Cross-Examination
Common Law
Chapter nine
A/n: Thank you all for the reviews so far. Keep it up!
Diversionary Programs: Community based programs that are used to keep eligible, convicted criminal offenders out of prison.
Beta: BrokenSky49
When the two police partners barged into Alex MacFarland's office, she was still staring at the mysterious baseball. The one with her ex-husband's name carved into the side.
"Wes! Travis!" Alex jumped, the baseball slipping from her fingers.
The next few seconds were very slow. All Alex watched was the ball as it rolled further and further away from her and closer and closer to the two partners. She was frozen in fear. If Wes saw, what would he think? Would he automatically assume the worst, or think nothing of the matter? And what of Travis, if he caught the ball? Would he tease her endlessly, or realize that there was a deeper meaning?
The ball came to a stop at Wes's feet. Alex closed her eyes and waited for the worst.
"You drop this?"
It was Travis's voice that brought Alex back to the world. She opened her eyes to see him waving the baseball at her. She glanced at Wes. He seemed unfazed. A little impatient, yes, but that was normal 'Wes' behavior.
"Y-yes." Alex nodded, and Travis softly tossed her back the baseball. She caught it with fervor, relief washing over her.
"I didn't know you liked sports." Wes frowned, his hands on his hips. His police badge shown proudly, as if to make a point to Alex.
"I don't, uh, it's…my brother. My brother's getting back into baseball." Alex stammered, shoving the ball back in a desk drawer.
"Really." Wes looked at her.
"Really."
"Would this certain brother of yours have anything to do with the files you stole from my office?"
Alex's heart sunk. How did they find out so soon? She was going to return them once she removed the certain…documents. For Ramon. She was helping Ramon.
She was helping Ramon because he was going to hurt Wes.
"Alex, stop ignoring the question. Where are my files?" Wes pressed.
"A-are you sure you didn't put them in the wrong drawer?" Alex asked, tucking some hair behind her ear. She glanced at Travis quickly. He seemed confused, standing slightly behind Wes. Alex supposed that he didn't think this was his argument to make.
"I keep my files in a specific order, Alex. Important files first, followed by other cases. All you had to do was open the drawer and there it was."
"Travis-"
"Travis didn't take the file; don't bring him in to this." Wes snapped. Now, Travis really did seem confused. It wasn't often that Wes defended him, especially to his ex-wife.
"What am I supposed to say, Wes?" Alex asked softly. She didn't feel like fighting with Wes today, not after all that had happened already.
"That you took the file!" Wes, however, was fired up. He seemed to be letting out his frustrations on her. "I need the file for a case, Alex, that's why I asked for it last night, remember?"
"I remember giving you the file, yes." Alex nodded. "So that means you must have lost it."
"No, Alex, because I put it in my drawer and didn't need to reach for it until about, oh, thirty minutes ago. That's when I found out it was missing."
"That's not my problem." Alex looked down, trying to busy herself with paperwork.
"Stop lying!" Wes threw up his hands. "Stop lying, Alex. Kendall saw you take the file, I know you took it."
Alex bit her lip. She looked over fleetingly towards a shelf, where the box lay. The box that held the baseball. Wes followed her gaze adamantly.
"Is that it?" he asked. "Did you put my file in that box?"
"Excuse me?" Alex felt that gripping paranoia again.
"Is that box for me?" Wes spoke more deliberately. "Alex, what is it that you're hiding?"
"How dare y-"
"Is it for me?" Wes spoke just as Alex did, their voices rising every second. Alex was standing now, shaking in her anger. Wes was equally as mad, his hands flying with each forced word.
"Wes-" Travis started cautiously.
"Don't 'Wes' me, Travis. Get out of this." Wes spoke through clenched teeth. "It seems Alex has been stealing everything from me."
"Are you serious?" Alex exclaimed. "This is my mail, Wes. It's not yours."
"Oh, really? So you won't mind if I take a look at it then, will you?" Wes raised his eyebrows, storming over to the box.
"Wes! Don't!" Alex protested, but it was too late. Wes picked up the box, turning it over in his hands.
That's when he stopped cold.
On the side of the box, written in neat, old-fashioned cursive was his whole name. To my dear Alex. For Wesley Mitchell. There was only one person Wes knew who had handwriting as purposeful as this. Ramon Caballo.
"When did you get this?" he asked, all the life sucked out of his voice. Was Ramon sending her things? Was he threatening Alex?
"I told you not to look at my mail, Wes." Alex snapped, ripping the box from his hands. Wes could see how she was trembling. He could see how scared she was, the twinkle in her eye fading into dark oblivion. She had been crying. When? Just now? When she got the box?
Was Ramon using her to get to him? Was he hurting her?
Wes couldn't speak; he couldn't find anything to say. He searched and searched for the right words, but nothing came out. All he could do was stare dumbly at Alex.
"You need to leave, Wes." Alex whispered.
"What was in the box, Alex?"
"Leave."
"Alex, I can help you. Please, let me help you."
"No, Wes!" Alex cried. "You can't help me. What you're doing, now, with Travis, is not helping. I don't want to talk about it, Wes. I don't want to argue with you, I just want you to leave. I want to be alone."
Wes stayed put. His could feel his heart beat pounding against his chest. Very slowly, he reached for the box again.
"Get out!" Alex pushed him away harshly.
"Wes." Travis spoke finally, his voice steady and calm. Travis was being the rational one for once.
Alex wasn't moving until Wes moved. With a curt nod, Wes turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the door ajar.
