"Mr. Arlo, we have checked with the place where you used to work, and you were not at the factory at 6 o'clock."
"Where the hell were you at that time?"
"We have witnesses to prove that you were on Avenue A at the time. You witnessed Berlant being beaten, but you stood by. This is not like the behavior of a father who cares about his son. Can you explain it?"
The old Mr. Orlo was furious. He hammered the table with both hands and said with a "bang": "What do you mean? Are you suspecting that I have something to do with Brandt's death again! Are you doubting me?!"
Steven didn't even lift his eyelids: "Please answer our questions."
Old Mr. Orlo's eyes were tearing apart: "I didn't kill Brandt!!"
Steven was unmoved: "Please answer our questions."
"I'd rather die than have him die!" Old Mr. Orlo suddenly came alive like a handful of dead wood, "He is my only child and everything to me!"
Steven refused to budge: "Then why didn't you save him? Why did you just watch him being beaten! Is this your father's love? Or are you actually a coward who can't even protect your own children?"
Stirred by him, Old Orlo blurted out: "Because I don't want to see him go astray!! I'm educating him! He doesn't listen to me! I've told him countless times that it's wrong to like men, he Just don’t listen, just don’t listen! I can protect him once, can I protect him every time? He needs to know that the whole society is like that! Everyone in the society is like his classmates. Beat him to death!"
"He has already lost his recommended spot because of this incident. What about after that? I can't just sit and watch him ruin himself!" His cloudy, bloodshot eyes were filled with tears, "He doesn't know how much this is. cruel!"
"I originally came to find him and go home."
"That Clarence came to our house that afternoon. Don't they think I don't know what they're up to! Brandt packed up the package and took out all the money he had saved. He was crazy. He wanted to talk to that little boy Bastard elopes!"
"Do you think I don't feel bad? I haven't touched a finger of him since I was a child. I only slapped him when he told me that he loves men. But I just can't wake him up!"
"It's not that I didn't go to his school to find teachers, but they told me euphemistically that Brandt did that kind of scandal. They can't protect Brandt either."
"No one can wake him up. After he was beaten, I was going to help him up. I said to him: 'Now you should know the cruelty of the world'. I asked him to go home with me, and he still paid for that. Clarence hit me..."
"I'm leaving."
"It's impossible for that kind of young master to leave everything behind and go with him. Otherwise, they wouldn't have quarreled that afternoon. Brandt was stabbed by him, but he still wants to be with him. I think, Brandt Learn well, know that that person is just playing with him, and when he understands, he will go home naturally."
"I didn't sleep all night and the police found me and told me my son was dead."
"My only son is dead, he jumped off the building and died!!"
"Who else could it be but that Clarence? If it weren't for him, Brandt wouldn't have died!"
The case turned around and came to Clarence Hall again. It turned out that the person who fled from Brandt's house in a hurry that afternoon and injured Brandt was Clarence
They asked Clarence Hall again.
Under the conclusive evidence, Clarence didn't quibble again, this time he simply admitted: "Yes, Brandt and I are lovers."
He seemed to have finally given up struggling, and said in various ways: "I confessed to Brandt first."
His eyes were numb, and he was not angry at all: "... I often think, if I hadn't confessed my love to him, everything that happened later would not have happened."
"His father was right. Without me, Brandt would not have died."
"Damn me."
Arthur looked down at a piece of information in his hand. After his investigation, Clarence committed suicide and was rescued in the hospital four times in the past ten years. There should be a cut under the watch on his hand. Wrist scars. Did he commit suicide because he loved Brandt? Could such a person be the murderer who killed Brandt with his own hands
Arthur asked, "You went to see Brandt that afternoon. What happened?"
"Brand called me and he went to see him," Clarence said.
"I pissed him off."
"Because someone reported that our two boys were in love. This is a scandal. The principal asked us. I know that if he admits it, then Brandt's recommendation quota will definitely be cancelled, so I said no, this is just a rumor."
"Brand was angry, he was very angry. He admitted it. He felt he had done nothing wrong."
Arthur heaved a long sigh, closed his eyes in pain, and said weakly: "I always remember his furious look, he said to me: 'Is it such a shameful thing for you that we fell in love? It's so shameful I didn’t make a big deal out of it, but don’t even have the courage to admit it when someone asks me? I didn’t commit a crime, why did I lie? Why didn’t I dare to admit it? I’m not wrong, but those who are prejudiced and discriminated against.’”
"He's too...too pure. He's not wrong, it's my fault. "
"We had a quarrel. In desperation, he took a knife and tried to hurt himself. I stopped him, but he still got a wound. I bandaged him. I said I would take him with me and ask the principal again. Asked for the walks back, he slapped me, told me to go, and I left."
"Later... I went home, and Brandt called me and said he was waiting for me at school at 11 o'clock in the evening. He wanted to leave and asked me to go with him."
"I felt that his mental state was not right at the time, so I naturally planned to go to him."
"But Kathy told my parents about our relationship. They locked me up. I was so distraught that I secretly pried open the window at night and escaped from the third floor to find him."
"There were no stars or moon that night, and the road was very dark."
"I should have stolen a bicycle from the side of the road instead of running, and if I had been quicker, I might have saved him."
"it's all my fault."
"I killed him."
Multiple testimonies were checked, as well as many eyewitness testimonies.
The forensic doctor identified his photos at that time, and there was no trace of him being pushed downstairs from the body plaque.
This case was originally initiated by the election of Congressman Allen, and it was finally confirmed that he was indeed innocent in this murder case. No one was the murderer who directly pushed Brandt to jump off the building. Innocent.
It seemed to be murder, but after careful investigation, it turned out that it was really just suicide.
It was the retreat of his lover, the betrayal of his friends, the bullying of his classmates, the hatred of his father, the disgust of his teachers and other people in the world, which made him choose to take a leap and ended his short eighteen years of young life.
No matter how sensible and precocious he is, he is only eighteen years old, and he is still a child who has not grown up. There is nothing wrong with him, but he is too stubborn.
Arthur couldn't imagine how desperate the bruised Brandt felt on that dark night. He probably felt that there was no place for him to live in the world, and he had no other choice but death.
The case was closed again, again ending in suicide.
Newspapers reported the role of Senator Allen in this case. He once bullied poor classmates and discriminated against homosexuals, but turned around and pretended to be a good person. He could not respond to the hard facts. His trust value in the hearts of the masses has dropped significantly, and his approval rate has dropped significantly. Not surprisingly, he will definitely lose the election.
Of course, Clarence Hall also failed to atone for his crimes.
He was let go, even though he felt guilty, legally, he should not have been arrested.
Clarence asked Arthur: "I know you have the watch that Brandt wore when he died. Now that the case is closed, his father probably won't come to claim the relic. Can I take this watch?"
This is in line with the process. Clarence is Brandt's lover, and he is qualified to take away Brandt's relics.
Clarence took off his old watch and put on Brandt's watch.
After this twists and turns, he returned to school and continued his peaceful and ordinary teaching life. When he was young, he remembered that Brandt once told himself that his dream was to become a professor in the Department of Literature in the future.
That's why he chose to enter the Department of Literature. Brandt looks sunny and strong, but he is actually a very sensitive and pure boy.
a month later.
After class, Clarence heard something moving outside. He walked to the railing and looked down.
I saw a group of boys holding up banners doing activities.
In the past two years, AIDS broke out among gay men in the United States. The prejudice against homosexuals in society became deeper and deeper. The government did nothing about it. stood up.
Clarence saw those young faces that seemed to be glowing. At a glance, they really looked like eighteen-year-old Brande. He thought, if Brande was still alive, he would definitely join this group of children yes.
At this time, a student passed by. He saw the watch in Clarence's hand and kindly raised his heart: "Professor, your watch is broken. Why don't you take it for repair?"
Clarence looked down at his watch, it was broken, very badly, the hour and minute hands stopped at 0:6:27, and a spider web-like crack appeared on the outer glass. Look, it looks like a rose.
Clarence smiled slightly at the student, and said softly, "Thank you, I know."
This is the only thing left to him by Brandt.
What are they? He said he was a lover, but after Brandt's death, he was not even eligible to attend Brandt's funeral, and he was kicked out by Brandt's father.
It was raining that day, and he stood in the distance without an umbrella, watching Brandt's coffin being buried. He didn't return home until everyone had left.
After returning home, I developed a fever for three days.
Clarence looked at the brave boys downstairs, gently stroked the watch, and stroked the crack with his fingertips.
He laughed, as if seeing himself and Brandt back then.
In the science competition that summer, he finally beat Brandt by one point. Brandt was unconvinced and said he would win it back next time.
He bought this watch with all the prize money he won from that competition, and then went to the coffee shop where Brandt worked to find him during the holidays. Brandt came out to meet him through the back door. He looked very cute in uniform, Seeing him, Brande didn't give him a good face. There were tiny beads of sweat on the tip of his nose, and golden spots fell on his body in the afternoon. Brande said angrily, "Tell me something quickly, I'm very busy."
Clarence became timid. He took out the small box containing the watch, which was tied with a ribbon bow, which was tied by himself. He blushed, felt his heart beating fast, and suddenly stammered: "I, I... this, I bought it with the money I won from the last tournament."
Brandt glared at him, and said angrily, "Did you come here on purpose to show off!" After finishing speaking, he wanted to leave.
Clarence quickly grabbed him, almost biting his tongue: "No, no, don't go yet. I want to give you this watch."
Brandt looked at him suspiciously: "You don't need to give it away, I will win it back by myself next time, I don't need you to let me!"
Clarence was so anxious that he said quickly, "I mean... I like you, that's why I want to give you this watch."
Brande froze for a moment, they looked at each other, as if they had been electrocuted, and Brande's face flushed instantly.
Clarence was a little scared, afraid that Brandt would find him disgusting and say something to refuse, but even so, he wanted to tell Brandt what he wanted, and he couldn't hold back anymore.
Brandt was at a loss, blushing and said, "You, don't play tricks on me..."
Clarence remembered the eyes that Brandt looked at him at that time, they were more beautiful than the most expensive gems in the world, like Liang Zheguang. Boldly, he kissed Brandt, put the small box into Brandt's hand, and quickly said: "If you don't refuse, then I will take it as your consent!"
After speaking, he ran away.
Brandt couldn't catch up, so angry, he scolded him behind him: "Why are you like this! You are a rascal!"
But when they went to school the next day, Clarence secretly looked at Brandt's wrist and found that Brandt was wearing the watch he gave him.
He smiled and said to Brandt: "This watch you are wearing is really beautiful."
Brandt blushed, glared at him, and for the first time did not refute him fiercely.
In fact, after twenty years, seeing so many things changed, Clarence sometimes thought that even if Brandt was still alive, they might break up because of other things. He didn't think he was a competent lover, otherwise Brandt wouldn't have died.
Even so, he still wanted Brandt to live, even if Brandt might fall in love with someone else and stop loving him, he still wanted Brandt to live.
Brandt is dead.
They will all forget Brandt.
He is not afraid of anything else, he is only afraid that one day he will forget Brandt, so he has been wearing this broken watch and will not repair it.
Let the pointer stay here forever.
At the moment when the boy he loved the most died.
"Professor Hall." Someone called him.
Clarence turned around and saw the young FBI detective: "Detective Arthur, why are you here? Have you figured out how to arrest me and bring me to justice?"
Arthur shook his head: "I'm on vacation today, and I came to you personally."
Clarence nodded and said, "I haven't thanked you yet, but you finally let me know everything that happened on the day Brandt died. Thank you."
Arthur walked to his side and looked at the boys who were protesting downstairs. He said, "The case is closed. But some plots made me feel a little strange, so I went to investigate a little bit."
"Rep. Allen's juvenile delinquency record was well covered up. The media knew too many details. They said they had received anonymous submissions. I think only those involved in the case would know."
Clarence turned his head and looked at him without saying a word.
Arthur continued: "The other two people who were involved in the beating at the time, Jared drank with you before the car accident, and then he got into a drunk driving accident. Matt didn't use drugs when he was in college, but he started taking drugs after work. I It turns out you met him a few times over a period of time, and then he started doing drugs."
"Kathy and the family broke up ten years ago, after your last suicide. And very coincidentally, the person who introduced him to the industry seems to know you."
"You visited the headmaster the day before he died, and then his condition became unstable and he passed away the next day."
Clarence listened quietly, unmoved, and smiled slightly: "Oh, what a coincidence."
Arthur asked: "Is this the motivation for you to stop committing suicide ten years ago and continue to live?"
He had no evidence to send Clarence to jail, just as Clarence had no evidence to send those men to prison.
Clarence said calmly: "Inspector, your imagination is really rich. What does it have to do with me if they kill themselves?"
"I can not understand what you say."
"I'm just an ordinary college professor."
"Sorry, excuse me, my students are still waiting for me to go to class."
·End of this article·
The author has something to say: finished writing~
I still have a series of short stories in my head, I will write them later, the next one should be called "Phoenix River", Murder by Fire