Chapter 33

**Alex**
It was at 5pm we arrived at the accident scene thinking we were too late not knowing we were three hours early, we spent a lot of time waiting in the car. It was getting close to 8 o'clock. That's when we saw her car parking a few meters away from the accident scene. Skyler came down from the vehicle but with company so I disregarded any thought of executing a sneak attack.
"I'm going closer to have a better look" I said to Liam who was watching intently from his pair of binoculars.
"Okay but stay out of sight" He said in a harsh whisper, I got out and ran a few yards so I could get closer to her and get a better view..... Or maybe land a shot. She wandered around the accident scene for a while then she started walking up the river bank heading towards where I'm sure she'll definitely find my clue.
She spent some minutes looking at the shoe and all these while I was contemplating on shooting her from my hiding spot but I couldn't get a clear view on the target. She did something strange, after staring at the shoe she took a picture of it with her phone then she looked around again almost as if she knew someone was watching her before she hurried back to her car. I ran back to Liam as quick as I could, he started the car and started following her car at a steady speed that won't raise suspicion.
As Liam drove on I called the detective to ask about the task he's working on.
"Hello detective Thomas here".
"Hey it's me again, any updates on the interrogation?".
"Yes there is, I start by thanking you for your brilliant tip of interrogating the receptionist because she proved to be very helpful indeed".
"Tell me about it" I was all ears.
"She had come in contact with a mechanic that day saying that his client was about to close but he didn't state who his client was or who he was working for " He paused to check if I was still listening
"Go on".
"He came out a few minutes later and it seemed like he was in a rush to go home, we are trying to track his face from the security camera footage".
"Wait, is this mechanic dark skinned by any chance?" It had occurred to me at that moment who Skyler's company was.
"Yes he is and he's quite a huge fellow as well. You got any leads on your end?" The detective was catching on quite quickly.
"Yes I have, I am tailing both Skyler and the mechanic to see where they are headed or located at least".
"Where are you now so I can come and help?".
"This isn't your fight detective! let me finish this, let me correct my mistakes" I needed to take full responsibility for my actions and I was ready to take full responsibility as well.
"Don't do this Alex! You would-" I hung up the call before he could go any further then put Liam's phone on airplane mode so that Thomas won't be able to call back.
"What do you mean by correcting your mistakes?" Liam asked as he swerved passed a reckless motorcycle rider, I didn't give him an oral response I just brandished the 45. Semi auto handgun I had bought from a gun shop earlier.
"You want her to go out with a bang huh?" He joked expecting a response from me but right now I was as cold as steel as I prepared my mind for the task at hand, life imprisonment meant nothing to me right now.
After a very long drive their car finally halted at a run down shabby looking hotel, we waited for a few minutes before I got my gun ready and left Liam to keep watch while I carry out this dangerous mission. Finding Skyler's room wasn't hard because the hotel had a very small range of rooms and the receptionist wasn't at the desk when I got in so I took a peek into the book of records and saw her room number.
I went down the hall to room 8 which she lodged and knocked on her door before trying the handle, to my surprise it was open. I got in and saw the devil who had almost ended my reputation, attempted two murders and killed her own pawn she had used to blackmail me. Skyler's face was ridden with shock as she saw me, I pointed the gun at her before she could make any move.
"Any silly action and I shoot!!" I said shutting the door behind me, it was just me and her now.
"What are you doing here Alex? And what's the gun for?" She said with her arms raised.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to end your reign of terror!" I gripped the gun even tighter in an attempt to steal my jumping nerves.
"Of course you're here to kill me then marry that slut and live happily ever after".
"Don't you dare call her a slut!!".
"That's exactly what she is, I mean what else should I call her? Someone who was supposed to be just your employee turned into the first lady of the house and company!!".
"You were a manipulator!! After using Emily for your evil deeds you killed her.... What would have happened if I had stuck with you? More lies and deceit" My hand was trembling now as I made up my mind to pull the trigger.
"I only lied to protect our relationship from that vile demon and if you had played along Emily wouldn't be dead and Petra would be a long story to us by now but no you just had to take her in and put me to the side instead" Skyler was crying now but even the devil can shed tears, I wasn't moved by her sympathetic act.
"Too late for wistful thinking now Skyler you have already sealed your fate" I cocked the gun ready to fire but I couldn't pull the trigger because someone grappled me from behind, I felt two strong arms squeeze around my rib cage tightly making it hard to breathe.
"Skyler ran!!" My assailant shouted at Skyler who stood there in shock confused at what was happening. I spun around and landed an elbow to the attacker but he pulled me along with him as he hit the ground, he was on top of me in a flash trying to strangle the life out of me, my vision was getting blurry and I could sense my end drawing near so with my dying energy I reached for my gun lying a few feet away and shot my assailant twice in his chest he fell on me with a heavy thud.
The gunshots shocked Skyler out of her trance and she let out a panicked scream before running out of the room. I struggled to get the dead body off me but he was a heavy fellow so it took me some minutes before I broke free. When I got outside I saw Liam talking to detective Thomas.
"What are you doing here detective?" I asked in a harsh tone.
"Why are you holding a weapon and why is there blood on your shirt?" Thomas asked sternly, eyeing me.
"I wanted to kill Skyler but the mechanic got in the way!! I had to defend myself".
"The police won't believe a word of that confession," Thomas said, shaking his head.
"I don't care if they believe or not I'm going after Skyler..... How did you find us?".
"I wanted to tell you on the phone that I've run the checks and the transaction leads to this hotel but after hearing that you're tailing her I suspected you'd be heading here so I drove here to try and stop you from sending yourself to jail but it seems I was too late" Thomas said looking at the gun in my hand.
"It was out of self defense!! He was trying to kill me and I had no other choice".
"I can save you from jail Alex but only on one condition.... ".
"And what's that?" I asked, my heart pounding painfully from the suspense.
"You stay out of this and protect Petra, let me do the killing of Skyler and you save yourself from a life sentence" Thomas said, reaching his hand out to collect my gun which I reluctantly handed to him.
"Fine I will stay out of this but give me your word that Skyler will die by your hands' ' I had to make him promise or at least give me his word that Skyler would be given the punishment she deserved... Death.
"I swear Alex she will die by my hands and from this weapon you handed me" Thomas put his hand to his chest as if he was swearing an oath.
"I would advise the two of you to leave the premises and leave the police to me, it's high time that you show yourself to your wife before she gets sick with worry" He added.
"I will do that soon detective and thanks again for your help I really appreciate it" I shook his hand and got into Liam's car ready to head back home.
"You better do something about that shirt" Thomas said laughing, Liam drove off in high speed eager to get away from there and even more eager to hear what happened.
"The mechanic grappled me from behind making me unable to fire my shot, he almost overpowered me but I managed to reach for my gun before he could squeeze the life out of me" I said rubbing my throat with the base of my palm.
"Damn! He must've been a loyal dog for him to have protected Skyler like that" Liam said in surprise.
"Skyler ran out before I could get his heavy body off me".
"She didn't take her car, if not I would've seen her".
"She went out through the back entrance I presume.... Only lord knows where she's headed now" I was worried about Petra so much now, I would be battered with despair if anything happened to Petra.
Liam drove on in silence, it was a gloomy night and the line of events did not help matters at all. We got home at last drained and tired, I got rid of my shirt and washed off any remnants of blood before I entered the house. Arianna was surprised to see me shirtless and half soaked but she was in shock because of the fact that I was still alive.
"Alex!! Is this really you?" She gasped in surprise.
"In flesh and blood Ari" I said smiling.
"But I saw the news..... The police said..... I mean... " She stuttered confused.
"I drove into the water because that was the only way to stop my car after Skyler had cut the brakes and faking my death was my idea of doing some background investigation without being suspected by Skyler" I explained to her skipping the dangerous parts.
"Wow this is amazing! We have to tell Petra she has been worried sick".
"We'll tell her together tonight but after I eat something and freshen up" I said heading up the stairs to the guest bathroom.
"That reminds me.... What happened to your shirt Alex?" Arianna asked the question I had been trying to avoid.
"I uhh......stained it with some taco sauce so I had to leave it at the dry cleaners shop" I lied.
"Leave him alone Ari let's go set the table" Liam said pulling Arianna into the kitchen.
As the warm water ran down my body I thought about earlier this evening, why didn't I pull the trigger as soon as I saw her? That would have been better than the way things went. To be fair I didn't expect the mechanic to be close by and I guess she was stalling with her words and comments.
'You should have shot her' The voice in my head said harshly.
"I know but I needed to know what changed her..." I said to my reflection in the mirror.
'Isn't it obvious? It was her desire for you that turned her into this hateful monster, you would do the same too if your darling Petra was suddenly stolen by someone else' The voice said sarcastically.
"She was planning on blackmailing me with Emily's video so she wasn't entirely innocent" I replied.
'That was only to protect what was dear to her and that is your love which apparently you had given to somebody else...... besides she would never do anything to drag your name in the mud'.
"She's a murderer!!" I shouted at my reflection much to Liam's surprise who had just walked in.
"Are you alright buddy?" Liam asked worriedly.
"Yeah I'm fine, I was just arguing with my subconscious about the whole Skyler issue".
"What was the argument about?".
"It was saying I am the one to blame for making Skyler turn into a psychotic killer, if only I hadn't gotten into an affair with Petra all this wouldn't have happened" I lamented with my head in my hands.
"If you hadn't had that affair with Petra would you have lived happily with Skyler? How long will it be before she uses the video to blackmail you to do her bidding? Buddy you're not to blame on this one, I've been with girls who had been so close to me but after break up they still got over me and moved on..... Skyler could have moved on without any bloodshed but she wanted war and that's what she's getting" Liam was right, Skyler wasn't innocent as a matter of fact she was evil down to her heart.
"You're right buddy, thanks for the advice I really needed.
"Now let's go eat then we'll call your beloved wife for a little chat" We proceeded downstairs where I had an amazing dinner which filled my starving bowels, Liam was in a mood to chat tonight and his jokes were just as funny as ever but I could see that he was obviously doing this to relieve the pressure and eased the mood of the night..... Smart guy.
It was finally time for me to call Petra, Arianna called Eva and told her to give the phone to Petra because there was someone that needed to talk to her.
"Hello?" Petra's voice was weak and low.
"Hello my pet" I said with tears flowing down my cheeks.
"Alex? Is that you?" Her voice was getting louder now.
"Yes darling it is...... Did you miss me?".
"I don't believe it!! How can you still be alive? The police said the chances of you surviving were slim" she rushed her words in excitement.
"Let me switch it to video call" I hit the switch button and Petra's beautiful face came into view, she gasped in surprise when she saw me and she started crying too.
"I thought you were dead Alex...... I was so sacred" She sobbed continuously and Eva kept the tissues incoming.
"I survived my love, without a scratch. I'm coming to get you out of there baby and that's when I'll explain everything to you darling".
"I want to hold you in my arms Alex.... I thought I had lost you even though a part of me felt you were going to come back".
"Thank you for taking care of her Eva, you've been such a helpful sister to her and a wonderful friend to me as well" I said to Eva, making her smile excessively.
"Just doing my sisterly duties, when will you come Alex? I'm tired of this hospital cell" Eva said.
"It's not a cell Eva and I'll be there by 11 o'clock sharp because right now I need some rest...... are you okay pet?" I asked because she had stopped crying and she was now laughing hysterically.
"I don't know why I'm laughing dearest, it must be from the relief of seeing you alive" Petra laughed again.
"Well keep that smile on until I come tomorrow, I'll see you soon my love".
"Okay baby. I love you" She blew a kiss at me.
"I love you more honey" I blew her a kiss back before ending the video call. I thanked Liam and Arianna for their hospitality and went upstairs hoping to get some rest after a hectic day but I was still ravaged with thoughts of Skyler and whichever evil plot she had in mind for me and Petra. As I closed my eyes I couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that came over me. I should have known then that my idea to pick Petra up by that time was such a terrible idea.