Chapter 5

After Melissa's interview, Bartholomew received a flood of requests to be interviewed by tons of other young women claiming to be a victim of Salazar Simmons. The list he received by mail contained 70 young women and he thought that was the end of it. But as his live vlog feed spread because of continuous shares from his followers and their social media connection, more and more victims got the courage to speak out.

But Simmons' family became a powerful family because of his fame. They immediately assembled a press conference to deny all the allegations about their dead family member. They even used their young ones to testify about how great Salazar Simmons is an uncle and grandfather.

Bartholomew doesn't care about that. He continued to post vlog feeds following the documentary of all the victims of Salazar Simmons. Together with his cameraman Neilson, Bart is on his way to another young woman claiming to be a victim of Salazar Simmons. Her name is Martha Stewart.

Their car stopped in front of an old house that is already falling into ruin. It is obvious that whoever is living in this house no longer has the capacity to maintain it. As Bart and Neil got out of the car, the front door of the house was opened by a little girl. Neil pulled the edge of his sleeve as he looked intently at the little girl.

"What?" Bart asked, irritated.

"Look at the little girl." Neil pointed at her. Bart looked at her and realized what Neil was talking about. She definitely looked like Salazar Simmons.

"Hey there, little one. Is Mama home?" Neil asked the little girl with the friendliest tone he could muster. The little girl just nodded then run inside the house. After a minute, a young woman appeared. She looked tired and sickly.

"Bartholomew Carter?" The woman asked.

"Yes, I am Bartholomew Carter. Are you Martha?" The woman nodded and opened the door wider, letting them in.

When they entered the house, the interior look was worst than the exterior. The inside of the house looked like it hadn't been clean for a long time. Which is understandable by the look of Martha. Even walking a few steps makes her tired.

"Martha, is it okay if we film this interview?" Bart asked politely. Martha nodded. Neilson prepared the camera in front of them. When he's done, he gave the signal.

"Good afternoon my dear followers and friends. This is Bartholomew Carter, broadcasting live with another of Salazar Simmons' victims, a woman he impregnated and left unsupported, Martha Stewart. Martha, how did you meet Salazar Simmons?" Bart started the interview.

Martha told her story from the beginning. Back when she was still in her senior year in high school. When her hopes of supporting herself and her family were still her first priority. Bart learned that Salazar offered her a job as his regular muse. But after their first session, Salazar did to her what he did to all his other muses.

After his interview with Martha Steward, Bart took Neil to the Martindalle Police Department to get a statement from the investigation team that handles Simmons' death. When they arrived, they were lucky enough to see Det. Marvin Sullivan sitting in his recliner reading some files.

"Detective Sullivan, good afternoon.' Bart greeted the detective.

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Marvin is reading the reports from the forensic department when he heard a very familiar voice beside him. He sighed before turning to face the most famous reporter in all of Martindalle.

"Bartholomew Carter, a pleasure to see you here. How can I help you?" Marvin asked even though he already has an idea of what the reporter wants.

"Let's cut the chase, Detective. I'd like to interview you about the development of the Simmons' case, Do you have any suspects already?" Bartholomew's attitude doesn't surprise Marvin anymore. He really is not someone to waste his precious time.

"Well, honestly, we don't have a suspect yet. All we know is that it's a woman." Sullivan responded truthfully.

"What do we expect from an incompetent detective and an incompetent police department?" Their conversation was interrupted by a woman's voice.

"You're Salazar Simmons' sister, am I right?" Bartholomew is the kind of person that never gets intimidated by someone. Marvin knows that by experience.

"And you are that has-been reporter who is trying to ruin my brother's name for his own gain," The woman retaliated.

"What can you say about the statements of all your brother's victims? Are they all liars? All two hundred of them? Are you saying that someone paid two hundred people to testify against your brother? Are you saying that all two hundred of them are crazy enough to ruin their names and lives?" Bartholomew's question caught her off guard.

"Well, if they were all claiming to be victims of my brother, then why didn't they sue him when he was alive?" The woman responded almost stuttering.

"Who are they compared to your brother? And they are suing him now. Regardless if he's dead or alive, his victims will get the justice they deserve." Bartholomew replied sternly before walking away from them.

Salazar's sister was left dumbfounded and shocked with how that confrontation turned out. She never expected that a reporter like Batholomew Carter will have the guts to talk to her that way. After all, the Simmons family is respected and well-known in Martindalle because of her brother.

But what she failed to realize is that their days of glory are now over. Because of the revelation of her brother's crime, the people of Martindalle no longer respect them. They are like town people accused of witchcraft. There's no need for trial. The word of two hundred young women claiming to be Salazar Simmons' victim is more than enough for the people to believe the accusation against him.

"Damn! That was intense." Mark, one of their police officer exclaimed beside Marvin as soon as Salazar's sister walked away. 'Do you think the accusation towards Simmons is true?"

"I don't think two hundred women will unite to destroy Salazar Simmons' name for nothing," Marvin responded.