Chapter twenty-six

"You must have made a mistake," Jessica pleaded as the officers started to lead them away, although deep down she already sensed the truth. They didn't answer her. She went to follow them out of the front door but Billie pulled her back. There was no point in running chasing after cop cars. It wouldn't help solve anything. They were going to be arrested whether or not they kicked and screamed about it. "What are we going to do?" Jessica demanded frantically, turning to face Billie. She grabbed hold of both of Billie's arms. "What are we going to do?" Jessica froze as she remembered the item stuffed in her dirty laundry bin. "Oh my god," she cried as she pushed past Billie and ran through to the bedroom. She grabbed the clothes and ran back through towards the kitchen.

"Jess, please calm down," Billie pleaded as she raced past her. She tried to grab hold of her but Jessica broke free. Jessica wasn't listening to Billie. She stuffed the clothes into the washing machine, not even bothering to separate the whites and the colours. She threw some powder in and started a cycle. Billie watched as Jessica sunk to the floor and covered her face with her hands. She looked over as she heard the sounds coming from the sofa. Elizabeth had her own face buried in one of the cushions. She walked over to Jessica and put an arm around her. "Come on, Jess," she urged, gently motioning her to get off the floor. She led her to the couch so she had one crying twin either side of her. She put an arm around each of them.

"It's James, isn't it?" Elizabeth finally put out there as she regained her composure slightly. "They've gone after James?"

"I don't know," Billie answered honestly. "But I think so." She couldn't imagine her boyfriend getting into a fight with a stranger. That wasn't his nature. Getting into a fight with his sister's rapist she could believe. Jessica didn't volunteer what she had sensed from her brief conversation with Mike.

"How could they?" Elizabeth whispered her voice tight. "I went to the police. I was trying to do everything right."

"I know," Billie answered gently. "I know."

"No one is going to believe me now," Elizabeth said honestly. "It's over."

"The girls are going to kill us," Mike muttered. He didn't look over at his cell mate. He couldn't believe this was happening. They couldn't stand each other and now they were trapped in this grey square box with only each other for company. Steven sighed, clearly not thrilled with the situation either.

"They'll be all right," he tried to convince himself. "Eventually they'll be all right." Mike gave him a look that said he wasn't convinced.

"I should have known better," he said to himself, shaking his head. "We never should have gone there. I knew it was a stupid idea." He looked up at the ceiling. He'd let his anger get the better of him. They both had.

"I never meant for us to end up in here," Steven protested, a slight amount of guilt in his voice. "I can't believe he called the cops." Mike raised his eyebrows. Steven couldn't believe it? After what had happened in Todd?

"I'm not blaming you," Mike said flatly. "I'm blaming myself. I should have stopped you, not gone along with it." He finally looked over at Steven. "What if we end up locked up for years?" He demanded of his brother-in-law.

"Well, I can kiss goodbye to my law career," Steven said honestly.

"And I can kiss goodbye to my wife and child," Mike answered. He snorted in irony. ""I guess it's just history repeating itself. My parents were never really around when I was growing up. It sounds about right that that I won't be there for my child either." Steven looked over at Mike, surprised at the hurt that he could hear underlying the cynicism. He guessed he had kind of viewed Mike as an unfeeling oath. The fact he was quite clearly upset didn't sit well with the image of Mike he had in his head.

"I thought you were close to your father," Steven asked, a little blunter than he had intended. "I thought you inherited a fortune? I thought that was why you moved back here. "

"A fortune? Close to my father?" Mike snorted. "Where did you get that from?" Steven shrugged.

"Campus gossip I guess."

"Ever heard of Chinese whispers," Mike said, rolling his eyes. Steven shrugged again. He'd never really considered the possibility that the rumours he'd heard about Mike might not all be true. "I moved back here because I grew up here not to come claim my inheritance," he added flatly. Mike pulled a teasing face. "Did you seriously think I'd be living in that apartment complex if I had that kind of money?" Steven let out a little smirk despite of himself. He had to admit Mike had a sense of humour. They both looked up as they heard footsteps. Then they looked at each other.

"What are we going to tell them if they're coming to interview us?" Steven hissed urgently.

"Let's just stick together," Mike said firmly, holding his hand out. "We don't know anything other than that James attached Elizabeth." Steven nodded, shaking Mike's hand.

"Let's stick together."

"I don't know what to do with myself," Jessica admitted, pacing up and down the living room. The last few hours had felt like a life time. She'd barely left his side for the last few days. Now she couldn't even speak to him. It was like losing a limb. "Maybe we should go down to the station," she suggested.

"They won't tell us anything," Billie said bluntly, glancing at the sleeping Elizabeth next to her. She stretched her leg as she repositioned herself on the couch. "And running around is the last thing you need in your condition." Jessica continued to pace. "Come sit down," Billie ordered, patting the space the other side of her. Jessica sat down obediently, though she continued to fidget. Billie hoped she wouldn't wake Elizabeth up. God knew the girl deserved rest. They both looked up as ringing reverberated around the apartment. Jessica jumped up, running to the phone. "Yes?" She demanded hastily, dreading it would be someone cold calling and praying that it would be Mike or her brother. She couldn't stand the waiting any longer.

"Jess?" A voice queried at the other end. It was Mike!

"Thank god!" Jessica sighed, leaning against the kitchen wall. "When are they letting you out?" She demanded, just wanting to know when this whole nightmare would be over. She was greeted by a momentary silence at the other end of the line.

"They're not, Jess," Mike said awkwardly. Jessica could hear his reluctance to tell her in his voice.

"What do you mean?" She answered angrily. "They have to let you out! They have to let us bail you out." Jessica wasn't sure who she was arguing with.

"They're not giving us bail," Mike explained. "Something about interfering with witnesses." Jessica couldn't believe this was happening. She felt tears welling up in her eyes but she could tell from her husband's tone there wasn't much point arguing with the police. He sounded resigned to the situation.

"Is what they said true?" Jessica finally asked. Her voice was tight. "Did you assault someone?" There was silence on the other end of the line which Jessica took to confirm her worst fears. "Who?" She whispered, although she was sure she already knew the answer.

"We just wanted to show the guy," Mike tried to explain, sensing his wife didn't need him to tell her who. "We were just trying to protect you." Jessica's hand tightened around the phone. She couldn't believe he had done this to her. How could he think what she needed right now was another mess to deal with? Another mess to be left on her own to deal with? She was almost too angry to speak. "Jess, I gotta go," Mike announced suddenly. "They won't let me have any longer." Jessica was still quiet. "I love you," he told her. Jessica couldn't bring herself to respond. Luckily she didn't have to. "Bye," he said hastily.

"Bye," she whispered to the silent phone. She was still for a few moments before putting the phone back in the holder. She walked back into the living room and sat down next to Billie.

"There not letting them out," Jessica explained. "They won't give them bail."

"I know Steven just called my cell," Billie said gently. Jessica buried her head in her hands, bursting into tears.

"Hey," Billie said putting her arm around her. "It's OK. We'll go down there and try to see them first thing in the morning." Jessica turned her head to look at her.

"How could they do this to us?" She wondered bitterly.

"I don't know," Billie answered honestly. "I guess things just got out of hand."

"Things got out of hand!?" Jessica shook her head. "Why on earth did they go near him in the first place?" Billie shrugged, lost for an explanation.

"I'm sure they had their reasons. Let's not jump to conclusions until we see them," Billie tried to convince her. Billie wasn't sure how she was staying so calm. She should be as angry with Steven as Jessica was with Mike but deep down she could understand. This wasn't like the nonsense with Mike. James had really hurt Elizabeth.

"What reasons could there be, Billie?" Jessica said with anguish. "Mike should be here to take care of me! Not locked up in a police station." Billie rubbed her back reassuringly.

"Just give him a chance to explain," she persisted gently. Jessica just stared forward. Billie could see the rage that was flashing in her boyfriend's sister's eyes. She decided it was best to give her time to cool off, when the hurt wasn't so fresh. Billie watched as her face crumpled.

"I'm so scared, Billie," she wept. "What if they go to prison? I was relying on him. Now I'm all on my own."

"Come on," Billie urged gently, putting her arm around her and running her hand up and down Jessica's arm. "You're not on your own. You've got me and your sister. It'll work out in the end."

Mike looked across at Steven as the officers led them down the corridor. He wasn't sure how long they'd been locked up now, but it felt like hours so it had to be at least the next morning. The officers hadn't even bothered to explain where they were taking them.

"You've got ten minutes," one of the officers said firmly as they opened the door and shoved them into the room. Mike took in the scene before him. He spotted Billie sat at a table at one end of the room, and his eyes landed on his wife sat at a table at the other end.

"Jess," Mike called, clearly relieved to see her. He walked over and sat down as Steven headed over to Billie. He reached across the table to take hold of her hands. Jessica pulled back, looking down at the floor. Mike pulled back as well, realising her mood wasn't the same as his.

"How's Steven?" She asked awkwardly, looking over at the table where her brother was sat with Billie. Mike shrugged.

"As well as he can be given the circumstances, I think," he answered. Jessica was quiet, still avoiding her husband's eye contact. "How is everything at home?" Mike ventured carefully, clearly feeling the tension that was palpable between them. "How are you?" Jessica didn't answer for a moment. Mike spotted the anger that flashed across her eyes.

"Like you care," she finally muttered bitterly. Mike stared at her blankly, clearly taken back.

"Of course I care," he assured her in a confused tone. "You know I care."

"No you don't," Jessica spat, finally looking at him. "You don't care. You don't care or you wouldn't have ended up in here."

"Look, Jess," Mike argued defensively. "The guy had it coming. He-."

"I know!" She answered angrily. "I know what he did! Don't you think I could quite happily have killed the guy myself?" Mike didn't respond. "But I didn't because I'm not going to lose everything because of that jerk."

"I'm not-," Mike tried to protest.

"Apparently you are," Jessica interrupted angrily. "Or you wouldn't have gone after James."

"I didn't go after him," Mike defended himself. "I went with your brother to-."

"To what?" Jessica demanded. "To do what exactly?" Mike didn't know what to say. He thought about telling her they'd just gone there to talk him but he didn't see his wife buying it. He hadn't brought it at the time either. He stared at her and he started to feel annoyance at the unfairness of her attitude. Who was she to be accusing him of not caring?

"How can have a go at me?" He demanded. "You're the one who's been going around kissing other men!" Jessica was taken back this time. She froze for second. How had he found out? Had Steven told him?

"What-what do you mean?" She fronted awkwardly.

"You know exactly what I mean," Mike challenged. "He told me." Jessica looked away briefly. She turned back to face him and flicked her hair back indignantly.

"That's not the same thing."

"Yes it is," Mike argued. "But it's OK," he assured her, reaching for her hand again. "We both made mistakes now we can move on." Jessica pulled her hand away once more.

"No," Jessica answered, shaking her head. "I made a mistake because you were pushing me away. You made a mistake because you had to prove something."

"That doesn't give you the right to -," Mike protested. Jessica raised her hand to silence him.

"It doesn't matter," Jessica said firmly. "What matters is you put getting revenge before us."

"That's not true," Mike tried to defend himself. "I went because of you. I was defending you." Jessica shook her head once more.

"I never asked you to," she said, choking back tears. "I asked you to look after me. I asked you to look after me and our baby. I needed you." Mike went to say something but Jessica continued before he could get the words out. "I can't forgive you for this, Mike," she said heartbrokenly. "You let us down." Mike went to reach for her hand but Jessica stood up before he had the chance. She shook her head, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Jess," Mike tried to call but Jessica was already walking out of the room. Jessica hastily wiped her tears away as she was led out of the station. She ran to her car, clumsily opening the door. She climbed in and put her head in her hands and wept.

"I'll speak to her," Billie promised. Both of them had watched Jessica storm to the exit from the other end of the room. Steven didn't respond for a moment. He hadn't been able to hear what his sister was saying but he had been able to read her body language. He could tell she was angry and it didn't take a genius to work out about what. She was angry they'd been so stupid. She was angry she'd been left on her own. He couldn't blame her. They should have put them above their anger. He was grateful Billie was being so understanding but he wasn't sure he deserved it.

"I don't know if she'll want to know," he said honestly. He suspected an apology wasn't going to be enough.

"She'll come around," Billie reassured him. "She's just frightened." Steven looked away guiltily. The last thing he'd wanted to do was cause his sister to be frightened. He could understand how she felt though. His sister was having a baby but she was still so young herself. Now the thing she'd been relying on had been taken away from her. Steven had a moment of clarity. He couldn't let Mike stay in jail. Sure Mike had been as stupid as he had by attacking James but he never would have gone there if he hadn't persuaded him. He had to take responsibility for this. Spending the night in cell with Mike had made him realise he was actually human.

"She shouldn't have to be frightened," Steven told his girlfriend honestly. "She shouldn't have to be on her own." He was watching Mike leave the room to be led back to his cell.

"She won't be," Billie answered. "I'll tell her she just needs to wait for this to be sorted." Steven shook his head.

"No, she needs Mike," he said bluntly. Billie stared back him.

"What are you going to do, Steven?" She asked her voice filled with a sense of dread. She sensed she knew the answer. Steven reached across the table and took hold of Billie's hands.

"I have to, Billie," he told her, knowing that she already knew what he meant. Billie stared down at the table, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Hey," he told her gently. "It'll all work out somehow." He reached up and wiped her tears away gently.

"I love you" she told him.

"Time's up," an officer called. Steven reluctantly stood up.

"I love you, too," he mouthed to Billie. "I want to speak to a lawyer," he told the officer.