Copyright © 2021 by Loudest Thoughts
No part of this work is to be copied or distributed without the prior written permission of the author.
CHAPTER 8
Knox came in with one policeman.
“Are you alright to answer some questions?”
Ginger chuckled and pulled the woolen pillow over her head.
Knox glanced at Jewel. “Talk to her and get her to cooperate with the investigation.”
“Ginger, ca………”
“Stop calling her that.” Knox was surprised by the name.
“Dad, this isn’t the time; she changed names, so go along with it.”
Ginger, pulled the pillow off. “Ask your questions before I change my mind.”
Jewel signaled the officers to proceed. The bald officer cleared his throat.
“Do you know why someone would want to kill you?”
Ginger stared at his head and smiled. “Why are you bald?”
“Ginger, be serious here.” Jewel turned to the officer. “I apologize.”
“Okay, it could be because I killed someone.” She retorted.
“I’m well aware of your record, and you’ve done your time.”
“Then I guess it’s your duty to find out who tried to kill me, officer…” She raised her head to read his name tag.
“Brandon. Officer Brandon Bald.”
He gave her a mean look while Jewel shook her head.
“Good, though they could be after my sister.”
“Sister?”
“She was with me.” Ginger pointed at Jewel.
Jewel waved at him. “That’s me.”
“You can start from there.” Ginger winked, which confused Brandon.
“If anyone wanted her dead, they could have done that easily behind bars and not waited for 20 years to create a scene, unless whoever it was thinks she’s a danger to their loved ones out of prison.” Jewel chipped in, shaking her head.
“Even my 27-year-old sister could figure that out.” Ginger teased.
“But you said they could be after her.”
“Don’t you get it?” “I said that so you know where to start.”
“I don’t get it,” Brandon grumbled.
Ginger meant someone might have followed me since I was the only one who knew she was being released.
The policeman was embarrassed and, at the same time, felt like smacking Ginger.
He wrote inside his small book and glanced at Knox, then back at Ginger.
“Have you made any enemies in prison?”
She had a mischievous grin on. “Not civilians, but definitely cops.”
The silence in the room was deafening, like they were in an empty space.
“I think we can take this up another time, Brandon.” Knox hit him on the shoulders.
“Sure boss.” He murmured while walking out, constantly looking back.
When the policeman left, everyone in the room was just staring at each other.
Jewel grins from ear to ear. “Dad, say something.”
He scratched his head. “Are you in p……”
Knox turned to Ginger.
She chuckled and avoided his glance.
“At some point, you two would have to get along.” Jewel cautioned.
He walked closer to her bed and asked, “Do you have to be rude to that police officer?”
“And that concerns you because…” Ginger was saying when he cut in.
“I can see prison didn’t change you at all.”
“Dad, don’t make things worse.” Jewel chipped in.
“No, let him.” “The worst he can do is throw me back in jail.”
“You think it was fun for me to see you taken away like that?”
“Yet you let it happen.” “Twenty years and not a single visit from you.”
Knox laughed. “Your naivety still baffles me.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You think I risked my career to seal your records just because I hate you?”
“Well, you never liked me from the beginning, so it’s no news to me.”
“You sound like your mother right now.”
“Don’t bring my mother into this.” She didn’t leave her gun unlocked for a child to find.
“And somehow, that was my fault when I warned you two several times not to enter my office without permission.”
“We were kids, so I don’t know exactly what you were expecting.”
“To be kids and not shoot another kid because they made fun of you.” Knox growled.
“You say I’m naive, but now I know after all these years, you are the dumbest person I’ve ever met.”
“Ginger!” Jewel exclaimed.
“What? ” “Don’t tell me I’m wrong.”
“What I want is not to relieve the past.” “It messes with my head.”
Ginger glared at Jewel and mouthed “sorry.”
“I’m going to pick up some clothes.” The doctor said you’d spend a few weeks here.
“Weeks?”
“Yes, apparently you have a few broken bones that haven’t healed properly.” Knox muttered.
“I don’t want anyone invading my body.”
“But y….”
“You want us to fight?” Ginger gave her dad a weird look.
“No, I’d talk to the doctor about having you come home on Wednesday.”
“I want to leave right away.”
“Okay, just hold on for a while.” Knox was irritated earlier, so he gave up.
“Why?” Ginger retorted.
“I need to talk to…
“You need permission from your control freak of a wife.”
“You know what?” “I’m not going to allow you to keep making my life difficult.” “Do whatever pleases you.”
He was walking out when Jewel called after him.
“Where are you going?”
“To get the doctor to discharge her, and after that, she’s on her own.” He muttered and walked out.
Jewel frowned for a while.
“You need to stop treating Dad that way.”
“I’m sorry I called your mom names.”
“That’s alright but can we agree you’d take it easy on us.”
“I’d try.”
“Great.”
*********************
Ginger and Jewel are half-sisters. They were each other’s keepers until Ginger was taken away by the police one night.
Jewel was always the sick and whiny one who needed protection, and somehow Ginger always felt left out, but she also loves her sister because she was the only one who cared about her when things went south with the family.
To Ginger, her dysfunctional family is the only thing keeping her sane, especially Jewel. She thought living around her family would keep her from going off the rails.
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