Twenty Three

Christian had planned his escape right down to the last detail, he had debated all evening whether or not he should leave Marazzi but his friend had insisted he’d only slow him down. “Take care” he said wearily as he hugged him. “I will, now go before you get us both caught” Marazzi replied worriedly. “You will be okay, wont you?” Christian asked seriously. “Course I will now that Jake’s been taken care of” Christian drew in a deep breath said one last goodbye before fleeing.

The guards had been so busy dealing with the Jake situation that they hadn’t had time to do their usual rounds or check the laundry room. “God I hope you make it bud” Maz said to himself as he watched him go.

Christian crawled inside the laundry truck and quickly hid under a pile of sheets. ‘That was a piece of cake’ he thought as the vehicle moved slowly towards the exit, the guard waving him through. Christian noticing immediately the vehicle speed up. ‘God I’m free’ he mouthed but had to contemplate his next move.

Mark entered his office earlier than usual. Hollie’s desk lay empty and still, he smiled to himself as he reached inside the Armani suit jacket and produced a single red rose. If the direct approach wasn’t going to work then maybe this would. “Are you Read?” a voice growled from his office, he turned swiftly to find a young man standing there dressed casual in jeans and black sleeveless shirt, hair combed into some kind of order and a few days growth on his chin. “Who wants to know?” he moved swiftly to the door, his right hand holding something beneath a denim jacket. “Are you? Yes or no?” Mark had to play this cool who the hell was this guy and how the hell had he managed to get into his office undetected? “I might be” he replied, the young man glanced down to where a gold name plate sat. “Says here you are”

“Okay I am, now what the hell d’you want?” Mark was trying to place him, was he the ex husband of some woman he’d slept with, damn it he really hadn’t a clue.

“I need your help”

“My help? With what?”

“Clearing my name”

“What?”

“I want you to help me clear my name”

“Are you crazy, I’m a divorce attorney”

“So, you know the law don’t you?”

“Sure but”

“Well let’s go then”

“Go where? Hell I’m not going anywhere with you”

“Fine!”

Mark glanced down at his hand then back to his face, a face contorted with rage.

“If you really want your secretary to come find you with your brains splattered all over this goddamn room.”

If Mark had been thinking straight he’d have known he had the upper hand but being the coward he was he gave in.

“Fine”

“Go”

Hollie entered the office with a smile on her face but the smile disappeared on noticing the rose lying on her desk. “If you want my body Mark you’re gonna have to do better than tha…” she stopped abruptly. “Mark?” she continued calling his name, nothing she was just about to return to her office when she noticed the scribbled note. ‘Had to go cancel all my appointments something’s come up’ she lifted it from the desk and stared at it. This wasn’t like her boss, not like him at all. “Morning Miss Logan is my son around?” she glanced at Mr Read senior then let out a deep sigh “No, not at the moment” the man drew in a deep breath then backed out of the room and she read the note once more.

Adams changed lanes then headed on up the freeway, he still couldn’t believe he’d let his partner talk him into this. “You take a right here” said Jo casually, he looked in the mirror then signalled and changed lanes once again, coming off the freeway minutes later. “Now where?” he sighed, she consulted the map once again. “Judging by this we just carry on right up this hill” he pressed his foot further down onto the accelerator. “You know the chief’s gonna have our asses for this” he muttered, Jo wasn’t listening she was too busy looking at the street signs. “This is it” she suddenly cried out, Adams screeched to a halt then turned to where his partner was pointing. “Wow” he whistled “Looks like Miss Geddes has done quite well for herself” Jo drew in a deep breath as she got out of the car “Well aren’t you coming in?” she said, Adams pouted then followed her.

It was a shocked Shelby Geddes who answered their knock, seeing two police officers seemed to really throw her. “Hello Miss Geddes do you mind if we ask you a few questions?” Jo asked, the young woman stared wearily at them, “I’m Officer Logan and this is my partner Adams” she introduced “Sure come on in” she invited as she moved away from the door.

Jo begun asking questions as Adams surveyed the room “Chris? What about him?” Jo simpered as she listened to the woman go over the story once again. “Just how much did Ingebrigtsen drink that night?” Jo continued Shelby shifted nervously. “I don’t know” Jo stared at her.

“Well would you say he was drunk?”

“No more than usual”

Adams turned around looking interested now.

“Did he drink often Miss Geddes?” he said

“No, just when he was pissed off”

“And he was pissed off that night right?” Jo interrupted once again.

“Well yeah…he hated his step father”

“Did you hear him come back in?” said Adams, now taking an interest.

“What?”

“That night you said you heard him go out but you never said anything about him returning”

“I don’t think I did”

“You don’t think?”

“I was asleep Mr Adams!”

“How convenient!”

Jo looked at her young partner then looked directly back to where Shelby Geddes stood.

“I’d like for you to go now!”

“Fine…but rest assured we’ll be back”

Jo looked impressed.

“Just get out of my house”

Jo opened her mouth to speak but was escorted to the door by her partner.

“What did you do that for?” she shrieked as soon as they got to the car.

“I wasn’t finished asking my questions”

“Logan you got this all wrong!”

“No I haven’t”

“Please just trust me on this okay?”

“Why?”

“Please Jo trust me huh?”

“Okay, so does that mean you believe me now?”

“No I still believe Ingebrigtsen is guilty but yeah there are some unanswered questions”

Mark smiled tentatively as he entered the elevator, Christian getting in behind him. “Which number?” he growled, Mark glanced at the buttons, his hand hovering just above the one marked help. “Don’t even think about it asshole” he felt Christian’s hand jab at his back “Hey watch the suit it’s Armani” retorted Mark as he pressed button 18.

Once inside Mark removed his jacked and then loosened his tie “Okay you got me here” he said getting just a little agitated now, Christian indicated for him to be seated “Fine” Mark added and sat down opposite. “Just stop pointing that thing at me”

Christian smirked “I’ll stop when I know I can trust you”

“Okay I’m here now fucking start talking”

Christian cleared his throat then begun to tell all.

The number just kept ringing out. No matter how many times Shelby called “Oh come on” she mouthed as she eyed herself in the mirror, she hadn’t changed much on the outside but time had changed her.

“What?” A voice said at last?

“We gotta talk” she said quietly “I’ve had the cops here”

“What? What the fuck did you tell them?”

“Nothing but they said they’d be back”

“Who the fuck were they? Did they give you their names?”

“Err, I can’t remember”

“Think damn it!”

“Yeah Officers Adams and Logan”

“Okay I’ll deal with those two, you just sit tight, I’ll get back to you”

“Okay”

There was a click then nothing, Shelby placed the phone back onto the table then sank dejectedly onto the couch.

Jo answered the call; it was their chief telling them to get their butts back to the precinct quick smart. “You two better have a fucking good excuse this time, your man’s escaped from jail by the way” Jo looked annoyed.

“What? Oh this is all we need”

“Better go back and face the music I suppose”

They received another call this time from Jo’s sister

“What d’you mean never showed up for work?” said Jo “Sure we can do that”

“Do what?” Do what?” barked Adams

“Swing round his apartment and check everything is ok?”

“Sure I can do that while you’re back having a chat to the chief I’ll drop you off”

“Swell I can’t wait”

Mark let out a deep sigh then frowned, “So can you help?” he thought about it, this man no longer posed a threat and Mark decided to take a chance. “I’ll do my best, you’ll have to give me time thought” Christian nodded gratefully. “So you hungry? Would you like something to eat?” Christian grinned, “No I’ll just have this” Mark watched as he reached down under his jacket and produced a banana

“What? I’ve been shit scared all afternoon over a fucking banana?”

“I’m sorry but I had to get you here”

“Christ if this ever gets out”

“Well ain’t no-one ever gonna hear it from me”

“Seriously d’you you want something to eat?”

“Sure”

“What?”

“What you got?”

“Steak and fries”

“Sounds good to me”

“D’you wanna go freshen up”

Christian looked a little cautious.

“I won’t call the cops”

“How do I know you won’t?”

“You have my word on that”

“Okay then I’d love to freshen up”

Mark pointed him in the direction of the washroom then lifted the phone but begun debating whether or not to make that call.