Surprise

" I was meeting with the curator for the museum." Sarra explained, her knees curled up in the chair. "A prominent family had offered to sell a collection of antiques to the museum,and the curator, Amy Chaney wanted to show it to me."

"So you were already employed at Foster's "Phil said.

"Part time at the office, I got a message from Amy that she would have to reschedule our apt. for another night. I remember I was glad. It meant that I could go to dinner with Adam and a DA who was visiting Destin.He was going to work in his grandfathers firm there. but he wanted to get into politics, so whining and dining was a big deal. But then Amy called and said she could make it after all. I owed her a favor, so I tild Adam to have dinner without me, and that I would join  them for desert."

"So your associates at Foster's never knew you and Amy Chaney met that night?" Brian asked."They thought your apt was canceled."

"Yes." she took a deep breath."Amy had just moved into a gated community that backed up against the forest and a lake. I called from my car and waited. until I seen her come outside. She had some empty boxes from unpacking and went around back to the dumpster. Brandon must had been there. When she didn't come back I walked around the corner and saw them talking. Arguing."

"About what?"

"I dunno But Amy was backing away from him, pulling her arm from his hand. Then Brandon hit her."

"I called out.Brandon turned. He had his arm around Amy's throat with a gun. He said if I moved than he would kill us both. I...I just froze. He shoved Amy-up beside me and told us to walk."

"Where?"

"Out into the woods. Behind the town houses. He was right behind us with the gun."

"I kept thinking we should fight him. but Amy was hysterical. She wasn't going to help."

"Why did you thing that? Dr stard asked

"She recognized Brandon. He had been stalking her I guess."

"Amy had told you that?" asked Phil.

"No but Brandon kept saying "I told you that you couldn't hide from me.and its finally time.. things like that. He talked to Amy the whole time we walked.taunting her."

"Did Brandon talk to you any time during your walk?" Brian asked.

"No not really it was all about Amy I just happen to be there. I didn't know what to do. I wasn't a fighter then. I didn't know how to defend myself."

"So you just willingly walked into the woods with Brandon?" asked stard

The bitchiness in Stard's voice hit a nerve."What was I supposed to do? He had a gun. He had a bag looped over his shoulder, and kept shifting it.But he always had the gun pointed at us. Yes I just walked willingly. I thought he would kill us if we didn't"

"What kind of bag was he carrying?" asked Phil

"I don't know. canvas, I think or nylon. It was just a bag. like for gym or sports. It didn't look to heavy but he kept handling it all the way. Like there was something valuable in side."

"And talking to Amy." Stard said.

"Taunting her, he liked to hear her cry."

"At the trial." barbs said "The prosecutor argued that Brandon had stalked Amy for weeks, driven her to change her phone number, get new locks, move. But Amy had a reputation of getting around with men. Brandon's attorney argued that one of her ex lovers might have been her stalker."

Brian looked at Sarra" Brandon didn't harass you?"

"I wasn't supposed to be there. I guess. He just pushed me against the tree and told me to sit down.I didn't know what else to do." she said. "He had a gun. I just....I just did what he said. and he teased Amy and...he rubbed himself.Amy was crying."

"What were you doing through all of this?" Stard asked

I was by the tree doing nothing while Amy was crying and begged him not to hurt her she thought.

"Don't just think it Sarra.:" Stard said." Say it out loud."

"I wasn't doing anything. Dammit!!! If I went for the water I would freeze. If I ran he would shoot me I thought if we both ran , But Amy... wouldn't"

"She wouldn't run?" Stard asked.

Don't just stand there Amy run!! dammit do something..

Sarra shook her head" She curled up in a ball and cried."

"Amy stop your making it worse.!!!

"That must have made you angry at Amy?"

Dayna stood up"What the fuck?"

"Don't be stupid." Sarra said "I wasn't angry at Amy" But even as the words came out the first fat tear came running down her cheek. she didn;t know why and she flicked it away with her hand."It was just that she was making it worse. He wanted her to cry. He liked the sound of it. Then I saw him looking around for his bag. He stepped away from Amy to drag it closer, It was just a second but I thought maybe __" she swallowed "I grabbed his arm."

Run Amy run!!!

"And the gun."

Run!

"She ran Finally like I told her to. Amy started to run and I fought off Brandon, and then the gun..."

pop.pop.

oh no oh no oh no...

Dayna cursed and from somewhere in the room Brian said."ah damn" Sarra closed her eyes but the memories were there pulling at her dragging her down.

Stard stepped closer."You convinced Amy to run, Sarra, and attack Brandon?"

Dammit Sarra what were you thinking? attacking a man with a gun? Adams voice sharp with fury she shook it off and looked around the room through blurry eyes.

"I was just trying to get the gun."

"It is ok Sarra." Phil said gently.

But it wasn't OK Amy was dead.

Don't tell them Adam insisted. they won't understand.later if they needed her testimony she could tell the police she was there.But the police never needed it.Brandon was arrested the next day and convicted in a short trial.They had evidence from his shoes that he had been at Amy's town house. an alibi that didn't check out, and gunshot residue on his hands. without ever hearing Sarra's version of the story. he went to prison for life.

Now he was free.

Stard held up some print out's" There was blood at the scene that didn't belong to Chaney or Brandon. and two shell casing's from a .38 semiautomatic. One bullet struck Amy in the back while you fought off Brandon. what happened to the other?"

"Are you O positive?"

Sarra nodded.

"It was your blood at the scene wasn't it?" Stard asked.

"My client isn't going to answer no more quest____

"Were you shot Sarra?" Brian asked sounding worried.

"No, No. I don't know what happened to the other bullet."

"Then what happened after Amy went down?" Stard pressed

Amy went down such simple words, yet so descriptive. Amy had finally been running as Sarra had told her to and just went ..down. Dead, with one giant convulsion in her spine. The gun that killed her wrenched from Sarra's hands. The gunshot stinging against her palm. Brandon dropping beside Amy's body screaming, digging furiously in his bag.

And then Brandon went mad.

"After?" Sarra whispered."He wanted me to scream then, For Amy.But I wouldn't I was afraid it would make him...." She touched the scar on her cheek"He hit me with the gun."

"Christ" Brian said he stared at her when she didn't say anything more. "That wasn't it? You were knocked out?"

Not quite. Not enough that she couldn't feel the chill of the ground, or taste of the retching  combination of dirt and blood and bile that down her throat. Not enough that she couldn't feel her cheek on fire, or his hands on her thighs. She wasn't out that much.

Don't tell

"When I came to he was gone.There was nothing but Amy's body," she shivered."I ran I went back the way we come. I got into my car and locked my doors I drove."Heat all the way up."I went home to my apartment Adam was there "Angy because she hadn't showed up at the restaurant."I showered I was dirty and bloody."

And cold so so cold.

"And you didn't tell anyone?" Stard asked a statement rather than a question.

"Of course I did I told Adam."

"And?"

"He took care of me he got a butterfly bandage from the first aid kit for my cheek. then helped me get to sleep."

"He didn't take you to the hospital or call the police?" Brian asked.

"He would have the next morning but he watched the news. Someone found Amy's body within hours, By afternoon they had a suspect. It was on TV and I saw they had the right man. I don't know what to tell you...

she looked down bracing herself for the guilt to began gnawing again."We just found out I was pregnant Adam was worried about the trial would do to me and the baby.and they didn't need me Brandon was held without bail.Then they convicted him."

Stard said"You could have told all this to Phil or Brian when they came looking for him a week ago."

"I could have I wished I had. But I thought Brandon was coming for me I knew there was nothing I could do to send him back to prison. Ii thought maybe If I offered him money___

"And if he didn't take it it didn't matter." Brian said his voice ruff."Because you could handle him now.You are strong."

"Don't respond to that Sarra." Dayna ordered. He is tryi------

"Stop!" Sarra felt as if the dam were crumbling. She turned to Brian"You are right. I did think I could handle Brandon Myse----"

"Sarra!" Dayna said.

"And I did want to kill him."

Dayna Tyler sank in her chair.

"The system set him free, and I thought he was coming for me and my daughter, If I couldn't pay him off I didn't think I had any other choice but to kill him. But in the end, I didn't do it. In the end.' she said looking into Brian's eyes "I tried to call you."

What do ya think is it getting interesting now... I hope so.. What is Sarra not telling them let me knw what ya think...Vote comment fan.. Hope ya like this chapter..