Puppet on a String

Part II

They only realized that he was serious when he kept raising the subject at every meeting. Paul told Charlie and Jonathan that killing his wife would be easy. They only had to listen to his instructions and all would be well – “Approach my wife from behind, cover her mouth with one hand and slit her throat with the other.”

When Jonathan later turned down Paul’s offer, the latter challenged Charlie to prove his guts by accepting it. On 9 May 1996, Charlie met Paul at his flat. There, Paul told him to buy a knife with a blade that was short enough to hide but long enough to kill.

After the meeting, Charlie started having second thoughts but Paul harassed and pressured him over the next few days. On 13 May, Paul rang Charlie and told him to kill Michelle that day. Charlie pleaded that it was Mother’s Day and he wanted Michelle to enjoy her last Mother’s Day with her daughter. But he could not stall for long. At 9 pm the next day, Paul ordered Charlie to his house where he gave him a steak knife and a promise of $2,000 a month for four years after the job was done. When Charlie said he did not want to do it, Paul threatened to kill him.

Trapped, Charlie rationalised, “If I don’t do it, I will die. If I do it, I will get the money.” He finally agreed. After that, they took a bus to the north where Michelle lived. At her block, Charlie lay in wait as Paul lured Michelle from her flat on the pretext of signing some documents. When Michelle later took the lift up to get a pen, it was the chance for Charlie to strike. There was no backing off now. Once Michelle emerged from the lift, he rushed from behind, covered her mouth and stabbed her several times. As Michelle collapsed, Charlie fled the scene. He took a taxi to a park in his neighbourhood where he threw the knife into a dustbin.

On his way home, Charlie felt a stab of guilt. He could not believe that he had actually killed someone. When he reached home, he took a shower and called his girlfriend, Grace. They met at around midnight but he did not tell her about the killing. The following day, he told Jonathan what he had done and his friend was shocked.

Two days later, Jonathan told Charlie that the police had traced their connection with Paul and wanted to interview them. Under interrogation, Charlie confessed his crime the next day. Strangely, he felt a sense of relief after his confession.

After the verdict, he was sent to Changi Prison on 5 December 1996. Charlie took some time to get used to the prison regime which for him would start at 6 am every day with a shower and breakfast. This would be followed by 30 minutes of exercise in the yard where he would do push-ups. He would also read and pray in his cell. In the afternoon, he would attend three hours of classes, after which he would mop the floor and distribute bread for breakfast the next day. He also reads in his spare time, and is proud to have devoured every volume of the Harry Potter series.

His family visits him twice a month. During these visits, they would keep him posted of outside developments. He also writes to them whenever he could. While he hardly talked to his family in the past, he is more communicative now and shares his feelings with family members. His stay in prison has made him realise the importance of family support. He feels that his parents have done everything they can to bring him up right, and he only has himself to blame for his plight.

Life in prison has led him to appreciate the simple things of life. A bird resting at the window of his cell would make his day. He also realises the importance of education. As such, he is determined to do his ‘O’ levels and improve himself in prison. He believes that he still has a future and plans eventually to do charity work.

One night, Charlie had a dream. In his dream, Michelle looked peaceful and told him that she had forgiven him. Sometimes in his quiet moments, he wonders if Michelle’s family too has forgiven him for taking her life.

Part I

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