Page 19 of The Will

Uncle Gene’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Well then, why did you nod?”

Cy raised one of his own eyebrows, “Good question. We have other things that I am now ready to discuss with you. Are you ready?”

Uncle Gene gave him one hesitant nod and gestured with his hands for Cy to continue.

Cy smiled at his understanding. “If I understood our earlier conversations correctly, you were your niece’s guardian from the time of her mother’s death to her becoming an adult. Is that correct?”

Gene nodded and said, “Yes, that is correct.”

Cy continued, “I have a few questions for you regarding Chloe. Did you know Chloe’s father?”

Gene thought about his answer before beginning, “In a way, yes. Him personally, no.”

Cy was puzzled by this response. “What do you mean by that?”

Gene explained, “I knew his kind.”

“His kind?”

Gene leaned over the table to whisper, “Yes, he was black. You know what I mean.” Cy again had a puzzled look on his face so Gene explained, “You know just a bunch of thieves and drug dealers. My sister told me I was being racist, but I made sure he couldn’t see her anymore. He knew who had the power then.”

Cy noticed the smug look on Eugene’s face. It was a challenge for his self-control to not punch this shithead in the face. He calmed his inner turmoil and prompted, “Really? How did you do that?”

Gene was more than happy to share with a willing audience, “I made sure he went to jail for five years on some trumped-up charges. Unfortunately, my stupid sister had let him touch her, so she was pregnant with Chloe when he got convicted. Once he was paroled, Cindy was talking about making a life with him. I couldn’t have that kind of trash in our family. So that time I made sure he died.”

Chloe was reeling in the surveillance room. First from the revelation of her heritage and then the fact that Uncle Gene made sure she never got to meet her father. She was sitting in that room, stunned. Alex put an arm around her shoulders as he pulled her chair closer to him. She would have to thank him later for his obvious support.

Cy made a face like he was impressed, which just emboldened Gene’s confession. “That wasn’t all I did. My sister was becoming a problem and unruly. I fixed that issue as well. Her social security payments were a pleasant addition to getting Chloe in the house. My son Gene has been obsessed with her forever.” He explained his plans to make Chloe paranoid, which kept her concentrated on that and not on the control he was imposing. He had made sure her clothes, activities, and friends were plain and nothing that would help free her. His mistake had been allowing her the freedom of college. Once she graduated, he knew his control would be over, which was something he couldn’t stomach. He continued with his story. “I used my son’s obsession to get a grip back on her. After all, she was a great computer coder. I saw another opportunity to use her skills for my benefit. All that was required was a way to get her back under my control. I was sure shame and guilt would do that. Unfortunately, that went all wrong.”

Cy found it hard not to just physically assault the fucking idiot but he kept his face calm and bored. Being a lawyer had the advantage of teaching one to mask their true emotions. Cy tilted his head slightly. “How did it go wrong?”

Gene clenched his jaw in frustration. “First was my moronic son and his tendencies. He brought his friends into the situation. They were enthusiastic in their endeavor. I don’t know for sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out my son had gone overboard too. She certainly looked like they had the next morning. Her face was bruised, and she had a huge knot on her head. The way she walked to see me was like the football team had fucked her. I did my best to minimize what they had done to her and humiliate her. Two weeks went by without her saying anything more about the incident, so I thought it had worked.” He licked his lips.

Cy cleared his throat and then recapped, “I just want to make sure I have you correct. You enlisted your son, who was obsessed with his cousin, to scare her into staying with you and give control of her life to you. When he went to carry out your orders, he and his friends gang-raped her and left her like a piece of trash. Then she goes to you for help, but instead of helping her, you tell her she’s a whore. You expected her to stay after all of that?”

Chloe had tears slowly falling down her cheeks as she listened to Cy’s speech. Alex gave her shoulders a squeeze and kissed her forehead. “It’s almost over, kitten. Just hold on,” he whispered.

Gene nodded like that about summed it up. “She went the next week to the one person I thought I had convinced her would never help her. My father took her into his house, which was a surprise, as the old curmudgeon always said he wouldn’t recognize any bastard born to one of us. Chloe’s mother never married, so I was sure he hated Chloe. My sister had been his favorite. I guess that carried over into her daughter. Asshole went and got soft in his old age.” Gene shrugged with the last statement like it was no enormous loss.

Cy nodded and spoke, “Is this where we get to your father’s will now?”

Gene said, “Yes, the fool decided that due to all that had happened to her, she needed the funds more than I did. He was the biggest penny-pinching asshole. He had invested in companies in the fifties, sixties, and seventies that ended up being the best thing ever. His portfolio is amazing. Now, according to what he told us, he gave it all to that whimpering, useless girl that never should have existed. My sister was color blind and should have married into her own race, not fucked a nig...”

Cy cut him off before he could finish the disgusting slur. “Well, I think that will conclude this discussion. Sergeant, do you think we have recorded enough to provide a motive to go along with Eugene Harrison Jr.'s testimony for the death of Albert Harrison?”

Chloe watched as an officer stepped into the room with Cy and her Uncle Gene. “Yes, Mr. Moore. Along with the written confession of Eugene Harrison Jr., I believe we have enough evidence to take them to trial for murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. Although Ms. Harrison’s case was previously ruled as an accident, we may ask for it to be re-investigated. No statute of limitations on murder as there are on the other crimes which I would like to charge, Mr. Harrison.”

Two officers entered behind the Sergeant, cuffing Eugene Harrison and reading Miranda Rights to him.

Chapter 15

Chloewascryingandhugging Alex. He pulled her up from her chair to hold her properly. “It’s over now, babe. Get it all out.” Chloe couldn’t help but smile as her tears slowed. She was so relieved that she couldn’t express it. Alex made sure he got her tears all cleared up before guiding her back to the elevator and the party.

“Time to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime pleasure.”

Alex steered Chloe to the dance floor as some slow song with a deep beat came on from the DJ. Alex pulled Chloe close and danced playfully with her at first, before pulling her tight against him and slowing down to the beat. Chloe laughed at first and then felt herself sinking into him as he moved them easily together. Alex whispered in her ear, “See how smooth we can be when you trust me, Chloe?” She felt so hot when he did these things that synced her movements, and even her heartbeat, with his.

“I am trying, Alex,” she said past the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry.”

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