The last week or so had been hellish for Evangeline. Since Layla had given her the DNA results that she'd stolen from John, she'd been in emotional limbo. She'd taken a couple of days just to calm down and make sure she wasn't acting impulsively out of anger. Once she'd calmed down, she formulated a plan. Her goal was to minimize casualties, and most importantly to get Cristian out of jail.
Evangeline now stood nervously outside John's apartment searching for her courage. She'd always believed John to be an honest and honorable man, but she was now forced to believe otherwise. She had no idea who the man standing behind the door was. Even worse, he was the father of her child. She would now be permanently linked to him, and for the next eighteen or so years they would be forced to deal with each while remaining cordial.
Evangeline sucked in a deep breath and knocked on the door. There was no point in lamenting over this. She wanted to get this over with and start dealing with the fallout. Evangeline's breath caught in her throat as the door swung open. She was now standing face to face with the man that she'd spent the last several months trying to avoid.
"Come on in." John swung the door open wide giving her plenty of room to step around him. He closed the door gently behind her before shoving his hands down in his pockets. "You'll have to excuse the mess. I've been tearing this place apart looking for a file. Turns out I should have just asked you." He stared her straight in the eyes. He knew there wasn't any use in beating around the bush.
Evangeline pulled the folder out of her briefcase and dropped it on the table. She'd had a whole speech planned out but being here with the man she once loved had her feeling a little flustered.
"I can't imagine that you put Layla up to this, but I'm not exactly sure what would motivate her to break in here and steal that file in particular." John chose his words carefully. He could tell Evangeline was pissed and rightfully so. He wouldn't add insult to injury by accusing her of orchestrating the theft.
"Must have been fate intervening." Evangeline shrugged. "Layla had been going on for weeks that you'd been acting so strangely because of some secret you were hiding. I thought she was trying to help me get over the breakup. She thought it'd be easier for me to move on if I hated you."
John could feel the weight of his heavy heart in his chest. He didn't bother to ask if she hated him. She probably did, and he didn't blame her. Instead he just nodded. Fate must have been intervening indeed. Cristian's identity was not a secret that could be kept indefinitely. This was Llanview after all.
"I should have told you the truth. I wanted to, but I made a promise to Cris," John tried to explain, but Evangeline interrupted.
"I don't need an explanation, John, and I don't need an apology." Evangeline said one thing but meant another. Evangeline wouldn't believe he was being sincere since he hadn't volunteered the information. She didn't want an obligatory apology or explanation.
"I'm not offering an apology." John looked away not wanting to see the hurt that was painted on her face. Again, she was an innocent bystander wounded by his actions. He felt like an ass for putting her through all this mess.
Evangeline looked away at the same time as John. She didn't want him to see her cry. She quickly wiped away a tear that formed in the corner of her eye and reminded herself to stay strong.
"Somehow, I'm not surprised." Her voice cracked ever so slightly. "How can not feel any remorse at all?" She didn't want to be the one to make him think about his immoral behavior.
"I'm doing what Cris asked of me. He didn't want his loved ones suffering at the thought of him spending the rest of his life behind bars. Keeping his identity a secret was his choice." John argued, but they both knew he was wrong. He'd used his position to have the test done discretely. At the very least, he should have told Bo, his senior officer, or the ADA handling the case.
"So, let me guess." You're going to represent him now. He murdered someone, Evangeline, and attempted to murder at least two others. One of them was his own brother." John already knew where this conversation was going. "He's not some innocent man who's been falsely accused."
"It's not about guilt or innocence. That should go without saying. You're letting your personal involvement cloud your judgment." Evangeline looked over at him and waited for a response.
"Let's not make this about Natalie." John was weary of always talking about Natalie. They were a couple now and spent way too much time together. She needed him constantly.
"You brought her up, not me." Evangeline was glad, for once, that she wasn't the one bringing her up.
"But that's what this all boils down to." John looked over at her angrily. She didn't want to be with him, and now she didn't want him to be with anyone else either.
"What it boils down to is justice. When you used public resources to conduct a DNA test and then concealed the results, you violated Cristian's rights. He was denied due process because of your interference." Evangeline returned his angry stared and dared him to challenge her.
"So, that's how you're going to play this? You're really going to reopen that old would. Just remember that there are no guarantees. He admitted to his crimes and signed a confession."
"I don't plan on playing at all. Cristian deserves a fair trial and not a circus. I don't want our past involvement to become an issue for him. I'm sure that a competent attorney will be able to get Cris an appeal and hopefully a new trail." Evangeline looked over at the door half expecting Natalie to burst in at any moment. "I'm not saying it's going to quick or easy, but this new revelation changes things. There are three elements to a crime: means, motive and opportunity. Cris gave a confession, so there's means and opportunity. Motive is nowhere to be found."
John sighed and rested his hands on his hips. "Motive doesn't have to be explained when we've got a confession. Cris was on that boat for how long and went through god knows what. I wouldn't even try to guess what was going on in his mind."
"That's my point exactly. Cris was a shell of himself when he came home. He didn't have time to cope with what he'd been through. He was too busy trying to reclaim his life. Then everything come to light, and it makes sense if John Doe, mysterious imposter, commits these crimes. Now, it's going to come out that Cristian Vega was responsible for those heinous acts. I'm not the only one that's going to have a hard time believing he was in his right mind when he committed those crimes. Couple that with the fact that he needed a DNA test to confirm his own identity. Doesn't sound like reasonable doubt, no, but if certainly grounds for an affirmative defense." Evangeline didn't bother holding back the proposed case strategy.
"Thanks for that trial preview." John need Evangeline to leave now. He needed a drink, or several.
"I'm here so you can do the right thing." He looked at her genuinely confused. "This secret doesn't just effect you. Your deception will have negative consequences for Bo and Nora too."
John swallowed hard and finally saw the big picture. Those two would come under fire even if John chose to fall on his sword. Evangeline was giving him the chance to warn them, so they could try and get out in front of this. If she was really out for blood, she would have had a DNA test done secretly and then went straight to the media.
"End of the day, I did what I thought was right." John wouldn't say more than that. He couldn't change what had happened now, so why dwell on it.
"This past year or so has been devastating for Carlotta. She was forced to reveal that one of the children she'd raised wasn't hers. Instead of thanks, she took the brunt of Antonio's anger. She had to fight with RJ for the chance to spend a few hours a week with her granddaughter. I asked her how she found the strength to keep going. She just said that she was glad to have Cristian back. She would only pray for their strength and good health. She could deal with anything else as long as she knew they were all alive and well. You've let that poor woman believe that her child was dead." Evangeline walked toward the door then paused. "End of the day, the Vegas are mourning Cris, he's rotting in jail, and you're sleeping with his wife."
John watched her leave. He walked around to the sofa and collapsed. Part of her wanted to go after her, but there was nothing to say. He lied to her and betrayed her trust. It was never his intent to use the test results to his advantage, but he'd gotten what he wanted. A criminal was behind bars.
John sat at the plain table in the visiting room and looked at his watch. He'd put it off for just a few days, and in that short time Cris's lawyer had filed a petition for a DNA test. The results would be in tomorrow or the next day. He needed to speak to Bo and Nora before the results came back. He hoped to speak with Cristian first, but he was cutting it close if he was going to try and make it back in time today.
He looked over at the door just as the guard arrived with Cristian. His hands and feet were shackled to restrict his movements. John waited as the guard attached the shackles to the top of the table. He wondered why they took the extra precautions, but he didn't ask. It was usually better to be safe than sorry.
"Let me know when you're done." The guard stepped away from the table and stood in a corner. He remained in visual and auditory range. John thought that to be strange as well, but he still didn't say anything.
"What the hell are you doing here, McBain? If you're looking for absolution, you're in the wrong place." Cris stared at the man he hated. He was jealous of John's freedom, but if all played out like his attorney said he'd be a free man soon.
John held back his sarcastic reply. He wasn't looking to make a bad situation worse. This constant need for damage control was starting to grate on his nerves. "We need to talk."
"About what? You tricked me into thinking I belonged here. You were willing to let me spend my life in prison just so you could sleep with my wife." Cris started to raise his voice but checked himself. He knew how cruel the guards could be if you got out of line. "I don't even know how you can look yourself in the mirror."
"Don't be dramatic. I told you the truth about your identity. It was your choice to keep that a secret." He wouldn't address his relationship with Natalie. It wasn't Cris's incarceration that brought them together. Natalie had feelings for him long ago.
"I kept that secret because I thought I had to. You don't know what was like being a prisoner inside your own mind. I did things, horrible things that I'll never forgive myself for. What I did to Tico…what I tried to do to Antonio. I thought I deserved to be here, because I was scared that I'd hurt someone else I loved." Cris made to move, but forgot his hands were restrained.
"I've had time to reflect and heal. I'm not that man who did those horrible things. Someone or something must have been controlling me. I haven't regained all my memories yet, but I know with enough time I can put the pieces together. Whoever did this to me deserves to pay. They're the real person responsible for everything that's happened." Cris didn't seem manic or agitated. He spoke calmly and rationally.
John could now see the error in his previous decision. The case that would now be presented was a cop who hid evidence that helped send a man to prison. Now that same cop was involved with the other man's wife. The facts would matter little, but they were damning as well. Cris wasn't riddle with a guilty conscience. He'd come to terms with the atrocities that he'd committed.
Time had not been on John's side. Cris's restricted freedoms, John's relationship with Natalie, and Cris's time to reflect on his actions had changed his mind about the affirmative defense. Knowing Cris, he could have revealed his identity and Cris still would have insisted on pleading guilty. His lawyer would have taken the necessary steps to have his mental condition evaluated, but Cris would reject the affirmative defense. His confession would stand and this whole mess would have been avoided. Bo would take his badge if this conviction was overturned, but there wasn't anything John could do.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Cris enjoyed seeing John squirm.
"I just wanted to let you know that I'll be the one to tell Natalie. She deserves that much." John could predict what would happen. Cris would get out of jail, but he wouldn't end up with Natalie. She would hate both men for a time, and then she'd be back to her old self-destructive ways. She would end up with whichever man came to her rescue.
"She's going to hear about the results, and she'll know your full of it. No need to try and save face now." Cris tried not to get too excited. His lawyer hadn't guaranteed his freedom, but he told him there was a good chance he could be a free man soon. He couldn't wait to be reunited with his wife. "I suggest you enjoy the time you have with her. When she learns the truth, she'll leave you. Losing her is just going to be the start of your troubles. Next, I'll go after your badge. I won't stop until you've lost all that you took from me."
That sounded out more like the Cristian Vega that John was familiar with. His anger and need for revenge would hopefully be his downfall.
John walked into the station wondering how much longer he could call this place home. He'd stayed in Llanview after a case at Michael and Eve's insistence, but Eve had since moved on and Michael was very much living his own life. Part of him wanted to connect with his family, but he was still the same old John. He held back his emotions and pushed people away. He knew soon even his family would reach their limit with him.
He stared at Bo's closed office door and knew what needed to be done. He'd have to own up to what he did and face the consequences. He nodded at a few passing officers before knocking timidly on Bo's door. He pushed the door open to see Bo and Nora huddled together looking at something. They both looked up with big smiles on their faces.
"John, hey." Nora spoke in her normally excited tone. "I was just showing Bo Matthew's soccer photos. He looks so cute." She held up the picture and smiled wide.
John just nodded. He waited while Bo and Nora divided the photos making notes as to which family members would receive which pictures. For some reason, it made John a little sad. Part of him longed for the time when his parents did the same, and part of him longed to be the proud parent. It was strange for him to feel this way, but this thing with Cristian had his emotions bubbling up to the surface.
"Sorry about that." Bo smiled and tucked the pictures away in a desk drawer. "What's going on?"
Nora took a seat on the sofa in Bo's office and looked at John expectantly. She'd been nice to him mostly, but he knew she was just being polite. She hadn't really been a fan of his since he'd broken up with Evangeline.
"It's about John Doe." John took a deep breath and wondered how they would both react.
Nora sighed and leaned back against the hard cushions. "He's claiming that he is Cris Vega. I think his lawyer is up to something shady."
"He got a fair trial, and now that he's spent some time away he's looking for an out. I think he's just looking for attention. I only hate to see what heartache it's going to cause Cris Vega's family. They've suffered enough." Bo chimed in. He'd lost a child and knew Carlotta's pain all too well. He couldn't imagine what it was like for her to lose her son again when John Doe was revealed as an imposter.
John pulled the folded manila envelope out of his jacket pocket and dropped it onto Bo's desk. "He is Cristian Vega."
Nora stood up quickly and walked over to Bo's desk. He opened the document and they read it together. "Where did you get this?" Nora put her hand on her hip and stared at him angrily.
John wiped his hand down his face. "Before he got arrested, I took some of his DNA and had the crime lab run the test. By the time the test came back, he'd been arrested and had already made a confession. When I told him, he almost didn't believe me, but eventually he came to terms with it. He didn't want his family to know, so I told him I'd keep it a secret."
Bo leaned back in his chair with a heavy sigh. He looked at the man that he held in such high regard and shook his head. He could ask why he did it, but they all knew the truth. No matter how he tried to spin it, John kept Cris's secret to protect Natalie.
"That's why his lawyer is doing this. He's going to file for an appeal, which any judge with even one brain cell will grant him. My god, we're going to have to retry this man." Nora put her hand to her head and steadied herself. She couldn't bring herself to look over at John. She thought of Evangeline finding out and that nauseated her.
"Cris confessed." John said with finality.
"John Doe confessed!" Bo snapped. "John Doe was given a life sentence."
"I don't see where that makes a difference." John spoke honestly. "We're talking about the same man."
"The difference is that Cris Vega needed, let me repeat needed, a DNA test to tell him who he was. This is after he was kidnapped and kept away from his family for years. We're not talking about some stranger who came to town wearing the face of beloved man. We're talking about Cris Vega, the artist, the son, the brother, the uncle, the husband. He wasn't some murdering psycho before he was taken." Nora was so angry that she could throw something. She expected for Bo to jump in and say more.
"Forget an appeal. We're looking at a mistrial. Possibly double jeopardy. Cris could walk on a technicality." Nora could feel hear head starting to pound. She was only the acting DA, but she would bear the full brunt of the public's outrage.
"I really don't understand what the problem is. We have his signed confession." John was no stranger to the legal system, but his guilt was blinding him.
"We have a signed confession from John Doe," Bo inserted, "and that would be fine except," He held the manila envelope up between his thumb and pointer fingers. "You, John, as an officer of the law intentionally withheld evidence from the prosecution and the defense. You did it to the detriment of John Doe's defense. You knowingly let a man commit perjury in open court. Cris can legitimately claim that he still believed himself to be just a John Doe when he entered his guilty plea."
"That was a good confession, Bo." John looked him in the eyes not willing to admit that he was wrong.
"Good according to whom? It's going to come out that critical information was withheld from the Cris and his attorney. Your handling of the DNA test results is going to taint everything." Bo could imagine the media frenzy. He didn't want to throw John to the wolves, but if things got nasty he might not have a choice.
"I screwed up, but it really was Cristian's call." John watched Bo and tried to figure out what he was going to say next. "I saw Cris today, and he's upset."
"If I were him, and you were sleeping with my wife, I'd be upset too." Nora added quickly. John just nodded. He didn't want to keep talking about his relationship with Natalie.
There was a knock on the door that interrupted the awkward silence. John recognized the man right away. Ira Schneider was the man who was representing Cris. He also worked for Evangeline's firm.
"I apologize for the interruption." Ira had already spoken to Cris since John had visited. The late-night phone call was not at all what he expected.
He surveyed the room and noted the tension between the group. He smirked knowing that John was forced to reveal his deception. He was going to enjoy himself with this case, but first he needed to take make sure Cristian was safe.
"What can I do for you Mr. Schneider?" Bo too preferred the friendly face of Evangeline. Her young protégés all had something to prove, and they all made things infinitely more difficult for Bo and his department.
"I'm guessing the cat's out of the bag here." He pulled the door shut as he started to speak. "Since we all know who John Doe really is, we need to make sure that he is protected."
"Protected?" John looked over at him quizzically.
"I spoke with Cristian today after your visit lieutenant. There's been a lot of unrest amongst the prisoners as of late, and the timing just seems too convenient. Cris didn't say it exactly, but I think that his life may be in danger. I need to get him into protective custody, but without a DNA test to prove his identity I'm powerless." Ira ran his hands through his short curly hair.
John remembered the visit and wondered if that was the reason for the extra precautions. "Things seemed a little off when I was there, Bo."
"Maybe if you speak to the warden on Cristian's behalf," Ira began, "he can move him into a safer environment."
"What's this really all about Mr. Schneider?" Nora knew that his hands weren't exactly tied. There were motions he could file if he really believed Cris's life to be in danger.
Ira didn't want to show his hand so soon, but if he didn't do something soon, he may not have a hand to play at all. "Cris has started to remember, and there are people who are willing to harm him to keep him silent. Just us saying that he needs to be isolated isn't enough. I've had an emergency motion hearing denied, so it'll be Monday at the earliest before I can help him. I really don't think he will last through the weekend."
Bo clenched his fist and his jaw. John had made a fine mess of things. If Cris died in prison, they would likely all be out of jobs. "I'll put a call in to the warden." Bo was using his influence to pull strings, but it wasn't for some selfish gain. He wanted to protect Cristian for his family's sake.
"Thanks. I really appreciate it." Ira turned to leave. "No matter what happens, no hard feelings okay." Ira smiled slightly before leaving.
"Slimy little weasel. I don't know why Evangeline ever hired him." Nora spoke out loud accidentally. "I've got to get ahead of this. I've got to get Matthew settled in first. Please keep me in the loop." Nora gave John another disapproving glance before she left. Things were moving fast. Unfortunately, she wouldn't have time to warn Evangeline like she'd wanted to.
"Look, Bo, I really am sorry. I didn't mean to cause all this mess." John spoke honestly as he watched Bo dialing his phone. "For what it's worth, I thought I was doing the right thing."
Bo frowned and hung up the phone. "Your apology will have to wait. I just tried calling up to the prison, but the line up there is down. I need to get up there." Bo stood and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair.
John knew that it would be dangerous. He couldn't let Bo stick his neck out for him when he'd created this mess. "You'll probably be more effective here. I'll head back out there. I won't let anything happen to Cris."
Bo nodded his approval. "I'm holding you to your word."
Michael rushed into Rodi's looking for some sort of distraction. He'd gotten a call from the station, and it hadn't been good news. Something had gone wrong and there was a riot at the prison. Of course, his hapless brother was right in the thick of it. The officer informed him that they didn't know whether or not John was injured, but they were playing it safe. They advised him to keep himself apprised of the situation in case things took a turn for the worse.
Michael had been a mess ever since then. He and Marcie were off again so he didn't have her to turn to. As his mother was miles away on a cruise ship, he didn't really have anyone to lean on. He and John had grown closer since John moved to Llanview, and he'd really liked the relationship they were building. He couldn't stomach the thought of losing him.
"What can I get you?" Mack slung the rag over his shoulder and looked over at Michael.
"Whatever's on tap is fine." Michael knew that drinking was the last thing he needed to be doing, but he desperately needed a distraction. He grabbed his frothy mug, dropped a few bills on the bar, and looked for an empty table.
He smiled at the sight of Evangeline, but his joy soon faded. He saw her looking through case file and felt a heavy weight on his shoulders. Here she was just going on about her business like any other day. She probably had no idea that John was in any sort of danger. He hated having to be the one to tell her, but she needed to know.
"E, what's up?" He smiled as she looked up at him. He had to admit that he did have bit of a crush on her, but she was his brother's ex and that meant she was off limits. He'd told himself that even before he found out about her pregnancy.
"Work as usual." Evangeline looked at the beer in Michael's hand and noted the time. "I know you're worried, Michael, but your brother is trained for situations like this and so are the guards.'
Michael's mouth hung open at bit at her words. He plopped down in the chair beside her almost tripping and spilling his beer at the same time. "So, you already know?"
"Yeah, I got word a couple of hours ago." She didn't want to go into the details. Ira had come to her immediately. He was worried about Cris, but he was also worried that Cris might die and ruin his chance at a high-profile trial.
Michael shook his head in disbelief. "And you're just here working like nothing is even wrong?"
"There is nothing that you or I can do in the situation. Worrying and panicking will not change what is going on. You just have to believe that the Statesville guards and John are capable of suppressing a riot." Evangeline folded the file in front of her and slipped it into her briefcase.
There was a small part of her that was terrified that John might die and never get to know his child. It was strange and almost a little unnerving, but other than that she hadn't been worried about John at all. She could imagine that he intentionally put himself in harm's way. It would be better to die a hero trying to protect Cris than to be vilified when the truth came out.
"What the fuck, Evangeline. How can you be so…so heartless?" Michael was letting his emotions get the best of him. "John's in there with some of the biggest scum of Llantano County. There's no telling how many of them have a personal grudge against John. Even still, John was willing to put himself on the line because he took an oath. That counts for something, Evangeline."
For the first time in a long time, Evangeline was speechless. It was obvious that Michael looked up to his hero brother. Nothing short of the truth would get Michael to back off, but she held her ground. She wouldn't be the one to disclose John's secret about Cristian.
"I guess this makes it easy for you if John dies. You've kept this huge secret from him, and all under that guise that you were doing it to protect your child. I see the truth now, E. You were and have always just been looking out for yourself. That baby deserves a father. John deserves to know the truth. If you had told the truth, then John wouldn't be in this mess. He wouldn't be risking his life needlessly." Tears welled up in the corners of Michael's eyes. He couldn't stop himself from saying what was really on his mind. Mike had been too young to miss his father, so he'd always looked to John to fill that role. He couldn't bear the thought of losing him.
"I know you're worried, but you're way out of line." Evangeline gathered her things to leave. It hurt that she had one less person she could lean on. She was a fool to rely on Michael in the first place. He was John's brother after all.
"And you're a selfish and cold-hearted. It's no wonder that you and John didn't make it." Now he was just being vindictive. Anger was easier to deal with than fear.
Evangeline stood and turned to leave. Her frown deepened at the sight of Natalie. She rushed over to Evangeline and Michael. Evangeline a wave of panic was over her. She didn't want Michael blurting out anything about the baby to Natalie of all people, but he was in rare form. She didn't know how to stop this train wreck.
"Michael, Evangeline have you heard anything else?" Natalie's face was stained with tears and her eyes were red and puffy.
"No." Michael spoke in an angry whisper.
Natalie looked over to Evangeline for an answer. "What about you, Evangeline?"
"She can't be bothered to care, Natalie." Michael picked up his glass and took a big gulp. He looked up at Evangeline almost as if he was daring her to contradict him.
"John was only there because of that scumbag lawyer who works for you. That jerk is trying to get John Doe's case reopened. John put that man away to keep me safe, and now your employee is trying to set that animal free. You have to know something." Natalie looked over at her pleadingly.
Evangeline dropped her head and thought about the easiest way out of this situation. She could feel the anger rising off of Michael. "I am not John Doe's lawyer. I'm just a private citizen, so I'm not privy to the details of the case." She told only a half truth. "Mr. Schneider believed that his client's life was in danger. I believe that John was sent there to assess that danger and ensure the safety of John Doe."
"Why should my brother have to risk his life to save a murderer?" Michael slammed his hand down on the table. Natalie went to his side and could no longer hold back her tears.
Evangeline took that as her cue to leave. She would let these two commiserate and lament over John's current predicament.