Several Hours Later
After being questioned by the police in regards to the stabbing, Jason made it home to find Kellie had fallen asleep, waiting up for him, in the chair in their bedroom. As he knelt down next to Kellie, he smiled noticing that at four months pregnant, his shirts that she wore to bed didn't easily conceal the fact she was showing.
Kellie stirred as Jason picked her up and mover her to the bed.
"Hey, you're home," Kellie said.
"I thought I told you not to wait up for me," Jason said, getting in bed with Kellie.
"I couldn't sleep," Kellie said, "All you told me was you and Drew were held up because someone got stabbed at the Floating Rib. What happened?"
"Did you know Curtis would be there trying to get information from the rescue coordinator?" Jason asked.
"No," Kellie said, "I know Curtis was working on that but I didn't know when he planned to meet him."
"Curtis was waiting for him at the bar," Jason said, "Evan had already had a few drinks and was flashing a lot of cash. He was bragging about getting a promotion and how easy it would be to get Lorenzo out of the foundation to get it because he'd already done it to you."
"So he admitted to lying about me threatening him," Kellie said.
"He did," Jason said, wrapping his arms around Kellie.
"Anything else?" Kellie asked curling up against Jason.
"He also said that the Board fired you for getting pregnant," Jason said.
"How much did he have to drink?" Kellie asked, "He must have been pretty wasted. But that will make Diane happy, especially if there were witnesses to hear him say that."
"There were plenty of them," Jason said, "Curtis also recorded the conversation."
Kellie traced Jason's jawline with her finger, "What's bothering you?"
"It's not important," Jason said.
"What else did Evan say?" Kellie asked, "That got under your skin?"
"Nothing I want to repeat," Jason said, "The way he talked about you, he used terms that made me angry and Drew had to talk me out of punching the daylights of out of him."
"Remind me to thank Drew for keeping my baby daddy out of jail," Kellie said.
"Well it turns out someone else was gunning for Evans," Jason said, holding Kellie tighter, "He was the one who was stabbed."
"They wanted to shut him up," Kellie said, "Did they?"
"He was stabbed in the heart and bled out before 911 was even called," Jason said, "They didn't take his wallet or cash."
"Any suspects?" Kellie asked.
"Not yet," Jason said, "and no leads when I left."
"Considering that Evans admitted to a room full of witnesses he lied to get me fired and my private investigator was in the vicinity and is the police commissioners husband," Kellie said, "I assume I will be hearing from the PCPD tomorrow."
"Diane is already on it," Jason said, "She and Max were at the Floating Rib as well. Diane will contact you if the PCPD requests you to come in. Diane is going to try to run interference until she's here from the forensic accountant."
"Maybe the police will turn something up to connect Shiloh and Garrett in all of this," Kellie said.
"We can hope," Jason said, "So I've been wondering, what is your plan if you're able to prove the fraud."
"Take it to the board," Kellie said, "If the cops haven't already. After that it's out of my hands."
"Is there any one on the board you can give a heads up to?" Jason asked, "That you would trust."
"No," Kellie said, "That's the sad truth. No one gave me a heads up or a benefit of the doubt before the vote. None of them stood up for me. They either voted against me or stayed silent. So I don't know what happens once everything's out in the open, Jason."
"You don't know who to trust outside of Lorenzo and Charles," Jason said.
"Even if everything gets cleaned up and the Board offers me my job back, I don't know if I want it back," Kellie said, "I started the foundation because I wanted to help foster kids and that expanded to victims of abuse and trafficking. I put so much into it knowing one day I might have to step away. But this is not how I imagined it would go down with fraud and people inside the foundation covering up the things we try to fight against."
"It's all kinds of wrong," Jason said, "I wish I had answers for you. Whether you go back to work for the foundation or not is entirely up to you. But I do know regardless of what you decide, you'll make sure the foundation runs like it's supposed to."
"I know," Kellie said, "It's just…it's a little…maybe more than a little that people I work on hard building up the foundation with completely bailed on me at the end of the day. I guess I thought I'd proven myself that their trust would withstand some of the backlash that comes with that part of my reputation that's well shady."
"That's their loss. I happen to like your reputation," Jason said, whispering in Kellie's ear.
"Which reputation is that?" Kellie asked, yawning and curling up tighter against Jason.
"Loyal, kick-ass, passionate," Jason said, "Kind, Fiesty, has my back in a fight, reminds me how to have fun…keeps me on my toes "
"I'm pretty sure the keeping you on your toes part you might not always like," Kellie replied, half a sleep.
"Sometimes that's the best part," Jason said, softly, kissing Kellie's forehead as sleep completely claimed her.
Dawn of Day
Shiloh received a phone call from Garrett.
"You're welcome," Garrett said when Shiloh answered.
"For what?" Shiloh asked.
"Tying up a loose end," Garrett said, "crippling the Crossing Into Dawn Foundation Operations in the process. Evan talked too much."
"What are you talking about?" Shiloh asked.
"Someone stabbed Evan Walsh outside the Floating Rib," Garrett said, "Who's dumb idea was it to have that idiot lie to get Kellie Corinthos fired? The guy can't hold his liquor or his money or his mouth."
"Evan was stabbed," Shiloh said, "That's horrible. He was such a valued member of our Dawn of Day community."
"Yes, well, he's furthering the cause in a new way," Garrett said, "Speaking of which I can't exactly get supply lines going from here. So I suggest you work faster on getting me released."
"Remember these things take time," Shiloh said, "And we don't want anyone to get suspicious."
"Remember the longer I'm in here the less money we make," Garrett said, "and remember there's still a lot I can do from prison in the meantime. Things that might make you think twice about greasing the wheels faster to get me out of here."
The next morning
Kellie was getting the kids ready for school when Chase showed up at the house. Knowing Diane had arranged a time for Kellie to go to the station, Johnny notified Jason.
"I thought Diane had arranged a time for Kellie to go to the station," Jason said to Chase at the door.
"The Commissioner asked me to provide an escort," Chase said.
"Detective Chase," Diane said, "You wouldn't be trying to question my client without legal counsel."
"As I was explaining to Mr. Morgan here, I simply came to escort his wife to the station," Chase said.
"Nice try," Diane said, "But I need to speak to my client. She and I will head to the station at the time we arranged and not a minute before. So any attempts to talk to her with out me by providing her with an escort are not necessary. Are we clear, Detective?
"I will see Kellie at the station," Chase said. He was about to say something else when Kellie herded the kids downstairs, carrying coats and backbacks.
"Are you Uncle Dante's partner?" Jamie asked as he put his jacket on.
"I was," Chase replied baffled.
"So you're a cop," Jamie said, "And you could show me stuff about how to keep people safe? I was going to ask Uncle Dante but he left again so…."
"Well, that depends," Chase replied, "Tell me what skills do you already have for protecting people."
"Karate," Jamie said, "And kickboxing. I taught myself how escape if someone ties my hands up."
"And I know how to call 911," Alyssa said as Jared rolled his eyes, "And kick people and runaway from bad people now."
"You guys might actually be better than me," Chase said, "I'm not sure what more I can teach you."
"Really?" Jamie asked.
"Scout's honor," Chase said.
"And with that, you all need to get to school," Kellie said, noticing the guard waiting at the door.
"Is Uncle Jason in trouble?" Jared asked, "Is that why the policeman and his lawyer are here?"
"No one's in trouble," Chase said, "I promised your Uncle I'd check up on you guys every once in awhile and that's what I'm doing."
Kellie, Jason, and Diane all looked at Chase skeptically.
"He did make me promise to keep an eye on his family," Chase said, "And that includes his sister, niece, nephews. I guess I should be going."
"You do that, Detective," Diane said, "My client will also be coming through one of private entrances to avoid the media circus."
Chase nodded and left, "I'll let the commissioner know."
After the kids headed off to school, Diane looked Kellie up and down.
"This won't work at all," Diane said.
"What won't work?" Kellie asked.
"The I'm trying to hide my pregnancy but failing look you've got going on," Diane said, "You're about to be questioned in a murder investigation for a murder that just took place after the victim confessed to lying to get you fired. A victim that you hired a private investigator to look into. Unfortunately, the forensic accountant isn't ready to bring his investigation of the fraud at the foundation to the police yet. Your ability to cooperate with the cops is compromised at the moment. While I filed the wrongful termination lawsuit against the foundation and that may help soften that, we need to use every advantage we have at the moment, including making sure that your wardrobe flaunts your cute little baby bump."
Kellie opened her mouth to protest.
"This what you're paying me for," Diane said, "To present you in the best possible light. Right now that light includes not only professional business women, and charitable community member, but mother as well. More specifically, mother to be."
Kellie wanted to argue with Diane, but instead looked at Jason. Jason walked over to Kellie.
"She's right this is what we pay her for," Jason said, "As much as you might not want to hear that. We both know you have to go with exercising the right to remain silent given the situation at the moment. We already know D.A. Dawson holds a grudge against Sonny and me. She might think twice about railroading you if she see's you as a mom and not Sonny's daughter."
"Fine," Kellie said, reluctantly.
"Let's go," Diane said, "Let's see what I have to work with in your wardrobe.
Awhile later, Kellie and Diane came down downstairs. Kellie was dressed in a sweater dress, leggings, and knee high boots.
"Are you ready to go?" Jason asked.
Kellie nodded, "As ready as I can be."
Jason opened the door for Kellie and Diane and followed them out.
"Just where do you think you're going, Jason?" Diane asked.
"To the station with my wife," Jason said.
"This might go better if…"Diane started to say.
"We try to pretend that Jason's not my husband," Kellie said, "The cops certainly won't forget. The D.A. certainly won't. I'm so over trying to bend over backwards trying to make that fact not matter when it shouldn't and people insist on taking issue with Jason being my husband."
Kellie grabbed Jason's hand and looked at him, "I want you at the station with me. I don't want to pretend to not want you there because it's supposedly the better move. You're my husband, the world damn well better get used to it."