Under Abnormal Conditions
against that, who
wouldn’t be locked up?
     
     

Chapter 12
     
     
    The sight of the station in my rear view
mirror eased my mind a bit, but I couldn’t help feeling I was the
only one on their list of suspects. Whatever they thought, I was
glad I didn’t have to stay there any longer than I did.
    It probably wasn’t the best thing to do, but
I still needed to go visit Sara. I hated that it took her mother
dying for me to see her again. I didn’t even know if she wanted to
see me, but I had to try, just for my own peace of mind.
    After Michelle’s disappearance, Sara was the
only one in her family that didn’t think I had something to do with
it.
    She slowly opened the door. I could see the
trail of tears as she brushed her hair from her blue eyes. She was
a year and a half younger and save for the dark eye makeup and
lipstick, she could have passed for Michelle’s twin.
    “Sara. I just came by to tell you how sorry I
am about your mother. I didn’t know whether or not to come by, but
I -”
    “It’s okay,” she interrupted. “You know I
have never blamed you for anything that happened. I appreciate you
coming by. Would you like to come in?”
    “I really don’t want to impose.”
    “Don’t be silly. I could use the company. Dad
has been making funeral arrangements since early this morning.”
    She stepped aside, and I entered her modest
home. As I walked by, she smelled wonderful. I was still amazed at
how much she looked like her sister.
    With those tears in her eyes, she looked the
exact same way she had the last time I saw her. I wanted to grab
her and hold her and tell her everything would be all right. I know
she used to look at me as a big brother. I searched my mind for a
way I could ease her pain.
    She closed the door and walked over to the
vacuum cleaner that sat in the middle of the floor. After
unplugging it from the wall she began to wrap up the cord.
    “Let me get that for you.” I said as I walked
over and took it from her hands and put it in the hall closet.
    “I’ve been trying to get a little cleaning
done before the family starts showing up. Can I get you something?”
she asked.
    “No, I’m fine. Thanks. I should be asking you
if there is anything I can do for you.”
    She gestured for me to take a seat. I had
always heard the greatest tragedy is for a parent to outlive a
child. I never truly understood that saying until my daughter was
born, but anyone looking at Sara at that moment would have argued
differently. She paced the floor frantically ringing her hands.
    “I just don’t know what to do. I can’t help
feeling like I could have done something,” she said.
    Her tears were flowing again. I wanted to get
up and console her, but I didn’t want to overwhelm her. “There was
nothing you could have done. You can’t blame yourself for what
happened,” I answered.
    “Michael, you don’t understand. The police
aren’t sure she was killed because of the money.”
    “What?” I exclaimed, trying to sound
surprised. With the questions the police were asking me downtown I
should have already known that.
    “She was seeing some strange new guy, but she
didn’t tell me anything about him.”
    “Sherry? I never would have imagined. Do the
police think he killed her?” I asked as I moved to the edge of my
seat.
    “They don’t know about him, I guess. I didn’t
want to say anything, because my father doesn’t know about him. I
don’t even know who he is. She just . . .” she began and then
totally fell apart. I just couldn’t hold back any longer. I got up
and walked over to her. If I had thought too long or hard about it,
I probably wouldn’t have done it. I grabbed her and held her in my
arms. I think I needed it as much as she did, just for different
reasons.
    Her beautiful eyes were clouded over with
tears. I wiped them away. “I’m so sorry.” I said just as her father
walked in.
    “Like mother, like daughter I see. You could
at least wait until she’s in

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