Chapter Four
"No-o-o..." Jaime said, her head spinning from the news. "How could Oscar confess? He didn't do it!"
"Do we really know that for sure?" Steve asked quietly.
Jaime was indignant. "Of course we do! Oscar doesn't have murder in him! He might kill to protect someone he cares about, but murder? No way!"
Steve's eyes met hers, and the lightbulb that had just flashed on in his mind was clearly visible in his gaze. "Sweetheart, say that again."
"No way?"
"Before that; because I think you just hit the nail on the head."
Jaime's inner lightbulb was on now, too. "He'd kill to protect someone he cares about..."
Steve nodded. "Or confess to something he didn't do." He got out of bed and dressed quickly. "I'm supposed to meet Dupree at the jail at 10:00, but Oscar must already be awake, if he just confessed. I'll head up there now, and maybe he'll be more willing to level with me if Dupree isn't along for the ride."
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"I'm sorry, Colonel Austin," the guard told him, "but the only people allowed back there to see Goldman are the investigators and his attorney."
"I understand that, but I just took over as OSI Director and this is official - and urgent - OSI business. You're interfering with the United States Government."
"I could lose my job for this," the guard grumbled, "but - alright." He unlocked the door to the largest of the four private visitors' rooms. "Wait in here."
The guard led Oscar in and Steve demanded, with all the authority of his new position, that the cuffs and shackles be removed. The guard complied, then closed and locked the door, leaving Steve and Oscar alone.
"I had a feeling I'd be seeing you this morning, Pal. She finally told you?"
Steve was confused. "She - what? - no. Dupree and I are coming - officially - at 10. I wanted a little time to talk privately first."
"I figured you might."
"Oscar, what happened? Did they do something to hurt you, or were you threatened in some way? What made you confess?"
"The truth made me confess," Oscar said in a clear, steady voice. "I shot him, Steve."
"I don't believe you."
"It's the Gods-honest-truth."
"Who are you protecting?"
"What?" Oscar asked, feigning bewilderment.
"You either pulled the trigger to protect someone Hansen threatened, or you confessed to protect the real killer," Steve told him. Oscar didn't answer. "Dammit, Oscar! Your life is on the line! Tell me the truth - which is it?"
"Both."
"What?"
"I pulled the trigger to protect someone, and I confessed to protect that same someone. I'm surprised you don't already know..."
"I don't have time for guessing games. Tell me who you're covering for. Who are you protecting?"
As much as Oscar didn't want to say it, he knew the time had come. "Pal...it was Jaime."
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Steve glanced at his watch as he ran up the sidewalk and through his own front door. It was 7:55am, just over two hours before he had to meet Dupree. He didn't want to consider that what Oscar had told him could possibly be true, but all of the details his former boss had given him fit perfectly, and his words had the ring of truth. And yet...Jaime?
He found her in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee. "We have to talk," he told her. "Now."
Jaime's eyes grew wide with fear and confusion. "Steve, what's wrong? What happened with Oscar?"
"Let's go sit in the den," he suggested, trying to keep his voice calm and level.
Jaime sat down on the sofa, and instead of sitting next to her as he normally would, Steve chose the chair that allowed him to directly face her so he could gauge her reactions and body language.
Jaime looked questioningly at him. "What did Oscar say to you? Does he know who did it?"
"He says he does."
"So...who is it?"
"Jaime, he said he's covering for you."
"Ohmigod...no!"
Steve lowered his eyes, finding it impossible to look at her. "Jaime," he said very softly, "I'm gonna ask you this one time, and then never, ever ask you again - and I'm really sorry, but I do have to ask - did you kill Jack Hansen?"
"Of course not! Steve -"
"Did you shoot him?"
"No! Absolutely, positively NO! I was with you that night, remember?"
"Not the whole night, Sweetheart..."
"Oh, you're kidding! I went outside to fill the birdfeeders, and then I watched the lightening bugs. I wasn't out there for more than half an hour, and it takes at least 20 minutes to drive to the office - each way. So there ya go: proof."
"Not exactly. The 20 minutes is in a car, in DC traffic. As an experiment, I just ran here from the office. A direct path, at bionic speed, took less than ten minutes."
"You...you think I...killed him," Jaime said slowly.
"I didn't say that, and neither did Oscar, but the time you were outside coincides perfectly with what Oscar did say."
Jaime began to tremble violently. "I thought 'Colonel Austin' got locked in the office before you came home."
Steve got up and moved to sit next to her, taking her in his arms. "Jaime, I'm not talking to you as your boss. This is the man who loves you, and if you are in trouble, the one who desperately wants to help you."
"I...don't understand. If Oscar told you I didn't do it -"
"Oscar said you didn't kill Hansen; he did."
"You lost me, Austin. I don't understand, and I'm not sure I want to."
"Oscar told me he was on his way home for the night and right before the parking garage, on that strip of grass, Jack Hansen staggered up to him, bleeding from a chest wound. He said..." Steve's voice trailed off.
"What?" Jaime insisted.
"Sweetheart, Hansen told Oscar...that you shot him and he was gonna make sure you fried for it."
"No -"
"That was one thing Oscar couldn't deal with. You know how he feels about you."
Jaime's eyes filled with tears as she suddenly realized what was coming next. Steve continued. "Hansen turned to go, laughing, and Oscar shot him."
"In the back - that's automatically murder, isn't it?"
"Usually, yes. I have a theory, though. C'mon; I'll need your help."
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