u/Tricky_Film_7008

As I walked down the hall towards my office,i couldnt help but compare it to my previous working place, it was far too small with fewer patients yet i was satisfied with it since being around crazy people only makes you feel less crazy about yourself. Like a storm from afar woudl always look majestic and distant, something better than the one brewing inside of you. I read the name on the office door as a sense of pride filled within, “Rosalynd Keenes”. As I make my way to the grand black chair of my office, I could feel the growing annoyance since the cold breeze had messed up my perfectly gelled hair. I had given it extra hours to make it look this perfect and professional. My hand smoothed down the blouse that I was wearing as I settled into my new office. I had five minutes before my first patient walks in hence I decided to keep his file separated from the rest though that did feel unnecessary .
Before I knew it, time was up and gentle knock on my door broke my train of thoughts;

“Dr. Rosalynd?”
“Yes, James?” I recognized the voice almost immediately. It’s hard to forget good-looking guys after all, especially when they also show interest in you.
He peered through the small crack in the door. “He is ready for you if you are.” I offered him my charming smile and nodded. The door opened wide and James pulled inside a man larger than my office in his orange jumpsuit. His eyes were set on me as James ushered him towards the seat across from me. “Thank you, James. Just please uncuff the poor man.”
“Dr. Rose, the handcuffs? Oh no, I can’t—” his eyes full of concern.
I shook my head. “He is a human in my eyes, regardless of the crime, so please.”
Hesitantly, he uncuffed him and walked out, but before he did, he looked at me one last time. “I’m right here, outside your door.” I nodded and thanked him.
Shifting my attention to the fellow before me I took note of his perfectly disheveled hair, his shoulders slumped forward in defeat, “So hello, Mr. Richmond. I am Dr. Rosalynd, your psychiatrist. How are you doing?” I sat across from him and he looked away. Something inside me burned. “Richmond, I think it’s best if we talk about this.” He didn’t meet my eyes as he scoffed.

I curled up my fingers in a fist. “Well, let’s see what we have. From what I know, you were arrested six weeks ago for the murder of your girlfriend, Alice Darmer?”
Still nothing.
I decided to continue. “She was found lifeless in your shared apartment in broad daylight after her mother and sister couldn’t reach her for three days. She was killed in her sleep with a gunshot wound to her head.”
He mumbled something, but I didn’t hear it. “Richmond, why did you kill her?” His bloodshot red eyes snapped towards me. “I didn’t kill her,.
“The evidence says otherwise,” I replied.

He shook his head. “I was at a bar that night. You know it, Rose.”

Rose.

My world felt like it was going to collapse. “Let’s keep it professional, Richmond. Your alibi is extremely weak since there are no witnesses. Why don’t you tell me why you killed the women you claimed to have been in love with… Alice Darmer?”
“Don’t do this, Rose.”
Rose, again.
“Answer the question,” I said sternly.

He sat back in his seat. “I could never have even laid a finger on her, I loved her and I loved her because she was not you.”
I could feel the sharp knife plunging into my chest. “Please be more elaborate.”
“I loved her because she was kind and understanding. She was beautiful and I loved her to death. Of course now no one believes me…”
“Then why did you kill her?” I interrupted him.

“I didn’t kill your sister, Rose. I loved her and you know it.”
I shook my head. “I know nothing, except that you are a sick, cold-hearted bastard that killed her and mutilated her fingers.”
He looked away as if the image was burned in his mind. He was depressed, he was in pain, and I could see it. “You cut her fingers off and took them as a prize. You threw it in her face that only you could have her, she was yours and no man could put a ring on her finger.” He looked as if he was about to cry. His eyes were shut and he was now holding his hands to his ears as if blocking out the words. “Stop it, Rose, just stop.”
“You murdered her because you knew she was going to leave you. You knew she was never gonna marry you.”
“No, I love her, she loved me, she was my bride.”
“You knew karma was going to catch up with you and you decided to take one step forward!”
My voice was calm and collected, yet I knew his world was shattering into pieces.
He was mumbling now, crying and mumbling. Holding his hands to his ears like a baby. “I didn’t do it,” was all he said.

Pathetic.

I took a deep breath in, giving him time to quiet down. “Now Richmond, tell me how do you feel? How does it feel to kill someone you love.”
I knew this was not the way this was supposed to go, I knew that if this gets out my liscene would be canceled but i didnt just take this risk and moved back to my hometown to chitchat with him. After years of building myself i got to know he was marrying Alice, he was going to propose to her and yet 6 weeks later here we are.
The same big blue eyes widened in fear, “Rose, I didn’t do it, you know me, you loved me, you know I can’t do it!” All of a sudden he was holding my hand, begging me as he sat down by my knees and wept. A burst of pride and satisfaction filled my heart. “I loved you? So you know that,” I mocked.
“I know you loved me. I am sorry for what I did. I shouldn’t have left you, but please you have to believe me that I didn’t kill her. Someone killed your little sister and they are out there. You have to believe me…”
I slapped him.
I couldn’t take it anymore. “It’s too late now,” and I hit the button. James came rushing in, his eyes widened as he saw Richmond sitting by my knees like a little boy. “Get away from her, you sick bastard!” he yelled and more guards rushed in. They all caught him and yanked him from me. His fingers were clutching so tightly onto my shirt that I was afraid he would rip my brand-new outfit. “Increase his dose, he is out of control,” I said as I looked away.

“Rose! Please, I didn’t kill her, I loved her!”

“Rose, I loved Alice!”

And with that the door closed as the chaos subsided and I was left alone with my thoughts. I sat down on the floor, my head in my hands, but this brief moment was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I groaned in annoyance as I read the caller ID.
“Good morning, Mom.”

“Good morning, Rosalynd. This is my third time calling you and you have not once had the decency to call me back.” If she could see me rolling my eyes right now, she would pinch my nose. A little too hard.

“What is it?” I said as I finally picked up the files that he had threw across the the floor. Richmond’s name flashed through the papers. Pictures of the gruesome crime scene etched into camera flashes forever. A deranged person had done this.

“Ah yes, I have called to inform you that Alice’s things have not been picked up from her house since they aren’t letting me in.” Her voice was soft now and all I could feel was the anger bubbling within me. Not “How are you?” Your sister just died, how have you been?

“They won’t let you in until the next few days and there is nothing I can do.”
She sniffled, I could tell she had been crying. “Alright then, but if you can—”
“I just said I can’t, Mom.”

“I know, I know, but just the ring. Her ring, Rosalynd, I want it.”
And with that the call went silent.

I continued to go through the pictures. I was not allowed back into the crime scene and since the whole house had been sealed off, I knew this was the only way I could try to understand Richmond’s motives. But it was a bloodbath. I wanted to cleanse my brain of these images but they were like a constant reminder. Right there in front of me.
That night I drove into the darkness, stopping only a few blocks from her house. It would be a long walk but I had to make it, for my sake.
As I neared closer the wind got colder. Moonlight, in all of its dramatic flare, shone down on the dark empty house as if it was an awakening. I clutched my bag closer to my body, looking around to be sure no one was following me.
“Hey!”
My steps stopped dead in their tracks. I could feel the cold air rush out of my lungs as I froze.
“Hey!” they called out again and were now running towards me. “Hey, is that Rose?”
Quickly I wiped the tears from my eyes and turned to face—
Cathy.
Alice and Cathy had been inseparable since high school and seeing her after almost ten years brought back the painful memories of my lovely sister. “It is you, Rose! Oh my God!” she cried and leaped at me with arms wide open. Her body was shaking against my embrace.
“Cathy, yes it’s me, Rose,” I said as she pulled back. Her face was filled with tears and she had turned bright red. “I am so sorry, Rose. I just couldn’t— I can’t believe she is… I just can’t.” She was struggling to speak.
I caressed her hands that were still in mine. “It’s okay, Cathy, it’s okay.”
She wiped her tears and blew her nose. “I just… I am so sorry I couldn’t call you. I am so sorry I didn’t text you all these years…”
It felt good to hear a past friend of mine apologize, but she wasn’t stopping.
“I know I ghosted you all those years and I just… you know how Alice was. She was just so nice and so warm and you were so busy with your studies and now… and now she isn’t here anymore.”
I wiped her tears. “I was never angry with you, Cathy,” I said.
“What are you doing here?” she asked more calmly now.
I hesitated. “Closure,” was all I said.

She gave me her softest smile, the type I became friends with her for in the first place. Cathy and I had been high school best friends and since then it was always me, Cathy and Alice. She would jokingly tease us that she was the third triplet.
“Can I come with you?” she asked and I shook my head. “It’s something I need to do alone.”

I turned around to leave but before I could she held my bag. “Wait! I want your number. I can’t regret this again. I don’t have my phone so please write it on a piece of paper.”
Annoyed, I kept on smiling and reached into my bag to pull out my notebook, but it was caught in something.

“It’s stuck, wait,” I said as I rummaged through my bag.
“I’ll help you out,” Cathy said as she reached her arms out and into my bag, but I stumbled.

“NO!” I shrieked as the metal clanked against the concrete floor.
She pulled her hands out immediately, stunned.

There it was. Alice’s ring in plain sight.
Only her finger was still wearing it.

What am i doing wrong

My little sister is dead