Chapter Seventy-Two
"He just kept pushing me and pushing me...I had no choice" John began. He was sitting in the police station, he was being questioned.
The police came to the house and arrested him. Henrietta was also being questioned as she sat in the other interview room. Ethan's body was taken to the local morgue, the twenty-seven year ordeal was finally over. The truth was finally out about the man however it was too late, the damage was done years ago. Henrietta just held onto the fact that at least no more teenage girls can be hurt now by him. John had the same mindset, he could do no more harm now.
"Did you feel threatened, Mr Stepney?" one of the police officer questioned.
"Not personally, no but I was never a target of his"
"You didn't think to report him to the police?"
"And say what? He abused my dead daughter decades ago? Like you lot would charge him for that. And I doubt the girls he abused would come forward, they were 16 when he started you would say. My ex-wife is in law...I know what you people are like! No, I did what I had to do"
This made one of the officers quickly write down his statement. John did this as an act of revenge, that's what they got from this. Though they did have to look into his claims that Ethan was an abuser and his targets were teenage girls. Maybe his DNA matched some unknown sexual assaults in the area.
"Did you plan this murder, Mr Stepney?" the second police officer then asked.
"No, I didn't want to kill him but like I said, he kept pushing me and pushing me. I couldn't stop myself"
"You told us over the phone that you murdered him, you said 'I did it, you will find the branch I did it with upstairs, Ethan Stepney. I killed Ethan Stepney'...Do you remember saying those things, Sir?"
"Yeah I know what I done but I'm saying I didn't plan it, I was just angry. He was saying awful things to me, saying how my ex-step granddaughter was next on his list. If you want proof he's sleazy, you should speak to his current girl; Kelly Tanner"
Her name was written down quickly.
"Okay, so what do you admit to?" the first police officer asked.
"I admit to killing Ethan Stepney, right? So do what you want with me"
...
Satisfied that Henrietta had nothing to do with it, she was allowed to go back home. She was in the station all night and it was early morning when she returned back to Rosa's. Her aunt needed her but she needed help herself too, she was just too stubborn to ask for it. Entering the house again felt strange, the bad aura it once had was gone. All that was left was emptiness. She took one look at her old aunt she walked into the living room before going into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Though she couldn't concentrate as she slammed the kettle back down. Acting like everything was normal, she couldn't do it. She has lost pretty much everyone and everything. Rosa barely looked conscious these days however the old woman was still half-aware of things, she proved that at the funeral.
"Henrietta" Rosa quietly called; pulling herself up slightly as she leaned against the bed frame.
"Yes?"
"Where's Ethan? He usually brings me my porridge at this time"
She didn't know what went on, she heard the door breaking down and an officer stayed with her until Henrietta got back. Though she didn't actually understand what was going on, the police has never been round there before. Everything was kept from her, Ethan's true nature was kept from her. To her, he has been her devoted great-grandson all these years. She brought him up from being a baby because his own mother couldn't be bothered to take over. Which made Henrietta think, her older sister Georgina had to be told. Though she was in Cyprus currently and it was getting difficult to travel these days without risk. Henrietta had to brace herself as she knelt down to get to her aunt's level.
"Ethan and John had a major falling out last night because of some money problems. They were having an argument and it got out of hand, he erm...Ethan slipped on some tree branch and fell on his head" Henrietta began.
Even now, she was lying but she would rather not have Rosa have her last few years or however long she may have knowing her great-grandson was a monster. What good would it do? He's dead, that was bad enough for the old lady; her sole carer was dead.
"Oh? He's in hospital, is he?" Rosa questioned in a nervous tone.
"No, he's dead; I'm so sorry, Aunt Rosa. He died quickly"
"Because of your John?"
"No, it was an accident"
"Yes! But he died because your John couldn't keep his hands to himself...Right? That's what you're telling me?"
"I'm so sorry Auntie"
The old woman didn't cry, she just gave a nod. She understood what she was told. Her great-grandson Ethan died because he and her old step-nephew John had a fight. They always had fights. Rosa just grabbed onto her niece's hand, this family had fallen apart. Maya and Ethan were both dead now. Barely a year after each other, it seemed so sudden. They couldn't see a way out of this now. Henrietta totally blamed herself, if only she did things differently when she first found out what had happened.
"Your mum and dad would have known what to say to you, Henrietta" Rosa managed to speak. Choking back tears.
"I know"
They died years ago, Henrietta's mother and father died in a car crash in 1980. Her mother was called Barbara. She wasn't Georgina's mother however, the sisters shared a father only; Norman. Though it was never a big deal, the girls shared a house together as children due to Georgina's mother being too poor to take her on. Rosa was the mother of Georgina's mother and was not Henrietta's real aunt however she called her 'Auntie Rosa' regardless. She was like an auntie so that's how it was.
"We should tell your sister" Rosa told her; still holding onto her hand.
"I know...I will try and get into contact with her. It's not something you want to tell somebody over the phone but I have no choice, do I?"
"Is she abroad?
"Probably"
Georgina was always abroad. She only came back now and again however she would no doubt come back for her son's death.
...
Leyla finally caved in as she went round to David's. Knocking on his door, he answered it and let her in. She hasn't spoken to him since that small argument at her house when they were talking about how he treated Tracy. Never before has she felt so stupid, she never really even thought about how Maya's death might have affected him. She was thinking about Jacob constantly which was understandable but still, she misjudged David. It's been months now but the feelings were still somewhat raw.
"David...I just wanted to come round and say I'm really sorry" Leyla began. She really did mean it too.
"What for?" David asked in a sad tone of voice.
"For not seeing how torn up you were about Maya's pregnancy. Jacob was really upset about that too, I was stupid to think you wouldn't have been"
"Pregnancy? You mean, the baby...The one which she killed herself with!" David paused slightly, he wiped away incoming tears quickly; adding..."I'm sorry, ignore me"
She gave a sad sigh, even more so when she looked towards the table. The baby scan picture being on there, the man quickly picked it up when he noticed that's what she was looking at. No, he didn't want anybody else to see it. Leyla felt sorry for him, he didn't ask for any of this.
"You can get through this...I'm going to be there for you whenever you need me, me and Priya. You know that" Leyla assured him.
"How is Tracy?"
"Oh, she's fine...She's not saying what you did is right but she understands now and doesn't hate you. She knows you're in a bad place"
"I take it that everyone knows"
"Only the people that matter. Anyway, why don't I open the shop for you? And if you're feeling up to it. You can join me later, you can't let your business go to ruin"
"I...The business is the last thing on my mind"
"Yeah I know which is why I'm going to run it for a bit...I use to own the shop with you remember, I haven't lost the magic touch. Andrea is doing a really good job at the moment with the wedding business so let me do this"
"Okay" David relented; making her give a small smile she retreated to the shop. Giving him one last glance.
...
TBC
