Part 45

He frowns at the sound of the door being knocked… Again? Liv had finally fallen asleep; between the bump to her head and the baby she was under constant observation, which almost made it impossible for her to dose off. But she had now, and she needed her rest and he was reluctant for her to be disturbed, so instead of calling in whoever was on the other side of the door, he gets up and greets them by the door.

It was the Chief of Police. He steps outside and closes the door behind him.

"Mr Grant, sorry to disturb you but I thought it was necessary to inform you, that we now have your dad in custody, and he is currently being questioned at the precinct".

An hour earlier.

Big Jerry had been waiting on tenterhooks for an update from Ballard. It had been 3 hours since he got off the phone to Mellie, and yet still no word from him. He was starting to get anxious, no longer the self-assured man he considered himself to be. And it didn't help that speculation over who was responsible for the attack on Grant's Mistress was circulating the news and media. What with Liv surviving the initial attack, there was little chance of keeping the story contained now, obviously making the task of killing her that bit harder for Ballard. However, he was a professional, so he had no doubts in his ability to find a way around it. And for that reason, this is why he struggling to understand what is taking him so long?

The only saving grace, despite all that speculation going around at least no-one had pointed the finger in his direction, although the same could hardly be said for Mellie. All eyes were on her. Which suited him fine, because if the shit hit the fan, he intends to aim it all towards her.

A ring of the doorbell, suddenly puts a rocket underneath him; thinking it's Ballard he rushes to open the door before his housemaid gets the chance to. Only it's not Ballard. It's the police.

"Jerry Grant?"

"Yes, I'm Jerry Grant, what can I do for you officer?"

"Chief of Police, Superintendent Larson," He corrects, as he shows him his badge. "Mr Grant, I will need you to follow me…"

"May I ask why?" He asks, sounding incredulous even to his own ears.

Two other officers approach the Chief, flanking either side of him, hand cuffs at the ready… "Mr Grant, I am arresting you under the suspicion of orchestrating the murder and attempt of murder of Miss Olivia Pope…"

"This is ridiculous!" He exclaims as one of the officers now slap the cuffs onto his wrist.

Alerted by the house keeper that the police were down stairs, Mrs Grant leaves her chamber and descends the stairs… As usual completely clueless… "What on Earth is going on here?"

Jerry turns to face her… "Call my Lawyer, Billy Chambers… ask him to meet me at the precinct down town…" He instructs hastily, whilst the officers escort him outside… Incensed, Jerry continues to protest his innocence, but his words only fall on deaf ears… as he is read his rights and put into the police van.

Present

"What does he have to say for himself?"

"Since being presented with the evidence we have stacked against him, he has said nothing… And refuses to comment until his lawyer is present."

"Bill Chambers, I suspect?" Fitz comments knowingly.

"Yes, the very same one."

"He's a serpent…" Fitz voice's aloud, before changing gears and enquiring about his wife… "And Mellie? What of her?"

"That's why I'm here Sir… We're heading over there now, would you like to follow us?"

"Yes I would, but bear with me for one second…"

"Of course Mr Grant."

Fitz heads back into the room and glances at Liv, she looks so peaceful, he hasn't got the heart to wake her, so instead he writes her a note, and leaves it beside her, before planting a gentle kiss to her forehead… "I'll be right back sweetheart…" He whispers, and then follows the Chief out; but not before giving strict instructions to the guard posted to Liv's room, to let no-one in barring Nurse Griffin and Olivia's registered Doctor; which is also reinforced further by the Chief.

xxxxxx

It's only a short journey to his house, but unfortunately afternoon traffic was dictating otherwise… And against his earlier resolve to remain calm and level headed, he finds himself becoming increasingly wound up the longer it takes for them to arrive… "Are you alright?" Superintendent Larson enquires. "Honestly, I don't know…" Fitz admits, "Just the thought of seeing Mellie, knowing what she's done… I…"

"Mr Grant, in that case I would advise that you remain in the car, until we have arrested her… and then you may tend to your children as needed…"

Fitz had always stood firm against violence towards women, but with Mellie and the integral role that she has played in the attack upon Olivia's life, he quickly finds himself making her the exception to the rule… With that in mind; and being aware of the fact that he may not be able to control his actions once he lays eyes on her; and equally, not wishing to make matters worse, by having an assault charge being made against him, Fitz readily agrees with the Chief of Police…

"Fine, that sounds like a good plan to me…"

He can already feel some of the tension ebbing away, just from the notion that he must, and will, maintain a clear distance away from his wife.

Moments later, they pull onto his street… However the road is littered with reporters, all eagerly awaiting for a statement and/or a new update to the story.

It seems they are finally in luck.

Meanwhile Mellie, who has been vigilantly waiting by the phone, and is sat in direct view of the gates to her house, immediately spots the police cars as they pull into their drive, causing her heart to race. Panicked, as if knowing that they were coming for her, she runs into the playroom, where Rosa is sat entertaining Karen and Little Jerry.

Immediately picking up on her distress, Rosa asks… "Mrs Grant are you alright…?"

"Yes, I mean no… I don't know…" She stumbles over her words, looking at Karen and Jerry, playing happily with their toys, totally unaware of what was about to happen… "My God what have I done?!" She cries, falling to her knees in defeat and utter desolation…

"Mrs Grant?"

"Take them upstairs Rosa…" she exclaims.

"But why, what is going on…?"

"JUST TAKE THEM UPSTAIRS… I don't want them to see this…" she trails off; however, it was too late. For the police were already on her door step, knocking at her door.

"Stay here…" she whispers instead.

And with huge trepidation, she slowly gets up from the floor. She takes one last look at her kids; etching them to her memory, before making her way to the front door. She takes a few deep breaths in an attempt to compose herself, but she knows her efforts are futile. Because she was done for; not only does she feel guilty, she knows she looks it too.

She doesn't say a word; barely resists, as the officer places handcuffs on her wrist and reads her, her rights. It's only until they start escorting her from the residence, that she mentions Karen and Jerry… "What of my children?"

"They will be taken care of Mrs Grant… their father is here."

And that's when she spots Fitz, coming out of the car… And the look he gives her could freeze hell over.

He knows.

"Please Fitz…" she calls to him, partly in fear, partly in regret… "Don't let them do this to me, think of the kids…" But if she's banking on him feeling an ounce of pity towards her, then she has another thing coming. As he responds, hardened by his mounting hatred for her… "I am thinking of the kids, I'm thinking that they're better off without a mother, who thinks taking the life of another human being can ever be justified."

"You caused this… You did this!" She fires back. "You were the one who broke our vows, not me…"

The Chief of Police keeps his eyes trained on him, ready to intervene at a moments notice if required, as Fitz changes course and walks towards Mellie instead… "And you wonder why? LOOK AT YOU!" He sounds in disgust. "Your ambition to reach the top is what ruined us… I was a fool to marry you, and I was even more of a fool to feel guilty for my short comings, for failing to love you as a wife should be loved, and for cheating on you… When all this time, ALL THIS TIME, you were plotting murder with my father… You're rotten Mellie, rotten to the core, and I, as well as the kids are better off without you… You'll be lucky if you ever see them again!"

"You can't do this to me Fitz… You can't keep them from me…" she wails.

"I can, and I will Mellie… you can count on that!"

And with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction, he watches on as the police place his wife in the bully van, her face dropping as the realisation of her fate resonates, and then promptly devours her. And although he realises that the evidence to convict her is not as strong as that against his father, if one thing he's certain of, his father was not the type of man to go down in a sinking ship alone. No, Jerry Grant would take everyone else involved along for the ride.

In short, Mellie Grant was screwed.