THE RIGHT THING?

THE RIGHT THING?

“Now move.” “The person said as they stood behind me.  I knew what they wanted.  They needed me to lead them to it but I was not about to let them see me scared.  I just could not stop panicking. 

“WHY ARE YOU TAKING SO LONG?  you don’t want to be wasting my time!” they warned.  “I opened the drawer and pulled everything out trying to find the key.  Then when I thought it was empty I slammed my hands against the bottom and to my surprise it came open.  There it was.  I picked it up and was marched by whoever this was to the safe.  When I opened it to both our shock and amazement nothing was there.

The mobile suddenly rung and I was shoved up against the wall and I hit the fire extinguisher I picked it up with all the strength I had and wacked him over the head.  His phone fell out of his hands and I picked it up.  “What’s going on?”  I heard a voice say and turned to see his accomplice standing in front of me.  I felt my heart pound with fear and I reached for the gun and shot him.

I dropped the gun faster than his body hit the ground I went straight to the nearest phone for help but they must have cut the wire outside.  I run to the taxi rank next door and the rest I told tells how I got here today.” 

“Well Miss Hensel that was a good performance but if you are so innocent in all of this.  Why do we have CCTV of you meeting someone who is a known associate of the gang?” Questioned the prosecution.  “I did not know who he was.  My boss asked me to give a package to give to his nephew.  Said it was for the job to be done on the security system.  That way I did not question what was on the papers inside.”  “You were in it from the start.” The prosecuting barrister hissed at me.  “They decided to cut you out and you didn’t like it.”  I could feel the anger running through my veins only thing was I could not say anything and that really rattled my temper but I had to show the jury I could be calm and was not someone who let their anger get the better of them.

Suddenly the lights in the courtroom cut out and I remember how this happened at work the day before the robbery.  Steve the next in command let us all go home saying it would not be back on until the next day. “Terrible business at your work.  I never believed you were involved.”  said Martha.  “Well I just have to hope the jury reach the right verdict.”  I told her nervously.  “My brother said he saw Steve who you used to work with just before the robbery and he was making plans to move to Canada for work.” she told me.  “Strange he never mentioned this to us.  In fact he’s still on the missing list.” I told her. 

My mind could not rest especially with my trial going on and now this.  Steve was so devoted to the firm but rumour was he did have debts.  Thoughts boggled my mind all night.  What did this all mean?  I had to find out but where could I start.  Then my phone rang “Hello hun.” it was my brother.  “I know you must not feel confident after today.” he said.  “You remember Steve who I used to have a crush on I showed you his picture on socialsay?”  I asked.  “Bet you must have been upset to find out he was gay and with your boss?” he said.  “WHAT” I replied in shock. “Yeah. I saw him when I was out with Gregg.  I thought you knew.” he said realizing I didn’t.  “Can you come over, we need to go over this?”  I urged him.  “Ok then.” he replied before hanging up.

I rung George my solicitor “Hello” he said.  “It’s Helen George I might have some findings  to do with my case I can’t think of what to do next?”  I told him.  “Well I will come over.” he said.  I felt the first hope I’ve had in months.     

“We’ll have to back this up.” said George.  “Your boss’s brother has already been on the stand for the prosecution.” George added.

I felt the hope I had previously drain from my heart and I just could not stop imaging a prison cell.

The next day started pretty much the same then the trial suddenly came to a halt."What could this mean?" I asked my solicitor.  "New evidence maybe."  I was waiting for what felt like ages.  "Helen" I jumped.  "We have new evidence from the man you shot and it's worth hearing. 

“Bryan had asked me to be in this and I needed the money.  Amanda was given the factory as a present to avoid tax payment.  Peter did believe that work was to take place and that plans were needed for the building where he thought for work to be done.  Amanda had told him the old security system was no good and needed upgraded and that Bryan’s boss would install it.  He didn’t know we were getting laid off” explained Micheal.

"How did the money go missing from the safe then?" asked George. Suddenly I remembered hearing Amanda on the phone "You can have the content.  Now forget what you know." she demanded "Amanda was being blackmailed by Steve.  He left his phone while on in the house with the video function on while she and Bryan discussed the robbery."  He said and then this was played to the court.

"Do you know what to do?"  asked Amanda. "Yes all down to the last detail" confirms Bryan.  "He will he hate the day he met you."  Declared Bryan.

"We knew that the safe would be empty but did not know what to do when we saw Helen so  we panicked.  We had some of Peter’s hair planted in one of the balaclavas which we got off his pillow cases. Amanda needed money to clear Peter's debt.  Steve was meant to be there and we would knock him about.  He emptied the safe the day before.  Amanda could not live with her guilt over Bryan’s death he was her son and she had gave him up as a teenager already.  She could not live with having something else go wrong for him after she put him in care and that’s why she drove into the sea after dropping Peter off at the airport.  He was going to Canada with Steve to start a new life” said Micheal. 

Finally time for the verdict as the jury came in minutes felt like hours.  Finally I heard the clerk say GUILTY or NOT GUILTY boom boom went my heart…NOT GUILTY of murder, then again not NOT GUILTY of attempted murder and not NOT GUILTY of attemped theaft. 

THE END  

Copyright: Alan Lamberton