Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > We Like Movies
I had to leave for the airport as soon as we reached the venue the next morning. Everything had been arranged and my ticket was waiting. Saying good-bye to Gerard was one of the hardest things I had ever done. He looked so lost as I waved goodbye from the van.
The flight to Jersey was long and boring. I slept most of the way. Brian had arranged for a car to pick me up in New York at the airport. The trip was made easier by the fact I had only one small carry on bag. No luggage to deal with simplified the situation greatly. I had the driver take me directly to the Belleville Police Station.
Once I explained who I was and my purpose for being there I was led into the office of the detective handling the case. He introduced himself as Detective Casey. He was an older man, very no-nonsense. I was told that the house had been broken into late at night. A neighbor, who was of course Helen, had noticed the open side door. She was the one who had called the police.
“Mrs. Way we need you to view the home and help us note the damage for the report. We dusted for prints on the door that was left open but it was clean. Whoever broke in wiped the door handle down. Taking prints inside the home would be difficult. I’m sure there are too many to identify.
I nodded. “Yes, I can understand that. So once the report is done, then what?”
He sat back in his chair. “You’ll want to notify your insurance company. There was a lot of damage done to the walls and rugs. My guess is some kids broke in and did it. You know it’s never a good idea to leave a house empty like that.”
I nodded. “My husband was undecided what to do with house. It was his family home and he didn’t want it sold. However because he travels so much he has neglected it. I know he hired someone to take care of the lawn.”
“He should have hired someone to take care of the house itself.” He said rather sharply.
“Can we take care of this now?” I asked wanting to get this over and done with. My flight to Oklahoma City was in four hours. He agreed we started for the house. He in his own car with me and my driver following.
When we pulled up outside the house looked the same as it had the last time I had been there. I got out and followed the detective inside using the door that was, for the time being, unable to be locked. He pointed out I needed to get a locksmith. Damn, add that to my list of to-do things.
We walked in through the family room. It looked untouched.
“Most of the damage is in the lower level.” He said as I followed him through the kitchen.
My heart missed a beat. I knew with a terrible sinking feeling that most of the damage would be in Gerard’s old room. I was of course right. As we walked through the rooms downstairs I saw various spots where someone had stray painted words. I knew the words. Put together they were lyrics from an MCR song. A song that was from the first album.
“You okay?” Detective Casey asked looking at me strangely.
“Sure.” I said with a slight smile.
His eyes followed my line of sight. “The words mean anything to you?’
Even thought they were written on different walls I could put them together. “They are song lyrics. You know who my husband is right?”
He smiled, “Yeah, my kids are fans of the group. I thought that might be why this house was broken into. Not sure why fans would make this mess though.”
I shrugged. We continued on. It was hard to make my feet move as he entered Gerard’s bedroom. He flipped on the light because the day was cloudy and the small windows didn’t offer enough illumination. My eyes looked around the room noting all the damage.
“Looks like someone was pretty angry, doesn’t it?”
I nodded. The bed was overturned. The walls had big black ugly slashes done with spray paint. The closet door was hanging by one hinge.
“Fuck” I said. “Sorry.” I quickly added.
He smiled. “It is shocking.” He pulled back the bedroom door. “So is this.”
There on the wall, not in black paint but in red, was the word MURDER. I fucking felt like I was going to faint. The room seemed to spin and I closed my eyes.
“Why would anyone do this?” I asked softly.
When I opened my eyes I could see him watching me closely. “I don’t know. I was hoping you might have a clue.”
“No” I said gathering all my strength. “I have no idea.”
I knew he was watching me closely. I had to fucking act like I had never acted before.
“This is all so senseless. I can’t imagine fans doing this. Maybe kids who hate the group but not fans.”
We both stood in silence for several minutes. Finally he spoke. “Lets get this report done. I’ve got the number of a lock smith you can use.”
“Thank you,” I said meaning it.
Once everything was taken care of, including paying the locksmith for his services, we walked outside.
“I’m sorry you had to make this trip but I had to have the homeowner present when I wrote up my report.” Detective Casey said.
“I understand.” I felt sick to my stomach and my head was pounding. I knew I still needed to stop by and see Donna on my way to the airport. Time was getting away from me.
“We’ll try to keep a better eye on this place. Now that we know it’s empty an officer will patrol by here more often.”
“Thank you, Detective Casey. I’ll talk to Gerard about the house.”
“Maybe you folks could rent it out.” He said walking towards his car. “I mean once it gets cleaned up.”
I nodded. There was no way in hell this house would ever be rented out. Right now I wanted the fucker burnt to the ground.
“Thank you for all your help. If we find out anything about the intruder we’ll contact you. Do you have a number where you can be reached?”
“I can give you Gerard’s manager’s number.” I took out a piece of paper and wrote Brian’s office number.
“Once again, thank you.” He opened his car door and slid inside.
“Thank you. We appreciate any help you can give us on this. This was a senseless thing. My husband loves this house. I’m gonna hate to tell him what was done.” Holy shit, I wanted to choke on my words. I forced myself to smile as he drove away.
I started towards my car and noticed the driver had his head back and was asleep. I felt bad he had been forced to wait so long. As I neared the car I heard my name.
“Laura.” Helen called out again as she crossed the road.
God, why now? I felt like I could suddenly shatter into a million pieces.
“Hello Helen.” I smiled the best fake smile I had.
“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t believe someone broke into the house. What is this neighborhood coming to?”
“It is sad.” I said
“Do you have a few minutes?”
At first I wanted to say fuck no. I wanted to get into the car and get as far away from the house as I could. Then I realized that this just might be the opportunity I had been waiting for.
“Sure. I still have to see Donna before I head back to the airport but I’ve got a few minutes.”
“Come on over. I’ve got fresh coffee. We can talk.”
It was hard not to flinch as she linked arms with me. I reminded myself that for all I knew this was a good woman caught up in something tragic. Caught up in something that could break her heart.
I looked back once more at my sleeping driver. It was best just to let him sleep until I was ready to go. “Coffee sounds wonderful.” I said as we made our way towards Helen’s house.
The flight to Jersey was long and boring. I slept most of the way. Brian had arranged for a car to pick me up in New York at the airport. The trip was made easier by the fact I had only one small carry on bag. No luggage to deal with simplified the situation greatly. I had the driver take me directly to the Belleville Police Station.
Once I explained who I was and my purpose for being there I was led into the office of the detective handling the case. He introduced himself as Detective Casey. He was an older man, very no-nonsense. I was told that the house had been broken into late at night. A neighbor, who was of course Helen, had noticed the open side door. She was the one who had called the police.
“Mrs. Way we need you to view the home and help us note the damage for the report. We dusted for prints on the door that was left open but it was clean. Whoever broke in wiped the door handle down. Taking prints inside the home would be difficult. I’m sure there are too many to identify.
I nodded. “Yes, I can understand that. So once the report is done, then what?”
He sat back in his chair. “You’ll want to notify your insurance company. There was a lot of damage done to the walls and rugs. My guess is some kids broke in and did it. You know it’s never a good idea to leave a house empty like that.”
I nodded. “My husband was undecided what to do with house. It was his family home and he didn’t want it sold. However because he travels so much he has neglected it. I know he hired someone to take care of the lawn.”
“He should have hired someone to take care of the house itself.” He said rather sharply.
“Can we take care of this now?” I asked wanting to get this over and done with. My flight to Oklahoma City was in four hours. He agreed we started for the house. He in his own car with me and my driver following.
When we pulled up outside the house looked the same as it had the last time I had been there. I got out and followed the detective inside using the door that was, for the time being, unable to be locked. He pointed out I needed to get a locksmith. Damn, add that to my list of to-do things.
We walked in through the family room. It looked untouched.
“Most of the damage is in the lower level.” He said as I followed him through the kitchen.
My heart missed a beat. I knew with a terrible sinking feeling that most of the damage would be in Gerard’s old room. I was of course right. As we walked through the rooms downstairs I saw various spots where someone had stray painted words. I knew the words. Put together they were lyrics from an MCR song. A song that was from the first album.
“You okay?” Detective Casey asked looking at me strangely.
“Sure.” I said with a slight smile.
His eyes followed my line of sight. “The words mean anything to you?’
Even thought they were written on different walls I could put them together. “They are song lyrics. You know who my husband is right?”
He smiled, “Yeah, my kids are fans of the group. I thought that might be why this house was broken into. Not sure why fans would make this mess though.”
I shrugged. We continued on. It was hard to make my feet move as he entered Gerard’s bedroom. He flipped on the light because the day was cloudy and the small windows didn’t offer enough illumination. My eyes looked around the room noting all the damage.
“Looks like someone was pretty angry, doesn’t it?”
I nodded. The bed was overturned. The walls had big black ugly slashes done with spray paint. The closet door was hanging by one hinge.
“Fuck” I said. “Sorry.” I quickly added.
He smiled. “It is shocking.” He pulled back the bedroom door. “So is this.”
There on the wall, not in black paint but in red, was the word MURDER. I fucking felt like I was going to faint. The room seemed to spin and I closed my eyes.
“Why would anyone do this?” I asked softly.
When I opened my eyes I could see him watching me closely. “I don’t know. I was hoping you might have a clue.”
“No” I said gathering all my strength. “I have no idea.”
I knew he was watching me closely. I had to fucking act like I had never acted before.
“This is all so senseless. I can’t imagine fans doing this. Maybe kids who hate the group but not fans.”
We both stood in silence for several minutes. Finally he spoke. “Lets get this report done. I’ve got the number of a lock smith you can use.”
“Thank you,” I said meaning it.
Once everything was taken care of, including paying the locksmith for his services, we walked outside.
“I’m sorry you had to make this trip but I had to have the homeowner present when I wrote up my report.” Detective Casey said.
“I understand.” I felt sick to my stomach and my head was pounding. I knew I still needed to stop by and see Donna on my way to the airport. Time was getting away from me.
“We’ll try to keep a better eye on this place. Now that we know it’s empty an officer will patrol by here more often.”
“Thank you, Detective Casey. I’ll talk to Gerard about the house.”
“Maybe you folks could rent it out.” He said walking towards his car. “I mean once it gets cleaned up.”
I nodded. There was no way in hell this house would ever be rented out. Right now I wanted the fucker burnt to the ground.
“Thank you for all your help. If we find out anything about the intruder we’ll contact you. Do you have a number where you can be reached?”
“I can give you Gerard’s manager’s number.” I took out a piece of paper and wrote Brian’s office number.
“Once again, thank you.” He opened his car door and slid inside.
“Thank you. We appreciate any help you can give us on this. This was a senseless thing. My husband loves this house. I’m gonna hate to tell him what was done.” Holy shit, I wanted to choke on my words. I forced myself to smile as he drove away.
I started towards my car and noticed the driver had his head back and was asleep. I felt bad he had been forced to wait so long. As I neared the car I heard my name.
“Laura.” Helen called out again as she crossed the road.
God, why now? I felt like I could suddenly shatter into a million pieces.
“Hello Helen.” I smiled the best fake smile I had.
“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t believe someone broke into the house. What is this neighborhood coming to?”
“It is sad.” I said
“Do you have a few minutes?”
At first I wanted to say fuck no. I wanted to get into the car and get as far away from the house as I could. Then I realized that this just might be the opportunity I had been waiting for.
“Sure. I still have to see Donna before I head back to the airport but I’ve got a few minutes.”
“Come on over. I’ve got fresh coffee. We can talk.”
It was hard not to flinch as she linked arms with me. I reminded myself that for all I knew this was a good woman caught up in something tragic. Caught up in something that could break her heart.
I looked back once more at my sleeping driver. It was best just to let him sleep until I was ready to go. “Coffee sounds wonderful.” I said as we made our way towards Helen’s house.
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