CHAPTER 20 (Where ever you are going, I’m going that way)
Breno cocked his gun, and placed it against Roberto’s temple. Breno froze, he felt the gun in his back. “If I was you, I would out that gun down, brother, Roberto is wired, this whole place is crawling with cops.”
“So they all know that you are a faggot?”
“I guess they do, Breno, at least I am not a killer.”
“Breno lowered his gun, Roberto looked over his shoulder. His eyebrows lifted.
“That was really foolish, and really brave, Jose’. So you stole my files?” Jose’ smiled.
The house was swarming with cops. None looked Jose’ nor Ian as if they were freaks, they knew it all now. The Chief walked in the door. “Jose’ well done, if not for you this bastard would still be roaming free, take him away. As for what we heard, that will stay in the department.”
JOSE’: “Chief, I can’t put a cherry on shit and call it a cake, I think I will resign, I wanted to be a cop, to protect Ian, and now I have, I want out, I think I will study, or travel, or study while I travel, please accept my resignation, if the media gets wind, I think you know we will have a none stop line of stone throwers.” The Chief nodded. Roberto shook the Chief’s hand, then sat down. “I will give my statement at the station, I just need to talk to Ian.” Jose’ nodded.
ROBERTO: “I do not judge you, I never will. I am sorry, I am sorry I didn’t see it sooner, he really is good. I know Breno will get the chair, I think Ian, if you want to have a life free of Breno, my advice would be move, move far away, the trail will take long, and I don’t want you or Jose’ to be called as witnesses, I am sorry, I know you have moved more times than I can count, get away before it’s too late.”
IAN: “I will do that, how did you fake your death, and how did I receive a photo of you with my handwriting on it?”
ROBERTO: “I met a forger in prison, I really want to make it all legit. He forged your handwriting. As for me faking my death, it was the only way I knew we could catch Breno. It was all smoke and mirrors, I was there the day you visited the house and saw all the photos, I knew you were innocent, you are many things, but not a killer. I suggest you get packing, and get out, only Jose’ will contact you, so don’t trust anyone, Ian, not even me. Just get the hell out of Bonito.”
I started packing the second Roberto left. I made arrangements to move to Bolivia. The movers were fast, I had to sell my house again, I left all José’s details, they could arrange the sale with him, he was my brother. I placed the dogs on a mattress in the back of the truck, and Fuffy in her travelling basket. I climbed in the back. “They are still recovering, I will be okay, just leave a window open.”
We travelled for long, we stopped for the dogs to relieve themselves, and for Fuffy to hide in the bushes. I got us all dinner, washed my face. We travelled for a day, then stopped. I had arranged for a new house, they will have to drag me out of here, I will not move again, I am tired. After a shower, and clean clothes, we were on the road again. I didn’t call Jose’. I wanted to but he had enough on his plate.
When we finally arrived at our destination, we were all tuckered out. We moved my furniture in. I signed new papers. And Jesse, Jordo and Fuffy and I went to sleep for a good twelve hours. We adjusted, we didn’t really have a choice. I submitted my Uber documentation, and I started driving again. Once Jose’ arrived, I think I will start up my practice. I watched the trail daily. Breno was found guilty, and Jose’ was not called to the stand, Roberto was, I tried to get a glimpse of Jose’ but he stayed in the shadows. I started running again. It was good. The dogs were better, I was waiting for the verdict on Breno, when my doorbell rang, I thought it was Jose’. It was a delivery man, I signed, and took the package into the sala. It contained pictures of me and Jose’, and in very compromising places.
I dialled his number, but he didn’t answer. I watched the news, the verdict was in. Breno got the death penalty, when the Judge asked him if he had anything to say? He looked directly into the camera and said. “What if there never was a Breno.” I switched the television off. I left Jose’ a voice mail I was frantic.
I ran, I ran faster than I ever have. Run Ian run. Slap. “Take your clothes off Ian.”
“No, Mama, no.” Slap. Throb-throb. I ran, I ran from Mama, she grabbed me by my shirt collar. “You know he couldn’t keep it in his pants!” Slap! Throb-throb.
“What Mama, who?” Run faster Ian run, the sweat is blinding me, the trees are branches are raking at my face, but I push. “Estu’pido. You will be like him one day. Is that blood on your shirt bartardo?’
Run Ian run. “No, Mama. Slap, crack. The blood is dripping from my eye. My head is throbbing, listen to your pulse Ian. “Faggot.”
“What did you say, bitch?” Her eyes, she was so shocked. “Repeat that one more time, I dare you, bitch.” I need to see Jose’, I had booked a flight, I will be there in no time, for no I don’t need to be the devil’s advocate, I just need to calm down. I run back home. Jesse and Jordo bark in excitement, I stop to catch my breath. I tended to their needs, cuddled miss fuzzy boots, and took them to my neighbour. “I should be back this evening, in the event that my business keeps me away longer, I have made arrangements for the animals.”
I am on the plane, we landed, I hired a car, and headed straight for the precinct. I spoke to the first cop I saw. “I need to speak to officer Jose’, please, it is a personal matter.”
“Senhor, officer Jose’ is incarcerated, he was charged with, withholding evidence, destroying evidence, and a list as long as my arm.”
“Can I see him?”
“No, Senhor. Can you tell me who the arresting officer was?”
“Si Senhor. Detective Roberto Oliveira. Do you have an address for him?”
“Si Senhor, he never left town, he still lives at his old house.” I left, they really pull the wool over my eyes. I drove past my old homes, families lived there, that was good to see, I will wait for nightfall. I walked in the park, ate a corn-dog, I even went and placed flowers on Eloa’s and Carolina’s graves. I waited. That is one thing I can do. I watched the children play with a dog at my and Marisa’s house. It all felt like a dream, none of it felt real. Was it all a dream, I know Breno drugged me, often, but was it all a dream? I will never know, he will be toast by the end of the year. I will not go, in my own way I loved my brother. He is my twin.
I watched the sun set, little did I know I was sitting on the bench Breno had placed a corpse. I waited until eight p.m. Then I drove to Roberto’s house, the place was dark, no lights were on. I drove past, and parked a block away, then walked to his house, and jumped over the wall. I picked the back door and let myself in. I listened, but all I could hear was the buzzing of the fridge. I walked up the stairs, one by one, I removed the revolver from my coat, its Brazil, if you have the right ‘friends’ you can buy just about anything. Roberto was not in the bedroom. I went down to the sala.
“I knew you would come, I always knew this day would come. Put the gun down, Ian, we need to talk, and leave the lights off, I can see you clearly, night vision goggles, so sit.”
“Ola Roberto, so what do you want to talk about? May I pour a drink or will you shoot me?”
ROBERTO: “You and your brother’s nearly got away with it, if I had died, you would all be free, to kill, to do as you wished, it was a close one, the most difficult case of my life, but you see, Ian, I got you.
IAN: “Well done detective, I do hope they give you a medal. I will pour another drink, you do know I dislike beer, so by all means, tell me oh great Sherlock, when did the light bulb go on.”
ROBERTO: “You really don’t fear death do? Neither does Breno, or should I say, Alejo. I know you are Breno, Ian, or that he lives inside you, you played the shrink like a violin, but me, well you almost had me. Alejo underwent psychiatric evaluation, before the trail, the doctors couldn’t find a split personality in him. He admitted to killing fun. He says he was protecting you, he admitted to being you, a few times, didn’t you watch the trail? Well, so he killed to protect you, but, he never killed
Marisa, her body was sent to her parents, and the ME found two things, your sperm in her, and that she was six weeks pregnant, it was a boy, your son, you killed your wife, and your son. Jose’ tried to cover it up, he only dug his own grave, he has a lot to answer for, and a faggot cop, well he will fit into prison just excellently, the problem is the insect, I don’t think his fellow inmates will take to that too kindly.
“Ian, or should I say Breno, what do you have to say before I put a bullet in your heart, and I am going to, you raped and killed my wife, you raped your own Father, your siblings, and then you drowned them. You are one sick bastard.”
IAN: “Don’t call me that!”
ROBERTO: “Oh, did I offend you, well listen to this then.” The music blasted in my ears, no, not this song, no!
“There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say, you remain my power, my pleasure, my pain.”
“I found it on the CD, Liz left behind, the morning you abducted her from the park, that was a mistake well in my favour, that you left the CD-player behind, I thought back to Mama, that was one of the songs she played when she fucked you, we all knew, Alejo knew, but we had to send him away, he is one loco dude. So Breno are you ready to talk to me now, don’t, I will shoot you in the fucking head, I have a shot gun on my lap, and this is being recorded, the Chief gave me the all clear. You are a disease, and I will cure the world of you, Breno Alveiso, bastardo.”
I threw the CD-player to the ground, I hated that song. Then I went for Roberto, I heard the shot, I felt it rip through me, it burnt, I sat back down. “You are so wrong, you dumb cunt, I am not Breno….”
ROBERTO: The cops barged into the house. Roberto switched on the lights. They all stared at the what was left of the body, pieces lay all over the room. Roberto scratched his head. “He looked Ian, is he Ian?” The Me said he will know once he did a DNA test. Roberto went to the precinct, the elation he thought he would feel was null and void. “He looked like Ian.” Roberto went to the morgue. He paced up and down. He knew he had been had, he knew it, all he wanted was the confirmation.
“Roberto, you shot a boy the kid is about nineteen, he is Ian’s son. He is Alanzia and Ian son.”
Roberto waited for it to sink in. He barged into the morgue, the face, it looked just like Ian. But the face had no scar. “Ma~e de Deus, he got me, he sent his son, and he got me.” Roberto went home, picked up the shot gun, loaded it, and placed it under his chin.
IAN: The blast echoed throughout the night. “You killed my baby, now who is the bastardo, should have left the fucking lights on, well now it’s lights out for you. Tchau amigo.”
Ian flew back home, drove home, it was over, time for a new chapter, and for his wife to come home. Sorry Jose’, shit happens. Ian knocked on his neighbours door. The dogs were jumping and Fuffy, climbed up his leg. “Thank signora, for taking care of them, my wife will be here in the morning, so if I have to take another business trip, she will take care of my rat-pack.”
“I didn’t know you were married Ian. Yes, Alicia is expecting, it’s my second baby, my son, well my son passed away…”
“Oh Ian, I am so sorry, all will be well when the baby is born, I am sorry, just call if you need any help with the baby once he or she is born.”
“Signora, I am sure Alicia will appreciate all the help she can get, it’s a boy, we will name him Breno, do you like the name signora?”
“Yes, it suits him, well good night Ian, and remember I am here when you need me.”
Ian unlocked the door, he had to be back at the airport in an hour, he can’t allow his pregnant daughter to stand there waiting for him. He fed the animals, took a shower, and drove to the airport. Alicia waved, she resembled Alanzia, but she had her Father’s eyes.
“Ola, honey, was the flight good, how are you feeling?”
“I am well love.” They drove home. “You will love the house, and the animals, and our neighbour offered to help with Breno.”
“That’s nice of her, well she better do a good job.” Ian could feel how loaded her words were. Ian patted her hand, that’s my girl, we smite the wicked. Roberto killed Danny, then he shot himself, it over for now, my girl, just remember not to call me Pai. I am legally your husband, and we will have another baby, as many babies as you want to, this is our new life.”
Ian started humming. “Two drifters off to see the world. There’s such a crazy world to see. We’re all chasing after all the same, chasing after the rainbow’s end…….”
Ian was up early the next morning, he ran he pushed, he pushed even harder, the park was overgrown, that was where he felt at peace, with wind on his skin, and the branches slapping his face. Run, run faster. Listen to your heartbeat, run. He ran he ran from his demons, but they always caught up with him, that’s okay, there are many ways to beat a demon, he should know.
He had an appointment with a plastic-surgeon, at ten, it was high time he got rid of the tattoo on his face, back to being himself, back to doing what he knew. The blood, the death, the feeling of a pulse under his fingers. Alicia, was no novice, and neither would his son be.
“I really hope my next child is a girl, that will be perfect.”
He showered, dressed kissed Alicia, Jesse, Jordo and Fuffy. “I should be out in a day, the surgeon assured me, it’s no big deal. Go shopping for the nursery, get to know your new town, and take the dogs for a walk, be safe, you know I love you.”
Alicia smiled. “I know Alejo, I know how much you love me, how much you loved Ian, Danny and Danilo. We will be okay, the one thing Mama cannot take away from us is now, we have now. Be home soon, I will miss you.”
“Senhor Alvesio, come right in, this will not take long, and the tattoo is so faint, you will be home before the end of the day.”
“Obrigado doctor, my wife is expecting, and she is due any day now, that would be good to be home.”
“Congratulations, a boy or a girl?”
“A boy, we are hoping for a girl. Family is very important to us.”
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