A Night To Forget



  A Night to Forget

  By: Kesha J

  A Night to Forget

  By

  Kesha J

  ***************

  Published by:

  Project 88K

  A Night to Forget

  Copyright(c) 2016 by Kesha J

  Thank you for downloading this eBook. This is copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without permission from the author.

  Social Media Contacts:

  IG: @OMGitzKesha & @Artbykesha

  Twitter: @OMGitzKesha

  Website: www.iamkeshajay.com

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/artbykesha

  This is a three-part series

  Table of Contents:

  Chapter 1- Blood on the Floor

  Chapter 2- Memory Loss

  Chapter 3- Janet’s Backstory

  Chapter 4- Police

  Chapter 5- Jailhouse

  Chapter 6- Court

  Chapter 7- Investigation

  Chapter 8- Elliot’s Back Story

  Chapter 9- Margaret’s Back Story

  Chapter 10- Olivia’s Back Story

  Chapter 11- Who killed Elliot

  Chapter 12- The Aftermath

  Chapter 1

  After a hard night of drinking, Janet woke up on the bathroom floor. As she looked around she noticed that it was not her bathroom floor she woke up on. She knew she had to gather herself, and her things. She walked up to the bathroom mirror to wash her face and noticed she had a couple of bruises on her face.

  “What the hell happened here?” Janet questioned herself.

  The bathroom door was shut and the bathtub water was still running starting to spill over to the floor. While looking at the mirror, Janet notices her clothes are covered with blood, and immediately she starts checking her body for any cuts or wounds. After realizing that the blood on her clothes was not her blood, she raced out of the bathroom and enters the bedroom.

  “OMG!” she screams, as her legs buckle from under her.

  It was her next-door neighbor, Elliot, lying across his bed covered in blood. By the look of things, it seems he was stabbed multiple times and his throat was slashed. Janet stood in shock at the bathroom door. She had so many questions regarding how she even woke up in the apartment across the hall. Racing back to the bathroom to get her mind right, she had so many unanswered questions.

  “What happened last night? How did I sleep through my neighbor getting slaughtered in the next room? How did I even have his blood all over my clothes? I woke up in the bathroom?” Janet asked these questions while staring at the mirror.

  Janet knew she had to think quick. Pacing back and forth in this blood-stained bathroom, water splashing distracting her from her thoughts, she knew she could not call the police; her clothes are covered in Elliot’s blood and she is standing in the middle of the crime scene. The only person she could trust would be Olivia. Olivia is an ex-detective who could help figure out this whole mess. Janet decides to leave the neighbor’s apartment and headed to her apartment across the hall. Before leaving she peeked out to make sure no one was in the hallway. Keys in hands, she rushes across the hall and opened the door. After she reached inside she had no time to panic. She grabbed her phone off the kitchen counter. She dialed Olivia as if her life depended on it. “Please, pick up!” Janet chanted between each call.

  “Finally,” she screams in the receiver of the phone.

  “Good. Hello to you too, Janet!” Olivia responded with sarcasm.

  “Seriously, Olivia I need your help. I do not remember anything that happened last night and….” Janet paused. “Can you please just come to my place and hurry up. It’s an emergency,” Janet said, lowering her tone.

  “Well, do you mind telling me what I am walking into?” Olivia questioned.

  “I will fill you in once you are here,” Janet responded sternly.

  “Okay,” Olivia said and hung up without the energy to argue with Janet.

  Chapter 2

  While walking up to Janet’s door, Olivia saw sprinkles of what looked like blood drops. Olivia made sure to be careful not to taint any possible evidence. Stepping across the blood sprinkles she knocked on Janet’s door. Janet swings the door open rushing Olivia to come in while looking up and down the hallway making sure nobody had seen anything.

  “What is your problem, and what the hell did you do?” Olivia demanded answers.

  “I do not remember, Olivia. I woke up across the hall at the neighbors on the bathroom floor. There was no blood in the bathroom, but the bedroom… Well, there is blood everywhere. It looks like a massacre took place. I have bruises and I don’t even know how they got there,” Janet said with a distressed look on her face, while showing Olivia the bruises on her body.

  “Shit! Janet and you dragged me into this,” Olivia said with anger.

  “I’m sorry but I didn’t know who else to call. If I call the police from the crime scene with traces of blood on me I am going to jail. I know I did not do anything and I must have blacked out or someone slipped something in my drink,” Janet cried.

  “Janet, I understand, but a man was brutally murdered. You have to report this; it’s the only way,” Olivia explained.

  “Ugh, Olivia, you were supposed to help me, not set me up to go to prison,” Janet screamed.

  “What will I tell Tony, my long-term boyfriend?” Janet questioned.

  “What do you mean, what will you tell Tony? I thought you two broke up? How could you be concerned about him at a time like this Janet?” Olivia asked, puzzled.

  “Well, he is the only support I have besides you. Plus, you know that we always try and work things out,” Janet said through tears.

  “Janet, the only advice I can give is to call the police. I know you did not do this and I will find out what happened, but the longer you wait the guiltier you look,” Olivia responded.

  Janet trusted Olivia; she has seen what she can find out with murder cases. As they waited for the police to show up, Janet said in a low tone, “I have no one. My mother doesn't believe me,” Janet whispered.

  “No worries, I’ll take care of it for now,” Olivia suggested.

  “I will call the best lawyer; I know to meet the police here with us. When the police get here, let them know you are waiting on your lawyer and that you have nothing to say until your lawyer is present,” Olivia coached.

  As they sat in silence for a couple of more minutes, Janet could only think that someone had set her up. She let the dispatcher know that her neighbor was found slaughtered. The dispatch operator requested to stay on the phone until the authorities arrive; however, Janet declined.

  “Oliva, should I keep these clothes on?” Janet asked while tears streamed down her face.

  “Janet, it’s evidence you do not want to make matters worse. They will accuse you of trying to hide a crime scene.”

  Janet sat in silence with Olivia’s voice replaying in her head. What if Olivia does not have her back and this is all a set-up. She knew that her thoughts were everywhere at this present moment. “I mean, she is my friend. There is no way she would let me go down for murder...right?” Janet questioned herself. Janet started to have second thoughts about Olivia’s motive. To be a true friend and just be so nonchalant in a time like this, in a crisis, makes Janet feel very suspicious.

  Chapter 3

  Janet Ward was always one of those girls who lived every day as it were her last. Janet was recently single in New York City. Tony, her longtime boyfriend, decided he needed a break from the relationship. So, to Janet, the world was hers. She had no kids and no Tony holding her back from living the good life. She recently bought a
new condominium on the lower east side of Manhattan. Janet comes from a rich family, Robert, and Margret Ward. Robert the CEO of an upscale hotel, The Chariot, so she has not worked a day in her life. Her goals are to open an Art Gallery and focus on her artwork. The bad thing about Janet is when she partied and when she had liquor in her system she turned into a whole new person. There were plenty of times Olivia had to take Janet home. Then she was forced to explain stories of Janet’s behavior the next morning. Janet never had a regard of a thing that took place the night before.

  Janet was raised completely sheltered to the real world. She went to private school and the only thing she could do after school would be to join a sport or get a job. Her parents believed in working for what you want, but Janet disobeyed. She knew she had a trust fund and it was only a matter of time before she has access to all that money. Janet ignored her parents and just played it low-key until she turned 21 years old. Janet made it look like she was responsible. She signed up to take classes at the local community college in photography. If she “looked” like she was “trying”, her parents would still give her any and everything she wanted. Janet is a daddy's girl. Her dad has connections in television/art/ and media, and he pulled off a closed caption position at Fox for Janet while she was a freshman in college.

  Janet had everything she ever wanted and it was handed to her. The only issue was that Janet did not follow her family’s dream of her becoming a doctor. Janet fell in love with art and entertainment. She felt that this was her love, her passion and nothing would stop her from completing her goals. She could never call her parents and let them know about this situation. They were not going to bail her out. At least that is what she thought.

  “Why don’t you call your parents and see if they would help? I will still point you towards the best lawyer in town. You have the money, so it's all about representation,” Olivia suggested.

  “You know my parents are hit and miss after I did not go to medical school,” Janet responded.

  “You do know this is going to be big? When media finds out who you are and the family you are from?” Olivia interjected.

  Headlines reading: Daughter of Millionaire Hotel Owner accused of murder.

  Janet really started to think that Olivia got off on her life falling into shambles. She was not her usual support system ready to make things right. She seemed more interested in the police hauling me off to jail. At one point, Janet had to take a double look because it seemed as if Olivia was smiling, which she was at some points. Janet knew she was done talking to Olivia until the police came.

  “Why are you so quiet, Janet?” Olivia asked pretending to be concerned.

  “Just trying to remember what happened last night,” Janet said sharply.

  Janet and Olivia sat there quiet. Olivia could feel the tension in the room as they waited for the police to arrive.

  Chapter 4

  “Boom, Boom, Boom,” the loud knock at the door startled both ladies out of deep thought.

  Janet felt like the whole room could hear her heart beat. Olivia got up to answer the door since she knew Janet was in complete shock now.

  “We heard there was a murder here?” the police officer inquired

  “The murder took place across the hallway in the neighbor's apartment,” Olivia responded.

  The officer stood in silence for a moment to register the information.

  “Why would you call from this apartment? How did you even know the neighbor was dead?” the officer questioned with suspicion.

  “Well….” Olivia attempted to explain before Janet interrupted.

  “I woke up in the neighbor’s bathroom. I do not remember how I got there, but when I woke up I had these bruises and my clothes were covered in blood. The questionable part is that there was no blood in the bathroom and the bathtub water was running,” Janet just blurted out.

  Olivia stood in shock. She knew that Janet had to tell the truth, but she already advised her to wait for counsel. As that very thought crossed Olivia’s mind, the lawyer she knew just walked into the apartment as well.

  “What did I miss here? Janet do not say another word,” Tim stated.

  “By the way, my name is Tim and I will be representing you from this point forward,” Tim introduces himself to Janet.

  “Well, Janet you are going to need to come down to the station to make a statement. We also need those clothes that you are wearing,” the police officer said in a heavy tone.

  Janet’s lawyer interrupted, “I will need time to talk to my client first.”

  At this moment, Janet did not know really what to think or how this whole situation would play out. She already felt as if she was guilty of a crime she has no recollection of even doing. Janet and Olivia’s eyes met and a cold chill fell over Janet. At that very moment, she knew she could not trust Olivia; she knows more than what she leads on.

  The police had pulled Olivia to the side from what Janet could see out the corner of my eye. Janet could barely focus on what her lawyer was trying to explain because she was so focused on what Olivia could possibly be telling the police.

  Olivia would look over at Janet during her conversation with the police and then put her hand up whispering something to the officer. Janet knew from that point that Olivia could not be trusted. Not only could she not be trusted, but she knew more than what she leads on.

  Chapter 5

  As Janet arrived at the jail she could feel her knees buckle before she even got out of the back of the police car. She was in shock that this was currently her life. “How did she get here?” Janet thought to herself. She left her belongings with Olivia and immediately thought that was the worst decision she ever made. Something was not right with Olivia. Usually, she was ready to find out who, what, when, where, and why? However, this time she was just basically like, “You’re going to prison.” When she finally was allowed out of the police car she looked around. Women who were in locked up cells in the precinct kept yelling obscenities to her. She was completely scared but knew she could show no fear in a place like this.

  The police interrogated Janet for hours. Janet chose not to have her lawyer present at first because she felt she had nothing to hide. After 12 hours of interrogation she knew she needed help to get through this process. Finally, she asked for her lawyer to be present. Tim made it to the station after four hours and she filled him in. The police decided that they would hold her for 48 more hours until the blood from the lab came back. Tim declined against it but he was not as pressed about getting her released as Olivia stated he would be.

  She stayed in the holding cell overnight with little sleep and no appetite; she was delirious. The police came to move her to an actual cell the next morning, charging her with first degree murder as the stains on her clothes came back positive for Elliot’s blood.

  After checking in and finding out that she would be with the general population and a bunk mate, she almost had an anxiety attack. After she was introduced to this butch woman named Kar, short for Karina, she set up her bed. Kar made it clear that the bottom bunk was hers. Kar was not too friendly and the best thing Janet could do is ignore her and be short with any questions she may ask. Kar laid out the ground rules for sharing a dorm with her.

  1. No crying - we all hate it here and it will just piss her off if she is woken up from sleep.

  2. Don’t touch my things - Kar stated that she does not believe in sharing and she watches her stuff like a hawk and would know if anything was moved or tampered with.

  3. Lastly, do the cleanup yourself - in jail you have no maid and you’re expected to keep her side clean and clean up yourself.

  Janet had no response to Kar’s speech. In fact, she was nervous to even respond. She just agreed and set up her area. She had so many questions to ask about the routine around her but she would not dare ask Kar. Instead, she was given a handbook when she first went through booking. She decided to just lay down and read what she was supposed to do in this place. The correc
tional officers were not helping. They just threw you in a cell and went on about their way. Kar started the first conversation.

  “So, you really going to read the handbook?” Kar chuckled.

  “Well, nobody explained exactly what I am supposed to do besides sitting here like a toddler in time-out,” Janet responded with sarcasm.

  “Listen, I may come off rude but you can ask me questions. I have been here for about six years now. It beats reading that long pointless handbook.”

  Janet sat up on her bunk and asked, “You really will show me how to survive in here?” Janet questioned if she should even trust Kar given where they are, but she did not have any other options.

  “So, what brings you in here?” Kar inquired.

  “Honestly, I don’t remember anything but what I do know is that I did not do it,” Janet says with confidence.

  “Honey, I hate to break it to you, but every woman in this prison claims they are innocent,” Kar said with a smirk.

  “So, what did you not do?” Kar said with sarcasm.

  “I woke up on my neighbor's bathroom floor with my clothes covered in blood. No clue how I ended up there and no clue how I passed out during his murder,” Janet stated.

  “Well, by the look of things you are going to have an extremely hard way of proving you weren’t the killer,” Kar said, her eyebrows raised.

  Janet just hung her head and did not even respond to Kar’s comment. She knew that at this point it is time to call her parents. They were the only people who she could 100% trust. Olivia seemed like she was up to no good and had another agenda.

  “When do we get to make any phone calls?” Janet asked, soft-spoken.

  “The last time you can use the phone is at 6:00 PM before count,” Kar explained.

  “Count?” Janet asked with a puzzled look.

  “Yes, count is just making sure each prisoner is accounted for before bedtime,” Kar informed.

  “Got it! Thank you!” Janet said with a bland tone.

  Janet had to figure out how to break this news to her parents. They already felt like Tony was a bad influence. In their eyes this could have been Tony’s fault in some way. Janet never told her parents that Tony broke up with her.