Till Death Do Us Part: Part 12

Millicent and Claire waited in line at the county jail where Anita Brewster was being held. Alice, their mother, had taken ill from all the excitement and could not come. Frank stayed with her to keep an eye on her. After a brief frisk and search of purses, Millicent and Claire were led into a large dingy room with tables and chairs. It was cold, dark, and unwelcoming.

"This place gives me the heebie jeebies," said Millicent.

"Poor Anita, poor thing," said Claire. Millicent noticed Claire shaking.

Soon, the incarcerated men and women came into the room, single file, dressed in standard jail garb. Millie and Claire hardly recognized Mrs. Brewster. Her face was ghostly and stricken. Tears of shame ran down her face as her eyes met the Abernathy sisters across the room.

Claire attempted to run up to her and throw her arms around the bereft woman, but officers told her to go back and sit down. Anita made her way to their table and sat down, unable to meet their eyes.

"Oh Anita, we're so sorry this happened. We don't want you to worry about a thing. Frank and I have hired the best lawyer in the state. He rarely loses a case. This will work out, I promise."

Claire's assurances only caused Mrs. Brewster to hang her head lower.

"Thank you Claire, I do appreciate it. I am going to need an attorney more than you know."

Millicent sensed a flash of something in Anita's eyes. Something was amiss.

"Anita, what do you mean "more than you know." Is there more to this story?"

Then Anita broke, gut wrenching sobs escaped her as she cried out, "I'm sorry, so sorry. I shouldn't have killed her. But I just couldn't stand it."

Claire nearly fainted. Millicent was struck dumb. When the sisters finally gained their composure Millicent addressed Anita firmly.

"Sshh! Don't say anything more Anita. Wait for your lawyer. He'll get you off, I know he will. We don't blame you, Anita. Eva was an evil woman. But you must keep quiet."

"It's too late, ladies. I confessed this morning. Evil as she was, I can't live with the visions of her lying in a pool of blood at my hand. She's someone's sister, daughter, grandaughter."

"You forgot mistress," Claire said. "She ruined our mother." Claire met Anita's eyes and stayed there a few seconds. There was a knowing between them.

"It was more than that. She...uh...she killed your father." Anita was cold and angry now. A frightening transformation the sisters thought.

Intuitive woman that she was, Millicent asked, "You tried to stop their affair, didn't you."

"Yes, yes, I did. I love your mother, so I tried to prevent Eva from pursuing him, but she got her way. She came by his office the day he died. She took some iced tea in to him and he died shortly after. The police found the traces of lasix in his glass. Didn't they tell you?"

"No. No they didn't," said Claire.

"They think it was possibly me who killed him."

"Why? Why would they think you might have done it? asked Millie.

"Because I made the tea. But I didn't kill him, I swear it...I swear it."

"Sshh, keep your voice down, Anita. We believe you. Tell all this to the lawyer."

"This is why you killed her, isn't it Anita, because she killed our father?" Claire asked.

Anita looked down again, clearly uncomfortable. "Yes, but it was more than that. She was going to seek his fortune after his death. She wanted to ruin him, your mother, and you Millicent. I just couldn't let her get away with it."

Claire sat back with a long sigh. "Okay Anita, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to have that lawyer, James Duran, come to see you before the day is over. We, and he, will do our best for you."

As Millicent drove home, Claire was lost in thought. The events of the last month ravaged her mind. She tried to make sense of it all. 'I can't let her take the blame for killing Daddy too. I have no right.'

"Millie, turn the car around. I need to talk to Detective Gleason."

© Lori Colbo 2011