ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (13 page)

Chapter Six
 

I
sabel’s life continued pretty much in that fashion she permitted for about a month and three weeks or so before events stepped up again. It was on a Thursday to be precise that something new came up on the scene to change everything. On that day she went to work as usual and like everyone else she was going about her usual duties until it occurred to her that something was not right because of the special kind of treatment she was again receiving from coworkers. It’s been weeks since the party shooting incident and everyone around her seemed to have left all that behind and moved on. But when the same kind of curious attention she got from co- workers on her first day at work after the incident returned today, she felt something wasn’t just right. She spent most of the evening of the previous day with Gary watching movies so both of them missed out on the TV news so she couldn’t say for sure if there has been another development on Teri matter. Carissa was already asleep when she got home from Gary’s yesterday so she had no opportunity talking with her and in the morning nothing about the incident was mentioned before each of them left for work. It was Jessica again that came up to her with; ‘Oh! Here you are Isabel. I’ve been looking for you all over the place.

Why are you looking for me Jesse? Isabel asked.

Is about this new stuff that came up! I was hoping he’ll pull through it all but then it happened! Anyways, I want you to know that you’ve my support no matter how this wind blows.

What are you talking about Jesse?

Is about the guy that got shot at your party!

What about him? Isabel reacted agitatedly.

You haven’t heard?

Heard what? Isabel asked.

That he is dead!

Dead? Isabel shouted but tried hard to calm down and succeeded.

Yeah! Dead! Jessica continued. And the reward thing too! The Police are now putting out some money on his head.

Reward on his head? Isabel was in disbelief since she never ever thought anybody would want to put out money tag on the head of a worthless fool she considered Teri.

How much are they putting out? She asked.

Twenty thousand dollars! I’m sure with this reward thing whosoever bastard that did this will be in the Police net pretty soon, Jessica continued. But Isabel wasn’t even listening anymore ‘cause her thoughts ran away with her as she struggled to figure out where to go from here. With this reward bullshit, what is the guarantee that Gary or even Wallis won’t fall for the temptation and go to the Police? She is not the kind of girl that trusts anyone but of the two guys, Wallis will probably be more willing to go the extra mile with her, she thought, even though she is certain her heart will go to Gary if she must chose. She wanted nothing as much as a word with Gary right away to see how he was taking the new development but because she is still in the presence of Jessica, she managed to hold back and continued until lunch time.

Garry was waiting outside when she joined him but he too was in the dark over the new developments.

Did you hear the latest? She asked as soon as they stepped out of the store.

No! What’s new?

Teri is dead and the police now have 20 thousand dollars on his head? Isabel continued.

I’m not aware of none of these ‘cause I was with you most of yesterday’s night, remember? And we just did the movies, right? We didn’t even tune on any other TV channel apart from the movies!

I know! Anyways, he is dead and the twenty thousand dollars too. I’m terribly worried!

You don’t trust me, ha? You think I’ll go to the Police, give you away and pick up the money, ha? Isabel is like you forgot the story I told you that is behind this, right? Someone got me covered in a similar situation, I already told you that! And know what more? There was also reward money at stake but she never went for it.

Twenty thousand dollars is very tempting!

You amuse me sometimes Isabel! Can’t you trust anyone? Listen, you have got to believe in me, okay? Otherwise this thing between us is not gonna work. And I’ll tell you now, not even that reward money will change my mind ‘cause I already made you a promise. I’m gonna stand by you ‘cause that’s what I said I’ll do so have faith in me. I don’t blame you for reacting this way though ‘cause that’s human nature. But you need believe in me, okay? This was not supposed to happen at all, you know that! You could have avoided this mess for sure!

Oh come-on Gary we already talked about that. It’s all too late now!

I understand! Anyway it was not premeditated. You just acted irrationally but you never meant to do it and that’s one other reason I’m standing by you. Teri was the mastermind of his doom after all. They continued talking until end of lunch and both returned to work.

At the close of the day, she went home with Gary as usual but unlike at other times, both decided that the TV has to be tuned to wherever the news comes from. It was a simple decision Isabel thought would help both keep up with events but then little did she know she was setting the stage for more of the things coming her way.

It was the usual LAPD address on the Wilkinson Street Party shooting that came up after a long wait. Some of the things being said were known facts; things like Teri being dead, the reward money and then some new developments followed until it came to a particular point; We are delighted to announce that we finally have what we can confidently say is a lead in this case, continued the Officer who was speaking. Isabel and Gary sprang from the bed and now on their feet listening with raped attention as the Officer continued.

After scanning our data base nation wild something finally paid off. We discovered that some of the bullets fired in the Wilkinson Street Party shooting were one hundred percent match to others used in another murder which happed in Dallas some five years ago to which someone is already serving a life sentence. Gary now leaned forward, hands akimbo. We are certain some of the bullets used in those two separate murders were fired from same gun; there is no question about that. The unfortunate thing however is that we are yet to find the gun that fired the shots. For this reason we are putting out appeal to the members of public to help us find this gun. We have also concluded plans to go have a chart with this fellow involved with this other murder and see how she helps shed more light on the entire puzzle. Most especially on how the gun she used in a murder in Dallas five years ago found its way in LA and was again used in another murder. We are not promising anything but this could be the break we all been waiting for in this case. Right now, focus has shifted from investigation of an attempted murder to that of a murder case and anybody with useful information should please come forward. I want to remind everybody once again that twenty thousand dollars lie in wait for who comes up with information leading to the arrest of the person or persons behind this.

Can we get more information on this fellow in a Dallas prison? A paparazzi guy wanted to know.

I don’t have more information to give on that subject right now but I’ll be most willing to share further news with you guys.

So consumed by this new development, Gary turned to Isabel as soon as the officer made his exit. Did you hear all that?

Yeah! I heard him! She responded in very low key.

This whole thing is getting more and more bizarre as days go by. Can you tell me some more about what is really going on Isabel?

What else do you want me to tell you Gary?

Like how you came about the gun.

Don’t ask me that, okay? She responded in anger.

Know what Isabel; sometimes you make me uncomfortable around you. I’m not being negative or something but sometimes you have a way of doing stuff that leave bad impression especially for those who may not understand you the way I do. Again you never seem to talk much about your past, your family and stuff. I don’t get it! I want you to tell me some more about yourself especially now that things are beginning to look ugly, with the guy dead, the money reward and now this! I must confess I’m a little bit confused right now, understand? I sat you down here and gave you a run on the history of my life but you never for one moment said anything. I’m not even sure of what I want to do anymore ‘cause I’m getting jittery. Even though I already made you a promise, but only if you will tell me the whole truth so I can understand what I’m doing, please!

You are not going to give up on me now, Garry! She reacted.

I know that! But you can’t even answer a simple question. I asked you where you got the damned gun you refused to tell me. If you keep hiding things from me how am I supposed to help you?

Ok listen! Is not like I ‘m hiding things from you but I just don’t like talking about some things ‘cause they are better left the way they are. Besides we have not really had the time to talk about ourselves on more personal levels before this thing happened.

You may be right about that, but I want us to talk now! Gary insists.

Ok! You don’t have to worry ‘cause I didn’t kill anyone in Dallas. I’ve never even been to Dallas in my entire life so I’m sure this whole thing is a coincidence.

What about the gun, how did you get it?

I stole it from my mom! I was 12 years old then Isabel said.

Where is she now!

She left me to be raised by my grand ma who letter died of cancer and I’ve not seen her again since that day she ran off with some dude. After my grand ma died, my step grand pa sent me off to a group home and that was where I lived until I found the money to rent and share apartment with my present roommate. I’ve no other family I know of that I can relate with.

What made you steal the gun and why do you think you need a gun? Gary continued.

I guess I was being childish or something. I don’t really know why I took it! I just did! That’s it! I wasn’t even thinking I’ll ever use it until this Teri thing came up, Isabel responded.

You had it in your bag that day, why? Why must you carry a gun to your own birth day party Isabel?

I don’t know! I always have this feeling that someone might want to harm me for some reasons so whenever I party I make sure I have it in my bag. Ugly things happen in a crowd like that.

And how have you been dealing with it all this time? I mean, how you have been able to conceal it from everyone?

I guard it so jealously so it stays in my back sack at all times and nobody thinks I carry such a thing around.

After a short pause while Isabel anxiously waited for what was coming, Gary said, it’s this story about your mom and how she abandoned you and stuff that is even more compelling to me to want to help you all the way. Like I told you I also had this issue of wrong parenting so I understand what it can do to somebody. But again we all have choices to make so you better wise-n up. From now on I need to know everything that is going on.

I do appreciate all you have been doing for me Gary. I always hoped that one day I’ll have the chance to give you my entire life’s history but suddenly everything seemed to stop for me. I’m still hopeful though that a day will come when we shall have heart to heart talk and begin our real journey if destiny permits.

Baby we make our own destiny, that’s the way I see it! Anyway lets work on this matter before us for now and see how it’s gonna resolve first. Gary said.

I’ll depend on you Gary! Isabel pleaded.

You have nothing to worry about Isabel! Now listen, I also want you to be double sure you understand what is at stake here and ready to manage it well. If the police get even a clue that I know about this and refused to give up the information, do you know what that means? I will be in as much trouble myself as you. So you see, is not all about you we are talking about here ‘cause I’m also involved in it one hundred percent just like that other guy, I mean Wallis. If I don’t have the whole facts right, I might end up making the kind of slip that could cost me a lot, that’s why I was on you like that.

Apart from what happened at my party that night, you have nothing else to worry about! You’ve got to trust that I know what I’m doing just like you want me to trust you. Anyways, I think I should be leaving ‘cause I’ve got a lot on my mind right now and we talk some more later.

Be careful though. That’s all I’m saying. Gary said before he took Isabel home in his car.

The moment Isabel stepped into the house the now familiar mournful sounds from her roommate caught her attention and she went in that direction. Baby, we already agreed that no amount of tears could solve this, so why are you still on it, ah? She asked Carissa.

I don’t think I can face this anymore! Carissa said still sobbing. Teri is dead, I hope you heard. And I pray they find the son of a bitch who did this to him real quick and if they find him I hope they kill him so that his soul will rot in hell where it belongs. I also heard they found a match with the bullet that killed Teri and that the same damned gun that shot him was used by some bitch who is in jail right now to shot some other guy some five years ago. They let the damned bitch stay in jail all this time rather than blow her brains to pieces, can you imagine that? May be she even got out on the damned parole thing and used her time to come out here to get her another motherfucker. Who knows! And who did she find this time? My guy, Teri! You see what I tell you about me and my luck? It goes with me wherever I go. I told you!