Chapter Fourteen: To Do What’s Best…



Faith stepped back, her expression one of confusion, had she just heard what she thought? Her mind raveled into chaos, as his words echoed through her mind. It wasn’t that this had gone on, it was before her, it wasn’t like he’d ever cheated on her, what was disturbing is that he never told her, and that maybe – the most disconcerting thought of all – everything the officer had said, could quite likely be true. She had the opportunity, and now perhaps a motive. This was too much, too quickly. Faith backed up against the wall, cupping her face with her hands. The thought was unbearable, yet there is was, embedded in her mind.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~

“Marie Ryan” Giles said grimly as Marie turned to face him
“You have the right to an attorney, you have the right to remain silent as anything can and will be used against you in the court of law” he began, taking a pair of handcuffs into his hand
“What the hell is going on?” Nick scorned
“Do you understand everything I'm saying to you?” Giles questioned, ignoring Nick, his full attention on Marie
“You’re arresting me?” she questioned in disbelief
“Yes Ma’am we are”
“For what?”
“For now, breaking and entering, with suspicion of stalking, and harassment”
Marie backed off, staring at the officer in complete shock.
“No, no, that’s wrong” Marie announced
“If you’ll come in peace Ma’am, we’d rather not use these” he sighed, jingling the handcuffs
“You’re not taking her anywhere” Nick announced stepping between Giles and Marie
“Nick” Marie sighed, pushing him slightly to the side “It’s okay” she mouthed
“I’ll go” she said stiffly, walking in between the officers

~ 20 MINUTES LATER ~

Nick pounded on the buzzer, pushing it with his entire fist. Finally a voice sounded through it.
“Hello?” Brian yawned
“Open the gates” Nick announced harshly
Brian pushed the button and within a few seconds the gates opened in front of Nick. He drove down the driveway, and slammed his breaks on when he reached the house. He stormed out of the car and slammed the door behind him, taking two steps at once he ran up to the front door and knocked loudly.

Brian pulled the door open, a deep blue dressing gown wrapped around him. He hadn’t been asleep. Faith had said she needed some time to think, and had locked herself in one of the other bedrooms. Brian had since then, pretty much been sulking around the house.

“Why’d you do it?” Nick announced, pushing Brian backwards
“Nick, calm down” Brian retorted, he was sure he knew exactly what Nick was talking about , the police had rung moments ago, telling him they’d arrested Marie.
“You fucking asshole. Is this some sick joke? Huh? You fucking get Marie arrested” Nick screamed
“I had nothing to do with that Nick” Brian reassured him, he could see the flames burning in Nick’s eyes
“She didn’t do anything wrong” Nick cried, frustrated
“I hope so too Nick” Brian remarked, throwing his arms in the air
“Do you think I really want to believe Marie could do this to Faith and I? You think I WANT to imagine that, as much as she’s your girlfriend Nick, she is also my friend” Brian argued
Nick backed off, Brian was right.
“She didn’t do anything” Nick replied, softer this time
“God, I hope you’re right Nick” Brian sighed

~ THE NEXT DAY ~

Marie tapped her long fingernails across the steel table. There was an eerie silence about the room where she was sitting, a one way mirror was sure to be on the wall across from her, she wondered how many people were watching her from that vantage point and what they were saying. Her alibi for the night of the break-in was hardly full proof, she’d needed some time out, just to think, so she’d driven to a park where she frequented and spent a few hours there, no one had seen her there, no one was there. There was no proof she could give them, and they hardly believed what she said.

Finally someone entered the room, again the familiar face of detective Giles, along with a younger women, dressed in a suite, her hair tied back, and falling down her back.
“This is Katie Johns, she’s with the state attorney”
Marie nodded slightly, she didn’t even particularly know what that meant.

They asked her if she minded being recorded as the lady placed a recorder on the table. What choice did she have? She nodded softly, not that it would have made a difference what she’s said.

“As I'm sure you can see we’re simply left with the evidence of what we found in your house” Giles began
“And I told you, it’s not mine” Marie responded coyly
“Are these yours?” he inquired, dumping the shoes, which were housed in a plastic bag onto the table
She looked at them closely, they were hers, but it had been a long time since she’d worn them.
“Yes, but I haven’t worn them for a long time” she remarked
“They had a sample of mud on them, mud that was linked to the same footprint left behind after the break in”
“I didn’t do it”
“So they aren’t you’re shoes?”
“Yes they are”
“Then you can see why we think it is you Miss Ryan”
“Why would I do any of this?” Marie announced, frustrated
“We were hoping you could tell us that”
“They’re my friends, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt them”
“How long have you known Faith?”
“I'm not sure, 2 years, as long as her and Brian have been dating” Marie shrugged, unsure of the actual time zone
“Did you know Brian before then?” Giles questioned, laying the palm of his slightly wrinkled hands on the cold table
“Yes” Marie replied softly, she knew where this was going
“How?”
“My past has nothing to do with this!” she announced standing upright, causing the others in the room to jump in shock “I didn’t do anything wrong” she pleaded flopping back down in the chair
“Were you and Mr. Littrell, an item?”
“What do you class as an item?”
“We’re you romantically linked?”
“Maybe”
“Yes or No?”
“Yes, but only for a short period of time, it meant nothing and it was so long ago” Marie blurted out
“Thank you, for your time” Giles smiled turning off the recorder “You can take her now” he nodded towards the guard in the corner.

~ 2 HOURS LATER ~

“I want you to drop the charges” Faith sighed as she looked across the table at detective Giles
“You know about her and your husband?” he inquired softly
“I know. It’s in the past” Faith responded calmly. She’d gone over this so much in her head, it didn’t make sense, Marie was her best friend, her confidant, Faith couldn’t conceive how Marie was the one behind Marty’s death, behind the letters, behind the hair dye on the wall, and she refused to believe it was her.
“Faith, I understand this is hard for you, Marie is your friend, but we also have a great deal of proof against her”
“Really you have no idea what I'm feeling here” Faith sighed “Its wasn’t Marie, I don’t care what kind of proof you have, don’t you find it strange that she left it lying around for you to just stumble across?”
“Sometimes people want to be caught, because deep down they don’t want to hurt the person, but they cant stop either”
“Thank you for your time, but I'm dropping the charges”
“I don’t recommend that”
Faith smiled softly as she stood up from the chair.
“We’ve got to stand on our own two feet” she replied as she walked to the door
Giles watched her leave, then buried his hands into the roughness of his hair.



Chapter 15
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