14- The End or The Beginning

14.

 

Then it all went by in flashes. He saw her limp body fall to the floor as Hamid ran to her. The grip on his neck loosened. He was completely broken when he discovered the spirit-less body of Eliza lying in front of him. He witnessed his world crashing down through his pain-stuck eyes.

He knelt down; Taking her in his arms and gently stroking her hair as her dead eyes stared at him until he shut them. Hamid was on the other side of Amila’s body, crying.

Amila left the hands of Hamid and with a grin left the house with her evil guards who followed her out. Little Hamid came running toward his dad and lifeless mother in his dad’s arms

Ross removed the duct tape from Eliza. The blood was all over her face and even all over the place where Ross held her in his arms. He took off his shirt and tried wiping her face clean of the blood. He was shouting and crying while Little Hamid sat there and saw everything that was happening with his innocent eyes and helplessness.

Ross took his boy in his arms. He held him tight, promising him the revenge he was going to seek.

 

By this time Allison was on the Beaver Creek road and their car was steadily reaching near the house. Inside the car

‘We are almost there’ Allison said keeping her concentration intact on the road ahead.

Vaughn and Captain both looked outside their glass windows where they were able to see houses on either sides of the road…

Allison parked the car in front of the house

‘We are here, Sir’ she told Vaughn and Captain

They all got out from the car and ran to the front porch, where the door was open. There was no sign of uncommon activity, but they drew out their weapons. Vaughn held the door open slowly whereas Allison and Captain Bill backed him up with the gun in their hands.

The next thing what they saw was weird and came along, an entire different story. When they thought it to be the end, it was actually taking them to an entire new beginning. It all seemed to be senseless.

Vaughn was the first one to see Ross in the hall who was just sitting there with watery eyes. Even the noise of the opening door and their footsteps did not make Ross move.

Allison and Captain entered just after Vaughn, mesmerized. To Ross, It was all like déjà vu.

Captain Bill came forward 

‘Mr.Denver, I would like you to stand up and come with us to the police station’ Captain addressed to Ross who turned and stood up on his feet as the shuddering of the windows became louder due to the heavy blows of wind.

Just when Ross stood up with his trembling legs and his blurry vision which made it difficult for him to keep standing for long and just when he started walking toward the Captain with his stumbling steps, It didn't take long before he fell over and lost consciousness. 

Allison and Vaughn immediately hurried towards him.

Vaughn and Allison stopped dead in their tracks.

The Captain stood there, baffled, trying to figure out what was happening.

“What should we do, Sir?” Allison asked                

Vaughn decided to follow behind to the hospital. He took the steering wheel and the captain took the passenger seat, while Allison got comfortable on the backseat.

They hoped it was nothing major and that Ross could be taken to the station soon after, for interrogation. It was exactly what happened.

Ross’s eyes were finally fluttering on, as he laid on a couch in Vaughn’s cabin and before he could get a hold of his senses, Vaughn pulled out a chair from under the desk and placed right in front of him, then settle right there, making sure to be right at eye level.

“So, is it Mr. Denver or Mr. Ashroff? What should I call you” Vaughn asked. “What is it all about?”  He added but he got no reply. A confused Ross was staring at him. 

“Ok fine….don’t talk” Vaughn continued. “Let me do the talking and tell you how much trouble you are in” he added with exasperation.

Vaughn stood up to pick up Ross’s diary from his desk.

He dropped it on his lap and watched carefully for his reaction, but nothing came, so asked him to read it while he continued speaking. 

“Now, you do know what that is…You are Ross Denver, the one who used to work for the mob but fell in love with your boss’s daughter. Then you left the mob, but I can’t believe you never figured out that payback’s a b***h” Vaughn chortled

“Amila came back after a while and began hunting you. She kidnapped your wife and son then killed them before you could save ‘em. Am I right Mr. Denver? Or is it your snub nose that she did not like?” Vaughn asked as he placed his hands on the couch and bowed down to look directly into his eyes.

“After this it was your turn to seek revenge so you made a plan to hunt down Amila…which you did. You found her and burned her to death after which you were a free man and you could have had a smooth life, reckoning with new beginnings”

“Oh! But I forgot you wanted to start all over again so you forged an identity with the name Brock Ashroff to make sure the case was never solved with your name. You bought your old house back after a month and you burnt the whole warehouse, assuring the FBI that the dead corpse they found was yours while you were starting brand new, but…” Vaughn stood up and settled on the chair.

“I don’t understand one thing. When your family was already dead, why would you come forward after a year to start this story all over again when it was all over? Is it the guilt or something that did not let you sleep and made you start this dumb story again even when the end had already been written?”

“Now it is your turn to speak because I am finished here so you better speak up”

The first thing Ross said just made Detective Vaughn angry enough to jump out of his skin.

“What are you talking about?” he asked with a confused expression. “My name is Brock Ashroff and I have no idea what you were just talking about and what the hell I am doing here anyway. What is this place? I am supposed to be in my office right now”

“At last, stop playing this game, Ross. It is all over now. You tell me the truth” Vaughn said exasperatingly

“What truth and why are you addressing me as Ross again and again. I told you already my name is Brock Ashroff” Brock (aka Ross) protested with zeal.

 

Vaughn looked at him in disbelief when somebody suddenly knocked on the door and Allison came in.

“Someone wants to see you, Detective” Allison whispered to his ear.

“Tell them I am busy here” Vaughn replied

“It is really important”

Vaughn looked at Ross once again and left the room with Allison right behind him. Allison showed him to the Captain’s office, so he walked over.

Right across from the Captain, Vaughn noticed a man with a French mustache and spectacles. As soon as he came in, they shook hands and Vaughn was asked to have a seat.

Vaughn looked at Captain and expected him to explain this

“This is Dr. Schoff Aberman. He is a very well-known psychiatrist of Clifton” Captain said looking at Vaughn.

“Hello Doctor. I’m not sure what this is about, all I can say is that our guy has just a little headache” Vaughn mocked.

Dr. Aberman and Captain chuckled

“Perhaps I am the one treating Mr. Brock Ashroff” Dr. Aberman said smilingly

“The guy’s name is Ross…and treating him for what?” Vaughn abruptly asked

“Mr. Ashroff is suffering from what we call Dissociative Fugue” Dr. Aberman answered calmly

“What is that?” Vaughn sarcastically asked

“You see, it’s a rare psychiatric disorder characterized by reversible amnesia for personal identity, including the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of individuality.  The state is usually short-lived but can sometimes last months or longer. Dissociative fugue usually involves unplanned travel or wandering, and is sometimes accompanied by the establishment of a new identity”

“I can assure you, however, that whatever happens to him is only in his mind and cannot bear any resemblance to his real persona” Dr. Aberman added.

“So the man got multiple personality disorder?  I’m not sure if I am following” Vaughn confusingly replied after which Aberman explained about it in layman’s terms.

“Then I think Brock just got back to his original persona. He says that he does not remember anything; not even why I am calling him Ross, or why am I collating him with the incidents that took place” Vaughn said

‘“Well, that is how this disorder works.  After recovery from fugue, memories usually return intact” He told Vaughn. “I can assure you that he would not have harmed anyone while his mind was in disorder.  I knew him way before he suffered from this problem and one thing I know is that he is a loner. He does not have anyone. I am the only person who’s ever been in contact with him”

“But why did he take on the persona of Ross Denver? A criminal” Vaughn inquired curiously

“I don’t know, but Bill told me that there was a diary that Ross Denver was writing which you found at Brock’s place. I think he might have read the diary and it could have worked as an influence on his mind” Dr. Aberman said. “Can I see him?” he asked patiently.

“Sure. Why not?” Vaughn answered. He was curious to hear what they would have to say to each other. He was still on the edge of the cliff. He couldn’t believe it would just end like this. He asked the doctor to follow him.   

Dr. Aberman followed Vaughn to his office, where Brock was sitting on a sofa, reading the diary he was given by Vaughn…

“Dr. Aberman” Brock greeted, as he stood up respectfully.

“Brock, how have you been?” Dr. Aberman asked

“I feel fine…fresh. It is like I have been sleeping for days but I still feel tired and little twitch in my back” Brock chuckled, which made Dr. Aberman laugh as he reached for him. He patted his back and checked his eyes, mouth and ears.

 “Great” The Doctor murmured to himself. He seemed to be satisfied with the check-up.

“Can I go back home now?” Brock asked

Vaughn looked at the doctor for a second, but since he was not able to figure out any reason to keep him in custody, he nodded.

“Sure, but don’t leave town”, Vaughn said.

This was hopefully the last time Vaughn was looking at Brock. Doctor thanked Detective for his support and understanding then escorted Brock outside the Police station where Vaughn followed them and waited till they had both settled in the doctor’s seventh generation Honda Civic.

Right after the car left Detective Vaughn went back inside to relax mind. He was tired and wrecked. This case had been a labyrinth in his mind and it had been the wrong time for his wife to hit him with the custody papers.

Just when he reached back in his cabin, he noticed the phone ringing on his desk and picked up. It was Dawson who wanted to tell him something regarding the knife and blood clots that Vaughn had sent for the lab Investigation.

He was in no position to go down to the lab so he asked to be informed over the phone; turns out to be the blood found on the knife was of Pearsons’.

After hearing about it, Vaughn was not in a position to reply so he abruptly hung up. This story had taken an unexpected turn, what he thought to be the end was actually a beginning of a new odyssey where new cards were waiting to be unfolded.

Reviews

[Prritiy]

“Perhaps I am the one treating Mr. Brock Ashroff” Dr. Aberman said smilingly

“The guy’s name is Ross…and treating him for what?” Vaughn abruptly asked

“Mr. Ashroff is suffering from what we call Dissociative Fugue” Dr. Aberman answered calmly
-------- an accomplice or really a dr. ?


He was in no position to go down to the lab so he asked to be informed over the phone; turns out to be the blood found on the knife was of Pearsons’.

After hearing about it, Vaughn was not in a position to reply so he abruptly hung up. This story had taken an unexpected turn, what he thought to be the end was actually a beginning of a new odyssey where new cards were waiting to be unfolded.


Interesting.... still way to go...

best wishes

[Gaurav Walia]

Well this is just the End that i concluded in this chapter.. Have'nt decided to write further yet but wen i do u'll def. Get to read it..
Thank u for being such a keen reader.. i appreciate it :D

[Prritiy]

you are welcome