Impossible Situations
Jesse had been so worked up and Alex was so worried about him that he had invited him back to his apartment. Jesse realised as he walked along the hallway that he hadn't been inside the building since he had moved his stuff out months ago. In his mind he could see Rae lying on the floor with Levington standing over her, and for a moment his world shifted slightly.
"Jesse, are you all right?" Alex put his hand on his arm, and when he got no response he guided him to his door, and once he had unlocked it, led him over and sat him down on the sofa. "Jesse, can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry, Alex, I just can't take all this in, everything seems to be falling down around me, and I can't do anything to stop it." Jesse leant back against the sofa and shut his eyes. He felt so tired and overwhelmed by all that was happening to him and to Rae. Everything that he thought about had a problem attached to it, and most of them had no solutions.
Alex looked at his friend, and wasn't sure what to do to help him. But the first thing he had to make sure was that Jesse wouldn't be alone for a while. Alex picked up the phone and put a call through to Wil Collins at Community General.
Wil was just about to pour himself a coffee when the phone rang in the doctor's lounge. He groaned. He had made the mistake of telling the receptionist where he would be for the next ten minutes. "Doctor Collins … Oh, hi, Alex," He let out a big sigh. "No … no that's not a problem, I can cover for you … Oh, God, yeah sure, I understand … take as long as you want." Wil paused for a moment. He knew that what Mark had said could be covered under patient doctor confidentiality, but he had a feeling that Alex, and more importantly Jesse, should know what he had heard.
Alex put the phone down and slumped into the chair. Jesse was fast asleep on the sofa, and he wasn't going to wake him unless the world was about to end, but he had a feeling that what he had just been told came pretty close to causing that to come about for Jesse. Alex began to put some of the things that had happened lately into order in his brain. In the end his mind began to spin and he got a piece of paper and started again. After half an hour he had written down everything that he could think of, and whichever way he looked at it Rae was in serious trouble. He was suddenly fired with energy and he picked up his pad and threw it across the room. He refrained from uttering the oath that was on the tip of his tongue got up and went into his bedroom, and without getting undressed he threw himself on the bed, but he had a feeling that meaningful sleep would be very difficult for him to find.
Rae woke up after a very disturbed night to find a different doctor sitting at the desk. As she tried to sit up in the bed she saw the woman come towards her.
"Ah, Detective Yeager, I see we are awake. You have five minutes to get up and dressed. Your clothes are at the end of your bed."
Rae looked at the woman in front of her and once again she saw undisguised hostility in her eyes. Doctor Jacobs had seemed a little softer by the time she had fallen asleep, but she knew that she would face this and worse everywhere she went in here. She checked her watch but found that it was no longer on her wrist. She didn't have her bangle either, nor her wedding and engagement rings. Rae rubbed a hand across her eyes, and moved towards the clothes she had to wear.
The orange jumpsuit felt cold and foreign to her and she shuddered as she put it on. There was no door to her cubicle and she could feel the doctor watching her every move. She had been sleeping in what she guessed would qualify as a booth, and was similar to every other room on the floor. The doctor's desk was in the middle of the central area and she could see each bed. Once she was dressed Rae ran her fingers through her hair and taking a deep breath she moved out into the hallway. "Excuse me, Ma'am, but where do I go now?"
"Well, you could go and have some breakfast, but…" The doctor made a great show of checking her watch. "Oh dear, you have just missed that. So I guess we will be allocating you a cell next then." The doctor pressed a buzzer on the underside of her desk and a guard entered immediately. "Detective Yeager is fit to be discharged."
Rae went to say that she hadn't been checked over that morning, but decided that it would make no difference. The guard, whose name was Bryant; Rae could see her name badge, just nodded. "This way."
"Yes, Ma'am." Rae followed her out of the hospital wing and through what seemed like endless miles of corridor. She felt as if every eye in the place was on her, and as she passed a couple of people they spat at her. Trying not to let any of her feelings show she carried on walking, although all she really wanted to do was either turn tail and run, or just sink to the ground and let everything carry on without her.
After what felt like an eternity Rae saw her guard stop walking and run a smart card through a slot. A door slid silently open and Ms Bryant moved back and indicated with her hand that Rae should enter. The door shut behind her and Rae was alone. She leant back against the door and sank to the floor, and then putting her head into her hands she began to cry uncontrollably.
It was just after half seven the next morning when Jesse began to stir. He would have slept on longer, but Kira, who had been beside herself the night before when she realised who had come to stay, decided that Jesse could feed her breakfast, and had begun to lick his hair. "Kira, stop it. Eww, you know I hate that." For a brief instant Jesse was just caught up in the moment and he picked up the cat and made a fuss of it. He realised that he had missed having Kira around. Then he put her down and headed into the kitchen and took a tin out of the refrigerator. That was it for the cat, she was in heaven, she wove herself in, out and around Jesse's legs, her purring getting louder and louder. Jesse put the bowl down and smiled indulgently at her. Then he looked around him, and thinking straight for the first time since he had arrived at Alex's he put the coffee maker on and took some bread out and plugged in the toaster.
By eight Alex was up, dressed in his best suit and ready to go and meet with Mr. Sholte and hopefully Rae. He had called Sally and was going to drop Jesse off with her on the way, so that he could spend the morning with his daughter, and also so that Jesse would be cared for while he was at the jail. But first he had to tell Jesse about Mark and what he had said.
"Jess, come and sit down, I need to speak with you." Alex listened to himself and realised that he was almost treating Jesse like a small child.
"I'm ok, Alex, I know you're worried about me, but I will be all right. You just take care of Rae, maybe you could get her transferred to Community General." Jesse's eyes lit up for an instant as he considered the possibility.
"Jesse, stop it. This is hard enough as it is. I'll do everything I can for Rae, you know that, but I've something I have to tell you, and you are making it even more difficult." Alex took a breath, and then without giving Jesse a chance to reply to what he had said he began to talk again. "There has been a problem with Mark," he saw a horrified look spread across Jesse's face. "No, not medical." Alex realised he wasn't wording this very well. "Jesse, he identified Rae as his attacker." Alex stopped talking and looking at his friend he could see that he was having trouble taking in what he was saying.
Jesse felt the words rush at him and then slam into him like bullets. He couldn't catch his breath and he felt his head begin to swim. He knew that if he hadn't been sitting down he would have collapsed, and he placed his head on his knees for a moment. He had to be strong for Rae; he couldn't fall to pieces, not until she was free. His thoughts wouldn't form any more, and he realised that he was going to pass out just before the darkness closed in around him.
Steve and Jo had sat with Mark all night. They had taken it in turns to sleep in two comfy chairs in front of each other, but neither of them had slept for more than a couple of hours. Now they were sitting in silence watching and waiting for Mark to come round once again. Wil Collins had been in and gently checked Mark's wound, but hadn't said very much.
Jo had been thinking about Rae and how the news of what Mark had said would affect her. She checked her watch, it was half past eight, she would leave it another half an hour and then Rae would be up and she could call her. Jo looked over at Steve and she could see that he was dozing in the chair; she was just about to go and get him a coffee when she was startled by a knock at the door.
"May I come in?"
Jo was worried to see Wil Collins standing in the doorway he had a newspaper and a pad in his hands, and she could tell that he didn't have anything good to tell them.
"Sure, but I thought that Mark was gonna be all right…" She knew by his face that she was reading the situation wrongly. "It's not Mark you're here about is it?" Jo turned as she heard Steve get up off the chair.
"Wil, what's going on?" Steve moved over and stood next to Jo, and he was glad to feel her standing so close to him.
"Steve, Jo, Rae was arrested yesterday, and Alex has just had Jesse admitted. He is on the verge of nervous collapse."
"Oh, my God. Is she all right? No, that is a stupid question, of course she won't be all right, she will be terrified an' worryin' herself to death about her family." Jo took a breath and looked back at Mark, worried that her outburst may have disturbed him.
"Where's Jesse?" Steve knew that they had been absorbed in his Dad and his condition, but it had only been twenty-four hours.
"He is in room…" Wil checked the pad he had in his hand. "Room 283. I have contacted Brian Dobson, but he said he couldn't come in to see him. Alex brought him in the car, and I admitted Jesse because Alex had to get to the jail to see Rae. He let himself be led like a child; I'm not even sure if he knows where he is, he got into the bed and was almost immediately asleep. I will sedate him if I think it necessary, but for now natural sleep is the best thing he can get."
Jo doubted that, she had a feeling that the best thing for Jesse would be the chance to have his family back. Suddenly a thought crossed her mind. "Eliana, where is Eliana?"
"I have no idea, but Alex said he would call me as soon as he finished with Rae, so I will ask him then."
"Wil, do you know what Rae has been charged with?" Steve let the cop in him come back to the fore, and waited to hear what the doctor had to say.
"Yeah, I do, and you're not gonna like it. She has been charged with three counts of murder one and two of attempted murder." Wil watched as the two people before her moved closed to each other, and he could see how much they needed the contact it gave them.
"Oh, God. No bail, no chance of a plea, she will get life at the very least."
"Steve, No! That can't be." Jo was in tears and she turned her face into Steve's chest, and he could feel her begin to cry against him.
"I'm afraid there is more to come." Wil looked around the room; he didn't want to make eye contact with anybody. He unfolded the newspaper he had been holding. The headlined leapt out at them, and nobody had to say anything.
English Detective Facing Death Penalty
Three counts of murder mean Yeager will get the needle.
"My God, no wonder Jesse collapsed." Steve put his hand out and took the paper offered to him. He began to read the article and Jo could feel his heart begin to race as he did so.
"Steve, Jo, I have to get back to work, I promised Alex I would cover for him for as long as it takes. If you need me I am heading for the on call room after I have seen Jesse, to try and catch a half hour or so of sleep. But if your Dad wakes up I want you to have me paged ok?"
Jo turned her tear-stained face and just nodded. Then as the doctor left the room she looked up at her fiancé's face and was shocked by the grim determination she saw there.
"What, Steve, what is it?"
"You read that. There is no way she will get a fair trial. This guy is right, she will get the death penalty, she's been convicted already."
Rae didn't know how long she had been on the floor of her cell before she heard the small window above her open, then the door slid away and she saw Ms Bryant towering over her.
"Get up, your lawyer is here."
"Oh." Rae stood up and brushed down her clothes.
"Yeah, yeah, you look beautiful, now come on or he will have gone home. He's been waiting fifteen minutes already." She saw the cuffs that the guard had in her hands and she put her arms out.
Rae said nothing, she didn't have the energy to protest, and so once again she ran the gauntlet of other prisoners, but her arrival must have been broadcast because this time she faced catcalls as well as being spat at like before. She was led to a room with a desk and three chairs in it and told to sit. Once she had done so the door on the other side of the room opened and Mr Sholte entered, and behind him to her delight was Alex. She didn't know if she was allowed to or not, but Rae was so glad to see a friendly face that she raced across to Alex and leant into him. "Oh, God, Alex, I am so relieved to see you." Suddenly she felt rough hands on her shoulders and she was pulled back.
"Sit down, Missy, or I will cancel your meeting." Ms Bryant pushed Rae back into the chair and then turned to the two men. "You have an hour." She moved back out of the door on Rae's side of the room. The wall was covered in bars and Alex and Mr. Sholte could see the jail laid out before them.
"Rae, are you alright?"
"No, Alex, I'm not alright. Did you really think I would be? I've been arrested for three murders I didn't do. Everywhere I look people treat me like a pariah, because to them I am one, I have lost my husband and my daughter, and you ask me if I am all right?"
"Rae, stop it. You know what I mean. Cheryl said that she had no medical reason not to arrest you. Is that right?"
"Yeah, I wish I could give her reason, but I can't. Alex, I'm sorry." Rae's hands were in front of her on the table, and Alex reached over and placed his hand over hers.
Mr. Sholte decided to begin talking, then maybe the dainty little guard outside the door wouldn't notice the hand holding. It was allowed, but he had a feeling that she would still try to stop it. "Rae, I don't have to tell you that there is no chance of bail, you already know that, but I will try for a life sentence if that is what you want me to do. It is likely to be a possibility if you plead guilty."
"NO! There is no way I am gonna plead guilty, because I am not. I didn't do it… At least I don't think I did, not all of it."
Alex moved his hand away in surprise, and Sholte gasped. Alex placed his hand back in its place and he felt her grip him tightly. "Rae, what are you saying?"
"Alex, I can't remember leaving Community General, or driving to Bob's. I don't know why, but I can't. So maybe I did attack Mark, but I didn't kill Lee or Helen, I didn't." Rae felt her eyes begin to fill with tears and she moved her hands and brushed them away.
"We need to discuss what will happen at the preliminary hearing then, and I know that Doctor Martin wants to check you over." Mr. Sholte checked his watch, "So I guess we had better get a move on." He was extremely worried about this missing portion of time, but until he had discussed it further with the doctor he preferred to talk about things he was sure about.
The flight from London arrived at LAX an hour late at ten in the morning, and a cold blue sky welcomed its passengers. They made their way into the passenger lounges and then out into the main terminal buildings and the city began to swallow them up. Soon all of the travellers had disappeared except one. He had been the most visible person both on and off the plane, and now he stood, looking round and not finding who he wanted to see.
Tony Yeager sighed and checked his watch. Rae or Jesse should have been waiting for him. He had sent a message to both cell phones to let them know he was going to be a little late, and as he had heard nothing he presumed that they had received the messages. After ten minutes he sent two more messages, and after another ten he headed with his cases to the taxi rank. He stopped at a newsstand and picked up a copy of the daily paper, and as he read the headline his heart sank. He waited only two minutes for a taxi, and instead of giving Rae's home address; he decided to head for the station instead. He knew that Steve would be able to help him.
Cheryl was getting some of the information ready for Rae's hearing, when she was called down to the front desk. She put her pad down and hoped that she would be able to remember what she was going to write when she got back. As she went down the steps she could see an extremely tall man waiting by Bob's desk. She knew she should recognise him from somewhere.
"Hi, I'm Detective Banks, can I help you?"
"Yes, I hope so." The man had an extremely firm handshake, and a very deep, very British accent. "My name is Tony Yeager, I am looking for Steve Sloan."
"I'm afraid Lieutenant Sloan is on leave at the moment, can I help you?" Cheryl remembered instantly where she had met this man before. It had been at Rae and Jesse's wedding.
"Yes, I hope so. We met when Rae got married. I need to speak to someone about this." Tony held up the paper. "What am I going to tell our children?"
"Mr. Yeager, I'm the detective who arrested your wife, and I have to tell you that the evidence against her is pretty damning. How long are you in LA for? I am sure that I can arrange for you to get into the court if you wish."
Tony nodded, and then remembered his manners. "Yes, thank you. Do you think I will be able to see Rae? I know you have all sorts of formalities to go through, but I am only here for a week." Tony hadn't missed the fact that this woman was responsible for Rae being in jail in the first place, but he wasn't sure what to say about it, so he decided to bide his time.
"There are exceptions to every rule, and I am sure that they can make one for you. Ok, I have to get back to work, so I am afraid that I can't stay with you. Do you have anywhere to go?"
"Yes, thank you, I'll try to find Jesse. I asked my cab to wait, so I will go over to … Community General isn't it?" Tony saw the detective nod and then he watched her as she went back up the stairs. With a sigh he returned to his cab and sat deep in thought until it drew to a halt once again.
Louise Willis was on duty on reception in the ER when the elevator opened and an extremely tall man exited. He moved over towards her and resisting the temptation to look up she waited for him to talk.
"Excuse me I am looking for Doctor Jesse Travis."
Nurse Willis looked at her admissions book, "Oh, I'm sorry, Sir, but he is not receiving visitors yet. His doctor is in Trauma Two and will be finished in a while if you would like to wait. Are you family, Sir?" She couldn't imagine anybody so tall being related to anybody so small.
"Not exactly." Tony didn't understand why Jesse wasn't receiving visitors but he knew that he didn't like the sound of it, he had no intention of trying to explain his position in Jesse's life, it wasn't this woman's business, and for no apparent reason he didn't think he liked her. "I will just sit over there and wait, maybe you could point the doctor out to me when he is finished." Tony moved away and sitting down in a chair that had a good view of all the trauma suite doors, resisted the temptation to get the paper out and read through the dreadful news again as he sat and waited.
After about ten minutes Tony saw a man come out of one of the trauma suites and head towards the desk. He watched carefully as the nurse pointed over to where he was sitting, and he stood up.
Wil Collins had yet to make it to the on call room for his hoped for sleep. He had spent the last ten minutes with a young man explaining to him why he couldn't put a plaster cast on his fractured shoulder. In the end he had put a sling on him and he had left the ER happy. Now he wanted to get up and see Jesse, but first there was apparently a giant to see him. Wil watched as the man indicated to him stood up, and he understood what the nurse had meant. He walked over and smiled up at him.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Collins, I understand that you were enquiring about Doctor Travis."
"Yes, that's right. My name is Tony Yeager."
"Yeager?" Wil looked at him with a frown. He had seen the paper in the man's hand and wondered whether he had a nutcase in front of him.
"I used to be married to Rae, when she lived in England. She and Jesse, ah Doctor Travis were supposed to pick me up at the airport today, but they didn't, so I decided to come and find them instead. If you want to check me out you can give Detective Banks a ring."
"A ring?"
"Yes, a ring, on the phone?" Tony looked down at this doctor; maybe he was having a problem with this accent.
"Oh, right, call her, sorry, it's a long time since I got any sleep. Ah, would you mind if I did?" Wil saw him shake his head and so he headed over to the reception desk and picked up the phone.
Rae had answered all the questions that Mr. Sholte had asked her as honestly as she could. She felt very tired, and a little disoriented, but she hadn't had any problems with what he was saying. Once she was sure he had finished talking she turned back to Alex.
"Alex, where's Jesse? I thought he might come and see me. Does he hate me?" Rae had to know, but she was almost afraid to listen.
"No, Honey, no, he doesn't hate you. You have to let him have a form to fill in and then he will send it back to the jail, the one you need is…" Alex looked at the piece of paper that he had written down the information on. "Ah, CDC Form 106. Once it's processed he'll be able to come and see you." Alex could see by her face that she was about to ask the same question as Jesse.
"I'll find out then, and send it to him. How long will it take before he can come?"
"About thirty days, Rae, I'm sorry."
"No, that's all right. I guess everybody here is real busy. Alex, is he all right, and Eliana?"
Alex was extremely concerned by the way she just accepted the bad news without a murmur, but decided to leave it go for now. "Eliana is staying with Sally at the moment, and she looked happy and content when we left her there. But Jesse isn't all right, he isn't all right at all." Alex took a deep breath. He didn't want to worry her, but she needed to know about her husband.
"What's the matter with him, Alex? He wasn't attacked too was he?"
"No, nobody has been attacked since you were arrested." He knew straight away that he shouldn't have said that. "Rae, I'm sorry, that wasn't meant like it sounded."
"No? Maybe you had better tell me whether you think I'm guilty, Alex." Rae was on her feet in an instant, but out the corner of her eye she saw the guard move towards the door and she sat back down again without a sound.
"No, of course I don't, and neither does Jesse, but all the worry of everything, you and Mark…" He stopped talking as Rae interrupted him.
"Mark, what's wrong with Mark? Oh, God, he isn't dead too is he Alex?" Rae put her head in her hands. She didn't think she would be able to cope if he told her that Mark had died of his injuries.
"No, but he was seriously injured Rae and you know that Jesse operated on him. I won't find out how he is today until I get back into work."
"And Jesse, what happened to Jesse?"
"He collapsed at my place this morning, and I had him admitted to the hospital. Just as a precaution, I had arranged for him to stay with Sally while I was here, but I wasn't sure that she could cope with him, Community General's the best place for Jesse right now, and once I finish here I will go straight back and see him."
"Tell him I love him, Alex, please. I just miss him so much."
"Rae, are they treating you fairly in here?" It was Sholte who asked the question, and Rae looked over at the guard before she answered.
"No, not really, but I didn't expect them to. There are women here who I have busted, and you would have to be brain dead not to know who I am and what has happened to me since I moved to LA. I'll just have to learn to accept that I'll be hounded the whole time I'm here. But, Sholte, I expect you to get me released. I'm innocent, and there must be some proof out there."
Alex stood up and moved round next to Rae. "Honey, I need to just examine you quickly. Nothing intrusive, but for my own peace of mind, and Jesse's."
"Ok. After yesterday's exam whatever you do will be a walk in the park."
Alex picked up his bag and moved with Rae as far away from the guard as he could. It took him just over ten minutes to look Rae over, and then he guided her gently back to the table.
The door clanked open and the guard returned. "Your time is up. You have to get your lunch." She went to pull Rae away but Mr. Sholte stood up and glared at her.
"She has the right to say goodbye to her visitors, so if you would just move away. Rae you are allowed to kiss and embrace at the beginning and end of each visit."
Rae held out her manacled hands. "It's a bit difficult with these on."
Mr. Sholte shook his head, and then he held his hand out to Rae. "I will do my very best for you at your preliminary hearing, Mrs Travis, which should be in the next day or two, I promise you that."
"I know you will. This is quick isn't it? I didn't things would move so fast."
"No, we have to have the preliminary hearing, within 10 court days of your detention hearing. I realise that you didn't know me before all this started, and I hope that I haven't added to your distress, but if I have, I apologise."
"Mr. Sholte, if you are trusted by Texas then that is good enough for me." Rae smiled at him, and then saw his puzzled look. "Alex will explain it to you." Rae turned to him. "Alex, thank you. You have sorted out my family for me, and I know that they are safe; I always knew I made the right choice when I asked you to be my physician. You look after yourself as well, though, ok?"
"I will." Alex put his arms out and drew her into them. He held her tight for a minute, and he could feel her shaking as he did so.
Rae was grateful for the physical contact. As she rested her head on his shoulder she heard him begin to speak. "I know you're innocent, Rae, and I will prove it. I don't know how, but I will, and I'll take care of Jesse for you too." She looked up at him and kissed him gently on the cheek, and then with a sigh she moved away from his embrace and back into the frightening world that lay beyond the bars.
By the time Wil had spoken to Cheryl and then taken Tony up to Jesse's room it was almost lunchtime. As they got to the door of the room Wil put his hand on Tony's arm. "He is in a very fragile state. Don't be surprised if the fact that he couldn't pick you up from the airport upsets him more than it normally would."
"Ok. I have to say I'm not surprised he is upset. I think I would be with everything that has been going on in his life lately." Tony shook his head, and then they knocked softly, opened the door and quietly entered.
Jesse had been awake for about ten minutes and was just lying there staring ahead of him. He didn't feel like he had the energy to do anything, but he was astute enough to know that if he listened to his body for a while, he would gradually begin to feel better. He couldn't get to Rae for thirty days, Eliana was safe with Sally, and he was here, where he could fall asleep any time he wanted without it affecting anybody. He smiled a small, weak smile. It was nice to have the responsibilities taken from him, at least for a little while. There was a small tap on the door and he turned, and the beginnings of relaxation fled him as he saw Tony come into the room.
"Tony, oh, my, we didn't pick you up, I am so sorry."
"Jesse, don't worry about it. As you can see I was able to get myself from the airport, right across town to here without any problems. I'll book into a hotel, and the company can pay. They can afford it after all." Tony smiled, but he was shocked to see how weary Jesse looked. He seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Tony guessed that he did have the weight of his own world there right now."
"Did you hear what happened to Rae?" Jesse could feel his anxiety levels rising, and he knew that he should ask Tony to leave, but he couldn't, not yet.
"I saw it in the paper when I landed. I have spoken to Detective Banks, and I am going to be in court whenever Rae is."
"Thank you. I am so sorry that you have been dragged into all of this."
"Oh, don't worry about it. It seems to me that you have enough on your plate without thinking about the ex-husband as well." Tony hoped to get a smile out of Jesse, but he could see that he wasn't up to that yet. "Jesse, I know that she didn't do this, I don't care what evidence they have, Rae couldn't hurt a fly. Unless it was in the line of duty. She will come back to you." This time he did get a smile, and Jesse put his hand on Tony's arm.
"Thank you. I needed to hear you say that."
Wil thought it was time he stepped in. "Tony, I just need to check my patient over, and then I will take you to lunch if you would like."
"Thank you, yes I'd like that. I'll just wait outside. Jesse, I have a full day tomorrow, but I'll be back in to see you in the evening, if that's ok."
"Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you." Jesse lay back on the pillow, the conversation had drained him of what little strength he had, and all he wanted to do now was shut his eyes and go back to sleep. He couldn't even think about the horrors that Rae would have to go through in jail, his brain just couldn't cope with it.
Tony was sitting quietly outside the door when he saw a familiar figure coming down the hallway. He stood up and waited with a smile. "Steve, it's good to see you again."
"Tony? What are you doing here? Did you come because of Rae?" Steve couldn't believe who he was seeing, but he knew that there was no mistaking the man standing in front of him.
"No, no, I was always due to be coming at this time, I have meetings to attend for the next week, and I was supposed to be staying with Rae and Jesse. But obviously those plans will have to change… Steve you don't think she did this do you?"
Steve wanted to just turn and leave, but he knew that he had to answer. "I didn't, but now I'm not so sure. My Dad was attacked yesterday, and he identified her. Jo's car was tampered with outside Rae's house. The nurse from here was murdered right after Rae had been with her, and so was the patient, he was found right next to where she parked her car. The evidence against her is strong, Tony." Steve's heart sank lower with every word he uttered. He so desperately wanted her to be innocent, but what his Dad had said haunted him.
"No, I can't believe that, I won't believe it. I don't know what I can do to help prove her innocence, but trust me I will do anything." Tony felt his anger rise, but there was no way to release it and so he stood and simmered until gradually he realised that it was receding once again.
Steve nervously watched this giant of a man as he struggled with his emotions. "Tony, until my Dad was attacked I didn't believe she was guilty either, even with what happened to Jo's car, but when he came round in the ER he called out her name, he said No, Rae, don't. I can't ignore that."
"No, I don't suppose you can, but I have to help her, Steve. Not only for her, or for me, but also for our children. What will happen to them if their mother goes to jail for murder, or worse, according to the paper she could die because of this."
"Yeah, I know, and I have nothing I can say to you, not that will help. I have to get back to Jo, I was just coming along to see how Jess is, but I will come back later."
Steve turned and headed back the way he had come. There was a battle going on inside his head, the side that said that there was no possibility of Rae committing any of these crimes was being beaten back by the part that said that his dad saw Rae, and therefore she must be guilty. He loved Rae, and up until now had trusted her with his life, but he had almost lost his dad, and if she was guilty then he would ensure that she got all the treatment she needed. He knew that would probably mean her being psychologically tested and maybe spending time on a secure psyche ward, but if that was what it would take then he would make sure that was what would happen.