A Fight Ensues

The drive back to the mansion was quiet. Abim focused on the road ahead of him while his hands shook visibly against the steering. Paris had offered to drive the Benz C300 that Abim drove down to her place, but he had refused.

As the car hastened down the almost empty street, Paris decided to scatter her thoughts around and not focus on the news that was now making Abim drive carelessly. His phone kept ringing from time to time with Doris popping up on the screen as the caller. He ignored it.

They arrived to see a few policemen scattered around outside the mansion and Judith shouting out orders. There was an ambulance outside with its siren on. As they alighted, Doris ran towards Aim and buried herself in his arms, sobbing badly. He wasn't very receptive of this mode of welcome.

"Where is my brother?" He asked, brushing her aside and rushing past the police and into the house.

When Jessy Paris tried doing the same, she was stopped abruptly by Detective Judith. "I'm sorry, you can not proceed into the building. This is a potential crime scene."

"Crime?!" Paris tried to make her way past her. "Did someone murder Max?"

Judith did not let her through. "Why are you here?" Her stance was gallant. Her eyes were red and and her face unsmiling.

"Get out of my way, Detective." Paris said, now angered by the confrontation.

"No. You are not supposed to be here. Every necessary information will be released once our job is done!"

"What if I know who killed him?"

"No you don't." Judith pushed her backwards repeatedly as the smaller woman tried several times to get a pass

.

Paris moved backwards and glared at the woman with hatred, striving for patience but finding none. "Why can't you just understand?! I just need one glance at his body."

"And then what? Prophetess!"

"The truth!"

Just then, a body was carried out of the house on a stretcher. It was Max. A few paramedics surrounded him and were moving him towards the ambulance. Jolene was with them.

"Don't play smart." Judith pushed her backwards again. "I know what you are thinking."

"I know you do so let me in!"

"This is my goddamn job, bitch!"

"He is my client as much as he is yours!"

"Tell that to the man now lying in an ambulance fighting for his life!"

Paris tried pushing past the Detective again but Judith put out a foot for her, making her to trip and fall. Paris sprung up, maddened suddenly like a loose bull. She rushed into the challenging lady, diving her into the hard earth.

Judith struggled to get up but Paris's strength surprisingly pinned her down. She then passed a hand between their bodies and grabbed Paris's thigh. She felt for her muscles and pulled, holding firmly. This pushed up her upper body. The result was Paris falling back on the ground writhing in pain. Judith knelt up swiftly and jabbed her elbow into her opponent's ribs, driving half the breath out of her.

Sounds of heavy panting filled the night.

"When I say it's my job, it is my job bitch!" She folded both Paris's knees into a 60° angle and pushed them upwards towards her chest, pressing them against her breasts. Paris could barely breathe as she groaned in pain and struggled to free herself from the hold of the bigger lady. When she saw a slight chance, she snatched it.

Gathering a fair amount of strenght, she wrapped her free hands around Judith's back, pushing her inwards towards her and then driving her head into hers. Judith fell sideways, groaning in terrible pain. Paris felt hands tugging at her as she struggled to her feet. But before she successfully stood up, she sent a nerve-racking, paralysing blow into Judith's head. Not caring to wait to see the effects, she stood up and violently shook her arms free of the hands that were now grabbing her, and ran towards the ambulance instead.

Her aching ribs made running much more difficult for her. That Judith bitch! The policemen had their guns drawn and pointed towards her already. They might shoot her. But what did she care?

She got went to the ambulance instead of going into the house and she arrived just before the the doors of the ambulance was shut close, so it was only a peek at the body that she could manage to get. She then turned swiftly and rushed to where Doris stood beside Abim who was just standing there confused about the whole situation, and slapped her.

"Where is James?" She asked, slapping the now perplexed and unsuspecting lady again.

Powerful hands grabbed her from behind and cuffs thrown around her wrists.

"You are under arrest for the physical assault of a police agent and for disturbing public peace." An officer announced. "You retain your freedom of speech but anything you say will be used against you in the court of law.

***

It was Abim Robinson who got Paris out on bail the next day. As she walked out of the the Middleville Police Station alongside Abim and his girlfriend who stayed as far as possible from her, she realized she was limping and not even walking properly. Her entire body ached and it felt as though her immune system had taken a huge blow. She was weak beyond what she could describe. She felt like death. She didn't say a word to Abim.

When they got to his car, he opened the door to the back seat for her and helped her get in. She looked bartered. One of her eyes had a swell, and her body trembled.

Doris settled uncomfortably in the passenger seat beside Abim. "I still don't understand why you are doing this." She whispered to him as he started the ignition.

"I don't know either." He said flatly and looked back at Paris. Even in such a bad state, she exuded power and confidence.

"I'll take you to the hospital." The car began to move.

"No!" Paris objected immediately. "Take me home please."

"But you need proper medical treatment for..."

"Take me home Abim. I insist. If you can't do that, please stop this car let me get down."

"She is so rude." Doris hissed with pure disdain.

"I don't understand." Abim looked at Paris via the rear view mirror.

"You won't." Paris said weakly. "Just take me home."

"Okay."

Silence.

Then she asked, "What's up with Max?"

"He isn't dead, thank God!" Abim replied, switching his eyes between the rear view mirror and the road in front of him.

"What happened?" Paris probed further.

"He... he was trying to kill himself."

Paris closed her eyes. "Why?"

"We don't know yet. He hasn't come around, but the Doctors say he is going to be fine apart from a few mild damages."

"Someone must have called the Emergency Unit on him then." Paris's head was aching and she just wanted to bury herself in hot water at that moment.

"Jolene claims to have walked in on him slumped in one of the chairs at home with an two empty bottles of methylated spirit in his hand."

"I see." Paris rubbed her forehead. "So nobody was home and the front door was open I guess? She walked in freely to see Max on the floor?"

"I know right?" Abim scoffed. "She has already been taken in for questioning by Detective Judith, so it's just her version of events that we know. Until Max comes around of course."

The mention of the Detective brought bitterness to Paris's tongue.

"Can I say something?" Doris asked quietly. The other two had been conversing as though she wasn't there.

Abim looked at her curiously. "Sure."

Doris turned and looked at Jessy Paris. "What exactly was last night about? Slapping me twice and asking me about James? What was that?"

Jessy Paris looked outside the window instead, smiled and pretended as though she didn't hear her.

***

When they arrived at Paris's place, Abim brought out a fat envelope from a bag resting beside him and threw it on Paris's laps. "That is your full payment. Thank you for your help so far but you can't continue on this case. We hired you and now I am sacking you. Nothing bad really. We just want you out. Thank you."

Paris burst into a sudden laughter before grunting a *thank you*.