Visit to keystone in prison>>>>>>
Gwen ran into the station frantically with her eyes darting left and right in search of her father.There was still butter smeared across her cheeks. But right now,she does not care about how she looks like . All she wanted was to see her father.
"Good day sir". She said greeting the police man on duty who was writing something on a log book.
"Yes how may I help you?" The police man on duty replied without raising his head up.
"I am..I am here to see Mr keystone saunders."
" And who are you to him? Are you his lawyer?"
" No I am his daughter."
The officer raised up his head to take a proper look of her.He observed her for a while before asking her to follow him. Gwen followed the sergeant down a long corridor. There were prisoners in different cells who upon seeing her started shouting and calling her and making remarks about her curvy waist. Some even tried reaching out to touch her. While some just sat on one corner of the cell looking lost in their thoughts.
Gwen screamed in horror as a dangerous looking man leaned forward and tried grabbing her hand through the iron bars which made the rest prisoners laugh loudly. The warden wiped at the cells and they became quiet just they made their way to the cell where Mr keystone was kept.
"Gwen!" Gwen looked in horror as she watched her father stand up weakly from the floor of his cell. His face was badly battered with one of his bloody and swollen.His lips were torn as well as the prison cloth he wore. It was either he got in a fight with one of the inmates or Mr Carnegie had ordered that he be beaten like this.
"Papa! Papa,what happened to you?Why are you here ?Why did Mr Carnegie lock you up here?"
" Nothing". Mr keystone said in a calm voice.
" He locked you up here for nothing? Who does he think he is to tramp up on people or just lock them in a cell?"
" Gwen...I know you really don't want to hear this but..I owe Mr Carnegie a very huge amount of money. That is why I am behind bars."
" You owe Mr Carnegie? How? When was all of this?"Gwen asked confused.
" I know I might have not been a good father and I might have not supported you despite all your efforts to provide for the family. But everything I did,I was doing it for you and your brother. I was this close to being a billionaire, believe me.I was so close before it all snapped before my eyes and my wealth got snatched. Carnegie cheated on me! I can bet my life on that."
" Of course you can bet your life on that!" Gwen snapped at him angrily as tears tricked down her face. How many times have she had to deal with his betting issues?How many more money wound go out of her purse to sort his debts?
" The only thing you know how to do is get and bet and accumulate debts that I have to pay on your behalf to save your face! Don't you get tired of living this way?"
" Just get me out of this shit hole and I promise.."
" Enough of your promises,dad! You never keep to it in the first place so I see no reason in you making empty promises to me!"Gwen yelled angrily. She grabbed at the iron bar to steady her breath and hold back the rage burning down in her." How much do you owe him?"
"Ten million dollars."
" Ten what?!!!!" Gwen exclaimed in disbelief. How does he expect her to pay such ridiculous amount of money?
"I will pay you back".
"Dad,stop! Just stop! How can you stake a ten million dollars bet knowing fully well that you had nothing in your account? Where do you expect me to get ten million dollars? Business has not even been moving so well. I only run a small coffee and doughnuts store. How am I supposed to get ten million dollars?" Gwen cried out in frustration.
" Ask around or something. One or two people might willing to help."
" I should ask around? Did you have that in mind when you went betting with no money? who do you want me to ask? Poor Mr George who lost his daughter last year who is still surviving on his pension? Or I should old Mrs Livingstone?"
" I had to take the risk , Gwen. That is what life is all about. If I had won the bet,you won't be saying any of this to me!" Keystone saunders said angrily.
" Of course it will always be based on an if because you never get to win any of them and even if you do,Roy and I won't even be the first on your list. So why don't you go asking? why don't you call those friends who sat with you at the bar calling you the king of bet and filling your cup with more drinks?Why are they not here?"
" if you had come to mock me,I suggest you can as well go home and continue baking."
Gwen took a deep breath. " I am sorry, dad.But I am just overwhelmed by everything.Of all people you want to bet with,why would you choose Mr Carnegie?"
" We both placed a bet that if I win,I get ten million dollars and if he does not being my part of the deal within forty eight hours,I get to own one of his mansions on East Street."
" I know that that seems like a lot but we both know Mr Carnegie is a very cunning man.Well,I don't have that money to sort out all of the bills.The money I have left is for Roy's tuition fees."
" This is not about Gregson. Things would get worse if you don't do anything."
" If I don't do anything? I don't get". Gwen was already looking confused.
" Roy...Roy could be taken away".
" Taken? I don't understand. You are even getting me more confused."
" We had an agreement that if I lose the deal and can't pay within forty eight hours,Roy would be taken."
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Joanne placed a hot cup of steaming coffee in front of Gwen who was still crying in the sitting room.
" Thank you, Joanne." Gwen said smiling at her in appreciation.
Joanne has always been there for her all her life no matter what happened. Even when things got tough for Joanne and her husband,Jeffrey had left her with their son, Gabriel,fleeing to mexico with a lady he had been seeing for about two months. Joanne for once has never let herself drown with everything going on around her. But even though, she knew Joanne had a soft heart, where does she want to come up with ten million dollars? She could not help her right now. This even made her tear up the more. Joanne handed Gwen tissues which she sniffed into noisily.
"So Gwen,I need you to stop crying and explain what really happened at the prison."
"How do I tell you this, Joanne? How do I explain that Papa is now owing Mr Carnegie ten million dollars that I have to clear off to get him out of jail?"
" Ten million dollars?!! How come is he owing Mr Carnegie?"
" Bet, Joanne! He made a bet with Mr Carnegie?"
" With Mr Carnegie?! Who in his sane mind makes a deal with Mr Carnegie?! That man never loose. He is a cunning person and would always find a way to have whatever he wants."
" Tell that to dad! He always find a way to put me in a position that I have no other choice than to clear off his debts."
" I think you should let him stay a little longer there for him to learn his lessons first."
" That's it,Gwen!!! I would have left him for at least one more day if I had the money to even clear his debt. But the truth is whether I leave him there or not,he will never learn his lessons! Now that is not even the only issue on ground. Roy has been dragged into dad's mess."
" How?" Joanne asked confused.
" They had an agreement that if Dad does not pay up that money after forty eight hours and I can't come up with the money before forty eight hours,Roy would be taken as collateral."
" Collateral? Roy?! Why would he put Roy as collateral?! Roy has to go to college! He is just a random teenage boy for goodness sake! Why would he be the one to clear off his debt? The poor boy knows nothing about this!"
The door pushed open just as Gabriel ran in. He had paints smeared on his over all. It was obvious he had been painting outside with Roy.
"What happened Gabriel?"
"Mommy....Aunty Gwen.." Gabriel's hand were shaking as tears rolled down his face.
" Gabriel,calm down and talk to me. Where is Roy?" Joanne said already tensed.
" Mom...Roy and I were painting in the yard and then some..some men came. They were hefty looking men and they dragged Roy in the van with them."
" Oh my goodness!!!! No!! That can't be".
Gwen rushed out with Joanne chasing after her .
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