..."
G:"Your father prescribed to you all of his belongings?"
R:"Well...after his death company was sold and money was applied on our family account, but yes, if I want to, I'm authorised to access to that money and do everything I want to with it. My mother kept her house - that was also my father's wish and she is legitimate owner till she's alive."
G:"Basically, she's got a house and the rest of assets are yours?"
R:"Yes."
G:"Tell me, do you believe your husband is capable to commit a murder?"
R:"I don't know...I really don't know what to think right now..." she started to cry.
G:"Rain, look, Tonia called me after she found out that your husband is talking about killing you with somebody on the phone. I told her we're not capable to do anything cause we have no evidence for that. But, also I told her we can investigate, and I'm glad we had cause we found some interesting things that may lead to the evidence what we are trying to get. Do you understand me? I know this is hard for you but you should be strong right now and work with us. You have a great friend here, you know?"
R:"Yes, I know..." she sobbed.
G:"So, the next step was to discover Matt-where he's going and who he's meeting while you were at your mother's place. At first it was hard to catch him in something suspicious, he is very good in hiding things..."
R:"Yes, tell me that..."
G:"But, I was convinced that he's in affair. Because, what possible motive could have a man to kill his rich, beautiul wife-if not his mistress? And I was right."
R:"Oh God..." Rain plunge her face in her hands wishing for all off this to be just a bad dream.
G:"I saw him with that woman, his mistress. Yesterday. And I tooked few shots. We have an evidence finally."
T:"That is great news!" exclaimed Tonia and turned to Rain but she was still crying.
"Oh sweetie...I know, I know it's not easy...you had to be strong now, think about Alice..." But Rain started to cry even harder like all that pain, all that what she kept inside are finally breaking to surface.
T: "Shhhh...Tonia tried to calm her."
D: "Rain...dou you want to see the pictures?"
T: "You don't have to see it right now if..."
R: "Yes, I want to see it now." declared she.
T: "Are you sure?"
R: "I am. I must face it."
Gordon reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope. Rain sighed and opened the envelope.
G: "I catched him while he was going to her's apartment, so I sat down. I waited and waited. The minutes along. And finally they appeared and..." but Rain wasn't listening no more. Her eyes were focused on the picture.
R: "I...I don't understand..." she whispered.
R: "That is...that's Nikki's wife..."