Chapter Ten: It wasn't me
"What the hell happened? They were talking about murder charges and I just got so confused, I've only just been let out of the cells today, I had to stay overnight and be interviewed and it's all your fault! What did you say to them?"
"What did we say to them?" Clementine exploded. "What the fuck did you do is a better question! I could have died!"
"What?" Simone retaliates.
"Ok, calm down," says Mort, getting inbetween Clementine and Simone. "Right. Does everyone feel better now we're not shouting and attracting the attention of everyone on this floor?"
"How the fuck are you even here? They should have kept you and charged you, at least banned you from visiting the Silver Sunset," says Clementine.
"What did I do? Tell me what I have done to deserve this!" says Simone, inching forward towards Clementine.
"Simone, you don't know anything? You don't remember what happened five nights ago at all?" says Mort, a little more quieter than his wife.
"Yeah, I bet she doesn't."
"No, wait Clementine, Simone, do you know a man called John Shooter?"
"No."
"Do you have split personalities? Schizophrenia?"
"No," Simone thinks for a moment. "I black out though, sometimes for hours people tell me. Like, sleepwalk because people say they've seen me and I don't remember any of it."
"Right, now we're getting somewhere. So, you don't know anything that happens because of this, no after-effects, or, anything?"
"No, why are you saying this? Did I sleepwalk and do something terrible?"
"Yeah, pretty terrible," says Clementine, still not completely calm.
"Do you remember going to the Bellano?" says Mort, sitting Simone down on the edge of the bed.
"Mort just get her out of here, she tries to kill me and then turns up with room service? She's twisted Mort."
"Yes, I went to the Bellano with my friend, I don't remember much happening though," says Simone.
"Alright, this will probably come as a shock to you, but, this is why the police called to see you. At the Bellano you tried to hang Clementine."
"What?"
"You tied some washing line round her neck and threw her off of the balcony," explains Mort.
"Oh my God! Are you ok? I didn't hurt you did I? Oh my God," says Simone, eyes a little wider than usual. Clementine sighs and sits by her on the bed.
"No, no permanent damage, scared me to death though," she says, trying to comfort Simone as best she can, under the circumstances.
"I can't believe I'd ever do that. I only wanted to meet up with you, Morton. You're my idol, I've got pictures of you on the walls of my bedroom, schoolgirlish as it is. Even though there's a bit of jealousy towards Clementine I'd never try to hurt you, you've got to believe me, please don't press charges, it wasn't me!" Simone cries.
"Shhh. Come on, cry like that and you'll attract attention from somewhere," says Mort.
"Simone, are you alright?" Clementine asks, Mort looks at Simone's face and it's blank, he looks at Clementine. But when he looks back there's life again in Simone.
"Simone?"
"Simone? Maggie. You?" she looks at Clementine. "You!" she screeches. "I can't believe it didn't work!"