THE STUPENDOUS MAN

THE ACCUSED

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“Yeah…, that’s the murderer!” Waylon screamed as soon as they entered inside the sitting room.

Rowan was already afraid as soon as the door was banged. He looked up, only to see Waylon in the company of two police officers.

“Good morning, sir…” Rowan managed to say gently. He was regarding police officers.

“Good morning,” corporal Dylan said. He faced the police officer and said, “His face looks familiar.”

“I guess as much…”

“Yeah. I was wrongly accused by the traffic warden three days ago.” “Please, have your seat…”

“We are not here to sit. Are you trying to be good to these gentlemen?” Waylon interrupted sharply and refused to sit down.

“No, he isn’t. Actually, this man was wrongly accused by the traffic warden. He was accused of parking his car wrongly.”

“Does he even have a car?” Waylon said and laughed so loudly.

“I beg your pardon?” corporal Dylan said.

“He is a pauper. He got married to my daughter forcefully. Now, he has killed my first grandchild,” Waylon said with a quavering voice.

“Mr. Waylon!” Rowan screamed.

“Why are you screaming?” “Besides, I am telling these young men the undiluted truth. I am not a liar like you,” Waylon said with a glare. He sat down beside corporal Dylan.

“Are you sure of what you are saying, Mr. Waylon?” Maxwell said.

“Yes, of course. You don’t expect me to lie, I am an aged-man,” Waylon said silently.

“Mr. Rowan, what do you have to say about the murder of Master Emmett?”

“Murder?” “My son was not murdered. He was knocked down by a car on his way to his friend’s house…”

“And that’s as a result of your negligence. A boy that should be in school by that time,” Waylon cut in angrily.

“Mr. Waylon, I won’t take this. Allow him to talk. Mr. Rowan, you can continue with your story.”

“Thank you, corporal Dylan.” “Emmett was knocked down by a car. The person who knocked him down with his car ran away, but thank God for good Samaritans, who rushed him to the hospital. Emmett was resuscitated in the hospital, but he lost his two legs. The doctor told me that he would be given robotic legs. On the day of the implementation, I had a dispute with a traffic warden. The traffic warden took me to the police station for a crime I knew nothing about.” Rowan burst into tears.

“Stop the tears and continue your story!” Maxwell screamed.

Rowan glimpsed at Maxwell and shook his head. He halted his tears slowly and said, “I spent some hours in the police station before the truth was discovered. But before I got to the hospital, my son had already died.”

“And that’s because of your negligence. You irritate me,” Waylon said.

“You will narrate everything you’ve said now when you get to the police station,” corporal Dylan said.

“Police station again?” Rowan screamed.

“Don’t panic. An accused is guilty until found innocent.”

“And an accused is innocent until found guilty,” Waylon added.

“Mr. Rowan, shall we?”

Rowan stood up and followed the men. When they got outside, they entered a muscle car. Waylon smiled as he heard the sound of the car. He waited for the car to disappear into thin air before he walked away.

It was one week after Rowan’s apprehension by the police, Waylon entered the sitting room. He saw his daughters. They were discussing before Waylon walked in.

“Welcome, dad!” the two ladies screamed.

“Thank you, ladies. I hope you cooked something for me?”

“Yes, dad. I made bread butter for breakfast…”

“How did the interview go at the police station?” Sarah cut in.

“C’mon, you should allow me to talk first.” “I wonder how it concerns you.”

“I will give you a knock on the head,” Sarah said, and Waylon laughed.

“It’s alright, ladies. I don’t know when you will stop being on each other’s backs.” “Rowan will face the court on Friday.”

“On Friday?” the ladies screamed.

“Yeah. Aren’t you happy?”

“Yes, we are. At least, he will leave our sister for us,” Lily said.

“And Lydia will marry another man before he comes out of the prison,” Sarah said.

“Prison?” Lily said.

“Yeah. He will be found guilty and sent to prison.”

“How sure are you?” Lily said.

“Lily, why are you behaving like a coward? I have done everything to see that Rowan go to prison and, trust me, he will end up in prison,” Waylon said, gazing at the ladies’ faces.

“That’s my daddy!” Sarah screamed and everybody laughed.

“Can you tell us about the interview, dad?”

“Alright, Lily. But I needed to eat first. I am famished already.”

“Just summarize it now, dad. You will eat your food sooner or later.”

Waylon told the ladies everything that happened at the police station. The ladies ensured they listened to Waylon painstakingly. None of them asked any questions. When Waylon finished his narration, Lily said, “Dad, how about if Rowan gets his own lawyer?”

“That’s when he took up a pink-collar job. He can’t afford to call his own lawyer because he is a pauper.”

“Poor him!” Sarah added and everyone laughed.

“Lest, I forget. Sarah, how about your spouse? Is he not coming to greet us again?”

“Why are you rushing, dad? He will definitely come. Maybe in one month or so,” Sarah said with pride.

“I can’t wait to see my rich son-in-law.”

“Unlike Rowan who is a pauper. A son of a pauper, he is,” Lily said, and everyone laughed. Sarah couldn’t help it, rather than to raise her shoulders up. She was happy that she would be marrying a wealthy man, unlike her elder sister, who married a pauper.