I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter Ten:
"So not all serial killers collect trophies," Wright said. "Because sometimes a trophy isn't necessary to relieve the experience."
"Right," he said.
"Are you okay, Spencer?" she asked. "You keep squinting like its too bright in here."
"I'm fine," he said rubbing his eyes. "Just tired."
"We don't lie to each other, Spencer. What is going on?"
"I've been having migraines," he said. "I have had every scan imaginable done and nothing abnormal has shown up."
"Amy's lab partner from undergrad specializes in neural research," she said. "I'll have her give you her name."
"Thanks," he said.
"I always happy to help you," she said.
"Pretty soon you won't have time for profiling lessons," he said.
"I wouldn't say that," she said. "Maybe we could have a lesson every few months. Amy has already agreed to babysit."
"You have good friends," he said.
"I know," she said looking at him. "The best."
…
Wright let out a sigh. The six-month mark had just passed and she was feeling every moment of the pregnancy.
"Miss Wright?"
She looked up from the paperwork in her office. A pair of detectives were staring at her.
"I'm Detective Grant and this Detective Meyer, we're here from Los Angeles following up on some leads in the death of Raymond Fabry."
Her blood went cold. She thought she was going to be sick.
"You okay Miss. Wright?" Meyer asked.
Wright took a deep breath.
"I'm fine," she said. "How can I help you?"
"His death at first looked like an accidental overdose from painkillers related to when he was shot in the back by a mobster from the DeLillo crime family a year ago. Then we found a book under his mattress documenting his sexual dalliances. Your name was in that book."
"This child is his," she said bluntly. "I am not prolife, but I didn't want to lose something else as he already took a piece of my mental psyche."
"Who else knows about the incident?" Grant asked.
"As far everyone else knows, I had a drunken one-night stand during a prosecutors conference."
"Can you provide us with an alibi last weekend?" Meyer asked.
"I went shopping for the nursery here in DC," she said. "You can run my credit cards."
"Thank you for your time," Grant said.
Wright let out another sigh when they left.
…
"I think you should move out," Wright said to Darla.
"You don't want to live with a murderer?" she said.
"I lied to the police and said you didn't know anything about the rape. I also didn't say anything about the fact that one of my roommates was visiting friends in California during that time."
"You didn't have to do that," she said.
"I think I did," Wright said.
"I don't trust your moral streak to say any more."
"Does Amy know?"
"We're not bonded at the hip. I bet she'll figure it out too. I got to ask though, how'd the detectives end up here?"
"He documented his rapes."
Darla swore.
"He's was a serial rapist Chloe!" she exploded. "The world is better off without him!"
"And who made you judge, jury and executioner?"
"Something had to be done about him," she said. "You sure as hell weren't."
"Get out!" Wright shouted.
"Fine," she said. "I'll be back for my things when you're gone. It was nice knowing you Chloe. I have no regrets."
She slammed the door shut. Wright burst into tears.
…
"Last lesson before the baby comes," Wright said brightly. "How exciting."
"Chloe," he said seriously. "Why didn't you tell me about Fabry?"
"So now that I'm not friends with Darla, she feels she can share all my secrets," she said bitterly. "I hope she didn't tell you about what happened the first time I got drunk on peach schnapps."
"You don't think I have some idea of what you went through?" he said. "I was afraid that would happen to me. When I woke was missing my blazer, I thought I was going to lose everything."
"But I'm pregnant because of what he did," she said. "I want what he did to me turn into something beautiful."
"Why couldn't you trust me to do something about it?" he asked. "Instead Darla did!"
"What are you going to do?" she asked as a sense of terror went through her.
"I looked into the case," he said. "I can't prove anything, and she didn't admit anything. Believe it or not, she isn't the first person I've known to commit something I can't prove."
"So, is this it?" she asked tearfully. "The end of our friendship?"
"I'll always be there for you, Chloe," he said. "I just wish I could trust you more."
"I'm sorry," she said.
"I understand your reasons," he said. "I just wish you put more faith in me."
Reid got up and left without saying another word. Wright never felt more alone.
…
"You're Honor, please direct the witness to answer the question," Wright said with a sigh.
"Objection!" the defense said. "Trade secrets!"
"His mother's recipe for cookies is not trade secrets, Goren V. Hester."
Judge Morton looked amused.
"It's your bad luck you got a prosecutor who still has case precedents memorized from the Bar. The witness will answer the question."
"Does your mother use crushed peanuts in her 'secret ingredient cookies,' Mr. Thiel?"
"Yes."
Wright took a moment to look at her notes. Then she felt a terrible pain.
"Motion for a continuance!" she shouted.
"On what grounds?" the defense demanded.
Her water broke on the courtroom floor.
"Does that answer your question?" she asked as she let out another gasp of pain.
"Court adjourned," the judge said and slammed his gavel.
The contractions began and they began fast. Wright screamed.
"Bailiff get the prosecutor to the hospital!" the judge said.
Wright slumped on the floor.
"No time for that," she said as she tried to get her breathing under control. She wasn't due for another three weeks.
The baby was coming and wanted out immediately.
"Bailiff, clear the courtroom and get help!"
"Yes sir," he said.
There the rumble of feet and all Wright could feel was panic.
Judge Morton stepped forward and pulled off his robe to give her some privacy as she changed.
"I passed out when I saw Anne give birth to my first kid," he said.
"Not exactly reassuring, Judge," as she felt the baby's head moving.
"I'm used to people getting shot at and beaten in this courtroom, not coming into the world."
She screamed. All she could think of was how desperately she wanted Spencer, because Spencer would know what to do. Why didn't she trust him?
"It's okay dear," Judge Morton said. "Just keep breathing and push."
"I thought, giving birth took hours," she said and let out another scream.
"Not all the time," he said with a smile and rubbed her hand assuredly.
With one more agonizing push, the baby came. The judge had pulled off his suit jacket and nestled the baby in it.
"Congratulations," he said. "It's a girl."
"Aria," she said. "Her name is Aria."
The EMTs arrived and Wright pushed the amniotic sack out. The cord was cut. They handed her Aria on the dusty courtroom floor.
"Welcome to this complicated world, Aria Carol Wright," she said.