"So how did this saga end?" asked Sarita.
"Well, Clare and Karl were found dead, near a deserted beach side road, a week after they returned East. The police soon arrested Bruce on suspicion of the double murder. He was convicted and sentenced to death. His punishment was later commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole," said Gill.
"What??!! What happened?" Sarita and Shanta were both shocked.
Gill continued, "It appears, that Bruce was in debt and his family was not doing as well as he sought to portray it. When the possibility of inheriting Karl and Dolly's house appeared, Bruce was greatly relieved. He carefully played the role of a person disinterested in getting Clare's share. He needed more and wanted even more, when he and his mother discussed the possible scale of Billy's wealth. They were plotting to maximize their 'rewards for looking after her all these years and into the future' considering that Clare might be very wealthy soon. They wanted control over her and her affairs. Their lawyer had spelled out the law, the rights of Clare and perhaps her 'guardians'. They had worked carefully together. They wanted Clare to let them put forth their pre-nuptial agreement and make her acceptance of Billy's proposal conditional on him agreeing to go along.
They suggested this it to her pleasantly and matter-of-factly. She said '"No" in the same tone and went out for her physical therapy session, terrified on the inside. Clare confided in Ken and he promised to stand by her and help her. When Clare returned that day, exhausted, Dolly and Bruce started on her again.
"It will be nothing for Billy. It will not make any difference to his wealth. He will not even worry about it once his lawyers see how little it will cost him," they told Clare, pressuring her one day when Karl was sleeping in the bedroom. She became upset and did not want to go along. Their tone got nastier. Clare was in mental anguish. She was so upset at her situation - her father not around to support her, having tacitly allowed Dolly to call the shots and leaving her with these two to badger her while he slept in the next room. Clare felt terrible about what she would be doing to Billy, bringing him into the family under such terms.
"I will not marry Billy. I will not marry now. Leave me! LEAVE ME ALONE!!" she screamed.
Karl then woke up and walked into the room. He found out what was going on, looking at Clare's look of helplessness in distress, he saw her face turn even more fearful as if expecting him to join in on Dolly's side. Something finally snapped in him. He took her out of the room to his bedroom. He realised that neither Clare nor himself needed to be dependant on Dolly financially or otherwise. With anything Clare got, they could all live comfortably without being too greedy.
Dolly knocked on the door loudly, demanding that Karl come out. He finally lost patience.
"Quiet!!," he said with an edge to his voice,"I am taking Clare and going out for a few days. Calm down and we will talk when we get back." His tone was so menacing that Bruce came to shield his mother.
Karl packed a few things for himself and Clare. They drove off to a hotel near their childhood seaside vacation town. They rested for two days and talked calmly. Karl agreed to let Clare free. He called and told Dolly. She sounded subdued and did not say much.
"Come back and we will discuss this," she said trying hard to sound patient and not threatening.
"We will be a couple of days more," said Karl firmly. He let them know where he and Clare were staying.
Bruce, who was listening in on their conversation gathered what was happening. He got all the details from Dolly.
"I will go now and come back later," he said. Shortly thereafter, he drove off, presumably to his own home and family. Instead, he went over to see Karl and Clare. Bruce was desperate. He had a wild look that Karl was surprised to see as he came around to the beachside, where he and Clare were resting quietly. It was a quiet day with no one else in sight. The sun was setting.
Karl felt a strange chill run down his spine. He however was fearful for Clare, at whom Bruce seemed to be staring at in a strange manner. Karl stepped forward to try and calm Bruce and talk soothingly until they could get back to the hotel. They never made it.
In the morning, a jogger found the two bashed and bloodied bodies on the rocks nearby. Bruce had gone to his home. He was bleeding, cut and hurt too in many places. Karl had put up a fight after the first blow was struck at Clare.
Ken still strongly regrets not intervening and doing more to protect Clare the day that she confided in him."
Copyright (c) Kannan Narayanamurthy 2016
All rights reserved
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