CHAPTER 13 - THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING COCKSURE

BEN

“And just how did I steal them?!” Michael challenges. “By your own admission, Justin, you changed the locks after I returned from Portland. How did I get into the loft to do that?”

I know I should not feel sorrow, but what he has said confirms to me how much he coveted Brian, how much he never wanted me. I smile at Brandon as he squeezes my hand. 

“So can I give him your number now?” Brandon smiles back.

“No…”

“Give who your number?” 3V demands, which, of course, gets Micharl’s attention.

“I know what this is now!” He yells, standing up. “This is a carefully constructed ruse because you are cheating on me!”

“It’s any straw in a bale for you, isn’t it?!” Mel raps out.

“And that means?!” Michael growls.

“You will grasp at anything to save your accursed carcass.” Ted replies calmly, too calmly. “I would like to know where you come into things, Ben. You’ve barely said a word, but you did say ‘thief’ - explain.” I am about to begin when he clears his throat. “And why is she not being mirandized?” He points at 3V. “She has admitted to tampering with a crime scene, thus impeding the investigation, ergo…”

“Oh, good pont, Ted!” Carl declares smiling. “I was so focused on him…well, go to it!” He looks at Officer Fitson. “You heard Ted.”

3V’s eyes widen as Officer Fitson approaches her with her cuffs out. “You can’t be ser…”

“Lindsay Peterson, I am arresting you for evidence tampering in the case of the attempted murder of Justin Cole Taylor. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you…”

“No! I was trying to help! Trying to ease his pain of seeing that!” She yells, starting to rush to the other side of the table. Unfortunately, round that other side is Jennifer, who trips her up, sending her sprawling. “Ow!” She screeches as her head connects with the cart, causing it to rattle. Luckily for her, none of the bottles fall.

“You will also be charged with resisting arrest!” Officer Fitson hauls her up. “And fleeing the scene of a crime!” She snarls. We watch in silence as the cuffs are clapped on and she starts to lead a stunned but silent 3V out.

“Wait!” Jennifer calls out. “Let her stay! She must stay to the end. What harm could it do?”

“True.” Carl concedes before looking around.

“She can sit right here between Debs and me. Okay with you, Debs?”

“Oh yes, that’s perfectly fine.” Debs growls, moving one seat down. Before she can say anything, she is sat down with Officer Fitson behind her. “Blink, breathe, and be quiet, capice?!” 

TED

“One down, one to go.” I enjoy the ticking of Novotny’s jaw and the clenching of his hands. “So, Ben, you were saying? How is he a thief?”

“Wait a minute, Ted, before you do that. I...” Justin is incredulous. “These? I can’t believe you did this for us!”

“Why not?” I frown. “Can I see it, Carl? Brian?”

“Yes, but come over here, please.” Carl orders, and all but Novotny and Ben crowd around.

“As to why?” Brian clears his throat. “He doodled them one day, so I had them made.”

“Wow, they are beautiful!” Debs sniffs. “Can they get them back, you know, afterwards?”

“That depends on Brian and Justin.” Carl looks from one to the other. “This is one of the final pieces of the puzzle that got us here, so, without going into all of it, can you take us up to how you came by them, Ben?”

“Of course. Everyone sit down, please.” He clears his throat, and we all rush to our seats. Brian and Justin continue to look puzzled.

BEN

“I didn't connect it at first, but it was Novotny who arranged the break in…” Astonishment replaces confusion on everyone’s faces except Carl’s. “...and all so that he could get…”

“I don’t understand.” Ted frowns. 

“He needed the key to the loft so that he could return the rings.” I explain.

“So I am returning something that I stole now, am I? This is such cockamamie bullshit!”

“Wait a second!” Ems exclaims. “Since they were for Prom night, how are they here?” The room goes quiet as people begin to formulate their thoughts. “Where did you find them, Ben?”

“In his sock drawer, buried right at the back, wrapped in a black bag. At first, I was really excited to see a Tiffany Box because our wedding anniversary was coming up. I resisted looking inside for a month, but as our anniversary got closer, I couldn’t resist anymore and had a look. They are so beautiful, I could not believe that he had done this, but, of course, he hadn’t.” I sneer. “You bought yourself some time, coming in like you did…”

Start of flashback

NOVOTNY-BRUCKNER’S HOME - A YEAR AGO

BEN

“BASTARD!” Michael screams after he slams the door. I scramble to put the ring box back exactly as I had found it. “How dare he say no? How dare he?!”

I go downstairs to find an about-to-combust Michael pacing the hallway. I pick up his coat and keys. “Problem?”

He stops in surprise. “What are you doing in? I thought you were marking in the university tonight.”

“I finished early. What’s got your nerves pulsating?”

“B...Justin! Justin is being totally unreasonable!” 

“Because?” I try to stop his resumed pacing. “Michael, please explain.”

“You know that Brian is having the loft refitted, and Justin is so busy with his artsy fartsy stuff...”

“Yes. You have mentioned the loft refit once or twice.” He frowns slightly at my tone. He has done nothing but complain that Brian is ruining the character of the loft now that Justin is using it as a base when he’s too lazy to go back to their big mansion! “What of it?”

“Well, I thought I could keep an eye on the loft for them. You know, stay there whilst it is being done...what’s that look for?”

“I can understand you wanting to check it for them…”

“Him.” He sniffs.

“Them.” I repeat. “But why would you stay there?”

“It would only be during the week, and…”

“Michael, Justin would not be happy about you staying in the loft when neither of them are there. It is his home too, unless you hadn’t noticed…”

“Oh, I had noticed.” He bites out. “It’s just…” He looks at his watch. “...actually, let’s jump into the shower real quick. I need to speak to Ma, you don’t need to come. I can meet you in Mako’s, my treat!” He dashes upstairs. 

“What are you treating me to...” I ask, then my phone rings. “Let me get rid of them, won’t be long!” I call up to him, but he’s already in the bathroom. When I finish my call fifteen minutes later, he’s towelling himself off. 

“Come on, chop-chop, dinner waits for no man!” He grins, ushering me into the bathroom, before shutting the door behind me. 

Thirty minutes later, I am making my way to Mako’s, completely confused by his turn in mood.

MAKO’S - TWENTY MINUTES LATER

I look at my watch, almost tempted to phone him or Debs to find out where he is, when he comes striding in. Seems like he is in a bad mood again!

“You okay?” As he sits down, I reach for his hand, he folds his arms. “Do you want to go home instead?”

“No, but am now not in the mood for here! Let's go to Woody’s!” Without waiting for me, he flounces out. I pay for my beer and run after him. “Michael…” I begin when I catch up with him. “...Michael, what's going on now?!” I pull him to a stop. He glares before yanking his arm away. “Just found out something really annoying!”

“Clearly! What is it?”

“He asked my Ma to oversee the refit!”

“You’ve always said that she is like a mother to him, why should Brian asking her to do that get this reaction?!”

“Brian didn’t, Justin did! I need a drink! Are you coming or not?!” The rest of the walk is in angry silence.

WOODY’S - TEN MINUTES LATER

BEN

He is brooding in a booth whilst I am at the bar. “Hey, Professor!” Brian’s tired voice reaches me. “By your lonesome?”

“No, Michael is over there. Sulking. Is Justin with you?” 

“Yeah, just in the bathroom. Why?” He frowns at my heavy sigh.

“Michael is annoyed with him over the refit. What do you two want to drink?”

“Refit? What does that have to do with Michael? Double Beams, please.” 

“And some fries!” Justin appears. “Large portion.”

“Okay, go sit down. You look…”

“Not without you.” Justin murmurs, cutting his eye at Michael, then getting on my other side, as if he is hiding. 

I notice that Michael lights up when he sees Brian. His smile gets wider as we approach the table with the drinks. It shatters into a million pieces when he sees Justin. 

“Oh, now what?!” Brian sighs.

“Nothing!” Michael replies. “Just tired!”

I have had enough of his mood switches. “It is not nothing, Brian. Michael asked Justin if he could oversee the loft refit. Not sure why he wanted to actually stay overnight, but Justin said n. Besides, as it turns out, Justin had asked Debs to do it.”

“So what’s wrong with that? We’re going to be away, we need someone to look after it. And…”

“And why not his mother? Why mine?!” Michael retorts.

“Because Jennifer is busy…” Brian begins.

“And why not me?!” Michael interrupts.

“Because this will involve you having a key, and I don't want you to have one! I have loved every second that you couldn't come and go as you pleased!” Justin’s bellow silences the bar. “That is our home, not your ‘toy room’ to live out fantasies of you and Brian going at it on the legendary bed, which, by the way, has been replaced, like you, a long time ago!”

“I have not been…”

“Yes you have!” Brian declares before knocking back his drink. “Just as I should’ve been replaced by Ben. And my sunshine is right, as usual, it has been great. I never knew how much I hated it until you weren’t able to do it anymore!”

Michael blinks rapidly before pushing past us all and storming out. “I should…”

“Sit down and have some fries.” Justin orders as they arrive. I waver for one second, then sit down. “A sheep as well as a lamb?”

“Hmmm. No, I think this is more being hung for a cow as well as a calf.” I reply.

NOVOTNY-BRUCKNER HOME - TWO HOURS LATER

BEDROOM

I sigh as I read the angry note from Michael, which he taped to the dresser mirror. He accuses me of being treacherous in revealing what was wrong, callous in not standing up to Justin for him, and wonders if he made the right choice marrying me! I am tempted to screw the note up when I notice his sock drawer is slightly open. Upon checking it, the box is gone…

End of flashback

BEN

“So, after that night, it was the start of the month of the big sulk. Everyone was suffering as you went from house to house, trying to get people to see your side, but they weren’t, were they, Novotny? Not even 3V agreed with you, but then again she was too busy screwing around to pay attention, living up to Brian’s long dead mantra of getting his needs met. Our anniversary came and went with no sign of the rings. The loft was finished, and a fragile accord was reached. We had a loft warming party, do you remember?” Everyone nods, all still a bit confused. “Then I got sick, really ill. I’m sure you all remember it was touch and go. During that time, I hardly saw you, my husband rarely visited my side. In fact, Justin visited more whilst Brian looked after you. But I rallied. I was surprised to find, two weeks after my discharge, the rings were back, but another month later, the break in happened.”

“If I could stop you there, Ben, please?” Carl asks. I nod and he pulls out my old phone, again in an evidence bag. “And that was because of this…”

CARL

I look at my watch. Whilst I was outside with Ben, I got a call to say that they had located the garage. A CSI had gone with Miller, but it would take another couple of hours to go over it. Thankfully, they had everything they needed in the CSI Mobile Unit to compare onsite.

“So, it was this call that Ben recorded and him remembering your reaction which started the beginning of the end for you…”

All the time that Ben has been talking, Novotny has been silent. His furious and jealous gaze never leaving the rings. 

“Ready?” I look at my two boys, relieved that this is soon to be over for them. “I don’t want anybody to say anything whilst this plays, alright…” All bar two nod. “Good morning, this is Tiffany’s calling for Michael Novotny-Brucker. We just want to confirm that you want to change the dates on both rings to say ‘met in 1985’, and the married date to be left blank. And the words ‘my sunshine’ on the smaller ring overlaid? If you can confirm that, and also bring in the receipt, as we can't do the inscription changes without it, that would be great.” I switch it off, and, putting on gloves, take the rings out of the box, then take out the piece of paper. I hand it to Brian. “Can you tell me what that is?”

“Oh my God, the receipt!” He exclaims. “I remember now I put it in there because I wanted to see if you were happy with ‘sunshine’, I wanted to put ‘twot’ instead!”

“And it is dated 2001, which is the year of the Prom. 1985 was when you first met Brian. You, Novotny, stole them in 2001, and, as Ben said, broke in.” I smile at Ben. “The floor is yours.”

“Thanks, Carl.” Ben returns. “You see, when we were arguing at Woody’s, and Brian agreed with Justin about the keys, your expression when he said ‘my sunshine’ was filled with such hatred, much like now, that at the time I thought I imagined it. And it was during one Sunday lunch after the loft was turned over that I heard something interesting. Debs was given another set of keys for emergencies, Justin insisted. And that’s how the break in happened…”

“He broke into the loft to put the ring back, but that doesn't make sense. I mean, it does, but it doesn’t.” Blake frowns.

“No, you are all misunderstanding…” Ben smiles at Blake before looking Novotny dead in the eye. “...the loft break in wasn’t him, but the one at the diner was. Debs kept them there because, as she told Gus when they were washing up after dinner, she thought he would try and get them if she left them at the house.”

“This, um, doesn’t actually prove that he stole the rings.” Mel sighs, he looks relieved. 

“Yes it does…” I crow. “...first because he said loft, nobody said where they were taken from. And secondly, this was not the first time he went to Tiffany’s! He went three years before, in 2012, when Brian and Justin were going through that rough patch and briefly split. Again, it was because he was spending so much time weeping on Brian’s shoulder whilst Ben was ill. Justin could only take so much.” I take out another piece of paper. “And this is the record of that order.”

“So…” Mel turns to Novotny. “...get yourself out of that!”