Chapter 11
Charlotte ran her hands through her hair as she sat down beside her sister.
"Your turn," she mumbled.
Alison quickly squeezed her sisters' hand, "You doing okay?"
Charlotte nodded, "Sure, I just want this to be over."
Alison smiled, "It will be. Soon."
Charlotte returned the smile tiredly as Alison stood up and followed a police officer into a private room. Charlotte closed her eyes, slumping in her chair as she took deep breaths. In through her nose, hold, count, out through her mouth. She still hated police stations. She had to keep trying to convince herself that the police were the good guys.
"Hey."
Her eyes snapped open and she looked up to see Spencer standing before her. Her eyes flitted to the rest of the girls; Hanna was standing with Mona whilst Emily and Aria were speaking quietly in a corner.
"Hey," she answered cautiously.
"Mind if I sit?" Spencer asked, nodding towards the empty chair.
Charlotte nodded, "Um, go ahead."
Spencer nodded and sat down.
Charlotte looked at the floor, waiting for the brunette to speak.
"Why are you sitting with me?" Charlotte asked after a couple of minutes of silence.
Spencer shrugged, "Because nobody else was," she answered.
"Oh," Charlotte replied.
"I know the texts weren't from you," Spencer said, "So I guess, we're sorta on the same side, now… right?"
Charlotte stared at her for a moment, "Right," she hesitated, "Thanks for believing me."
Spencer nodded, "Ali says you're pretty committed to getting better…" she paused, "When we realised A, you, were a part of Alison's family some of us thought Ali went kinda soft on A. But I know Alison and she knows how to read people… family trait I guess. So I'm tempted to believe her judgment calls even about you. Plus, you're smart enough to know that you're the first one the cops are going to investigate," Spencer shrugged.
"I get that," Charlotte said quietly, "But that didn't mean you had to come sit with me. So thank you," she peeled her eyes off the floor to look the younger woman in the eye, "And I really am sorry. For… everything."
Spencer looked at Charlotte curiously, "I never thought I'd hear those words out of your mouth."
Charlotte bit her lip, "I wanted to say it a million times," she said, "But I didn't want to say it and then go back to hurting you," she paused, "That's why I know I can say it now. Because I am never," her voice rose a little, "going back to that."
Spencer squinted, "I'm not scared of you anymore," she realised, "It's like for so long you were this shadowy, unknown… now you're just human. With flaws and insecurities and fears. You don't control me anymore."
Charlotte let out a deep breath of relief, her lips curling up slightly, "Thank you."
Call off the cops or I'll leave your sister for you to bury. Just like I did your mother.
"Charlotte, what is it?" Alison called.
Charlotte walked in throwing a few envelopes down, holding the note in her shaking hands.
"She…killed mom," Charlotte whispered.
Alison's head snapped up and she saw her sisters' paling face.
"What are you talking about?" Alison walked over to her sister, trying to take the note from Charlotte's hands but the older woman quickly pulled away, "Hey, show me."
Charlotte shook her head, "No, it's nothing," she whispered before she turned away.
"Hey," Alison tried to grab her arm but her sister shook her off.
Charlotte walked to her room and shut the door.
"Charlotte," Alison tried to push the door open but it wouldn't budge, "Hey, it's okay. Open the door and we can talk."
"No, we can't," Charlotte's quiet voice barely sounded through the door.
"Why not?" Alison asked gently, "Whatever the note says, we'll face it together."
A sob made it's way through the door.
"Come on, sis," Alison persisted softly, "Please."
Charlotte wiped her eyes before she opened the door, falling into her sisters' arms as she sobbed.
"I can't lose you too," she cried.
"Hey, you won't," Alison said, running a soothing hand through Charlotte's hair, "Show me the note, okay?"
Charlotte hesitated before handing over the note, "Ali, they killed mom," she whispered shakily.
Alison's eyes widened as she read the note, "Charlotte, we're not going to give in to this. Okay?"
Charlotte pulled her little sister close, "I'm not losing you," her tears were all dried up.
"So this A killed Mrs D?" Hanna's jaw dropped.
Emily nodded, "Yeah."
"How's Ali?" Spencer asked.
Emily shrugged wordlessly, "She's… I don't know…"
"So it's not about us," Aria realised, "It's still about Charlotte."
"Or Ali," Spencer pointed.
"Or both," Emily said.
"How's Charlotte?" Spencer asked, earning a sideways glance from Aria.
Emily hesitated, "Not good," she said quietly, "She's terrified of losing Ali. I really don't think she'd cope…"
Spencer touched her friends' hand, "We'll get this figured out. Ali's going to be fine."
Emily attempted a smile, "Thanks, Spence."
"Mona. Mona, open up."
The door swung open.
"Jeez, quiet down would you? What's up?" Mona asked.
"Have you got any leads? Anything?" Charlotte pushed her way in.
Mona frowned as she stepped aside, "What are you talking about? I thought we were leaving it to the cops."
"The cops?" Charlotte growled, "The cops don't know anything. You know that."
Mona watched the frazzled woman before her pace.
"What's happened?" she asked, "Does Ali know you're here?"
Charlotte ground her teeth, "A killed my mum and threatened Ali. So we need to find her. Now."
Mona looked worried, "Okay…hey, I get you're upset but would you sit down?"
"No," Charlotte snapped, "I don't want to sit down. I just want you to get on your stupid computer and track this bitch down."
"Okay," Mona spoke slowly, "Why can't you do it?"
"Because I can't use the computer," Charlotte spoke frustratingly, "And besides my head is all…" she gestured with her hands, "I can't think. I need you to – "
"Alright, alright," Mona reached for Charlotte's hands, "It's okay. Sorry to ask this but…are you taking your meds?"
Charlotte growled, "Yes I'm taking my stupid meds. I just need to know who killed my mom."
"And then?"
Charlotte stopped pacing, "And then I'm going to kill them."