Ch. 1-The Betrayal

"No, no, don't cry, please don't cry. It-it's not you, it's me." Beatrice gently tried to console her hysterical boyfriend.

He shook his head. "No, Beatrice, no, don't leave me! You know it's not true, you know that newspaper lies, please!"

"Lemony, I-I'm sorry. All the evidence points to you, I know the Punctilio's reputation. They don't have anything to do with my decision. I just can't be with you anymore, knowing how likely it is that you did this."

At these words, Lemony turned, trying to control himself. "Go," he said tensely, "go. You need to leave. Now." Beatrice sighed, nodded once, and left quietly. She left the rose given to her that morning by Lemony, and that hurt him most of all. He sank down to the floor, put his head between his hands, and cried himself to sleep.

-----------------------------------------------------

Next morning, Jacques walked into his brother's apartment, saw the pathetic pale lump that was his brother, and his heart melted. He walked over to Lemony, roused him gently, and asked, "She left, didn't she?"

Lemony broke down and told the whole story, all the while being hugged by his brother. When he was finished, he looked at Jacques and said, "I can't take this. We were perfect. Jacques, what do I do?" He sounded almost hysterical again.

"We should go. Beatrice is no longer to be trusted, and VFD needs to know." Jacques gently lifted his brother to his feet and guided him to his car.

----------------------------------------------------

All throughout the meeting, Lemony sat dumb, unconnected, not hearing anything that was being said. All he heard was, "I just can't be with you anymore. I just can't be with you anymore." He fought to keep himself under control. It wasn't easy.

R. rose. "Lemony, I think you better tell us the whole story, what was said, what was done, everything." Lemony related the story in a pale, numb voice, clearly in pain, barely keeping the tears in. Once it was over, he sat down again, pale as he was before, eyes unfocused.

"This is not good." No one spoke it aloud, but all knew it, all thought it. Beatrice was the most loved, most trusted, most dedicated member of VFD. Until she broke up with Lemony. A person who believed Lemony, of all people, could commit arson and then lie about it, didn't deserve to be trusted. Anyone who thought he could possibly be guilty couldn't stay. And, since it was Beatrice, it was worse. All he had done for her, all the sacrifices he had made for her, and she still believed he was guilty.

This was, without a doubt, the ultimate betrayal.