Suddenly Tim stopped talking. Tears swam in his eyes. No one had ever seen such tears in the eyes of a man who played his role of self- confidence so well. Again, Diana looked at him and saw that color was leaving his face with those tears. However, Tim's fervor for talking seemed being abated and was replaced by a melancholic and obscure restlessness. Nevertheless, he looked through his rainy eyes to his listeners and continued:
"A driver of a truck found the woman on the side of the road. She had crawled there for help. He called the police. She died in hospital three days later. The cause of her death was not only the stab wounds but it was the severity of she being so traumatized. John was arrested. People had seen his car was parked in front of that woman's house and many of woman's friends knew she was seeing John.
"Ten days later, the strangest twist happened. Police arrested my son. His mother called me and told me about it. Now they called him the suspect. John's parents had already hired Ed and his firm as their son's attorney. I don't know how much money they offered him, but everything turned against my son like a nightmare. They found witness to testify that my son was there, too. Yes, he was there, in that woman's house earlier, but he had left before all these happened.
"They twisted the fact, messed up all the medical records. All of the sudden John's semen on the woman's clothes disappeared. They found my son's fingerprint every where in that woman's house and in his car. The weapon, kitchen knife all of the sudden was wiped clean. It was found in the scene of the crime. Everything was changed only to switch and twist facts, and free the real killer. But how could they free the killer if they didn't have another suspect to replace him. My son was the best candidate. He was there earlier. People had seen his car there. Now the same people were not sure if my son left earlier or late at night. And above all, in order to free himself, john pointed his finger at my son; too much for friendship. His parents offered all the money they could to Ed, and Ed twisted everything around and used his expertise as a criminal lawyer to tell the court and jurors that it was not his client who did this despicable crime. John was acquitted. On the other hand in a separate court, a year later, my son was found guilty on all accounts as charged. He was remitted to the jail awaiting sentencing. The sentence was handed down a week later- life in prison, and if he would behave, he would get out after forty years.
"Now my son is paying for the crime he didn't commit; and John is free to walk in the streets. I just recently heard that he is married and his wife expecting a baby.
"I go and visit my son. I also go and follow john only to see how free he is, working for his father, traveling, having a wife. A few times I decided to run him over. But it seems that he always has some body guards around him.
"My son is very angry and depressed. He has attempted suicide and he is under intense watch all the time. He tells me: 'Dad, I'm Innocent.' I look at him and tell him with my eyes: 'I know.'
"At this point I rather him die. Now can we go through life like this? Up to now, I was afraid of death, but it doesn't matter anymore. I know the end will come for my son one day, and I'm not afraid of that. What can I tell him? Tell him that I love him. No, it made no sense before and it makes no sense now.
"There is no sense in deceiving myself. I know that my son and I are parted. I try to act sensibly when I see him. But our lives are made of a bitter, harsh, and lonely existence. There is no audacity left in us. He was the fire and energy of youth, but that is all gone now. It is alien situation, a very unpleasant one for my son; and I can't do a damn thing about it.
"It hurts to the core of my existence to know that he'll be behind bars for the rest of his life for a crime he didn't commit. Now all I do is to fill my life with everything that comes around rather than leaving a void. But honestly, I live a void and empty life, so empty that sometimes I hear the echo of my own breathing- the breathing of air of freedom while I'm a prisoner just like my son." Tim stopped talking suddenly, as though he was reading a report and there was nothing else there to be read.
A dreadful silence followed. Everyone forgot what happened before this story was told. No one was able even to sympathize with him. Tim got up and walked quickly to the yard, as though in sudden alarm at the story which had blown out from his lips. Jacob followed him outside.
Ed's head was bent in his chest. He was not looking at anyone. Thui, his wife, sitting next to him, held his hand. He looked up.
"Is it true?" She asked him.
He did not answer.
She contemplated and remembered that five years ago a big money had come to them. Suddenly she let her hands drop on her lap; and for a long time she sat, her head bent, staring at the floor. Slowly a faint heat crept into her cheeks, but her lips stayed unspoken and her dark eyes held a befuddled look and some other emotions she could not define. She was aware of a restraint, of a feeling of fear that filling her up. With her chin propped on her fists, she sat drowned in thoughts. Her reflection was deep and grave but not yet despondent.
Jacob and Tim returned to the room. Jacob brought a new bottle of wine, opened it, and poured a glass for himself and Tim. Then he sat next to Rosa, looking at everyone. It seemed he wanted to take charge.
"I," He began hesitating to say the unspoken.
"Ed, I need to know the truth. We have been friends for over twenty years. I remember now that about five years ago you came up with a lot of money. I must know the truth."
Ed Looked up. He seemed disturbed. He felt the pressure of all these people, who wanted the truth.
"You want the truth!" He began. "I tell you the truth. Yes, it is true."
To Be Continued
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