CHAPTER 6: How It All Continued

Jane.

I find myself day dreaming about a woman I've never seen before. Woman?!! A kid! An 18 year old girl who is suspected to be the killer of the man who raised her.

Who suspected her?!!

Her own mother! The only person who is supposed to trust you and deny everything the world says! The only person that can't rat you out to anyone! Mother!

I guffaw at the term mother.

What kind of mother is she? Is this term appropriate to be spelled for someone like her? Incompetent to love and take care of her child. Unware of ruining her life.

Mrs Johnson may be a horrible human being, but a very very beautiful woman. At some point, I imagine her appearence to be just like her mother's. Dark long perfect wavy hair, green emerald eyes, thick dark eyebrows, long eyelashes, full lips, the whitest teeth I've ever seen, a beautiful smile that has the intention to seduce you at any moment and...about her body...I'm not going to talk about her womanly curves.

I don't like her mother, but I may like her.

Her mother doesn't adore her that much, which means she's different. She can't be the killer. Maybe she's nicer and more friendly and she won't be a jerk, while I question her on the interrogation room after I find her. Maybe she can be my partner in crime to solve this case.

"Officer Matthews, right?" The headmaster shakes my hand.

"Right!"

"Welcome to Medical School New York!" The woman welcomes us with a big smile. "I'm notified by a sheriff that you need our clinic to solve a case. My staff and I are honored to assist you!"

"I'm glad to hear that!" I say with a smile in my face. "Plus, it's an amazing opportunity for the students to watch and learn about the human body." I emphasise, having the knowledge that sheriff hasn't told them the real reason why I'm here.

"I...I beg your pardon!" The headmaster stutters confused. "You...you want our students to be whitnesses of expertising a...dead body?!!"

"Why not?!!" I turn at her immediately. "They're the future doctors! So why not practise now?"

The woman watches me confused and nodds her head, stuck in the word she gave to sheriff.

"Perfect! Then all freshment students must make an apparence." I say.

"Freshments?" The headmaster asks me shocked, not knowing what to say.

"At least they'll undestand what major they're into!" I reply, not letting the headmaster ask again.

The headmaster's phone rings.

Bingo! Sheriff's second phone call!

"You better pick it up! It's important!" I say before leaving the headmaster's office and walk towards the main hall. I have to lift the body of the murdered, while some officers will plug cameras and recorders in walls, appliances everywhere near the body.

"What's your plan Derek?" Jack catches me as I push the mortuary stretcher where the body of Michael Johnson lays. "Who are you trying to catch?"

"The only whitness I want to question." I response and hand the stretcher to the doctors.

"Do you really think this is going to work?" I can hear the doubt in Jack's voice.

"It has to!" I mumble and position myself in a corner where I can see the freshman students from a perfect angle.

Two Months Ago

I knocked at the door and waited for someone to open it. At first, no one was answering, but after the third knock a young girl stepped forward.

"Is there any problem?" The blonde girl spoke after she took her black headphones off.

"Hello Kimberly! My name is Derek Matthews and I come from the police department of homocide. I'd like to ask you about the murder that took place at the house next to you on August 25th." I said, moreover I noticed the girl stepping back and murmured the words:

"I don't know anything!"

As she's about to slam the door shut, I put my hand in the side of the well curved wooden door and push it to stop the girl from closing it.

"Please, it'll take a few minutes. It may help me a lot." I begged, believing the neighbour would give me information about this Jane girl.

"I'm not going to prison." Kimberly mumbled in distress.

"You're not going to prison for answering some questions. Of course, if you're not the killer." I said and faked a little smile, symbolising a little joke.

"I mean I don't want to be questioned in the station." The young girl clarified, looking at me in disbelief.

"Ok, then!" I sigh and lick my dried lips, preparing them for a session of movements. "Can I question you inside? Of course, if you're alone."

Kimberly looked at me for five minutes, trying to solve the catch an officer was setting and after she didn't find any, she opened the door wide, inviting me in.

"Thank you!" I muttered, however the young girl didn't care. She just walked in a room and sat down, waiting for my questions.

"What do you want to know?"

At The Present Time

"Do you really think your plan is going to work?" Jack asks me again for the fifteenth time.

"I hope so!" I say, waiting for the young students to show up.

"What do you mean you hope so?" Jack opens his eyes wide, ready to yell at me. "That's your brilliant plan? Looking for some kid to react to a dead body? You don't even know how she fucking looks like!"

"That's the purpose!" I cut him off quickly. "How the hell am I supposed to meet her then?"

"Meet her like a person!"

"I can't accidentally meet her. That's why I made up this plan!"

"Of course you did! You just constructed the stupidest plan to do in an operation."

"You don't know that!" I answer.

"We're doing shit! That's how I know your plan sucks!" Jack complains, frowning like a 15 year old teenager on hormones.

"We'll see about that." I mumble and close my eyes, ready to develop my plan.

Two Months Ago

"What do you know about Janette Elisabeth Johnson?" I asked her as soon as I pressed hidingly the button of the recorder.

"We're friends!" She answered looking at a random dot in the carpet. "Best friends, at least before she moved out!"

"Hence you know her better!" I concluded.

"You can say so!" Kimberly said. "Jane showed me what she wanted me to think! At least, she tried to."

"Where is she now?"

The girl focused on me and shook her head as to say I don't know.

"Ok!" I sighed and cleared my throat to ask her again. "What happened the day of the murder?"

"I went to school. Came back home and..."

"I mean with Jane!" I clarified, getting pissed any minute passed.

"Jane didn't come to school that day!" The young girl said, catching my attention.

"Why?"

"I...I don't know!" She stuttered. "Probably she was sick."

"Or maybe Michael beat her again." She added murmuring.

"What did you say?" I tried provoking her to repeat her idea again.

"Michael was abusive! He sometimes beat her up! Sometimes..." The girl responded. "Most of the time, I should say."

"Did anyone know about this?"

"Almost everyone! It's hard to act like you can't see them."

"See what?" I asked becoming more interested.

"Her marks, bruises, black eye, bloody mouth, carved belly...do you want me to count more?" She mentioned and by the way her voice sounded, I could tell she was getting pissed.

"Did you just say carved belly? Bloody mouth?" I caught some of her words shocking. "Does her mother know about this?" I asked her again.

"Probably! I...I don't know!" Kimberly shook her head and scoffed. "Mrs Johnson didn't seem to care! Plus, she wasn't around that much! She was at work most of the day, leaving the house to be administrated by Michael. However, Michael like Michael...he'd do what every lazy drunk man behaved. Especially with kids! I'm pretty sure, Jane told her what he did, but she never listened!"

Oh my God!

My back muscles shivered in a thousand cells. I couldn't believe her mother knew about this and did nothing to defend her.

I felt my stomach churn listening to what her friend said.

I took a deep breath, trying to control myself from screaming.

"Do you have any photos of her?" I demanded, hoping I could have an image of what I was expecting.

Dark wavy long hair, emerald eyes, full lips, slander neck, bright smile...

"Jane doesn't like to have her picture taken." Kimberly said, which was understandable considering the scars in her body.

Oh shit!

The image of her got foggy within the moment.

I gather my strength in addition to continue the interrogation.

"Where is Jane right now?" I asked her again.

"I...I don't know!" She mumbled. "I saw her from the window. She left with her sister and cousin. Jane was shaking when she came out of that house. Her sister was trying to calm her down. Her cousin came out later. She seemed injured and could barely walk."

"Ok, Kimberly...If you remember anything else...call me in this number." I informed her, pointing my card at her and waited till she took it from my hand.

"Jane loves medicine!" The young girl added as I was about to head out. "She used to gush about it. How she loved to be a doctor. A cardiothoracic surgeon, to be more exact. She dreamed to go in New York too. I hope that helps!"

"Thank you!" I put my hand to my heart thanking her for the last information.

She plans to attend the med school in New York.

I jumped to conclusion.

"Hey!" Jane's best friend called me from behind. Thinking she was going to say something important, I turned to pay attention. "Do you really think she killed him?" She bursted her question like those were a million lighters, ready to burn my conscience alive.

At the Present Time

I didn't have an answer to that question. I still don't.

Listening to what her friend said...what her mum said...

It made her look like a killer!

If her step father abused her, that'd be a good reason to get rid of him. She couldn't endure him anymore, so she ended him.

Think positivitly, Derek!

I try to encourage myself.

Maybe it's not her! It's someone else!

I repeat in my head, strengthening the faith I have had for months.

I sigh tired of solving this case.

"There's always a choice for every problem!You just have to think about it!" All of a sudden, the quote my sister usually says, wanders on every neuron of my mind, sending the hurtful message in every center and corner.

"It's not a valid reason to murder someone. You can just run away! Seek help! Get him arrested so the bastard rots in jail." Another thought wonders in my mind.

Oh God!

I gasp, hoping this Jane girl isn't the killer.

"I just got a call from the sheriff!" Jack walks at me pissed. "He wants me to go after your plan! Whatever that means!"

"Your name is Jordan White and you're an anatomy lecturer." I say and Jack widens his eyes angry.

"I barely passed biology!" He hollers.

"You can pass the others then." I sneer and crack a short laugh.

"Are you fucking kidding me!" He yells.

"Orders are orders!" I say and raise my hands, showing I had nothing to do with this.

"Don't pull the innocent card here!" Jack continues yelling.

"They're coming!" I jump and look at him begging. "Please, help me! Help me solve this case!"

Jack grunts, gasping and whining at the same time, actions that I thought weren't possible.

"Fine!" He groans. "But you owe me a lot!"

"Thank you!" I say and I'm ready to kiss his feet.

"Do the lecturers know?"

"Yeah! The sheriff just told them!" I inform him, at the same time looking at the headmaster who seems a step ahead of refusing the deal she made with the sheriff days ago, after he explained the resumée of the plan minutes ago.

"I'm afraid to ask, but what are you supposed to be?" He asks in a very serious tone, also smiling at freshments that are coming in class.

"A medical student!" I answer calmly.

"What?!!"

"Don't yell!"

"I'll stop yelling when you stop programming stupid things. Dude you're almost 30!"

"Actually, I'm 28 and I need to get close to her!" I justified.

"You don't need to get close to her! You need to interrigate her you son of a bitch!" Jack snaps, yelling even more.

"Shhhh!! The students will hear!" I murmur.

"Welcome students!" Jack walks three steps forward before greeting the students like he's doing a speech. I bite my lips, trying not to crack a laugh. "I'm...Jordan White and we'll see each other for the anatomy class."

Students look at him confused, starting a rambling conversation.

"We're supposed to have it next semester!" A boy speaks.

"I didn't say when!" Jack says and stares at me for a brief minute.

Yeah! I'm in trouble!

"As I was about to say, today the staff chose me to present to you one of the main operations we have to do, in aim to save a life." Jack says and he unvales the white sheet that covers Michael's body.

Some of the students leave the room ready to vomit, some almost pass out and the others look at the body traumatized. I look around, trying to notice an unusual reaction of a first time student watching a dead body. And there it is...

A girl closes her eyes and a tear runs through her cheek to the chin. She walks three steps back and turns to leave the room exhausted.

"But to save a life, we have to learn about the human body. Especially a dead one." Jack says and shows with his index finger the famous body of Michael Johnson. "So, let's begin!" He announcies and looks at the body nervous, not knowing what to perform in it.