radicalducati # 99 The Culprit is Found
# 99 The Culprit is Found
** Anna’s POV **
Showing up at the office today might have been a big mistake, thanks to last night, I could barely concentrate the whole day. Aside from the swollen eyes from crying and lack of sleep, I was having a headache and regretting most of the things I had said last night.
Now to worsen my problem, the phone was endlessly ringing. It was Mr. Blackwood on the line, he had been calling me for the past two hours but I didn’t want to answer. I have no idea what to say to him after everything that happened between us last night.
I wasn’t in a good place last night but I should not have said the things I said to Maxwell. Even if there is a chance that I was right with the accusations, I still think I overstepped but I wouldn’t bring myself to admit it before him.
Mr. Blackwood was right, this pregnancy is doing stupid things to me, but how do I explain to him without letting the cat out of the bag? Like every other time I have faced a problem, my first instinct is to run from it.
After what seemed like the hundredth avoided call, I summoned courage to answer. I picked up the phone and after a deep breath, I took the call.
“Hello,” I muttered. “What do you want?” I didn’t even realize when the words left my mouth. Fuck! I am doing it again.
“I have found out who set your apartment on fire.” He announced.
I let out a soft sigh. “Mr. Blackwood, I am sorry but I don’t want to talk about last night, let's just leave it in the past, thanks for your concern by the way.” I said calmly.
“Oh… I fear it is a little bit too late for that.” He muttered.
I didn’t understand what he meant until the door was pushed open and he walked in, carrying an Ipad. Okay, I should better start locking that door.
A frown fell on my face immediately, I don’t know if I meant to but there we have it. “Don’t waste your time, I said I don’t want to talk about it.” I blurted right away.
Why is he so persuasive and stubborn? I know I messed up last night but we can both just forget it, or can't we?
“Well you don’t need to talk about it, you just need to watch this CCTV footage that I managed to recover from your neighbor’s street cam.” He muttered in a cold voice, showing no emotions as he approached me.
I swallowed hard, nervous to know what that CCTV footage might contain. If it is real, then I would not only be embarrassed for being wrong last night but I will have to apologize to him.
He came to my table and I acted less concerned, although deep down I was curious to see the video. Who could have really started the fire in my house and for what reason? I don’t remember making any enemies lately, except the family of Mr. Wilson who are still quite pissed that he will be rotting away in jail because of me.
Mr. Blackwood played a video and put it on the table before me, then he stepped away. I stared at the video in confusion and then I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. “Is this a joke?”
He seemed genuinely confused with my question. “What do you mean? You can see it for yourself.” He pointed to the iPad.
I sighed and shook my head. “It is a cartoon,” I muttered coldly, a bit relieved that it was all a joke.
“What?” he muttered and took a look at the screen. “Oh, sorry,” he said with a little smile. “Wrong video,” he added.
He picked up the iPad and began to scroll through the screen while I conspicuously stared at him. Was he really serious about this? I mean he did sound serious over the phone, or is this all a joke?
“Alright, here you go.” He muttered and placed the iPad before me again.
I stared at the screen this time with less enthusiasm. Then the video began to unfold; truly it was a CCTV clip from my Neighbor’s apartment, I could see the street view and the entrance to my house in the clip. The time of record displayed on the screen showed it was 21:00, that was just about the time I left to see MB.
I swallowed hard with my heart beating inside my chest as I watched the clip. For the first few seconds, nothing suspicious happened in the clip, but then I saw someone walk into the driveway to my house, someone in a red hood.
My heart flipped as I recognized that hood. “No.” I muttered, “This is not real.”
“Yes it is, Anna. You know it yourself, it is him.” Mr. Blackwood said.
I shook my head in denial. “I agree that hood belongs to him but his face is not shown, which means it can be anyone, there is no way he would do that.”
“Alright, just keep watching.” He muttered.
My throat felt dry at that moment, there was no more saliva to swallow. I began to mutter silent prayers in my heart, begging for it not to be him. The clip moved over to a different time, about ten minutes after the first clip and I could see the same person walking out of my driveway in a hurry, he had already gotten out to the street when he took off the hood.
I froze that moment, my jaws dropped- Jimmy!
I couldn’t believe it. “No…” I muttered, tears forming in my eyes.
“Take note of the time, it is close to the period when the eye witnesses said the fire had broken out, it is not a coincidence that he was there just a few minutes before the fire outbreak, even you can’t deny it.” Mr. Blackwood stated.
I felt my heart shatter in a million pieces, I knew he was a cheat and ingrate but he was never a criminal or a thug. How would Jimmy do this to me? When did he grow this much hatred for me to set my apartment on fire?
I sniffled and quickly wiped the tears off my eyes, unable to sit there anymore. I rushed up to leave the office, I needed some air away from all this, I needed to get to the roof.
“Anna Wait!” Mr. Blackwood tried to stop me.
“Don’t follow me, I need some space.” I said as I fought back the tears, but as I walked out the office door, I froze at the sight before me.
Out there in the hallway was the police, but not just the police, Jimmy was there as well in handcuffs. I froze, staring at them in confusion. They already had him arrested?
Maxwell walked out behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “That is what I was trying to tell you.” he muttered softly. “I asked the police to apprehend him the moment they found this clip two hours ago, I needed to let you know before I did it but you were not answering, I didn’t want him to escape so I ordered his arrest.” MB announced to me.
I stood there paralyzed, not knowing what to do. I looked at Jimmy and he shot me a look to kill, there was so much hatred in his eyes that I barely recognized him. What happened to my Jimmy? What did I do to deserve such hatred from him?
TBC!!