With His Dying Breath (3 page)

S
amantha Solomon Brockton locked up in a county jail cell accused of her husband’s murder was as big a story as the murder itself. Benton Blake Brockton was dead. As she sat alone in a dingy cell, she tried to recall the events of the day, but her mind would not go there. Instead, her thoughts bounced from the time she met Blake, to her parents’ murders, to high school and back to Blake.

After a whirlwind courtship
of a few months, Blake proposed. On a business trip to St. Simons Island, they decided to make it a honeymoon, and a Justice of the Peace in a nearby Georgia-Florida border town performed the wedding ceremony almost three years ago.

Sammi
was thirty-five years old, eleven years Blake’s junior at the time. She stunned him with her beauty and poise. At five feet nine inches, her slender and very curvy figure set off her beautiful, long red hair and blue eyes. She first caught Blake’s eye at a silent art auction for a local children’s home. She just happened to be in town for the weekend to help her aunt move into a nursing home following a stroke. On a happier note, she met Blake.

H
er knowledge of art and the passion in her eyes as she talked about the artists impressed him especially when viewing paintings with vibrant colors filled with an emotional story.

Sammi
had a long history with emotional stories and a background in art to coincide. She earned a degree in Fine Arts from Crestview University in North Atlanta. She received a post-graduate degree in Renaissance Art from Yale with an internship in Vincenzio Gallery in Venice, Italy. Her doctorate was just a thought away when Blake proposed marriage.

Sammi
was born in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta where she lived for the first twelve years of her life. Her given name at birth was Kathleen Samantha Tyler and everyone called her Katie.

Katie. She was a sweet little girl.
Strange to be thinking in third person
.

When her mom and dad were murdered
by her brother and two of his friends, she moved in with her great-aunt Pat in north Macon. It was the first time she remembered being completely happy. She wanted a new identity to go with this new happiness so she desired to be called Sammi Solomon to match her aunt’s married name. Oh, Aunt Pat, what would I have done without you?

Her brother
and his troublesome friends received a maximum sentence for their ages. At first, police suspected the killers had kidnapped the two kids. Then later, they accused her of playing a part in this horrible act.

Her aunt
adopted her and became a mother in every sense of the word. Aunt Pat attended therapy sessions with her and spent time teaching her what a young woman should know especially how to give and receive love. Aunt Pat truly loved her and helped her through some very shameful and awkward years.

Eventually,
she and her therapist helped Sammi join high school society where she was an outgoing young teenager. But that all changed just after her sixteenth birthday.

On a first date in the spring of her tenth grade year, a
boy took advantage of her. She became very withdrawn swearing to never mention the incident to anyone especially her aunt. Stress had aborted the pregnancy in the seventh week of her first trimester. She did not dare tell a teacher or go to a doctor.

Many years later during an OBGYN physical, she learned she had not miscarried.
A combination of stress and improper diet had wreaked havoc on the teenager’s female cycle and her young mind into thinking she was carrying a rapist’s child. What a horrible time.

Sammi
entered eleventh grade and poured herself into her studies maintaining a 3.98 high school average which earned her several cash scholarships to the college of her choice following graduation. She had been voted Homecoming Queen her junior year, Senior Prom Queen and Senior Superlative for Most Likely to Succeed. Lot of good it does me now.

Her thoughts
returned to Blake. At six two, with a little gray around the temples, they were a good-looking couple. He was so good-looking and smart with a post-graduate degree in Economics from Harvard. He was naturally fit, but walked with a slight limp from an automobile accident and the weighted burden of guilt.

He told her about the accident on their second date.
As a commercial real estate broker and developer, he was often on the cell phone. He just did not see the car two in front of him stop suddenly. This created a chain reaction and he was sandwiched in between other vehicles. Hospitalized for several months and physical therapy for two years helped everything but the limp. But Jess was hurt the worst. “Of course, I learned that from someone else,” Sammi said.

The woman in the adjacent cell said, “What? What you talking about?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. My thoughts just got away from me.”

“Well, keep them to yourself. I got my own thinking to do!”

Sammi moved as far to the other side as possible. Her thoughts returned to her life with Blake. Sammi and Blake had been happy for the first two and a half years of marriage until just about the time the Jonses moved in across the street. They thought Blake had steered them into offering too much money for the house. That seemed to be when Blake changed. He became withdrawn. He was different, not physically abusive, just not attentive to her desires. Another rejection. His actions affected her feelings toward him, and she began to doubt if she loved him. There were times she would get so mad about something he did or, usually, didn’t do, she couldn’t be in the same room with him.

For almost six months now, he had day by day gotten more and more recluse
with his time and his money. At night, he would fall asleep on the sofa. Why didn’t you want to sleep with me anymore? During the night, she might find him up reading some new magazine subscription. When they did talk, he fired questions at her. I don’t like having questions fired at me.

She longed for their rel
ationship to return to its budding days. Once, about a month after their honeymoon, he asked her who her favorite all time singer was. Without hesitation, she said, Tony Bennett. Two weeks later, she sat in a private concert where Tony sang just to her. It was the thrill of a lifetime. She never asked how he arranged it or who he knew to set it up, but she expressed her thanks in a very loving and intimate way.

He
was easy to love. Blake, what happened? Did you know about the rape and wanted out of the marriage? Who did this?

For
now, these questions would remain unanswered as Sammi prioritized her thoughts into the more pressing problem. She would take time later to think about her childhood and previous lives and to think about her marriage to Blake. Now I need to get out of here.

“Lawyers, lawyers
. Who do I know?” she mumbled to herself. Within their elite circle of friends, there was no criminal defense attorney. Blake had contract lawyers and financial lawyers, but he did not like to socialize with them. He had once said to her when planning a dinner party, “I pay them and pay them well, I’m not going to feed them, too!” She never mentioned inviting them again.

“Blake
, what happened? Why were you home in the middle of the day? Why am I in jail?” she asked aloud, embarrassed at being overheard by someone approaching.

She looked up to see Officer Dan Jensen, the handsome police officer who escorted her to the county jail. His wife, Sherry,
managed the day care center, one of Blake’s properties. It was the only one in the county exclusively for physically handicapped children.

“Mrs. Brockton, are you okay?” he asked.
He was the first person to inquire to her well-being. 

“Yes, Dan,
I’m fine, I think. Thank you.”

“Mrs. Brockton, I’m sorry I was the one who….” She interrupted him to say,

“Dan, I know you were just doing your job. Please don’t apologize. How’s Sherry? Did she get rid of that flu?”

“Well, actually, it wasn’t the flu. Sherry’s pregnant, so we’ve got number three on the way
, a little boy this time.”

“
Dan, that’s great, are you both happy about it?”

“Oh, yes ma
’am, it’s just well, you know the cost of everything, and we had already out grown our house. So, we’ll have to find a bigger place. But, sure, we’re happy about it!”

“
Dan, I don’t know what to do. I mean, I know I have to get some legal advice for this predicament I’m in. But I don’t know anybody. Do you know a lawyer?”

“Mrs. Brockton
….”

She interrupted him again, “
Dan, my name is Sammi and I’m just a few years older than you. Please call me Sammi.”

“Yes ma
’am.” He paused. “Uh, Sammi, I’ve only met them occasionally when they come in here to see their clients. I really don’t know who might be good for this though. I’ll ask around and see if I can find you a good one though.”

“
Thank you. I’d certainly appreciate it. Well, what happens now, you know, when somebody’s charged with mur mu murder? Oh, I can barely say the word. I do not like that word.”

“
You’ll be arraigned where you plead that you’re innocent.”

She smiled when he said innocent.

“Then bail will be set. The judge will either bind you over for trial or release you on bond. He could release you on your own recognizance but that’s rare for murder cases. That’s about all I know I wish I could help you more. I’m sorry I mostly know the police side of it.”

“Of course, Dan, I’m sorry to put you in a
n awkward predicament. All I really know is what I’ve seen on TV. Well, I might know more than I think I do, I just can’t think right now.” 

“
Well, I, uh, really need to get on back, I just had to, uh, finish up some paperwork and wanted to stop by to check on you.”

“
Well, Dan, thank you. It means a lot for you to come by. I’m sure the news has hit the streets.”

“Well, yes ma
’am, Sherry called me. I didn’t call her. One of the parents had come by the daycare to pick up his kids and told her we were on the news.”

“Why does that not surprise me?”

“Well, uh, what I mean was, well, Sherry just called to make sure I checked on you. See if you needed anything. You and Mr. Brockton’s always been very nice to us and, well. We, uh, well, it’s just a bad situation.” Dan tried to back out of the conversation.

“Mrs. Brockton,
” She frowned at him “I mean Sammi, I need to get back. If I can come up with anybody, I’ll ask around, I mean, and see, but mostly I see are the public defenders, but I’m sure you can get somebody else. I, uh, need to go.”

“
Dan, thank you, please tell Sherry I asked about her, and you take care of your family. Take real good care of your family, Dan. Let them know you love them,” she said almost in tears.

“
Yes ma’am, I will,” and as he turned the corner, the tears filled her eyes.

The Exquisite You Beauty Salon was
the largest beauty shop in River Town with mostly regular customers, but walk-ins were also a great business. Evelyn Young received her cosmetician’s license after her last child entered college about seven years ago. She made lots of money for other beauty shops so two years ago when her husband suggested she open her own shop, she left and most all of her clients followed her.

She opened with five chairs and two shampoo stations
, and within a year, she added three stylist’s stations, two shampoo bowls, a manicure position, and a massage chair. Business had increased so rapidly, she had paid the notes off in only ten months. Evelyn provided education and training for her stylists to maintain knowledge of fads and new techniques. She encouraged her stylists to have openings for walk-ins since that was the future of her business.

T
he shop normally closed at seven. But she was tired and anxious and when the last patron left at twenty minutes of seven, she locked the door. She tallied up the day’s receipts while JJ took the last load of towels out of the dryer and started folding. Jenny came over to help, so she claimed gossiping about the murder. JJ avoided her questions and changed the subject. She just wasn’t going to talk about it. She liked Mrs. Brockton. She was sure there had been a mistake. She was sure of it.

J
enny would not let it go. Her comments were mean and untrue, and JJ wanted no part of it.

“Jenny
, I’ll finish this up so you can get on home. I really don’t need any help,” JJ said. “Mrs. Young, is it okay for Jenny to go on? She’s through for the night.”

Evelyn picked up on
JJ’s comment, “Jenny, if you’re not waiting on a client, why don’t you go on home and enjoy what’s left of the night with Jess. JJ likes the towels folded exactly the same way.”

“Well
, you got it,” she said throwing down a towel. With a crazed look in her eye, she looked at JJ and said, “You’re so naïve, better think about what I said!”

Jenny grabbed her purse and went out the back door.
JJ mimicked her to Mrs. Young, “Better think about what I said! She better think about what I said,” JJ said to Evelyn. “What did she mean by that anyway, and why did she go out the back?”

“
Sweetie, Jenny’s always been a jealous person. She’s been in love with Blake since she was in high school.”

“High school?”

“Oh, at least, the green eyed monster always comes out when he’s mentioned especially when another woman.”

“She’s jealous of Blake marrying Sammi. She was jealous of all of his wives. She’s even jealous of your relationship with Sammi. So don’t let it bother you. Sammi gets her nails done over on Zebulon so Jenny takes that as a ‘you’re not good enough to do my nails,’ and she just goes on and on about something all the time, I think, just to hear herself talk since nobody else will listen to her.”

“Well, it makes me think, there’s more to it. She had an evil look in her eye.”
JJ couldn’t wait to talk to her Dad. She wanted to talk to Sammi, too.

“
It’s pretty well known in town that she and Blake had a thing going. I won’t say it was going on after he married Sammi though. May be why she doesn’t like Sammi. They’ve been on again off again for as long as I can remember. Just leave those towels there.”

“But he’s a lot older than her!”

Evelyn talked as she walked around the shop checking each stylist’s station electrical switches.             

“Well, hon, that’s part of the reason. Blake and her dad were business partners at one time
, and they had a terrible split—she and her dad—over it. He threatened statutory rape and everything else! Jenny begged him not to call the police. She begged until he finally said okay, but they broke as partners. Don’t think they ever spoke again, and then Jenny’s dad died of a heart attack about three or four years later.”

“Oh, that’s pretty sad.”

“Well, hatred can kill you. Forgiveness is probably the hardest thing to give somebody.”

“Probably so.” A
lthough JJ couldn’t think of anybody she disliked, much less hated.

“
Well, let’s go JJ, you’ve got the place spotless, towels folded, supply request done, mirrors spotless, floor swept and mopped, shelves stocked. I don’t know how you manage to get so much done in just a few hours!” Evelyn continued to heap praise on her. “Oh, did your Dad ever call you back?” 

“No
ma’am, I just left him another message, too! He didn’t say what the story was. Maybe it was something else and not the murder. Oh, Mrs. Young, please don’t forget, tomorrow, I’ve got a makeup test after school and on Friday, of all things. Maybe it won’t last too long, and I’ll be right on over.”

“Okay,
sweetie, good luck on your test.” Evelyn set the burglar alarm and locked the door. She watched JJ buckle up, start up her car, and drive off. Evelyn turned the key in her ignition, and with the events of the day still fresh in her head, instead of taking a right for the drive home; she turned left to drive by the Brockton’s house.

Anne Jones
and Alan left the mall heading over to get a burger and fries since Austin wouldn’t be home until late. She retrieved Evelyn’s message and punched in the number on her cell as they walked toward her rental car.

Evelyn’s cell vibrated and she checked her caller ID.
“Anne, where have you been and what in this world is going on?”

“Evelyn,
can you believe it? My SUV died again and I had to get a rental. I swear I’m going to have that tin can on wheels towed to the junk yard. I had to get Alan”

“Anne.”

“to the doctor for his physical and then to the mall for new cleats. You know baseball tryouts start Monday. Well, actually they don’t tryout. Every kid makes the team. He’s just grown so much and needed new shoes. I was gonna call you earlier, but…”

“
Anne, Anne, slow down. Have you seen what’s going on at the Brockton’s house? What about the murder?”

“Murder?
The Brockton’s house? I left home about noon, had to run errands before I picked Alan up. I didn’t see nothing different over there.” They almost reached the car when she clicked the remote to open the trunk. “Who was murdered?”

“
Anne, you’ve got to turn that CD player off and listen to the real radio sometime. Have you not heard that Blake Brockton was murdered this afternoon and Sammi was arrested?”

“What?
” Anne stopped dead in her tracks between two cars one row over from her rental vehicle.

“Blake Brockton was murdered today and
Sammi was arrested.” She heard a loud thud and a crash. “Anne, Anne.”

“Hello, who is this?”
Alan asked into the phone.

“This is Mrs. Young,
Alan, who owns the beauty shop. What happened to your mom?”

“She just fell, Mrs. Young, she’s out cold. I gotta call somebody. Who do I call?
”

“Hang up and call 9-1-1. Tell them you’re on a cell phone in the ma
ll parking lot and what stores you can see. I’m on the way over there now. Call 9-1-1 and then call me back so I’ll know.”

“Okay, but we’re right outside
the food court, I can see the Carousel.”

“Is your mom still out,
Alan?”

“Yes ma
’am.”

“Okay, call them
now, Alan, and tell them about the Carousel. I’ll probably get there before an ambulance does.”

Evelyn
put down the cell to concentrate on driving. Anne fainting about the news was the last thing she expected. Right there in the parking lot. Well, guess she was right when she said several times that Blake wasn’t everything he appeared to be.

Austin walked in to a dark house
and emptied his pockets on the computer desk to an empty house. No Anne and Alan. No packages from their shopping trip. The SUV was there. Must have gone with somebody else. He stepped outside to get the mail when he saw all the commotion. A neighbor told him about the murder. He panicked that his wife and son were not home, and the car was in the garage.

Alan
was terrified as he tended to his mother. He kept calling, “Mom. Mom.”

Several people stopped to help, but
Alan just told them an ambulance was on the way. He called his Dad but no answer. Alan bent over his mom again and still nothing. He shook her hand and called, “Mom, Mom!” He tried his dad again.

Austin came back in the house just as
his cell phone rang.

“
Hi son, what’s up, where are you?”

“
Dad, Mom and I are at the mall. We’re in the parking lot, and she fainted.”

“Son,
who fainted?

“Mom fainted, dad, and I’m scared.”

“Slow down, and just tell me what happened.”

“Mom was
talking to Mrs. Young on the cell phone, and she just dropped to the ground. Mrs. Young said to call 9-1-1 so I did. I’m waiting on the ambulance. Mrs. Young said she’s on her way, too. Dad, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know, son. Something bad happened in the neighborhood today. You know Mr. Brockton, across the street. Maybe Mrs. Young told her about that. I’m on my way. Where are you in the parking lot?”
Austin grabbed his keys off the foyer table and ran out to his car listening to his son and backing out of the garage like his own life was in danger.

“We’re right outside Macy’s you know on that
lower part, where you go in to the food court. Dad, what happened to Mr. Brockton?”

“Son, you’re doing
well. Just stay calm. We’ll talk about all of that later. Is your mom lying flat down?”

“Yes sir, I
laid her down. She was kind of crumpled up next to a car.”

“Okay, son.
I’m very proud of you for taking care of your mom. Everything will be okay. I’m on my way, too.”

“Dad, I think she’s coming
around.”

“
Son, ask your mom some questions, you know what day of the week is it, who’s the President, stuff like that, try to make her laugh.”

“Dad, Mrs. Young is here. Do you want to talk to her?”

“No, son, let her see to your Mom. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”

Evelyn
blocked traffic, but she didn’t care. Her concern was Anne and hoping she did not hit her head when she fell. When she saw Alan, she just stopped. Alan was only nine but he handled this emergency like an adult. Evelyn bent over Anne calling her name, patting her hand. She opened a bottle of water and patted Anne’s head with her wet hand. Finally, Anne was conscious and coherent. She knew it was Thursday. She knew she was at the mall. She couldn’t remember who the President was. Evelyn gave Anne the remainder of the water, and she took a good long drink. She looked around at the crowd, and asked Evelyn, “What were we talking about?”

Before Evelyn could answer, they both just burst out laughing. Sirens in the background
grew louder as the ambulance approached the parking row, the crowd getting larger. They laughed like sisters at a sorority party. Austin pulled up and parked two rows over from Evelyn’s Cadillac. He ran to Alan, and the two of them stared at these two women sitting on the mall’s paved parking lot, leaning against a stranger’s blue Toyota. A crowd of weary shoppers watched their every move. They could not stop laughing.