“Baker? HAROLD, Harold I know you’re in there” a pounding came fitfully to the door waking Harold from his sleep. Fumbling like a blind man in a strange ally the brown haired young man felt his way to the door. As he opened the slab of metal and wood that made up the access to his room the light from the hallway sprang in like an uninvited guest. His eyes blinked as they attempted to capture their surroundings. His mother, arguably shorter than himself stood facing him tapping her feet, behind her, his father leaning awkwardly against the opposite side of the hotel’s hall.
“What do you both want?” He asked, his voice horse as his words left his lips.
“Did you know about Claire?” Jackie asked, the mascara on her eyelashes seemed to intensify as her eyes barreled down at him.
Baker shrugged his sleepy shoulders, wiping away the sleepiness from his eyes “Sure, I knew about Claire, after she was pregnant I never heard from her” he pawed at his face again as his eyes started to droop.
“No, Baker, we need information. Is she alive, dead, what?” Jackie demanded. Baker, in amusement, look passed her at his dad who had his hands stuffed in his pockets and a long tired look across his face – he was usually the one wanting information, this trial must’ve done him in, stood up erect in the doorway yawning before he spoke.
“She’s dead. She died in childbirth” he moaned yawning again.
“And the story about Leighanne being pregnant – It was a crock” Jackie blurted.
“Well, it would seem that way” Baker said sleepily.
“Don’t” she forced her finger in his face “play smart with me – Leighanne was never pregnant?”
“No” Baker answered annoyed “But if you were so happy why didn’t you ever talk to Leighanne’s parents about it; they would’ve told you a long time ago.”
Harold stood up and cleared his throat “We don’t exactly get along with Leighanne’s parents, we never have”
“Well, gosh I would’ve never thought” Baker said sarcastically “So, you could’ve found out about this whole thing a long time ago, but yah didn’t – so there yah go.”
“Why haven’t you been to see your brother, since the first night?” Jackie asked, her arms were folded over one another now, she was clearly annoyed.
“Because, he asked me not too” Baker answered “Now can I please go to bed? It’s got to be at least four in the morning” he started to shut the door.
Jackie smiled easing up her tone a little “Course you can honey, but if you’ve lied to us, or to the police, I don’t think you’ll like the outcome.”
“Honestly mother, why would I lie” He watched as his dad raised his eyebrows in distain “Don’t answer that. Night” he said fitfully shutting the door in his parents’ faces.
…………
“Mr. Littrell” Harold looked up from his car watching two men come before him, both showing their badges so they gleamed in the Kentucky sunlight “Detective Carlson, and Detective Wattney” They introduced themselves handing him a blue folded piece of paper “We have a warrant to search your house.”
“My house?” Harold asked bewildered “What do you want with the house?” he asked leading them to the door.
“A Mrs. Tolbert said that you were threatening her” Harold rolled up the top of his paper bag stuffing it under his arm so he could look at the warrant. Although he didn’t, after scanning the document he wanted to role his eyes. It was ridiculous but in the case that was at hand, it seemed plausible to the officers investigating. He led them into the house.
……….
Jackie rushed off the plane as fast as her feet would carry her, she had just arrived back in Atlanta and would have to catch the shuttle to the long-term parking lot, and it was good to see that Brian was doing well. He was due to be released shortly, and the detectives where were still baffled by the case could not arrest him - at least just yet.
“He’s been waiting for you all morning” the nurse said smiling as Jackie walked in. She had seen the women may times, but still couldn’t quite grasp her name.
“Thank you” she smiled walking up to the hospital room. A kaleidoscope of feelings rushed through her, after leaving Harold the night before she was anxious, and had no one to vent her fears to. The child was put into protective services soon after everything was found out. Claire’s parent’s, who had mysteriously come to life wanted the child, and the Littrell’s were not to willing to hand her over, since the police department was up in arms over the whole case, the decided for the time being to place the child in foster care which made everything more aggravating.
Finally Jackie had reached the floor “take a deep breath” she told herself before she walked in. “Ok” she said a little more confident “Brian honey you ready to go” she asked casually as she stepped into the room.
There he sat, his entire back exposed as he huddled facing the wall under the mobile hospital tray, Jackie walked towards him bending down to see what was wrong.
His eyes moved to the corner looking at her, blood and saliva lining his lips and trickling down his chin, his hands felt like string as they lay lifeless in front of him, in the pool of mixed vomit and blood. The putrid smell was pungent to the nose and Jackie gagged at its intensity.
“I can’t feel it” he said softly more blood trickling down the side of his mouth “I’m dying” his eyes were encircled in film, the small vessels reaching for his pupils as he searched about the space.
Jackie was in a trance, as she felt helpless “Brian” she choked searching for the side of the bed, she found the small red “emergency” button. Her fingers shaking, she pressed it hard. “Brian?”
Brian looked ahead, as everything went black, it was too dark to see and the headlights were fowling up to much to make him want to go faster. Leighanne was spitting insults at him.
“You dirty little creep” she hissed staring at him.
“Why the disappointed look” he said back “You’ve been inviting men over to the house since before we’ve been married.”
“Lies!” she yelled “Your nothing but a fricking liar!” She howled, Brian watched the road ahead of him everything was dim.
“What are you talking about? I found those condoms and pills in with your underwear” he answered hissing “You got in good with my Parents so they’d never believe what I’d say.”
“Brian.” The familiar voice of doctor Preston spoke as he stood over Brian’s lifeless body. Brian opened his eyes slowly.
“I’m not dead?” he asked trying to smile; it was what he was all about making other’s laugh. The doctor looked back seriously.
“No, it’ a good thing too” he said stepping back a little, Jackie came forward. Patting his hand.
“I want to go home” he grumbled, the stupid nausea was going to keep him in the hospital again.
“In a couple of hours” Dr. Preston smiled walking out, “We need to monitor you to make sure you’re alright.”
“I feel fine” Brian lied; he would do anything to get out of this four-walled prison cell.
“You just asked me if you were going to die” Dr. Preston said suppressing a smile “Doctor Alexander will be in to see if you’re ready later.”
Brian watched as his mother walked up timidly “You’re dad just called, apparently our house is being searched. It look’s like Shirley thought your dad was threatening her.” She tried to touch around the subject.
“Finally” Brian moaned “Did he give her an earful” he asked wanting to hear more, he watched as he saw his mother’s expression change from timid to utter perplexity.
“I thought you loved her, and Leighanne?” she said a little less shocked.
“I did at first, but then I met Claire and everything changed. I realized how depressed I was with Leighanne, and I wanted to be happy, but everything was set up. And I knew how you and Dad would react. I just thought I would let it go year, then get divorce, but then I knew all the press would ruin it, and ruin my image, so I wanted to stick through.”
Jackie listened for a moment, wondering what Harold would say if he were there, she knew his exact words ‘you ruined your own image by fooling around’. She sighed ‘So you decided living a double love life was the way to go”
“Sure, Leighanne was doing it anyway, once she was onset with that one guy, the one bad dude, whatever his name was. The one that was supposed to be her fiancé in the movie she was in. I saw them, even before I was home; I saw them through the window. I had a feeling that something was happening, but then I knew, but by then it was too late. So I decided, heck why not find someone that will really love me for me. So it was more of a public relationship thing I guess.”
“It doesn’t make what happened right” Jackie said looking her son in the eyes.
“That’s what I told Leighanne a thousand times, but she continued to suck off of me and my money, she played us all for fools.” He said, a sudden weariness overtaking him.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Yay, another chapter, Enjoy.
