Chapter Seven

Bobby and Alex stare in silence at Jackie as she ascends the stairs. They catch a look at each other, "Oh Bobby your nose."

"Sucker punch, I should have known." He lightly pats the bridge of his nose, "I'm gonna look like a raccoon in the morning."

"Let me get you some ice, be right back," She returns in minutes with an ice pack. "What should we do?"

"I….I misread him, I really did. He's a lot more dangerous than I thought." Bobby scoffs at the man on the floor. "Can you believe this?" he says in disbelief.

"What?"

"Look," he points. "The son of a bitch is asleep."

He steps over Charlie, holding the ice pack on his nose. Alex takes his arm, "Come on, sit down. I'll call it in." Immediately she takes out her cell, flipping it open, she hesitates, "Maybe we should just stick him a cab."

Bobby speaks in a nasal tone, "It doesn't really matter. Either way he's not going to go away easily. First thing," he sits up. "First thing tomorrow Jackie has to get a restraining order against him."

"Restraining order - what good will that do?" They look up at the sound of Jackie's voice.

Alex exhales, "For actually keeping him away," she says bluntly. "Nothing," she pauses. Bobby finishes her thought, "But when it comes time to seek full custody of Rachel it will mean a great deal."

Jackie has to smile, "You guys do that all the time, did you know that?"

They respond simultaneously, "What?" Jackie laughs.

Charlie is awoken by two uniformed cops and escorted abruptly from the Goren home.

The Next Morning

Hung over, Charlie wakes in a dirty jail cell. Fortunately, he is alone. He calls out, "Hey, get me out of here!"

"Shut the fuck up, asshole." Is the only response. He cowers back to the bed and sits down, a feeling of nausea overcomes him, and luckily, the toilet bowl is close by. He gets sick more than once and he begins to sweat. He sits on the floor next to the bowl, holding his head in his hand. He feels a tickling feeling on his finger, his eyes widen for the second it takes him to realize the size of the roach. "Shit! It's the size of a rat, maybe it is a rat."

He stands and quickly sits back on the bed as close to the wall as possible. He hears the door being opened, "You have a visitor." He hesitates, "Come on I don't have all day, move your ass." Charlie walks slowly across the jail cell, he spies another guard. "Turn around."

"What?" Charlie says in surprise, "Turn around," the guard says harshly.

"Handcuffs, why? No."

"He doesn't want handcuffs," the two guards laugh. The taller of the two yank him closer. He whispers in his ear, "It's already around the jail that you punched a cop." He pulls him closer, "Now….not only do you have the cons to worry about, you have us as well."

"Are you threatening me?" Charlie says.

The taller guard pushes him forward, "Move it."

Elated at the sight of his visitor, "George, shit I….I can't stay here another minute."

"Charlie sometimes - no strike that, all the time - you live in a fantasy world," George leans forward. "You have been charged with trespassing and assaulting a police officer, this is worse than you think. You are in very serious trouble. The way you acted at the Goren's home, you may not get bail and have to stay here until your trial." George opens a file that is lying on the table. "This time Detective Goren is not going to look the other way."

Charlie crosses his arms as he sits back in the chair, Goren, he's set out to ruin my life. He doesn't know who he's dealing with. "Charlie, Charlie," George hits the table with his fist, "Are you listening to me?"

Charlie leans forward, "No need to yell George," he stands. "Get me out of here!" Charlie sticks his finger in George's face, "Or you'll be sorry."

George stands abruptly and the chair falls over, he is a usually a very cool and calm individual but his blood pressure is rising quickly, "Are you threatening me, you little prick. I have been saving your sorry ass for….no more." He shakes his head as he pushes the folder across the table and it falls to the floor. Charlie calls out after him, "George, wait."

George grabs the door handle, then hesitates, turning to face Charlie, "Come on George sit down." George smirks, "Go to hell Charlie and believe me I know for sure it's waiting for you."

"George, come on," he steps toward the door. "George!" a hand grabs his arm. He pulls his arm back and takes a swing at the guard, missing him. He is pushed face down on the table and his nose begins to bleed, he is handcuffed and led back to his cell.

Later That Afternoon

The Law office of George Marino

Not regretting his actions this morning, George makes a phone call to a colleague. "Jim, its George Marino. I have a client for you; this is more in your line of work."

"Who and what did he do?"

"His name is Charles Spangler and he….hit a cop."

"Spangler, Spangler? Is he related to Hannah Spangler?"

"Yes he is, her son."

"I thought you handled all the Spangler legal matters?"

"No more, I've had it. I am getting to old to deal with this shit."

"I'll take him off your hands; At least I know he can afford me. Where is he?"

"Rikers. He's a piece of work Jim."

"How so?"

"He's abusive, arrogant, and stubborn and he acts more like a ten year old than a man in his fifties."

"Abusive to whom?"

"His wife, that's how all this started. She left him and took their daughter with her. Now the only thought in that feeble mind of his is to get her back and if he can't he's gonna put everyone through hell. His wife is staying with an old friend of hers and she and her husband are cops. He went to the house, drunk. He was asked to leave by the owner of the home, Detective Robert Goren."

"I've heard that name, wasn't he one of the cops that brought in Judge Garrett for raping that teenage girl."

"Yes he is, damn you have a hell of memory." They share a laugh. "Anyway," George continues. "Of course Charlie didn't listen, because he never listens to anyone," he mumbles. "Except his mother." His voice returns to normal. "And he sucker punched him in the nose."

"You're right George - he is a piece of work."

"Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I love a challenge; I'll visit him in the morning, Bye."

"Bye Jim and thanks."

The Goren Home

The Next Evening

Peter Jordon informs Jackie that Charlie has retained a criminal attorney and he is remanded. "You mean that he has to stay in jail?" She says her eyes wide with elation.

Alex pats her friend's hand, "Yes that is exactly what he means."

"Wow, I feel….I feel as if a 200 pound weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"Jackie, not to burst your bubble but his lawyer may in the next few weeks ask for another bail hearing and Charlie may be released," Peter says flatly.

Three sets of eyes are glaring at him, "Come on Bobby, Alex I have to tell her the truth." He leans forward speaking softly, "Jackie I will appear at this hearing with pages and pages of reasons for Charlie not to be released."

"I….thank you, thank you all for everything." A sad smile crosses her face. "I understand."

Riker's

Charlie has never spent more than a night in jail; he is going on two weeks. His new attorney has contacted his mother and has informed him that she is in the country as of yesterday. He is given permission to phone her. "Mom," he says softly.

"Yes Charles I am well aware of your predicament. That wife of yours has caused you nothing but grief."

"I know, I know. Have you spoken to Grisham about getting me out of here?"

"Yes, we have a plan that may work; you will be released from jail but we will have papers drawn up for you to be committed to a rehabilitation center for 90 days."

"What the hell for?"

"You were drunk when this occurred and it will be the first step in admitting that you were not in a clear frame of mind. You will do this Charles."

"Are you sure it will work?"

All the money that we are paying this attorney, it better work."

The Goren Home

"Alex, where's my Mom?"

"Out on the deck, I think she may be taking a nap." Alex rinses out the last glass in the sink. "The cancer treatments wipe her out."

Rachel picks up a towel and begins to dry a dish. "It's not fair," Rachel says, slightly sobbing. "She finally gets to have a little peace and now this." Tears stream down the young girl's face. Alex takes the towel from Rachel's hands, and opens her arms. Rachel wraps her arms around Alex's waist, holding her tightly, "Your Mom is a very strong lady and just as long as she has you, she'll always be happy."

Rachel breaks the embrace and wipes her eyes with her hand, "I'm glad you're her friend, you and Bobby."

"Thank you," she wipes the tears from Rachel's face. "I'm….we're glad you guys are here," Alex kisses the young girl on the cheek then wipes away a tear from her own eye. "You know I'll bet your Mom could go for a glass of iced tea." Alex removes the ice tea pitcher from the refrigerator. Filling up two glasses.

Rachel sets the two glasses filled with tea on the table, "Mom," she says softly.

Jackie opens her eyes, "Yes honey."

"I brought you a glass of iced tea."

Jackie sits up, "Thank you."

"Does it hurt?"

"No it just makes me tired and sometimes my stomach gets upset," she takes a hold of her daughter's hand pulling her closer. "Sorry about all this."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, I'm sad that you feel sick but at the same time you seem happy."

Rachel snuggles in closer, Jackie places her arm around her shoulder, "I am happy," she nudges her. "So how was day care?"

Rachel sits up, "It not that bad, I was kind of bummed out at first but the kids are nice and today there were two girls there my age. We helped Wendi take care of the little kids, its fun."

"Will they be there the next time you go, you only have to go two times a week for the next few weeks, till school starts?"

"Yes, they will," Rachel picks up her glass of tea. "I can't go back to my old school, can I?"

"No," Jackie sits back in the chair. "I have to talk to you about that. We have to leave here."

"What? No I don't want to go home."

"No, no you are not going to go home. Peter has advised me," she bites her lip. "He suggested that it would be better if we had a place of our own when we face your father and his family in court."

"Where are we going to go?"

"Peter is aware of my financial and medical situation so I suggested to him if it would be all right if we shared a place with someone."

"Mom isn't that what we're doing here?"

"Rachel, we are sharing a bedroom, you need your own room and so do I." She pauses lightly squeezing her daughters arm, "So...we are going to live with Alex's parents, they have two extra bedrooms in their house and we have been invited to say there for as long as we need to."

Rachel exhales, "Scared me there for a minute Mom, that's not funny." Rachel catches a glint in her mother's eye. She smiles as she sits down.

"Hey have I told you lately what a great a kid you are?" Jackie kisses her daughter on the cheek; "I love you."

"I love you too Mom."

A Few Days Later

"Jackie I'm sorry, but the lawyer's argument was-" Jackie hand slaps the table. "Jackie please," Peter says pleading. "Listen to me. He has to fulfill the agreement. He has to stay in the facility for ninety days; if he leaves before then he will be taken right back to jail."

"He always gets what he wants, always."

TBC