Finish the Story Contest - WEEK #34! My Entry

Hello again it is that fun time in the week to write the end of a story. Once again that you @bananafish for putting this on each week and thank you to @gwilberiol for the start of the story this week. I am sorry mine is a little longer that normal but hope you enjoy it. Make sure to check out the Finish the Story Conest Post for links to other stories and a chance to vote on who should win.

Time to start the story.

The Last Will and Testament of Geralda Connors

by @gwilberiol

My name is Elisha Crow and I hate my job.

I'm waiting in my office, a sealed envelope before me on the mahogany desk.

I glance at the potted plant, plastic since the real ones keep dying on me. Then at my Harvard's law degree nailed to the wall.

Geralda Heather, nee Connors, died last week, alone in her villa. Her husband left her with twelve million bucks, which she held very close, and a vast hatred towards humankind, which she spread passionately. She died with locked doors and closed windows; dogs and gardener outside on the lawn. No signs of a struggle. She had a weak heart.

I adjust my special glasses and examine my guests.

Sprawled on the sofa as if it belonged to her alone, Brigitta Connors scowls at me. She disapproves of any skin color but her own, and I'm black, wearing a suit that she decided I've stolen. She's the victim's sister, but they weren't on speaking terms. She has the only spare keys to the villa and an alibi.

Sitting rigidly on the small chair near the window, once-violin-prodigy Pearl Heather wilts under my scrutiny. She ran away from home in her teens. She's bald, wrestling with one of the bad cancers. Lost her flat and savings to the medical bills. She's the victim's estranged daughter. She has no friends, no prospects, a pair of lovely eyes and a motive.

Shuffling his feet and glancing at the armchair wondering if it's all right to sit down is John Cotter, the gardener. Employed by the Heathers for fifty years, and they weren't kind people. He's the key witness and a stubborn one, insisting nobody came to visit on that fateful day.
My cell phone vibrates and I glance at the screen. Finally!

Aconite. How did you know, you old fraud.

It's Francine. So bright, so full of life. I wish she'd let me date her, but she's too smart for my cheap lies.

I type: 'I had a hunch, Fran.'

Bull. And I'm Lieutenant Brown to you. Where are they now?

'They're all here. I'm about to start.'

We'll be there in thirty minutes. None of your theatrics, you read me?

'Can't promise that.'

I'm warning you, Crow!

I put down the phone. Sighing, I take off my special glasses, clean them with a handkerchief and leave them on the desk.

I blink as my vision clears. I see Brigitta, looking bored and haughty. Pearl, gazing dreamily at the sky outside. John, who settled for balancing uncomfortably on the armrest.

And the pale specter of Geralda Connors, my client, staring at her killer. She's livid.

I hate my job. I wish it was a job I could quit. You can stop an investigation; you can exit a tribunal. But anywhere I run, I'll still be a psychic. And the dead can tell.

"Ladies and gentleman; thank you for coming," I begin. "Before I read the will, there's a story you need to hear."

My Ending starts here

“John you were at the villa to doing your gardening last week correct?” He nods looking away from me.

“Brigitta you have said you were out to lunch with a friend and Pearl you were at home alone recovering from chemo?” a few more nods and eyes that dart away from me.

I look over at Geralda's ghost. Her eyes are filled with so much hate as she looks at them. I see the same hate for each even though only one of them killed her. I wondered, should I help his spirit find justice? One with such darkness inside. Yes, if I don’t she might never leave. Once they find me, I always have to help. That is why I can never quit.

“From all of your statements you believe that Geralda had a heart attack. But I have learned that was not the case. My investigation has lead to proof that someone was in that room with her the day she died and I believe that person is here today.” I say

I scan each of them as they react. All the same with doubt. They can’t know that I have been told what happened. That I put the police on the trail and they had what they needed. Soon they would be here to take someone away.

“Stop wasting our time and let us know what is in the will. I have no time for these crazy ideas” Says Brigitta

“I will get to that soon enough. John you were working all day and even though you said no one came and went. It is possible that you missed someone right? I mean you were working.” I say

He looks away again even though I know it wasn’t him. He feels such shame. She paid him well enough for all those years and she was killed while he was working in the yard. He looks back and nods as he says it’s possible. I look over at Brigitta who is now sitting up and glancing at the door.

“Pearl I was able to confirm you did go to chemo and someone did see you leaving the hospital yet no one could confirm were you went after that. Brigitta that lunch you had was pretty close to your sisters house correct.”

Brigitta looks again towards the door. She can sense I know something. To be able to kill you sister is hard to image. Then again, I look over at the ghost and can feel all that hate. Hate for the worked that failed to protect her, and a daughter that left her. Hate for the sister that killed her. No forgiveness or love.

“Yes it was close, but I was there for hours” Brigitta says

“I went to talk to your friend again it is amazing how sometimes people change their stories. You see when I told her I knew about the bills she had racked up. That lying about this could land her in jain for a long time she started to tell me another story about lunch. You met in the bar put in your name and disappeared for over an hour. That she was about to leave when you returned.”

Brigitta starts to stand I can see Pearl look at her aunt with pity as if she could understand why she did it. Yet John now looks at her with some anger. He also stands up looking at the door. He is closer to it than Brigitta and she sits back down.

“I just stepped away to use the restroom and on the way back I ran into a old friend from college we talked for a bit and I lost track of time that is all” says Brigitta

“I happen to know that isn’t true. See I found footage of you leaving that restaurant and coming back a few hours later. I told the police and I think he will be here in a few minutes to tell you what they have found” I say

For the first time I see some fear on Brigitta's face. For the first time I feel something other than hate form the ghost next to me. Then there is a knock at the door. I walk over and open it. Lieutenant Brown stares at me and he cantell I have been having some fun.

“Officer this woman is insane, I am not sure what she told you but..” Brigitta starts

“Brigitta Connort you are under arrest for the murder of your sister anything you say can..” Lieutenant Brown says

He finishes up as he puts the cuffs on her and starts to walk her out. Brigitta begs to hear the will. Lieutenant Brown stops and looks at me and I give him a nod

“Okay it is short, To my gardener John Cotter I leave $10,000 and our old trunk he used to move thing around the villa. To my sister Brigitta I leave 1 million dollars to be used on my funeral. I have left exact instructions on how that money will be spent and will only be used for that. If you do what I say then you will also get $10,000 and my car as a reward. To my sick daughter Pearl I leave 1 million dollars to help only with your medical bills. I will also allow you to live in the villa until you heal or die. If healed I leave the rest of the estate to a child of pure irish blood if you can provide one. Named after your father or myself. You may stay in the villa or raise my grandchild but they will attend all the school I have laid out. WIth all the money in a trust until they are done with college. If you can not provide a heir within 2 years of being healed then my estate will fall to the church. If you can you will also receive $10,000 for listening to me for once”

I can hear Brigitta mumbling her discontent at the will. I look over at John he seem relieved and not really happy to upset about the small amount of money. Then there is Pearl with a look of joy at the hope of survival but also a look of despair that what she will have to agree to do in order to get any of that money. And I look to my right and she the Ghost of Geralda Connors with a big smile on her face. I gave her the show she wanted and she gets up leave.

“You did well so I will be on my way, I would rather John not get any reward but I am content seeing the look on my sisters face knowing she did all this for just about nothing. Why she would ever think she could have my money I am not sure. She was always jealous. Said Geralda just to my ears as she left his plane.

Image Source Pixabay