Sorry for the really, really long wait. I completely forgot about this story. Heres the final chapter to wrap things up
Epilogue: Part of the Job
Taking a seat opposite Mrs Lawrence, Wendy opened the folder in her hands. O'Riley gave the rookie another look then leant on the table, staring down Mrs Lawrence like any other suspect that sat in her place. Whereas Wendy still felt remorse for this poor woman, after all it wasn't her fault.
"Mrs Lawrence . . . please state your name for the record?" O'Riley instructed, starting the recording tape for the interview.
Mrs Lawrence dried her eyes on her cardigan sleeve as she looked up at Wendy stood over her. She sniffed in a deep breath then cleared her throat. "Anne Lawrence."
"And you've waved your right to..."
"I don't need an attorney." Mrs Lawrence interrupted him.
O'Riley looked at Wendy, handing the line of questioning over to her. Clearing her throat, Wendy took a calming deep breath to settle her nerves. "Mrs Lawrence, can you please tell us what happened that night with Marlene Spencer?" She started in a shaky voice.
"Where do you want me to start?" Mrs Lawrence asked, taking a sip of the glass of water in front of her before she started answering all of their questions.
"From the beginning."
"I was driving home." Wiping away her tears, she leant on her elbows in front of Wendy. "She came out of nowhere. By the time I saw her . . . it was already too late. I got out the car to see if she was okay . . . but she wasn't moving . . . I tried to call for help, but I don't carry a cell phone." Gasping for a shaky breath, Mrs Lawrence proceeded. "My husband thinks they cause brain cells to blow." She smiled slightly. "He won't let the kids have one either."
"What did you do next?" Wendy queried.
"I propped . . . I-I propped her head up . . . with her back pack . . . her bag was on the floor beside her . . . I told her I was going to be right back, to look for a phone. So I drove back to the gas station I just passed . . . calling for an am-ambulance." She stammered, looking up into Wendy's eyes. "I told them what happened then by the time I got back to her . . . there was already an ambulance and police crews there. I tried to tell somebody there . . . they told me to step back. Then I saw she was okay at the hospital . . . so . . . so I thought it was okay." Sobbing harder, she clutched her head in her hands. "I didn't mean to hurt her. I was just trying to do the right thing. I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do anything wrong!" She repeated much louder. "I was... it was an accident . . . why can't you people see that?"
"Hey Wendy, shouldn't you be off celebrating?" Hodges asked, walking into the locker room where she was sat down on the bench, staring down at her hands.
"I don't feel in a very celebratory mood." She sighed heavily.
"You don't?" He took a seat beside her, cautiously scooting a little closer. "Why not? You got your suspect and the little girls okay . . . right?"
"Yeah . . . but my suspect . . . isn't the guilty suspect kind of person." Letting out a heavy exasperated sigh, Wendy looked round at him with a look of sorrow on her face. "She's had her driver's licence taken away . . . lost her husband, she's not allowed to see her three children anymore . . . she's lost the respect of her friends and her family . . . over one little mistake. Just like me."
"What?" He asked shocked.
"I'm always making mistakes." She pointed out to him.
"Hopefully one of them isn't a hit and run." Hodges prayed.
"No," She shook her head, wishing he wouldn't joke right now as that wasn't the kind of cheering up she needed from him right now. "Nothing like that. I keep expecting myself to screw up . . . I don't think I'm cut out for the field. I can't do this job if I let one case like this get to me like this."
"I see different." Hodges spoke softly, looking into her tearful eyes. "You're not a screw up Wendy. You did the right thing. This woman had plenty of opportunities to own up and do the right thing, but she chose to stay quiet."
"Wendy!" Catherine's voice called from the doorway of the locker room door. Holding a file in her hands, the supervisor gave her newest employee a wide smile of approval. "Good work." She winked, continuing on her way towards her office.
"See... you hear that?" Hodges smiled round at her. "You're a great CSI Wendy. You solved your case. You gave that little girl justice."
"I gave her justice by taking away the mother of three innocent children."
Hodges couldn't think of anything to add to that so he cupped her face in his hands, kissing her passionately. Wendy was completely surprised by the sudden gesture, but she found herself responding to the kiss.
"This wasn't your fault Wendy, that mother of those three children should have known better. The world isn't always black and white. Sometimes good people do bad things . . . and they have to be punished just like anybody else." Hodges explained to her then climbed to his feet, heading off out the locker room.
Wendy relicked her lips as she watched him walking away, feeling slightly better about herself, finally. She knew she had done her job. Her job was to protect the victim, Marlene Spencer. She had no business worrying about the suspect; it was all just part of the job.
The End
Sorry for the wait. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I meant to finish it a while ago but I got too wrapped up in my other stories.
Please Review and let me know what you thought. Thanks so much for reading!
~ Holly
