Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-six of "Outside Love." I'm glad it took just six days to get out. I made corrections to chapters twenty-four and twenty-five. I did research and learned that bail is often discussed during arraignments. I moved the bail scene to this chapter and did the arraignment in the previous one. I also changed its date to Tuesday because courts are closed on the weekends and holidays with the exception of a few. I decided to have Myra replaced by another judge due to having a sudden bad headache. I plan to have some Tommy/Kim smut in the next chapter or so. I want to do a final smut scene with them before the fic ends. This fic has three chapters to go before I do the epilogue. I won't say what I will put in the epilogue. You will have to find out for yourself. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-seven.
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Chapter 26: Bail/New Plan/Informing
Chris, Jenny, and Kayla were still sitting in their chairs thirteen minutes later. Jenny drew a circle with a pencil on a piece of paper. She spoke gibberish before proceeding to sing nonsense. He moved his body from side to side. He snapped his fingers. She eyed him. She tried to suppress a chuckle, but she couldn't help herself.
"You can't get enough of my singing nonsense, can you?" Jenny wondered.
"Nope. It's got a great beat to it," Chris answered while becoming still. He glanced at her. "You are better at singing than most people are."
"Thanks. I have to admit that I feel fortunate I had my arraignment this morning," Jenny whispered in relief. She adjusted her red jacket. "I am grateful to Nancy for lending me this outfit for it."
"She has a great fashion sense, especially when it comes to trials," Chris commented, chuckling to herself. "It reminds me of when I defended her for speeding two years ago. She wore the same outfit you are wearing now."
"She pleaded guilty to speeding and paid her fine of fifty dollars. Court costs were only one hundred twenty dollars," Jenny exclaimed.
"If she had pled not guilty, it would've been a lot more than that," Chris muttered as they reached the top. They started on the second section of stairs. "Shit. Why does court always have to been so expensive?"
"The elite are lucky. They can afford those expensive court costs," Jenny murmured. "I am not rich, but I make more money than many people do. After all, I am a nurse." She mumbled inaudible words.
"You did well pleading not guilty," Chris said truthfully.
"Thanks," Jenny responded with a soft sigh. "Now, we have to deal with the bail portion of it." She adjusted her jacket sleeve. "The good thing about the hearings is they don't take too long."
"Hallelujah," Chris said, chuckling to himself. "Long hearings would bored anyone out of their minds."
Jenny slipped a lock of hair behind her ear. Kayla approached the first table and sat in the first chair. She laid her briefcase on the floor and her folder on the table.
"I wonder what your husband is doing right now," Chris whispered, rolling his eyes.
"He's probably fucking that whore," Jenny hissed in much anger. "I hope people start harassing her over what she did."
He scoffed irritatingly. "Unfortunately, many civilians have actually sided with Tommy and Kim. I overheard two men talking about how you 'pushed' him into her arms while I was getting my coffee at Burger King. It made me sick to my stomach." He appeared about ready to vomit.
"Don't get sick. You don't want to ruin that perfect suit, do you?" Jenny teased and giggled to herself.
"No, I don't," Chris murmured with much pride. He touched the first buttonhole of his black jacket. "Besides, it costs five hundred dollars. I can easily afford another suit, but I love this one to bits."
She propped her head up with her elbow. "Yep."
Chris and Jenny looked over at Kayla, who was looking over the case. She turned toward them, becoming annoyed.
"Didn't your mothers tell you that it's rude to stare?" Kayla demanded sternly.
"Who cares?" Chris retorted. "We'll stare at you as much as we wanted."
Jenny smirked. "You can't stop us. No way, no how."
"I know I can't, Mrs. Oliver. Should I say Ms. Piper?" Kayla wondered.
"It's Mrs. Oliver until the divorce is final," Jenny snapped angrily. "I haven't even called the divorce attorney Chris assigned me to."
Kayla huffed. "You better get your ass on the phone and get him to bring you divorce forms to fill out. You belong in prison for the rest of your life."
Jenny stuck her tongue out at the prosecutor. Chris gave her a warning look, causing her to pull it back into her mouth. They looked toward the judge's seat.
"All rise," the bailiff said and put her arms behind her back. Everyone stood up. "The honorable Judge Wong is residing."
Just then, sixty-year-old Richard Wong walked in. As an Asian, he was short for a man. His skin was very tanned. He had a somewhat muscular frame. His head had no hair whatsoever. His eyes were hazel. He had many wrinkles on his face. He went up to his seat and sat down with a loud grunt. The entire courtroom seated itself with the exception of Kayla and Chris.
"All right. Let's get this bail thing out of the way," Richard said, folding his hands and laying them in front of him.
Kayla and Chris gave each other dirty looks. They shifted their attention toward the judge and cleared their throats.
"You first, Mr. Wang," Richard commented.
"Your honor, my client isn't a flight risk. She just wants to be released on bail, so she can continue working as a nurse at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. She needs to make as much money as she can for her pending divorce trial," Chris insisted. "Everyone knows how expensive divorces can be."
Richard gestured toward Kayla and licked his lips. "What do you have to say, Mrs. Banks?"
"Mrs. Oliver is too dangerous to be released on bail. The public has the right to be protected from her," Kayla answered seriously.
Chris shook his head. "I can't think of any reason why Mrs. Oliver would want to harm anyone or try to flee."
"She attempted to kill her husband. Who's to say she won't terrorize him, his girlfriend, their parents, and their friends?" Kayla asked.
"Oh, give me a break," Chris yelled defiantly. "Mrs. Oliver has nothing against any of the people in her husband's life."
Kayla shot a glare at him. "If Mrs. Oliver has nothing against any of them, then why did she try to go after Ms. Hart as officers were taking her to their car?" She turned back to the judge.
"I have no idea," Chris answered truthfully. "Anyway, Mrs. Oliver can stay with Ms. Ming while her trials are pending. The guest bedroom has been set aside for her."
"Your honor, releasing Mrs. Oliver would be potentially dangerous to people in Mr. Oliver's life, especially Ms. Hart. It would also be dangerous to her unborn child," Kayla commented in a stern voice. She realized what she said. "Oh, shit."
Jenny became enraged and rose to her feet. "That whore is pregnant with my husband's child?"
"Yes. I heard her parents talking about it when I stopped by their gas station on my way here," Kayla admitted. "It is a well-known fact pregnant women are at great risk of injury. Mrs. Oliver might—"
Jenny snarled, which caused Kayla to look at her. She started going toward her, but Chris stopped her by putting her hand on her shoulder. She yelled obscenities at Kayla, who stood firm. Richard picked up his gavel and banged it twice. She became quiet. She and Kayla gazed at him.
"All right, that's enough," Richard shouted fiercely. "If I hear another outburst from you, Mrs. Oliver, I will hold you in contempt. Is that clear?"
"Yes, your honor," Jenny replied, nodding at him and sitting down.
Richard put his gavel down. "Do the attorneys have anything else to say?"
"No, your honor," Chris responded.
Kayla shook her head. "No, your honor."
Richard rubbed his chin before laying his hand on the counter. He let out a soft yet long sigh.
"After what each of you has said this morning, I can't release Mrs. Oliver on bail in any kind of conscience," Richard said bluntly.
"Oh, shit," Jenny mumbled.
"The crime she committed was heinous. She is too much of a risk to the public. She is going to have to remain in custody," Richard commented, picking up his gavel. "Jury selection will begin in three weeks. Bailiff, remove the defendant. Court is adjourned."
Richard banged his gavel twice. Jenny stood up and glared at Kayla as the bailiff came to her.
"This isn't over, Mrs. Banks," Jenny growled in rage. "I mean it."
The bailiff touched Jenny's arm and led her out the corner door. Kayla and Chris grabbed their briefcases. They shot glares at each other before heading out the hallway door.
00000
A northern mockingbird flew through the sky above farmland in the late afternoon. It spotted the main building to the Angel Grove Women's Correctional Facility. It decided to head downward and landed in the middle of the roof. The prison housed three hundred inmates. It happened to be medium security. It had fences in every area. They contained barbed wire across the top of them.
The mockingbird spread its wings and flew toward the inmate block. The block consisted of three large areas. It contained three hallways and had sixty cells with twenty in each one. Each cell was the same having a bunk bed and a desk. A TV hung from the corner next to the barred window. The door had a small window that could be closed from the outside.
The mockingbird headed toward the left side. It flew past the second to last window, where forty-year-old Jules Vicks stood staring out of it. As an African-American, she was quite petite. She was lean with a little muscle. Her short black hair was in braids. A scar went across the middle of her left palm. Her upper right arm contained a small tattoo of a great white shark. She looked toward Jenny, who lay on her back on the top bunk.
"See anything interesting, Jules?" Jenny asked with much curiosity and blew very hard.
"I didn't see anything interesting," Jules said, stepping away from the window. She approached the bunk. "I won't see interesting stuff until I get out of here in five years. I have served half my sentence for aggravated assault on my ex-husband."
Jenny sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "At least I don't have to worry about jury selection for a few weeks. This will allow my lawyer some time to build my case."
"You had a lot of guts going after your husband for cheating on you," Jules said, smiling lightly. "I admire you for standing up to him."
"He deserved every bit of what I did to him. I am confident my lawyer will have me acquitted of all charges or convicted of lesser ones," Jenny replied smugly.
"That's what my lawyer told me. I still got convicted of aggravated assault," Jules muttered with a roll of her eyes. "I tell you. It is difficult to trust lawyers. They say one thing, but they mean another."
"I trust Chris completely," Jenny said confidently. "He is my friend. He has never let me down." She sat up tall and proud.
Jules wiggled her eyebrows. "It's good to have a lawyer as a friend. It makes things a little easier for the accused."
Jenny nodded in agreement. She scooted over to the ladder on the edge of the bed. Jules turned toward her. Jenny climbed down it. She jumped off the second to last step. She landed in a squatting position. She rose to her full height in a steady manner. Jules appeared very impressed.
"You did good jumping off that step," Jules complimented.
"Why, thank you!" Jenny replied warmly. "I used to do jump off the second to last step on my bunk bed ladder when I was a kid. I loved landing on the floor in a squatting position."
"Some people imitate pro-wrestlers by clotheslining others, jumping off roofs to land in a pile of boxes, and doing body slams," Jules mumbled, shaking her head in disbelief. "Doing those stunts is very dangerous. People should not be performing them."
"The wrestlers are very well-trained at the stunts they perform. Even when they do everything right, things can still go horribly wrong," Jenny pointed out and grimaced badly. "Many have suffered career-ending injuries."
"Wrestlers do what they do because they love it," Jules murmured in great amazement. "Taking risks gives them so much excitement. I am sure they get nervous from time to time."
"Who doesn't get nervous at anything?" Jenny said, giving a shrug. "Mom told me she was a wreck when she did her SATs. She actually did her first twelve questions with an eraser."
"Danny told DJ he did that in the Full House episode called 'The Test.' That episode is the funniest episode in the entire series," Jules responded with a laugh. "DJ's dream of everything going wrong during her SATs was hysterical."
"The irony was Kimmy got a perfect score. How could that happen? She didn't even know what intellectually deficient meant," Jenny commented, snickering under her breath. "At least DJ took comfort in the fact that nothing in her dream happened at the real SATs."
"Let's see what is on the news," Jules suggested.
"Yeah," Jenny agreed, grabbing the remote from the bottom bed. "Who knows what we will see?"
Jenny turned on the TV. She and Jules watched Tommy and Kim being approached by reporters as they exited her red Mercedes. The car looked new, but it had scratches along the driver's side. Smudges of dirt could be seen on the hood. Kim went to Tommy's side.
"Hey, we are not interested in any interviews," Tommy said seriously. "My girlfriend is pregnant and can't handle them."
"Come on! We just want to ask you some questions about your wife's upcoming trial!" a female reporter yelled.
"We also want to know if Kimberly will keep the baby," a male reporter added. "We'd like to know how long you will live with her as well."
"Will you back off? I am in a delicate condition!" Kim screeched in anger. "Back off!"
Jenny and Jules observed Tommy and Kim going toward the front door quickly. Kim managed to get the correct key and unlocked it. She opened it and went inside. Her boyfriend followed close behind. He slammed the door shut as the reporters went to it. Jenny snarled and turned off the TV.
"That bitch ruined everything I worked so hard to build. She can't have that baby. She just can't," Jenny said in rage.
"What are you saying?" Jules said, gazing at her.
"I want her dead," Jenny answered in a low yet menacing voice. "She needs to die for what she did. So does her little bastard."
Jules became curious. "How do you plan to do that? You're in prison. You can't escape due to the barbed wires at the top of the fences."
"That's why a hitman needs to be hired in situations like this," Jenny responded calmly. She and her cellmate faced each other. "Would you be willing to help me?"
"Of course. That slut and her unborn baby need to die," Jules declared and chuckled evilly. "My uncle Jimmy has a gun. He enjoys shooting at targets such as cans and bottles. He'd be the perfect hitman."
"Good," Jenny said and nodded. "What you need to do is call him and tell him I will pay him five thousand dollars to kill Kim and her little bastard. Nancy has my debit card and withdrawal slips to my bank account at Suntrust. I asked the detectives to retrieve that stuff from Tommy's house and give it to her before my phone conservation with Chris. They said they'd do just that. It's no longer a crime scene, but I know Tommy won't go back for a while."
"Most people don't want to go back to the homes they were nearly killed in. That's for sure," Jules admitted.
Jenny exhaled sharply. "Anyway, I will call Nancy and tell to get five thousand dollars from my account and give it to Jimmy. I will mention he is your uncle and that he has fallen on hard times."
"Of course, he hasn't. He is getting paid very good money driving a tow motor at a cheesecake factory," Jules pointed out and laughed raucously. "His address is 877 Clarks Rd."
"Really?" Jenny asked in surprise.
Jules nodded at her cellmate, who smiled with much eagerness and rubbed her hands together. She listened to her clap five times.
"I will instruct Nancy to go to Jimmy's house and drop the money off there. She's been down that street many times. She shouldn't have any problem finding it," Jenny said, putting her hands behind her back. "Kim's house is at 777 Tyson Way."
"I will tell him all about Tommy and Kim's affair. Then again, he probably knows from the news reports. I will instruct him to go there and shoot her dead. How about he shoots her in the stomach as well?" Jules added.
"That's good. It'd send a clear message to Tommy," Jenny agreed. "The deaths of Kim and her spawn will be sweet revenge for me."
"It sure will," Jules said, giggling sinisterly.
"You are to keep this between us. Do you understand?" Jenny warned in a firm voice. "No one can know."
"Of course," Jules answered, winking at her. "My lips are sealed."
Jules pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key. Jenny patted her cellmate's shoulder while chuckling delightfully. They proceeded to talk about watching TV this afternoon.
00000
Jules sat in a prison interrogation room in the early evening. She had a water-filled cup in front of her. She picked it up, taking a long sip. She put it down before running her tongue all over the inside of her mouth. She looked around the small room. The table was short. One chair was in front of her. Two chairs happened to be on the sides.
She smacked her lips. She pretended not to be hungry at dinnertime and requested a phone call. Warden Mark Pearson granted it. She called Jerome to inform him she had valuable information to share with the police about Jenny. He told her he would send Jack and Millie over to talk to her. She agreed, and they set up a meeting at six-thirty.
She chuckled to herself. She couldn't believe she was able to fool Jenny into thinking she agreed with asking Jimmy to kill Kim for her. She was actually disgusted with her murderous plan. Though she didn't condone infidelity, she saw Kim and her unborn child as innocent. She wouldn't ask her uncle to kill her if her life depended on it. She snapped out of her thoughts when the door opened. She saw Jack and Millie walk in. The former approached the chair in front of her. The latter went to the one on the right.
"Good evening, detectives," Jules greeted warmly.
"Good evening to you too," Jack answered, sitting down along with Millie. "I am Detective Jack Olsen. This is my partner, Millie Roundtree."
"My name is Jules Vicks. It's nice to meet both of you," Jules said, patting the table.
"You told Lieutenant Stone that you had valuable information to share with us about Jenny," Millie said with much curiosity.
"What is it? Why was it so important for us to meet with you?" Jack wondered in some uncertainty.
"You won't believe what Jenny asked me to do," Jules said, leaning forward and making direct eye contact with the detectives.
"What?" Millie asked, swallowing hard.
"She asked me to hire someone to kill Kim and her unborn child. I suggested my uncle Jimmy since he is a gunman. She told me to call him and tell him she was willing to pay him five thousand dollars to carry out the hit. She said she would call Nancy and ask her to withdraw that amount of money from her bank account and give it to him. Then she told me to instruct him to go to Kim's house and shoot her dead. I suggested he shoot her in the stomach to send a message to Tommy," Jules explained. "I agreed to keep it between us."
Jack and Millie gasped in much shock. They opened and closed their mouths, but they couldn't form any words. Jules tapped her fingers on the table before tilting her head.
"I know it sounds crazy, but it is true. Jenny wants to hire a hitman to murder Kim," Jules insisted.
"Oh, we believe every word you say, Jules," Jack responded truthfully. "Damn. Jenny is far more dangerous than we ever knew. She wants revenge against her husband for his unfaithfulness."
"What better way to get it than to have Kim killed?" Millie added, anger lining her voice.
Jules clenched her teeth. "I actually felt sick to my stomach when we discussed her murderous plan. I didn't show it, though."
"You took a great risk telling us about this," Millie muttered, letting out a sharp exhale. "Because of what Jenny did to Tommy, who's to say she won't go after you for snitching on her?"
"I know, but Kim and her unborn baby are innocent. They don't deserve to be murdered in such a cruel way," Jules replied in a blunt voice.
"You're fucking right about that," Jack commented, huffing to himself. "Tommy will be really shocked when he hears about this."
Millie glanced at him. "I think he will believe us, but it is unlikely the judge would to allow Jules to testify against Jenny. In fact, it'd be a real safety risk. Just seeing Jules could make Jenny go into a rage and attack her."
"That's true," Jules agreed.
Jack suppressed a yawn. "I agree."
Millie looked toward Jules and placed her hand on her temple. She tapped her finger on it. She seemed to be deep in thought. Suddenly, she got an idea and put it on the table.
"I've got it. Why don't we have Jules get Jenny to explain the plan to her again? She could wear a wire and get everything on tape," Millie suggested.
"That's a good idea," Jack replied very eagerly.
"I am more than willing to wear a wire and capture every word Jenny says," Jules said, chuckling happily. "She will regret she ever told me about her little plan for a contract killing." She moved her eyebrows up and down.
Jack crossed his arms. "She is looking at charges of solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder-for-hire. That could mean another life sentence for her if she is convicted."
"Jenny and I will watch TV in our cell tomorrow morning after breakfast before we do some activities. I can talk to her then," Jules pointed out and smiled lightly.
"That's perfect," Jack replied and uncrossed his arms.
Millie stood up. "I have a wire and tape player in my car. I will go get it and show it to you."
Millie approached the door and knocked on it. The guard opened it, allowing her to walk into the hallway. He closed it, its hinges squeaking a bit. Jack and Jules turned to each other.
"I want to warn you. You need to be very careful around Jenny. If she becomes aware you are recording her, she could become enraged and try to kill you," Jack whispered in seriousness.
"It is a risk I am willing to take. That bitch needs to be punished for everything she has done," Jules declared fiercely.
He nodded sharply. "That's right. It's not every day that inmates tip off police to what is going on within prison walls."
"You're right about that," Jules agreed. "Even if Kim weren't in the picture, I wouldn't be surprised if Jenny tried to hire a hitman to take Tommy out in revenge for leaving her."
"Oh, yes. Are you willing to meet with Detective Roundtree and me at eight o'clock tomorrow morning? That will be after you have breakfast," Jack suggested. "We'll put the wire on you then."
She smiled. "That sounds good to me."
Jack breathed in a slow yet steady manner. He and Jules proceeded to talk about where he and Millie would be while she was recording Jenny.