by Simone Elise
Betrayal. Pure, red betrayal filled me and suffocated me. The heart-throbbing pain that was filling me was deadly.
She opened her mouth, but was cut off when the door swung wide.
"What's going on in here?" Her stepfather was standing in the doorframe.
I looked at him with as much disgust as I felt for what Chloe was doing.
"He got the wrong room," Chloe lied. If there was one thing I was learning about her, it was she was good at that. At lying.
"Do I know you?" Her stepfather looked at me closely.
"We walked into him in the lobby," Chloe lied again. "He's just some stranger."
I looked back at her. That was how she felt? I was a stranger.
"Yeah, I guess I am," I muttered and turned around, shouldering her stepfather as I passed him. He could have her. She was nothing but a liar, and now I had to somehow tell Jess I couldn't protect her from this one.
For the first time ever, I was letting my family down and all because I had let a woman into my heart. How stupid was I?
***
Two weeks later
"I'll take the blame. I did it." I rubbed my temples. We had spent hours talking about this; the same thing over and over for the last two weeks.
"As I've said, Chase, your prints aren't at the scene. The witness is also staying strong on that she was with Jess." Mrs. Brooks sighed. "Jess is the one on trial here."
The option that the boys and I had to talk about was killing Chloe. We had discussed it, and I wouldn't do it. As much as she was hurting me, I could never hurt her.
I shook my head, not accepting it. "No, that's just not happening."
Everyone was quiet. We had gone over what we could and couldn't do. Me coming forward wasn't an option, at least not one that would be believed. They would think I was just taking the blame for my sister. Mrs. Brooks had made that clear.
And this statement that Chloe was giving focused on Jess.
We still didn't know what was in the statement since it was due to get released today, but Mrs. Brooks had made it clear that the case would be lost once it is released.
Jess was silently crying, and it hit me now. Me admitting to what I did wouldn't solve this problem; we had to face what was happening.
The boys were quieter than usual, all feeling as useless as me.
"Where will she be sent?" I said, much to my regret. Admitting it was happening meant I was forced to give up on other options.
"That we can change. We can pick the prison if she pleads guilty," Mrs. Brooks said to me.
I looked back at Jess and got up. This was going to be the hardest thing I had to do. I had to face reality. There was nothing I could do. I turned Jess's chair around and kneeled in front of her.
"Jess, if we choose the jail, we can organize protection for you." If there was one thing I had, it was connections.
"Chase has a point, we could put her in a prison we have some control of," Marc spoke up, agreeing with me.
"I can start making calls." Oliver pulled his phone out.
Jess was still silently crying but nodded her head and then wrapped her arms around me, hugging me as tight as she could. She was scared; she was terrified, but I would make sure she stayed alive. I might not be able to keep her out of prison, but I could darn well make sure she lived to serve her sentence.
“Okay, well, that's settled. Once the witness statement is presented, we will put in a plea of guilty," Mrs. Brooks said, confirming our decision.
It took us weeks to accept the decision, and we weren't coming to it lightly. We would do anything to keep Jess out of prison but facing the grim reality was something that had to be done.
"When does it get released?" I asked, still holding Jess up.
"Midday."
I pulled out my phone; it was 11.31am, twenty-nine minutes until my sister was admitting to a crime she didn't commit. She would be doing time for something I did. The same question that kept going through my head surfaced again - how could Chloe do this to me?
And was it wrong, that even though she was doing this to my sister, I still loved her? I couldn't say that to my family. They wouldn't understand.
Chloe had betrayed us. We trusted her and now, now she was lying. For what purpose? Did she really want to hurt me that badly? And, if she did, why didn't she point that statement at me. I did the killing; I was the killer. Jess was innocent.
"We'll get through this, Jess. We will make sure you do," I said to her while she cried into my shoulder. It was the first time since my dad died that I was the one letting the family down. My actions were causing this.
My family expected me to be the one with answers and, this time, I didn't have them. I couldn't solve this. If anything, I hadn't just caused it, I had dug Jess an early grave by trusting Chloe.
I hadn't just trusted Chloe with my family, I trusted her with my heart and she had betrayed both. I still didn't believe it. I couldn't come to terms with the fact she would do that to me. Even though Jess was crying on my shoulder, my heart was still clinging to Chloe. I still loved her, and that burnt me the most.
Chapter 33
Chase's Point of View
"So, Saint Andrews has more of a white population. It's an all-women’s prison and we have links with one of the gangs in there." Oliver was off the phone, giving us a sum up of what he had found out.
This wasn't how we worked. When someone was a threat to our family, when our family was in danger, we would all just end up in a big brawl and we all get involved. This was different. We had to play it smart. We couldn't win this with a fistfight.
It consumed me when I thought about it. The next time I saw Chloe, she would be on the stand lying about my family.
The clock hit mid-day, and the doom in the room could be cut with a knife. The boys were tired and frustrated. There was nothing worse than watching someone you love suffering, and Jess was suffering. She was eating her nails in the recliner. Oliver had given her a bottle of Jack Daniels, and she was drowning herself in it. She said she wouldn't do this sober.
I had to give it up to her. She was being stronger than I expected.
This was completely out of our control, and we hated that. I watched the clock tick one minute past.
Mrs. Brooks was on to it. Her laptop was out and she was waiting for the witness statement.
I was drumming my fingers on the table. Archie and Dan were organizing connections for Jess, Marc was giving Jess a strong talking to, mom was comforting Sammie, Declan was on his phone, Oliver was pacing and we were all waiting.
What would Chloe say? I still didn't understand why she would lie. I was thinking over my last words to her. I told her I wished I had never met her. If only that was true. Should they have been the last words I said to her?
She would live the rest of her life thinking I used her and hated her. That was far from the truth. I loved her.
“Okay, I've got it." Mrs. Brooks announced to everyone. She got everyone's attention. The boys hung up their phones and Marc braced Jess's shoulder. Here it was, it was happening. I was about to find out just how much Chloe hated me and wanted to ruin me.
What was she desperate enough to say?
“Okay, Chloe Marshall is stating she was with Jessica McKenzie on the twenty-fourth of March." Mrs. Brooks started.
Great.
So this was really happening.
Chloe wasn't with Jess that night. I had left Chloe asleep in bed that night.
"Interesting." Mrs. Brooks stopped.
"What's interesting?" Jess sat up, handing Marc her Jack Daniels bottle.
"Jess, maybe you should be drinking this." Marc handed it back to her.
"Nope. I'm ready to hear my fate." Jess shook her head. "Please, Mrs. Brooks, continue."
"I, Chloe Marshall, state that I was with Jessica McKenzie on the twenty-fourth of March two thousand and sixteen. On said night, we went to Harris Roberts’s property
in 11 Clover Street, at which time we found Harris Roberts intoxicated. Harris Roberts assaulted Jessica McKenzie. When he continued to attack her, I struck Harris Roberts across the head with a baseball bat. When he didn't stop, I picked up a gun and fired two shots into the side of his head. I therefore testify I killed Harris Roberts out of self-defense. I take full responsibility for my actions." Mrs. Brooks cleared her voice. "The Crown drops all charges against Jessica McKenzie and will release her bail amount."
Silence.
"Wait, did Chloe just admit to killing him?" Oliver asked, confirming what we all just heard. We were all looking between each other as if what we just heard was unbelievable.
"Yes." Mrs. Brooks closed her laptop. "Really, we had nothing to worry about. You're a free woman, Jess."
"So, Chloe wasn't testifying against Jess, she was testifying for Jess." Oliver looked around the room. "She actually took the rap for something we did?"
I couldn't form words. Like Oliver, I didn't believe it. All this time we had been counting on Chloe to testify against Jess. Not save her. Not to admit to something I did. Shock wore off, and I only had one question.
"What happened to Chloe?"
"You really want to know?" Mrs. Brooks arched her eyebrow at me.
"She saved our ass, of course we want to know!" Marc shouted at her. Marc never held back when it came to Mrs. Brooks, but I was just as irritated by her not answering right away as well.
She opened her laptop up. "The Crown is pressing charges against Chloe Marshall."
"What did she get?" Oliver stood up. "Come on, Brooks, spit it out."
"You want details?" Mrs. Brooks looked up, less than impressed.
"Yes, for Christ’s sake!" I shouted at her, my temper getting the best of me. Right now, I needed to know what had happened to her.
She licked her lips. "She got six years on probation under the custody of Joe Kennedy. She has a curfew of ten pm to six am where she must be at the home address of Joe Kennedy and an ankle monitor will enforce this. A minimum of twenty hours a week is to be completed doing charity work. Any association with known criminals will violate her probation, and she will serve the rest of her sentence in custody of the state. She has accepted these conditions." Mrs. Brooks looked me in the eye. "She got off lightly. One would think she had a connection with the detective on the case."
"Who was the detective on the case?"
"Joe Kennedy."
Her stepfather. Why was I getting the feeling she was forced into this? She hadn't just saved Jess, she had saved me. The police were closing the case which meant this coming back on me was less than likely.
After what I said to her. I cringed mentally. I needed to see her.
"Why would Chloe do that?" Oliver looked at me. "Why would she feel the need to admit to that?"
"If you ask for my opinion, I think Jess was used as bait to get the real fish. The detective on Jess's case pressing the charges just so happened to be the stepfather of the star witness that got her off who not only had a warrant out for her arrest, but was clearly running from the law. Now she has turned herself in and admitted to something you all did. I might not know this Chloe woman, but from what I can tell from the case, Chloe’s been forced to come out of hiding for Jess. Her stepfather had counted on Chloe protecting her, now he has her where he wanted her." Mrs. Brooks put her laptop away. "A lot of work to go to, just to make sure your stepdaughter is in your custody."
"I have to go." I stood up abruptly and started feeling for my bike keys. "Shit, I didn't ride here."
"Chase, if you are thinking of going to Chloe, I would like to remind you that would break her probation," Mrs. Brooks was saying it so she wouldn't have another case on her hands.
"He has to see her," Marc snapped and then threw me his bike keys. "Chloe saved our ass. The least we can do is say thank you or something." Marc looked at me. He knew I had a lot more to say to her than just thank you.
Marc and I hadn't really spoken since our fight. It had been months, but this we agreed on. I had to see Chloe.
I was heading for the door when I was stopped by a hand wrapping around my arm and pulling on it.
"I know she didn't do it for me, but can you tell her thank you from me anyway?" Jess said, and, for the first time in weeks, she wasn't crying.
"Sure, Jess." I nodded my head and then left.
Chloe's Point of View
I stared at myself in the mirror, hating my reflection. I reached for the makeup. It was back to reality now, it was back to covering up. I tilted my chin, staring at the deep blue bruise and so it begins. I squeezed out the foundation and started applying it.
They say that small decisions frame your life. In this case, one big decision was going to frame the next six years of mine.
Joe had followed Chase here, knowing he would follow me. Joe was a good detective. He was the best at it so I shouldn't have been surprised he linked the murder of Harris Roberts to the McKenzies. When I got that knock on my hotel door, I wanted it to be Chase, not the devil, but it was the devil, and he gave me a one-time deal.
Save Chase or run.
So I admitted to it. Joe would make sure this time I couldn't run even if I wanted to. I looked down at the ankle monitor wrapped around my leg. It would be set when we head back to Victoria to ensure I stuck to my curfew.
The bruise I was covering up now was from yesterday when he backhanded me for 'embarrassing' him.
Being the stepfather to a girl who just admitted to murder reflected badly on him and the church.
Joe was making sure Chase and I were over by putting it in my condition that I would violate my probation if I associated with any known criminals. He was hoping that would keep Chase away, seeing as Chase had the guts to come to our hotel room a few weeks ago to confront me. Joe knew he had to go to great lengths to make sure that threat was dealt with because Joe didn't want to go up against Chase again.
After Chase left, I got the beating of my life because Joe was convinced I had told Chase where we were, even though I repeated numerous times I hadn't. He didn't believe me.
He took all forms of possible contact. My phone, and my laptop – all gone.
"Chloe."
Great. Mom was back.
"What?" I shouted from the bathroom.
The bathroom door swung open. Her eyes were on me. "You finally covered that bruise." She crossed her arms. "You know he wouldn't hit you if you didn't deserve it."
"Sure, Mom." Whatever she liked to believe.
"Get dressed for the function and make sure you are presentable. You have already embarrassed Joe enough." She stood behind me, looking at me in the mirror. "Maybe put another coat on it as you don't want to attract attention."
I don't know why she even flew in today, considering we had flights to leave at eleven tonight. Flights back to hell.
My personal living hell where there was no chance of running, or dreaming of being rescued.
I was back on show. Now it was time to play happy family.
Chase's Point of View
"Could you call Chloe Marshall to the desk?" I had ridden here doing double the speed limit. I had parked badly right out the front, and now I was trying to contain my temper to the receptionist.
"I'm sorry, but they have checked out." She looked at the computer then back at me, her eyes flashing to my leather vest. "Was there anything else I can help you with?"
"What do you mean they checked out?" She wasn't here? Where was she? They couldn't have left already.
"Sorry, I can't disclose information about our guests." She nervously started taking a step back and I would too if you could see the look on my face. My anger about the situation was creeping up to the point of it being unbearable. I had roared at her the last time I saw her; I wasn't about to let that be the last memory she has of me and I wasn't about to let a rule stop me from finding the girl I loved.
"Where did they go?"
/> The receptionist’s eyes flashed to the security guard at the entrance. Fine, I'll take things up a notch.
"Do I have to start smashing things to get answers?"
"They left."
"You know where to?"
Her eyes darted around the busy lobby. "I can't disclose information."
"You either tell me or I come back here with all my friends and make sure you never have a guest again." I was deadly calm as I threatened her. She was young, she would buckle and, as I expected, she did.
"They’ve checked out, but they are attending the annual police fundraiser tonight." She lowered her voice. "It's at the Crystal Hotel on Main Street. I think it’s invitation only." She backed away from the desk, holding her hands up. "I swear that's all I know."
"What time does it start?"
"Six."
I pulled my phone out. That meant I had five hours. I left the scared receptionist and headed back to the bike still with my phone out and I dialed Oliver.
"Yo, did you find Chloe?" He answered on the first ring.
"No."
"Well, how can I help?"
That was exactly what I needed to hear. "I need you to get me an invitation to this police fundraiser tonight. It's at some Crystal Hotel in Main Street. Look into it. I'm heading back now."
"Righto, I'll get onto it."
I hung up and straddled the bike. Now I had to somehow go unnoticed at an event full of cops when I was a known criminal, but I'd face down a room full of cops any day or any time to see Chloe, especially after what she just did for me and my family. The fact that I loved her had me taking more risks.
Somehow, some way, I'd make this right. Screw her being on probation for six years under her stepfather. The bastard would most likely kill her before the year was up. If they thought I would let this go, they were wrong. I was no hero, but I would move Heaven and earth to make sure Chloe was mine, and I wasn't going to let some corrupt cop abuse her.
Chloe didn't know it, but I was coming for her.
Chapter 34
Chase's Point of View
"Just do it, Sammie."
"No, I can't."
"Sammie." I groaned. She volunteered for this. Now I was wasting time arguing with her about it.
