The Son-In-Law’s Revenge

17

"Oh. Thank you, Lewis. I have to leave." Emily says in response and begins to drive out of the R&E parking lot. Lewis jogs towards the car before she races out.

"Hey, wait up. We should hang out sometime. Don't you think?" Lewis asks, hoping she will agree to his proposition.

"Maybe."

Emily is almost out of the parking lot when he yells,

"I did not get your number!"

"Find me!" Emily yells back.

He is left in the middle of the parking lot, smiling sheepishly at the small circle of engine oil on the floor. His humble beginnings at Radisson Autos came in good use right there. He shifts his tie a little, buttons his shirt's wrist buttons, and exits the lot.

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

"Sir, there is a lady outside who wants to see you. Her name is Amber and she is from the police department."

Richard's assistant quietly announces. He looks up from the files he is looking into with a curious look.

"What did she say she is here for?"

"She just wants to ask some questions."

"Let her in. It has been a while since I had a good laugh." Richard relaxes in his seat and appears unnerved. He is looking forward to seeing this officer.

Amber walks into the office, she mentally takes a survey of everything in the office. She maintains eye contact with Richard and he does not look worried or terrified. He is good at this. She decides they're both going to pretend he is not a suspect… for now.

"What brings an officer to my office on this fine, Thursday afternoon." Richard rises as he speaks to give her a handshake.

It is firm and he quickly disengages his hand from hers. She didn't want the handshake either. He offers her a smile, she gives him one in return.

"Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable." He says. She sits right in front of his desk.

"My name is Amber and I am from the LAPD. I am here to ask you a few questions." 

"Oh well, carry on."

"Well, a certain man named Anthonio was murdered weeks ago. Do you know this man?"

"Oh no. I do not. I'm sorry about that. Is there anything else?" Richard was in a hurry to wrap up the questioning, his anxiety was beginning to crack through his calm demeanor.

"Calm down, Mr Richard. I have only just begun." Amber speaks with a mischievous glint in his eyes. She knows when people are lying. The droplets of sweat that pop in certain areas, the change of pitch in their tone, panic making their eyeballs move faster than usual. Richard was already beginning to show signs.

Richard feels threatened by her saying she has just begun. It sounds like a spell of his doom.

"Oh, okay." He mutters, urging her to carry on with his hand, while trying to loosen the weight his tie is pressing on his throat, or is that his anxiety?

"Doctor Richard, there are videos and pictures of your daughter around town with the deceased. Surely, you must at least have met him once."

"My daughter's love life is no concern to me. It is just that. Her love life. If you have done your research right, you will also discover she has been traumatized from her first marriage with a heartless monster." Richard skillfully swerves the conversation away from his direction. He mentally high-fives himself.

"I am aware your daughter, Miss Emily, has had a former marriage. Before we go into that, do you confirm that you have never seen this man?" Amber brings out a printed copy of one of the photos Lewis sent to her.

Richard stares at the picture for a while, perhaps considering if he should agree that they have indeed met and he was once a staff member in the hospital or that he never knew who this man was.

"Ohh, now that I see him, I think I have seen him around here sometime. " Richard admits, staring at Amber carefully to note any signs from her countenance.

"Interesting. Why did you choose to publicize your son-in-law's sins to the public? Considering your daughter might have faced a great heartbreak." 

"Oh no, my Amber would always stand for what is right. She could not sit by and let her husband continue his heinous crimes. She came to me to tell me about it first. She knew something was off and decided to dig into it." Richard spoke with a false sense of pride.

Amber made some notes on her pad and stared right at him.

"Was it you or Emily that requested for the police force to go after him and serve him for his crimes?" 

"Oh, I did that. Emily was too traumatized to do anything. His evil act must be brought to books and justice should be served. He has run off to God knows where so nothing can be done." Richard was glad this was going well.

"Do you own a gun, Mr Richard?" 

"I do, but I have barely had reason to use it."

"Mr Richard, over the past two years, it has been observed that the death rate of your hospital has increased by an interesting rate of 15%. What do you have to say about it?" Amber asks her final question.

"Observed by who?" 

"I am not at liberty to say, Doctor Richard. I will not disclose my sources either." 

Richard looks at her, thinking of what would possibly be the best response to this question.

"Well, I do not know what your sources are on to but my patients leave this place healthier than usual. Of course, there would be a few deaths but that doesn't matter in the greater scheme of things, does it?" Richard asks with a nervous laugh.

"It matters, Doctor Richard." She stares at him with no hint of a smile on her face.

"Oh well, are we done here? There are a lot of things I would like to get back to, this is a very busy space." Richard is actively trying to get rid of her.