Chapter 7

Mark sat in his office at work reading the newspaper when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Chris opened the door. "You wanted to see me."

Mark sat the paper aside. "Have a seat, Chris. Have the others gone home yet?"

Chris took a seat across from Mark. "The last guy just left. What did you want to see me about?"

Mark rose from his chair and walked to the front of the desk. "I know it was you."

Chris looked up at Mark confused. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Alyssa Scott. Dead from falling down the stairs. But she didn't fall, did she?"

"What?"

"You pushed her."

Chris was quick to his feet and getting in Mark's face. "Shut up!"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hold on now. Don't get so riled up. I'm on your side. I'm just like you. I hate kids myself."

Chris took a step back. "You do?"

"Oh yes. Kids are nothing but trouble. 'Daddy can I have this?' 'Daddy, can I have that?' Ridiculous. Get it yourself, you little weasel."

Chris seemed to relax. "Wow, Mark."

"Yeah. Wow. Always wanting me to help her with something. Always in the way. Won't leave me alone, begging for stuff. I finally told her to shut her mouth or I would shut it for her."

"Really?"

"And when she didn't, I slapped her."

Chris smirked. "You did?"

"Oh, I did. She hit the floor with a thud. I told her to stop crying or I would give her something to cry about. When that didn't work, I hit her again."

"Wow. Man. My kid Alyssa was the same way. Always bothering me. I would tell her to do something and when it wasn't done to my liking, a smack to the face. She could never do anything right. Neither could my ex-wife Jamie."

"Hold on. I thought you told me she abused Alyssa."

"I didn't know what kind of guy you were, so I made that up. Jamie got pregnant with one child, I told her to get an abortion. She had to ask me why and wanted to keep the baby. I told her I never wanted a baby and that she had to get rid of it. She told me no and then I punched her in the stomach as hard as I could. She suffered a miscarriage. Then she got pregnant again, this time with Alyssa and I told her to get rid of that one too, but she didn't. She gave birth to that little brat.

"The night we brought Alyssa home, my wife and I got into it again. She told me she was leaving and taking the baby with her. I got mad and slapped her. She fell to the floor. I lowered myself towards her and slapped her again and again. Over and over. Then my hands circled around her throat and I choked her to death. When Alyssa got older, I made up the story that her mother lost her life in child birth. Do I regret what I did? No."

"Even women can be a pain in the neck."

"Totally."

Another soft knock came at the door. "Who is it?"

Michelle slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

"Mark."

Mark stepped away from the desk. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, I would like to borrow some money. For groceries."

Mark stood in front of Michelle towering over her. "Didn't I give you money last week?"

"That was for the bills."

"And didn't I tell you to never come to work and bother me? Didn't I?"

"Yes. But…"

"No buts. Just shut your mouth right now." Michelle lowered her eyes to the floor. Mark grabbed Michelle by the face and brought her eyes in contact with his. "And you will look at me when I'm talking to you. You will show me respect when you are in my presence. Got it?"

"Yes."

Mark released Michelle's face before he reached into his back right jeans pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and retracted his debit card.

"For food only. Am I clear on that?"

Michelle reached forward and took the card from Mark's hand. "Clear. Crystal clear."

"Good girl. Now get out of here."

Michelle turned towards the door and opened it.

"One more thing. We will continue this later tonight. I have a new leather belt I'd like to get broken in. It's got your name written all over it."

Michelle left the office without saying another word. Mark turned back to look at Chris.

"Women," Chris said with a shrug. "Figured they would know better."

"But they don't. Never do."

Another knock at the door sounded.

"Oh, now who?"

Mark opened the door and revealed two police officers standing in the doorway.

"Chris Scott?"

Mark pointed towards the desk. "Right over there, gentlemen."

The two male officers walked in and approached Chris.

"Chris Scott," the younger officer of the two spoke up. "You're under arrest for the murders of Jamie and Alyssa Scott."

Chris glared at Mark. "You set me up!"

Mark gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Had to." Mark unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a wire. "Your game is up."

The older officer pulled Chris's arms behind his back and handcuffed them in place as Mark approached.

"Not such a big tough guy now, are you Christopher?"

"I can't believe you did this to me."

"There's a special place in Hell for people like you. But for now, you will endure your living Hell in prison."

"If I wasn't handcuffed right now, I'd beat the living crap out of you."

If I wasn't handcuffed right now did he say, thought Mark.

"Uncuff him."

"Sir?"

"Uncuff him. Now."

"But sir, we now have him in custody."

"He thinks he's so tough? Uncuff him so he could show me what a tough guy he claims to be."