Evidence

(Sunday Evening, August 4th)

Officer Kolinski faces her, "Queen Belle." and she looks up at him. "Your husband's been placed in custody for the next twenty-four hours."

She shuts her book, "I see."

"If we find any new evidence between now and then," he informs, "we could build a case to keep him there."

She stands, "Good luck finding any."

She moves past him, and he turns around, "Your Highness." He walks with her, "It's in your best interest to be honest with us."

She exits the library, "I don't know what you're expecting, officer, but I don't wish to be separated from my husband."

"You said he was responsible for sending Ben to the hospital," he reminds her.

She walks up the staircase, "Adam has his fair share of problems. Sending him to some prison with a five-year anger management course isn't going to help him."

"It would help you," he inputs.

She turns around, "Trust me, Officer Kolinski. I'm fine." She continues down the hall and knocks on a door, "Mal? You okay in there?" She opens the door, scans the bedroom, and moves over to the bathroom. She frowns, walks back to the door, and requests, "I've got to take a shower. Can you see if Mal and Evie are in the kitchens?"

"Kitchens?" he questions.

"Probably the one in the East Wing," she suggests.

"I can do that."

"Thank you," Belle partly smiles, before goes into the master bedroom and moves into the bathroom. She turns on the shower, looks into the mirror, and clutches the counter before silently sobbing.

When Kolinski walks into the kitchen, he sees Evie feed Mal a tiny strawberry cake, "Sorry for interrupting. Belle wanted to check on you."

Mal chews the cake, "So, why isn't she here?"

He hesitates, "She might just be avoiding me. My partner and I have twenty-four hours to collect evidence against Ben's father, before we have to release him from custody."

Mal widens her eyes, "You need evidence?"

"Yes," he confirms.

"I have evidence," Mal proclaims.

"Show me," he commands, and Mal walks towards the door.

"Last year, Ben and his father got into an argument," she informs, as she guides him out of the East Wing. "When he tried getting away from him, he fell down the stairs." She questions, "Does that still help?"

"It would prove he's afraid of him," he confirms.

Mal walks down the first flight of stairs, "When he fell, he had to go to the hospital. He showed me the blood stain a few months ago." Mal removes the rug and gapes at the black-haired officer, "I swear, it was here."

He kneels and runs his hand over the white stone, "This tile looks new."

Mal slowly responds, "This doesn't help you anymore, does it?"

Kolinski stands back up, "Is there anything else you know of?"

Mal thinks, "The broken things always get cleaned up. Belle uses tea to calm him down." She shrugs, "Nothing useful. Ben and I are together again, so if I tell anyone about his parents, they'll just think I'm trying to get them out of the way."

"You should have come forward when the evidence was still here," Kolinski comments.

She glances down, "Ben didn't want me to."

"Oh, Officer," Evie calls out. "I forgot."

When she gets to the bottom of the stairs, he questions, "Do you have any evidence?"

"Oh," she smiles. "No. Evidence doesn't exist."

"So, you don't know anything?" She shakes her head, and he informs, "If Ben doesn't get help, he could get hurt."

"I'd be less worried about Ben and more about Belle." Evie explains, "After we graduate, I'm going to get my shop, and Ben's going to come stay with us."

"What?" he questions.

"Yeah," Mal agrees. "I don't get it either."

She turns to her, "My shop's going to have that second-floor apartment area. We have a queen-sized bed. There will be enough room for all of us." She turns back to the officer, "Belle's the one who has to live here. You should be more worried about her."

"Do you have any proof Adam's a threat to Belle?" he inquires.

Mal evenly answers, "We saw him slap her once."

"Don't forget that time when she almost touched his enchanted rose, and he pushed her to the floor and yelled at her to leave and go out into the blizzard," Evie reminds her.

"Did Belle tell you about that?" Kolinski assumes.

"Oh, no," Evie grins again. "I was there."

Mal places a hand to her head, "Hey, Eves." before she places her hands on her shoulders. "I'm really in the mood for some strawberry lemonade. Can you see if you can make us some?"

"But Mal," she frowns. "You're allergic to water."

"Then turn it into another cake or something," she solves before maneuvering her towards the stairs. She turns back to the officer with wide eyes and whispers, "I'm so sorry. She really isn't doing great right now."

"Oh," Evie turns around. "I almost forgot again." She looks at him, "Officer Kolinski. I know it must be really hard dealing with your daughter dying with her only being five and all, but it would be really sad if you shot yourself and you shouldn't do it."

He stares at her, "My daughter's three."

"Oh." She hums, "Never mind, then."

After she skips up the stairs, Mal admits, "She really scares me sometimes."

"What is she?" He assumes, "I mean, she's not human, right?"

Mal answers, "She's a witch."

He takes a moment, "Does that mean she can see the future?"

"She's an empath," Mal shakes her head. "I just assume she can see the past, because there's an emotional imprint or whatever. But there's no reason why she should be able to see the future." She notices his concern, "Don't worry about her. She just gets this way when she doesn't eat. I'm still waiting for the gods to bow to me."

The next day Belle walks into the hospital room, "Ben?"

He frowns at her, "You came."

"Of course, I came," she goes over to him and runs a hand through his hair. "How are you doing?"

He shuts his eyes, "Tired."

"You should eat something," she suggests.

"Can we just stay like this for a minute?" he requests.

She smiles, "Of course." and Charming looks at the officers.

Officer Kolinski nods Rinehart out of the room, and when they turn into the hallway, he questions, "Any luck with our king?"

"Ben still refuses to say anything," he informs.

"I had just as much luck with Belle," Kolinski quietly comments. "But Mal said Ben told her about a time when he argued with his father and fell down the stairs."

"He went to the hospital for that," Rinehart recalls.

"If it happened, there's no proof." He explains, "They replaced the stone tile." He takes a step back, peering into the room, as he watches her about to kiss Ben's forehead. "Belle," he shouts. She notices him, and he calms, "Your Highness. May we speak with you?"

When she stands, Ben clings to her, "No."

"It will just be a moment," she reassures, before she takes his hand from her arm, squeezes it, and then lets go. She heads outside, and she eyes between the two officers, folding her hands in front of her, "What can I help you with?"

"Mal said there was a blood stain on the staircase," Kolinski starts, and her eyes lower. "When we went to look at it, the stone was pure white."

Rinehart intrudes, "I presume you're going to tell us it didn't happen."

Belle faces him, "There was a blood stain." before she nods. "Ben secretly went to the butcher last year to get animal blood. After he walked home, he tripped on his way up the stairs, and the jug broke."

"The jug broke?" Rinehart doubts.

"Cheap plastic," she reasons.

"Hold on." Kolinski counters, "If Ben's been getting blood from the butcher, then why hasn't anyone talked about it? What's with all the worry about him hurting people?"

She frowns, "Not fresh enough, I'm afraid." before she looks down and takes a deep breath. "Anyway, when Adam saw the mess, he shouted, Ben slipped on the blood, and he fell on the stairs. That's how he got the fractured shoulder and concussion."

"That's not what Mal said Ben told her," Kolinski comments.

"Ben might not even know what happened," Belle excuses. "Everything got so muddled for him after the incident. All he remembered at first was his father shouting and coming to with him hovering over him. Of course, he must think something happened."

"Did you ever try telling Ben this?" Rinehart asks.

She strains a smile, "He'd never believe it. He hasn't been very accepting of himself."

"Your Highness," he insinuates, "the time to come forward is when there's allegations."

"The time to come forward," Belle negates, "is when it benefits the victim. I'm fine right where I am, and keeping this family together is what's ultimately best for Ben."

"Your husband won't let you leave the castle without his permission," Kolinski counters.

"He's just protective," she laughs. "And that's what Ben needs as a royal."

"If he cares about Ben," he disagrees, "then why doesn't he visit him?"

She crosses her arms, before she meets his grey eyes, "Well, maybe it's just a little hard for a parent to see their child slowly die before their very eyes." The tears run down her cheeks. "And knowing that there's nothing he can do to stop it, it angers him so much." She takes a deep breath, "Especially now that it seems Ben has chosen to give up on the few years he has left."

Rinehart tries reaching for her shoulder, "Belle."

She pierces her eyes at him, "I think you should leave." before she looks at Kolinski. "Both of you."

"Your Highness," Rinehart frowns. "We're just trying to help."

"And this is how you help a victim?" her eyes widen. "I hate to see what kind of plans you had for Adam."

"Your Highness," Kolinski starts.

Belle glares at him, "I said go." before she returns her sights to Rinehart. "Now."

Ben turns his head back up, as his mother reenters the room, "Are you okay?"

She tries to smile, removing the tears from her face, "I'm fine, honey."

"I'm sorry," he apologizes.

"For what?"

He takes a moment, "For using my health as a chess piece."

She wraps an arm over him and kisses his forehead, "You did no such thing."

"I'm really hungry," Ben recognizes, before he reaches for the shake, she lets go, and he distracts himself with a drink.