I put my hand to my chest to try and calm down my heartbeat that is racing with the wind. I can not tell if my body is shivering due to the cold night or the fear that made my blood stand still. I look at the gun in my hand, then the body on the floor. His eyes are open but closed deep within. He isn’t coming back………. What have I done?
Dazed, lost in space I put my hand in my purse pull out my phone and dial a number. “Help me, someone just died and I need help.”
My knees give way and I slowly sink to the ground next to the corps. An hour later I hear sirens, quick, heavy foot steps and within no time inspector Jack Mahomn is standing in front of me, looking down at me.
“You might want to start explaining yourself young lady this doesn’t look good.”
“I killed him!” that's all I said all the way to the station.
When my state of shock subsides I look up and find myself in an interrogation room with inspector Mahomn and two other gentlemen. One places a tape recorder on the table and looks at me.
“So Amanda what exactly happened.” I look at Mahomn as he asks the question, the calmness in his voice makes me uneasy.
“I was walking to my car at around 9.00 p.m. in the basement of my office when someone hit me over my head. When I woke up I was in someone’s garage lying on the floor with my hands tied together. My car was next to me.” I stop a while to wipe the tears streaming down my cheeks. “He was wearing a ski mask and I could not see his face. I tried to beg him to let me go. I promised to take him to the A.T.M. and take out all my money for him but he wouldn’t listen. My voice is so low at this point am almost miming.
"Speak louder please Amanda, we need to get this on record." Mahomn requests patiently. I clear my throat and continue.
"He picked me up onto his shoulders and took me to the house, into his bedroom. I tried to scream but nothing happened, we were alone. He walked out for a while and I thought that I could loosen the knot on my hands. I bite the rope and tried to wriggle my wrists but it could only bulge a little bit. He came in and closed the door behind him.”
“Did he lock it with a key?”
“No, he just closed it, then he came to the bed and started to fondle with me. I guess it’s a bit obvious what happened next.”
“I know this is hard for you Amanda but you will have to tell us everything a statement is better recorded when the victim’s memory is still fresh.”
“He, he, he....well... he raped me. I struggled to be free; kicking in every direction. I almost broke free when he put his hand to my neck and strangled me. When I couldn’t breathe I stopped fighting and he loosened his grip. When he was done he left the room. I wanted to die but I knew that was to follow next if i stayed so I struggled to break free, then I ran down stairs for the door but he came after me and we started to fight. He slapped me around and hit me in the eye; I hit the wall on my way to the ground. When he came to pick me up I kicked him on the leg and he fell to the ground. I got up and ran to the garage but when I tried to open the car, it was locked so I ran to the passenger’s seat to break the window and open the car from the other side. I knelt on glass while doing it, hurt myself really badly. While trying to start the car, he pulled my hair and forced me out of the car. He punched me on the nose and I hit a shelf. My nose was bleeding,my knees were bleeding,i had a black right eye and i could barely see with it and my body was covered in bruises. I wanted to give up, I was tired and in pain…….. The gun was just there. I grabbed it and shot him twice in the chest and he fell to the ground.” With my face buried in my hand I broke into fits of sobs all over again.
“Are you telling us you did not see his face the whole time?”
“No, I didn't, why?”
"He was your soon to be ex-husband Simon, that’s why, said Mahomn with a very unmoved look in his eye. I look up in shock "Didn't you file a report last week that he was harassing you, prank calls, unannounced visits, breaking into your house?"
“That can’t be, there must be a mistake Simon is in Paris he left last week, so it can’t be him”.
“Well it was! there are papers we want you to fill before you leave, Officer Martins is outside waiting for you then you're free to go Ms. Sanders”. Mahomn says flatly. I stand from my sit. My body feels like it weighs a tone and all I want is to sink into the chair. I am physically in pain, mentally drained and emotionally scared.
“It is a crime of passion. This is open and shut,” says Jack to his colleagues after Amanda shuts the door behind her.. Philip shakes his head as he reaches for the tape recorder, “Typical, am getting sick of this cases.”
Amanda Sanders soaks herself in the hot bath tub struggling to wash the night away. Her mind flashes to the night she argued with Simon, “I swear I will take every thing you own right from under your feet,” he said. “You should have made me sign the pre-nap.”
Simon Kennedy was once a successful owner of a restaurant but when his drug abuse drove his success under and his wife wanted a divorce he wasn’t going to leave empty handed,
A sly smile spreads Amanda’s lips as she sips her glass of wine.She looks at Simon's photo again,and there is a knot in her chest. 'You thought that you could walk into my life and take away everything i own? Who's empty handed now?' The radio is on and her favorite song blares through the speakers…………………”please let me testify, they accuse him of it, they accuse him of it ooh, please let me testify.”
