CHAPTER 11 - HIS MOUTH COMES BACK TO TAUNT HIM

MICHAEL

She was there?! I can’t help the relief coursing through my soul. She has just admitted that she washed away my blood! There is no way that they can prove I was there. I sit back in my seat and smirk. 

“Wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you.” Carl growls, I flick him the bird and stretch the tension out of my shoulders. “We don’t need your blood, we know you were there, we know you did it, and we can prove it.”

“No, I was not there. No, I did not do it. No, you have no evidence.” I crow.

“Au contraire, we have evidence.” He states emphatically.

“And you actually believe that she washed away the blood because of Brian not liking the sight of it? It was her blood of course…”

“How do you work that out?!” Lindsay exclaims, I turn to her. “I did not attack Justin!”

“But you were there, they have proof. They have the photos. There is nothing that links me to the scene, but everything is pointing to you, isn’t it?”

“Nope.” Officer Fitson announces. “I was babysitting Gus. She was back within a couple of  hours.”

“Plenty of…” I begin.

“Not her. Present, yes, attacker no. There are a couple of things you have failed to take into consideration. How did she get there and back?”

“By car of course!” I shake my head at her stupidity. She takes out another piece of paper from the file and slides it across to me. “What is this?” 

“Copy of the page of the log book. See where Melanie Marcus is signed in?” Carl’s smile gets wider and wider. “What’s next to that?” I read it and purse my lips. “Yeah, the licence plate of the car she drove. So Lindsay could not have driven over there…”

“Oh how convenient!” I sneer. “I note that this is a copy of the page. I’d like to see the original!”

“Nope, that is evidence!” Carl barks. “You and your attorney will be able to see it after you have been formally charged!”

“The only person you should realistically charge is Lindsay!” I taunt her. “She is the only one that was there. I wasn’t! I was in my apartment, injured, and…”

“Wait a minute!” Mel exclaims, and looks around the room. “Jay-Ray, where is your laptop? Get it now!” She rushes out and is back, switching it on as she returns to her seat, 

“Mel?” Brian frowns.

“Oh, you are without a doubt the most adorably anally retentive man I have ever had the joy of meeting! Give me it, honey!” 

“I am not anally….”

“Not you, you fool!” She snaps as her fingers fly over the keys. “Ted! Get here!” He scurries over and stares at the screen. He is joined by Blake. “You set it up for me, do you think you can find it?!”

“Find what?!” Hunter joins them, moving Mel aside. “Work in IT remember? So what are you looking for?!”

“An email. Just after he moved to Portland, he said he arrived safely but had had an accident.” Mel is animated.

“He sent you an email about that? Why?” Hunter stops, glaring at me.

“Not him, it was from Ted about one he sent him! Maybe a month or so after he got there.” 

“Mel? Can you at least tell us what the email says?!” Boy Wonder demands, but she shakes her head. “Why not?”

“Just in case I am misremembering it.”

“He works best in silence, so everyone be quiet!” Gus orders. The minutes tick by and I take comfort in the disappointment beginning to cloud her face, whilst wracking my brains as to what email I would’ve sent to Ted and why! “Momma? I take it he can’t find it?”

“Because there is nothing to…”

“That one!” Ted shrieks. “Oh my god, Mel! Well done!”

“And what fantastical thing has she found?” I try to calm the hammering in my chest.

“Something that puts you right back in the frame, where you belong!” Blake crows as he reads. I don’t like the smile that Hunter has. “Send it to Carl!” Seconds later his phone beeps. “Read it! Read it!” 

Carl opens up his phone, and once again my knee begins to throb. What the hell do they have?! “Ah, now that is unfortunate for you, Novotny. Whilst she washed away physical evidence in the garage, pray tell how did she clear up the blood in your apartment, since you fell in there first?” 

“What are you blabbing on about?!” I demand.

“Your leg was still bleeding on your way to the airport, correct?” 

“Yes.” I retort.

“Then it got worse at the airport, correct? Just nod, please!” I humor him by doing so, “However, you told Ted, and he told Mel in this email that you got all of your deposit back for having left a spick and span apartment…”

“I tripped in the airport!” I snarl.

“No, you definitely said, then and earlier, that you fell out of the cab rushing to meet me!” David is gleeful. “And, as it was a public place, they would have to have recorded it. You know, to avoid litigation…”

“They can and will subpoena their records.” Ben, who hasn’t said much during my ordeal is now looking gimlet eyed. He leans over Ted and peers at the screen. “Can you open this email Mel? It is the medical we both had for the insurance. And another set of records we need to have is your medical ones, which will show the true extent of your injuries. Those X-rays don’t do that, we need the notes the doctor wrote up. You don’t have an issue providing them, do you, since this will exonerate you, of course?” 

All eyes turn back to me. “But before that, and I know this is going to be painful, but Brian can you tell us what you saw when Justin got bashed?” David asks.

“Why?” Carl frowns. “We have his statement. Surely you…”

“I know, but I just want to check something. Is that okay, Justin?” David presses.

“That’s not very kind of you reliving someone else’s pain!”

“At least he didn't cause it!” Ma snaps. “Sunshine?”

“I am here to hear it, so it’s fine. Let’s sit down though.” Everyone retakes their seats and I roll my eyes. “You ready?”

“As I will ever be…”

Start of flashback

HOTEL GARAGE - PROM NIGHT, FIFTEEN YEARS AGO

BRIAN

“Are you sure you can’t tell me now?” He bats his eyes and smiles up at me.

“No, it has to be when we’re back at the loft. You sure I can’t drop you off?”

“No, I promised I would take her home. I will get back to the loft straight after, she wants details! Now come on, the sooner I go, the quicker I come back to you.”

“I can’t wait to get you back there…” I twirl him around, then bend him back and kiss him, just like we did a few minutes ago in front of everyone.

“Aww! That is so…”

“Ridiculously romantic?” I chuckle. He grins and nods. “Go on now, call me when you are on your way back.”

“I will. I…”

“Don’t, don’t say anything now, okay?”

“See you soon, Stud.” He kisses me softly, then slowly he lets go of my hands and turns away.

I watch him head back to get Daph, twirling both ends of the scarf in his hands, I hum Save the Last Dance as I return to my jeep when I hear something. Looking over my shoulder, I see someone come out of the shadows with something in their hands. They swing at Justin.

“JUSTIN!” I scream, and he falls to the floor. “NO, STOP!” I bellow as the guy starts to swing again, but then turns to run instead. I catch him easily and we scramble for the stick. I get to it first and smash it against his leg. He screams and collapses to the floor. 

“JUSTIN!” I howl as I run back to him. He is moving and groaning. “No, stay still, Sunshine, don’t move!”I wrap his head as best I can with the scarf. Shaking and holding down my vomit I call the ambulance. “Please hurry! Don’t let him die, please!”

Ten minutes later, with the police leading the way, he is stable and we are on the way to the hospital with me pleading with him to hold on, to stay with me!

End of flashback

BRIAN

I take the handkerchief from Emmett and wipe Justin’s face. “You okay?” I whisper. He smiles, then rests his head on my shoulder.

“What was the point of that?!” Novotny demands.

“When you hit him, can you remember how you did it?” Ben asks. “As in, was it a wide swing or just a sharp slug?” 

I think for a bit and go through the motion as my memory comes back. “Sharp slug.”

“Over which shoulder did you see him approach?”

“Left, as if he was coming from a car as opposed to the building.”

“So what of it?!” Novotny snaps.

“Read it out loud, Ted.” Ben orders.

“There’s nothing. No notes, nothing. There is nothing about your injury in your report, and there should be, so why isn’t there?”

“Most likely the previous doctor, a friend of yours, Dr Cameron, I believe, forgot to write it....”

“Records sealed at the request of patient.” Ted interrupts.

“Which I find odd, considering the malingering you did over it. Care to explain?” Ben sneers.

“And whilst you are thinking of a suitable lie…” David pitches in. “...Ted is right about your muscle memory. In fact, your memory in general. While everyone was watching Brian and Justin, I was watching you and you were mouthing the words…”

“What words?” He seethes.

“The words that Brian said to Justin before you bashed him. And you could only have heard them if you were there!”