The Thief Redeemer (22 page)

Thankfully, I’m alone except for the priest lighting candles
in the front. I take a seat in one of the pews and bend my head over in prayer.
I haven’t done this in years. I haven’t stepped foot inside a church since my
grandparents died, and I haven’t prayed since I lost my brothers.

But today I will pray.

Today I will ask for the forgiveness of my sins, because
today will change everything. I’m not sure why I’ve experienced so much loss in
my life and why I’m the only one who keeps living. I have no idea why I’m still
here, and why the path to where I’ve gotten has been so rocky.

I ask forgiveness for all my past sins and the mistakes I
will make in the future. I know I’m only a human and will continue to mess up,
but I vow right there to live my life a better man. I think about all the
people I have loved and I know that even if I never see Claire or my brothers
again, they are worth living for. I can be a good man for them. I’m not sure
how long I stay there but when I look up, the priest is gone and I am alone.

I stand and make the sign of the cross over my chest. I am
at peace as I walk out the doors of the church. I instantly put my hat and
glasses back on, as I head towards the Camry. I drive another ten minutes and
arrive at my final destination. I glance around to see people walking beside my
car, completely unaware that a wanted criminal is only a few feet away.

I glance at the building, expecting to feel fear. After all,
today I’m manning up and facing the biggest fear of my life.

Instead I feel peace for my decision and remorse for my past
sins. I see the blue lettering for the Atlanta Police Department Headquarters
and take a deep breath. The building looks like the pictures I’ve seen on the
Internet; a building I have avoided like the plague during the past five years.
I open the car door and start the process of walking towards the entrance.

Today I’m turning myself in.

There’s no turning back now.

This is it; the beginning of the rest of my life.

INSTEAD OF RUNNING away from the
police department, I’m ironically walking towards the building. For the first
time in my life, I’ve owned up to my sins, and I’m doing the right thing. For
once in my life…I’m proud of myself.

For once in my life, I don’t hate myself.

Maybe I can never have Claire, but I know she will be proud
of me for this decision. My parents and grandparents would be proud of me for
doing the right thing. This might not be the life I wanted to live, but from
this point forward, I will be a better man. For Claire and for my brothers, I
will try my damnedest every day to be a worthy man. My life has been a series
of choices and heartache, and sadly, my present is defined by the terrible choices
from my past.

From now on, I will think before I act and think of Claire
and the twins before I react. From this point onward, I can start a new life. I
might be in a jail cell till I die, but I can at least sleep in peace.

And maybe when Claire and the twins see me on the news, they
will be proud to say they knew me. Just maybe. Or maybe they’ll be embarrassed
and humiliated that their brother and kidnapper is spending the rest of his
life in jail. I’m not sure of their reaction, but at least I can live with
myself.

I told my brothers and Claire that I loved them, and I’m
doing this today for the honor of those I love.

I open the steel doors and remove my sunglasses. I walk in
like a non-criminal and walk to the receptionist. She looks at me and smiles, oblivious
of who I am.

“Can I help you?”

Her smile is forced, her lipstick too red, and her hair too
big.

“Yeah. I’m Brandon Wilson, and I’m here to turn myself in.”

Her smile instantly fades and fear crosses her face.
Seriously! I would never hurt a woman. I feel my anger start to rise, but I
think of Claire and the twins, and I’m instantly calmed. She pushes back her
chair and runs to the back. I stand there and wait, feeling like an idiot.

I guess this doesn’t happen that often.

“ON THE FLOOR, NOW!” I hear one of the officers yell and see
three enter the room. They point their guns at me, and I immediately comply
with their orders. I lie on the floor and put my hands behind my back. I know
the drill. I’ve been on the streets long enough.

They aggressively cuff my hands and haul me up. They throw
me against the wall and pat me down. Seeing I have no weapons, they put their
guns up. My docile behavior shocks them, and they lead me down the hallway to
the back door. One of them is on his radio and the news of my arrest spreads
like wildfire.

They take me out the back and push my head into the backseat
of a police car. Two cops enter the front seats and we start down the road with
the sirens blaring. I know exactly where they’re taking me. We’re going to the
maximum-security prison. I should be scared shitless; I am, after all, facing
my biggest fear.

Instead, I’m still feeling peace and pride.

I’M READ MY rights and put in
solitary confinement. I’m sure I’ve made breaking news, and I wonder what Tommy
thinks about my decision. He’s probably pissed that I took his car and shocked
that I actually gave myself up. I know Richard is cursing me for all those
Mexico arrangements I will no longer need.

I lie in the bed and look at the ceiling. I hear the door opening
and a security worker walks in. He asks what I need and I request some books.
John Grisham if they have any. He nods and leaves. I wonder what will
ultimately happen to me?

I’m going to have plenty of time to think about my life over
the next twenty plus years.

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS HAVE passed, and
another guard arrives at my cell. I’m taken to a small holding room where I’m
met by a female guard. She’s here to discuss my court date.

“Will you be needing a lawyer?”

“Yes.”

“The state will provide you with the services of a lawyer if
that’s what you need.”

I cringe, remembering the state lawyer in the custody case
of my brothers. I almost start to protest, but then realize I have no other
choice. I will have to go with the state lawyer. It’s not like I have a hope in
hell of getting out of this situation anyways.

“Yeah. I’ll need the state lawyer.”

She nods and writes some information on her paper. “Once
they assign the lawyer, he or she will be by to visit you and talk.”

“Okay.”

My meeting with this lady finishes, and I’m ushered back to
my cell. I’m in a holding cell right now, but I expect them to move me to
something more permanent in a few days. I’ve gotten several books checked out
from the library, and I start to read once back in my room.

Maybe I should start making tick marks on the wall so I
don’t lose track of time. Solitary confinement can drive a man mad.

FORTY-EIGHT HOURS HAVE passed, and
I’m finally moved to a more permanent room. I now have a roommate who appears
to have seen harder days than me. I, at least, have television and an allotted
time to work out. I’m also able to venture outside. I live my days by routine,
awaiting the dreaded meeting with my lawyer. One day after finishing my
workout, I’m ushered back to my cell, only to have the guard call me from the
bars.

“Wilson. You’re wanted in the conference room.”

I hold out my hands for him to place the cuffs, and I follow
down the hall. I’m lead into a room which has a table and two chairs. I sit in
one of the chairs and wait for who I assume is my lawyer. The seconds tick and
I’m getting anxious wondering how many years he thinks I’ll receive.

I hear the door squeak open and standing before me is a man
I remember all too well from ten years ago. Memories from that terrible day run
quickly through my mind. I feel the hate starting to surface. He even has the
same nauseating hairstyle.

Standing in front of me is Philip Birch, Claire’s father.

I’m too shocked to move or breathe. My hatred for this man
is no secret, I’ve kidnapped his own daughter to prove that, and I know he’s
here for one reason. He wants to rub this in my face. He wants to tell me what
a sorry role model I have been for my brothers and how I deserve this.

I look at the ground because I can’t look in his face. I
hate Philip Birch, and I don’t care to hear his opinion. I wonder what Claire
has said about me. Maybe she told him a few of my redeeming qualities.

“Mr. Wilson.” Birch breaks the silence, but I don’t respond.
This man removed my brothers from my life. Does he expect me to be polite to
him? He takes a seat in the opposite chair and sets his briefcase on the table.
I continue to stare at the ground, wondering what’s going on.

“Why are you here?” I ask him as curiosity gets the best of
me. If he’s going to gloat, he can just go ahead and get it over with. The bad
thing is I’m chained to myself and I won’t be able to fight him back when he
starts. I’ll just have to sit here and take it like a pansy.

“I’ve agreed to represent you.” He pauses as I look up. “Pro-bono,”
he adds, and now it’s my turn to be shocked.

“What?” I can barely find my voice and I look at him in awe.
Our eyes lock, and I’m instantly humbled. “Why?”

He leans in to me and pauses, choosing his words carefully.
“Because I believe in second chances.” He pauses again and looks at his
briefcase. “And my daughter told me you would do the right thing…which you
did.”

I can’t speak. Claire mentioned me? I look into his eyes and
notice they are the same blue as Claire’s. I look at the ground and attempt to
control my emotions.

“Your daughter…is amazing…sir. She’s one in a million.” I
choose my words wisely because I can’t tell him the truth. I don’t know what
Claire has told him, but I’m sure it’s not that we were in love. That’s what
every father wants to hear, that his daughter is in love with a criminal.

“Yes, she is,” he says as he opens his brief case. I look
back at him and sense the conversation about Claire is finished. It’s time to
work on my case, but I’m still humbled that his man
wants
to work with
me. A man I have spent the last ten years hating is going to represent me. I
have the best lawyer in town at my disposal. This has got to be social suicide
for him.

How can I trust a man I hate? I have to make a split second
decision to funnel all my hatred towards this man into trust. It won’t be easy,
but I see no other choice. Not to mention, he’s the best damn lawyer in town.
If I have any hope of less time, Philip Birch is my answer. I’m completely and
utterly at his mercy. Part of me hates this and the other part loves that
Claire had something to do with him being here. She’s still watching out for
me. She’s still my angel.

He starts to speak, but I quickly interrupt him. “Mr.
Birch.” He looks up and I notice those same blue eyes again.

“Yes, Brandon?”

“Thanks…for doing this.”

He nods. “You’re welcome.”

And just like that the hatred I’ve had for him starts to
melt away. Maybe Claire was right after all. Maybe her dad really is a good
man.