Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer
I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Noble, Fadewind, Bibika94, Alexsandra, Alphabloodwolf, Lsb123 and lzytigger
Two detectives met me as I left my lesson that Monday afternoon. The woman was young, African American with very dark skin and her hair clipped short, but it suited her strong features and she still exuded femininity. The man was older, late forties, possibly early fifties. He wasn't particularly tall, average height if anything, but there was a presence about him, a gravitas that could only be acquired through years of experience. They knew me immediately, and I felt saddened to think they had known me so readily because of my height.
"Liza Summers?" The woman asked, but it was clear from her tone she knew who I was.
"Yes." I replied.
"I'm Detective Sierra Fraser of Riverside PD Homicide." She said, showing me her shield and ID card.
"And I'm Detective Marvin Hickman, LAPD Homicide." The man said, also showing me his shield and badge and I felt somewhat impressed for I had seen that shield in the movies but never thought I'd see it in real life.
"LAPD?" I asked.
"I've been drafted in on this one." Hickman said. "Would you be so kind as to come down to the precinct with us, we need to ask you a few questions."
"Am I permitted to know what this is about?" I asked.
"The body in the pond." Fraser stated. "And that's all we can say right now. I'm sure you'd rather conduct this conversation in private. I know there's a few sensitive maters concerning this case."
"Then am I to believe…" I trailed off with a frown. "Oh dear. I will come with you detectives."
"Good girl." Fraser said, tapping my shoulder and keeping her hand there as they led me toward a sleek Mercedes waiting at the end of the walkway for us.
Hickman opened the door for me to climb into the back and it was rather spacious in there. I felt a small amount of relief as I clipped on the seatbelt. If I were under arrest I would be in the back of a squad car, possibly in handcuffs and I would have been read my rights. As it was this was a rather pleasant ride, almost as if I were off on a journey with Carlisle. My only sense of unease was the fact that Mal had told me I was likely to be the prime suspect, hopefully this was to eliminate me from their inquiries.
We reached the precinct, which had recently undergone a revamp; it looked expertly done, keeping the traditional façade whilst modernizing the interior. Hickman opened the door and I realised that this was not born from manners, but because the child lock had been applied and I would have been unable to open it from the inside. I tried not to think too much on that, after all there was likely times when they would have to carry suspects in the back and it was better for the child lock to be applied at all times.
They led me into the precinct.
"If you'd just like to leave your bag with Sergeant Elliot at the desk we can go into one of the rooms here to talk." Detective Fraser said kindly.
I handed my bag to the desk sergeant who looked as if he had been in that same spot for decades. It would not have surprised me if someone had told me he had put down roots and slept in that spot. He regarded me with small eyes from a craggy face and I smiled in a friendly way, but I was sure my every action was being scrutinised.
"We got to tell you that you have a right to a lawyer." Hickman said flatly as if he was tired of procedure that protected the guilty.
"Am I under arrest Detective Hickman?" I asked in a worried voice, hoping to convey the fear of someone not used to police procedure.
"No." Fraser replied in his stead.
"Then I will have no need for one?" I asked.
"We only want to go over what the other guys asked you." Fraser explained. "You don't need a lawyer, but we have to offer it to anyone we speak to now. Suspect and witness alike."
"But I am merely a witness, why complicate things with a lawyer?" I asked with a frown for I cold see no use for a lawyer if I was merely a witness.
"Then let's get started." Fraser said and indicated for me to step through the security door while Hickman regarded me carefully.
I was led into one of the interview rooms, but because I was merely being questioned as a witness they left the door open. I sat in a plastic chair at a blacktopped table while the detectives sat opposite me with their backs to a long mirror. It was as if I had walked onto a set of a procedural and I would have been looking around with keen interest if I were not suddenly feeling so very scared.
Detective Hickman pressed a button on the consol set into his side of the desk.
"This is Detective Marvin Hickman for LAPD, Homicide division, case number 6657-2082. This is interview number one, Miss Elizabeth Summers. Assisting me is Detective Sierra Fraser for Riverside Homicide. The time is seventeen oh nine on Monday the seventh of December twenty eighty two. Miss Summers I am required to inform you that although this interview is informal, it will be recorded in light of any evidence you may be able to share with us in this case. Are you ok with this?"
"Yes Detective." I replied.
"Miss Summers, I have here a statement from the college warden and also one from Detective Skip Johnson and Detective Howard Johnson of Florida's Polk County Police Department. Would you care to tell us what is in them?" Detective Fraser asked.
I repeated my story of what Malcolm had done to me on that night when he was never seen again. Had he died that very night? Had he been held captive for some time and then killed? I could not fathom why it had taken until now for his body to surface, but the one thing I was certain of, I was not responsible for that body and I would give them no cause to suspect me.
"You say that your friend…" Fraser checked her notes, "Mal Rogers found you outside Malcolm's room."
"Yes."
"But you didn't know Mal at that point?" She asked arching her eyebrows at me and it was clear she thought this rather odd.
"I had met him previously. As I stated, on the first night a boy had given me shelter without taking advantage. He had left for early lectures leaving only a note signed 'Mal'. At that point I only had memory of meeting Malcolm who had introduced himself as Mal and so I assumed he had been the one to rescue me. I courted him for a month before I realised how wrong I had been. All those nights of excess, how many times had I left myself open to attack? But I had not thought of it at the time, I trusted him because he had been so kind." I stated.
"But you never went back to his room again. You said in your statement that because you were drunk your brain was a bit slow, but there was things about his room that seemed odd to you." Fraser said as she made a show of reading through my previous statement.
"Yes."
"And you never went there in the month you were dating?" She asked, again that arch of the eyebrows, that niggling tone of doubt.
"We were not dating as such." I stated, somewhat annoyed for I had to insist this often during that month with Malcolm and it had grated even then. "We were friends who happened to like going out for a drink. He did like me, I knew that, but it is a sad fact that a lot of boys like me. And please do not think me big headed for saying so, but they find something about my size endearing. It is as if they want to protect me."
"But not Malcolm?"
"He wanted me, and would have me as he had other girls." I said darkly.
"Other girls?" Fraser prompted but I had no doubt they both knew of Sophie's allegation.
"I inferred from what he told me that I was not the first girl he had 'seduced' by plying them with alcohol and sedatives. Although I am uncertain on the sedative with me he did use such a tactic on Sophie. I had unknowingly provided him with an alibi by thinking he was my saviour. I had no idea until I asked him why he would attack me that night after he had been such a gentleman the first night and that was when he informed me he had spent it with Sophie. I knew what type night she had experienced and I hated him for it. I left the room before he could recover fully and that was when I ran into Mal."
"He was just there in the hall?" Fraser asked and now I felt the piercing eyes of Hickman upon me, I dared not meet them for he scared me as no human ever had.
"No." I replied, meeting Fraser's kinder eyes. "He was seeing off a girl I do not know. But I can describe her to you. She was around five foot six with brown hair all neatly arranged. She looked down her nose slightly at my dishevelled state. Then Mal was there and asked me if I was ok, and he called me 'Duchess' and that was when I realised my mistake."
"And then you spent the night in his room?" Fraser asked.
"Yes."
"Why?" She asked and I heard those tones of disbelief once more.
"I have an arrangement with my roommate." I explained. "I have agreed for her to have free reign of our room on Saturday nights if she does not have boys stay there on other nights. Up until the previous week I had an arrangement with the girls in the next dorm, but I was proving too much of a liability, and so they would not have me stay again. That was why I chose to stay with Malcolm in the first place. Since I could not return to my room Mal's room seemed the best option."
"Some guy had just tried to rape you and you sleep in the same room as some other guy you barely know?" Fraser asked a little sceptically and I realised at that moment why she was asking all the questions, Hickman was carefully watching my face.
Did this mean I was a suspect?
But I could hardly protest now, if I were to decry this line of questioning, to state that I am a witness, not a suspect, then they may think this proof of my guilt.
"I knew Mal, without realising it. He had been the one to give up his bed for me that first night. On several occasions he had helped me, but I had overlooked him for I did not know his name and in my mind Malcolm was my saviour. Mal, Mal Rogers helped me numerous occasions when I was drunk too, ensuring that I made it back to wherever I was due to sleep that night." I stated in defence of Mal's character.
"He was stalking you?" Fraser insinuated.
"He was looking out for me." I corrected trying to keep the sharp tones out of my voice, it was one thing to question my character, but Malachite was a good man and did not deserve such aspersions cast upon him. "Mal and I knew each other as children." I added, introducing a back-story Mal and I had decided upon a while back should anyone question our closeness. "I did not remember him for he has changed somewhat as he matured, I on the other hand changed very little and he recognised me almost immediately. He was waiting on me to recognise him, but I was too busy agonising over the fact that Malcolm had appeared to be so different on the night he rescued me. It was Mal who had protected me all along and I felt safe in his company. It was safer than having to sleep in the common room."
"Wouldn't it have been better to ask one of your girlfriends if you could stay with them?" Fraser asked, not allowing me to escape so easily from what she thought of as strange behaviour.
"It was late, and I was extremely tired. I had suffered a traumatic experience and all I wished was for sleep to take me into sweet oblivion where I could rest far from the knowledge that my own stupidity and naivety had almost cost me something I am saving until I deem someone worthy enough to receive it." I stated firmly.
"You're a virgin?" Fraser asked, and I forgave her somewhat for her earlier questioning that there was not a trace of irony in her question, she was merely asking after a fact.
"Yes." I replied, willing her to refute me over this, but Fraser merely smiled.
"I can see that." She said. "Your family, are they old fashioned?"
"Very." I said.
"Are you religious?"
"No. But is it not better to make love than to merely seek mechanical gratification? For what true pleasure does one gain from that? When I finally open myself fully to a man I want it to be received with love, and not because some boy has decided that I am somewhat frigid and could do with warming up, but does not have the means to do it without chemical assistance." I said bitterly.
"You seem very angry with Malcolm." Fraser stated and suddenly I was on alert, she had merely been lowering my defences over the virginity issue, I would have to maintain an air of caution.
"Would you not feel anger if someone had betrayed your trust in that way? I am angry with him Detective, and angrier now I can not see justice done." I stated.
"Some might say that justice has been done." She said and I could almost feel Hickman's scrutinising eyes burning a hole through my head.
"What justice is it when people take matters into their own hands?" I demanded in disgust. "Malcolm should have been judged guilty and punished accordingly. He should be made to live with his crimes, because what punishment is death? He is at peace now, rather than living with the consequences of his actions. That is not justice."
Hickman tapped two fingers on the edge of the table and Fraser took note of it. Her nod was minimal, but it was enough for Hickman to know she had understood his command.
"Well Miss Summers, your statement has been helpful, we'll call you if we have any more questions." Fraser said brightly, and I realised I would be called upon for more questions once they had discussed what I had said today.
"Thank you detectives." I said trying not to allow the apprehension show in my voice.
"Interview concludes at seventeen forty three." Hickman said before pressing a button on the consol.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride back to campus." Fraser stated as she got to her feet.
"Thank you Detective Fraser." I replied, rising to my own feet.
Fraser allowed me to sit in the front of the Mercedes as she drove me home. I felt somewhat relaxed, of course they had to question me, they were merely following up on the previous investigation. This would eliminate me from their inquiries and I could forget all about Malcolm Donaldson.
I would be thankful the day I could finally do so!
Detective Fraser kept up a light conversation on the way back about frivolous topics. I was sure it was some form of test, but I tried not to think of it as such as I replied to her comments.
"Where are you staying?" She asked once we had reached the campus.
I informed her where my building was and she drove me there. She parked in front of the building and it didn't escape my notice that she watched me go in. I suppose it is her job to do so.
As I climbed the stairs I realised how close to falling apart my life had become thanks to one drunken party. Had I not gone overboard that first night, then I would have had more wits about me, and I never would have been in the position where I would confuse Mal for Malcolm. Then I had ignored my own mind as it pointed out that Malcolm was nothing like the Mal of the note who had protected me that first night. If one thing a dhampir should trust is her instincts, and I had ignored mine out of childish spite toward my family who were not even here to bear witness.
I had wandered without thinking to Mal's room. I knocked on the door.
He opened it and his eyes flashed over me before he stepped aside and let me enter. I trudged into the room and dropped down onto the air mattress face first. I was suddenly feeling very drained and I was awaiting our weekend of hunting with much more anticipation this month.
"What happened?" He asked.
I turned my head and looked at him through my hair.
"You heard?" I asked.
"I heard some kids say you'd been taken by the FBI in some swish motor, but I didn't believe that. Was it the police?" He replied.
"Yes. They're both homicide detectives." I stated as I turned onto my back to look up at the ceiling. "They are investigating the death of Malcolm Donaldson."
"So it was him in the pond." Mal remarked.
I sighed and nodded my head sadly.
"They think you done it?" Mal asked angrily.
"I think Hickman may suspect me of some involvement, and unfortunately he is leading the case. I hope I said enough this day to convince Fraser of my innocence and she will steer Hickman toward whoever the real culprit may be." I said in hopeful tones, although I did not feel it in my heart.
"I hope you're right." Mal said.
"The truth is there is nothing to suggest that I killed Malcolm." I thought aloud. "Granted I was the last to see him alive, other than his killer obviously, but I left him alive. Besides, has Malcolm been dead this whole time? What if he has been elsewhere and died upon his return? Surely he would have been discovered in the pond earlier if he has been there this entire time. It may be murky, but it is quite shallow, even at its centre, would one truly be able to hide a body there this entire time?"
"No." Mal said firmly. "And like I said, I didn't feel a body in there when I was looking for your phone."
"I know." I stated. "But I can hardly bring that forth as evidence. I will have to think of this from a purely human perspective as to how I can prove my innocence."
"Well without access to the pathology reports to know exactly how and when he died there's not much we can do." Mal stated.
"Have you got someone inside the police department?" I joked.
"Not this one." Mal stated, and he was serious.
"You have moles at other stations?" I asked as I sat up to look at him, feeling impressed that he was so organised when he had been so alone in our world.
"Not so much moles, as people who got a price. You know a person's price you can get them to do anything. It helps with getting documents and stuff like that. I haven't needed to here and now I kind of wish I had. It's gonna look suss if I start looking into this one case." He said angrily.
"Then what do you suggest?" I asked.
"Call in your family. They'll know what to do, and then of course you need to get yourself a good lawyer." He said firmly.
"Will that not prove my guilt?"
"No. It will show that you're prepared. If the police are at a dead end they'll look back on the threads that could be stitched into place and no one would notice the join. If they think they can stitch you up then they will. That's why it's better to seek advice." Mal stated authoritively.
"I am unsure. I will have to think on it a few days." I stated, not knowing why I was loath to admit I was already in contact with home.
I knew why, I did not wish to worry my family. This mess was of my own doing and it was up to me to sort it out with as little fuss as possible. It was the least I could do.
"Very well, but you really need a lawyer and you really need your family right now." Mal said in reproachful tones.
I made a face.
"Whatever's gone on between you do you think they'd want to see you locked up for murder?" He demanded.
I shook my head.
"Then you need to call them." He stated firmly.
"I need to pluck up the courage for that." I murmured, although in truth I was referring to admitting to him that I had been in contact with home since Thanksgiving. To tell him that I would have to admit my childish and reprehensible reason for leaving home and cutting contact in the first place. That reason now seemed foolish, although they felt valid at the time, and I could not lose Mal when I needed him most.
"Would you like me to do it for you?" Mal offered, and I remembered that he had sparse contact with Tony.
"No. I must do it. It is only right that I do. If I am to seek their help then I must also seek their forgiveness." I stated, for I wished not to burden my family unless it was necessary.
"Maybe you need to do it on your own, but you don't need to do it alone." He said firmly, dropping to his knees before me and placing his hand on my own. "As soon as you're ready, no matter what time of the day or night it might be or what I might be doing, just come find me and I'll be there for you." He grinned. "Even if it means a moonlight flit."
"But what of your studies?" I asked as turned my hand to curl my fingers around his.
"I can pick them up elsewhere, that'll be easy enough to do." He said with a nonchalant shrug, and then he gave a smile that was somewhat shy. "But what I'll never be able to do is meet anyone else like you and I'd be a fool to just let you walk out of my life. I've no guarantee I'd ever see you again. I'd rather go with you than risk that."
"Even if it meant you become a wanted fugitive?" I asked.
"Liza, it's human law. It only applies to us when we live in their world. We can just go under for a decade or two, when we emerge we can be new people. And if all else fails, as long as you don't mind the taste of sheep, we can live on my farm in Wales." He said firmly.
"You still own it?" I asked, feeling intrigued by this fact.
"Yeah. I got hands that tend it when I'm not there. They live off site though; the farmhouse is strictly family only. I like to keep it that way so I don't have to turf people out if I turn up unannounced. I'd feel guilty about it see, even though it's my house." He explained.
"I would very much like to see your farm." I said with a smile.
"You're just saying that." Mal said dismissively.
"No." Insisted as I placed my hand to his cheek. "I would very much like to see it because it is important to you, and therefore important to me."
Mal still looked unconvinced.
"Mal, friendship is a two way street. I can not expect you to adhere to all my wishes when I recognise none of yours."
"I'm nothing special." He said sadly as he dropped his head.
"Yes you are." I said firmly as I made him look at me. "You are Malachite and I'll never meet anyone else like you. I would be a fool to take you for granted."
Mal looked into my eyes for a long moment before he took my hand from his cheek and kissed the back of it before he tapped gently and placed it in my lap. Then he chuckled and hugged me to him.
"Oh Liza bach, you sure know how to make this old man feel better."
"You're not old." I stated as I pulled away from him and socked him playfully on the arm. "You are thirty four, merely sixteen years older than I."
"But I am older than your uncle." He stated.
"Malachite, are we seriously going to make age an issue, even in jest? For I will warn you, I will trump you without great difficulty."
"Go on then." Mal challenged and I chuckled.
"My father was born before the Roman Empire, now how is that for age?"
Mal shrugged, "It doesn't really apply to you."
"The grandmother I am the very image of died almost three thousand years before I was born." I stated.
"You really look like your grandmother?" He asked.
"Yes. Apart from the eyes. The eyes are Father's who he inherited from his father, although in general appearance he is closer in looks to his mother."
"And you look like him."
I nodded.
"Apart from when you grin. I mean your cheeky devil-may-care grin. You might not like me to say this but…" He trailed off with uncertainty.
"I look more like Mother when I grin in that way."
Mal nodded.
"I know." I said, with a sad smile. "And the saddest thing is that in my early years when Tony and I knew nothing of Mother and Father I sought similarities between me and my family, but could find none since they were all Mother's relatives and I resemble Father for the most part. Back then I could not see that my biggest grin was Mother's and therefore Grandpa Jake and Uncle Hunter's too. I found very little to smile about then. Sometimes I felt as if I was not a part of the family. If it were not for the fact that Tony is undeniably my twin and we share our eye colour, then I would have felt completely separate from my family.
"In that time I searched for any resemblance but could find none. Apart from one instance that shines through. When Simon took me to his junior prom he made mention of the fact that I resembled Esme. Of course Esme is not my blood relation, therefore it was not through shared genetics that I resembled her. But it mattered not, for I had found some hope that I belonged in my family." I stated for it was fact.
"I guess Simon helped you a lot." Mal muttered as he sat up on his bed.
"He was a sane voice that reined in my wilder ideas." I replied as I tried to fathom Mal's behaviour. "My only regret is that I could not tell him everything about me. I feel our friendship would not have drifted apart as much as it has if he knew the full facts from the beginning."
"Yeah." Mal said. "Although I am kind of glad. Is that wrong?"
"It depends on why you feel glad." I asked as I regarded him carefully.
"Because if you'd told Simon and you'd remained strong friends then you'd be in Hollywood right now and I never would have met you." He answered with a sad smile.
"We would have met eventually." I said firmly, sitting beside him and placing my hand on his arm.
"But how boring would this place be if you weren't here causing chaos?" He observed sarcastically.
I giggled.
"Deathly so." I observed.
"And I bet you wouldn't be having half as much fun in Hollywood."
"From what Dove tells me it is a rather boring place." I stated.
"Then we're agreed it was better that you came to college."
"Yes." I replied with a smile.
"Then I think we should do something to mark this revelation. Or at least lift your spirits, it can't be nice being questioned by the police."
I shook my head.
"How about we catch a movie, ask Dove and Dermot along." He suggested.
"Won't that make it a double date?" I asked carefully.
"Not really." Mal observed. "Just a group of friends going to the cinema together. I like Dove and Dermot, when they're not trying to figure out our relationship I mean. And it'll mean we can't obsess over the Malcolm thing because we can't talk shop in front of the laymen."
"That is a good point." I stated.
"Then why don't you go ask Dove and decide on a film?"
"I will." I said with a smile. "I will phone you when we have agreed."
"Don't leave it too long." He stated.
"I won't." I said with a laugh.
We said a brief farewell and I left his room. As I walked toward my room I text Tony because he had been picking up on a lot of my anxiety of late and I wished to put his mind at ease if he had felt any of my apprehension over being questioned. I decided to make my message reassuring and informed Tony that the police merely wished to question me as a witness and nothing else. I also informed him of my plans to visit the cinema this evening to make further light of the situation. I wished not to give him cause to come here and become embroiled in my problems when they were of my own creating.
I had finished my text by the time I reached my room where Dove had been pacing anxiously.
"Oh my god!" She gasped, hugging me as soon as I entered. "I thought they'd sent you to prison."
"There would have to be a trial for that." I stated.
"Well jail then." She corrected. "I thought they'd locked you up."
"Your confidence in me is heart warming." I said flatly.
"Sorry. It's just I know how the cops can set people up. I know you wouldn't kill a fly, let alone a person, not that Malcolm was much of one, but you're not a murderer." Dove said firmly. "I was about to start a petition."
"Free the Riverside One?" I joked.
"Yeah. You don't deserve to go to jail because you didn't kill that jerk. And even if you had, who would blame you after what he did to you and to Sophie and who knows how many other girls?" She babbled.
"The problem is that thought right there, my friend." I said solemnly as I pulled away from Dove's embrace.
"What do you mean?" She asked with a frown.
"It's an innocent enough thought coming from my best friend, but what if the police entertain that thought? It would strengthen my motive and as far as they know I was the last to see him alive. Well, apart from his killer of course. But on record, I was the last and I saw no suspicious persons hanging around, and I was soon in Mal's room and asleep to notice anyone else."
"Um…that's one thing I never quite got." Dove said carefully as if she didn't want to raise the point. "Malcolm had just tried to rape you and you sleep in another guy's bed. A guy you don't even know."
"Mal had already proved he could be trusted. I had more wits about me to fight back that night than I had the first night. Besides, have you ever met someone and their entire personality shines through the first moment you look in their eyes and you know you can trust them with anything and they will help you no matter what?" I asked.
"Sort of." Dove conceded although I was sure that she did not.
"It was like that with Mal." I stated. "I listened to the instincts I had neglected for the whole month previous that told me Malcolm was bad news. He could not be bad news for he had saved me. That can sometimes be the problem when you allow your intelligence to rule without consultation of your senses."
"You speak an awful lot about instincts and senses." Dove observed in one of her moments of pure insight. "Why is that?"
"Because it is the way I was brought up." I stated, thinking the simplest explanation the best.
"I guess you would need to rely on your senses and instincts travelling the world." Dove conceded.
"Yes." I agreed.
We were silent for a moment and I thought it the best juncture to tell her of Mal's suggestion.
"I went to Mal before I came here. He has suggested we do something to forget the whole sorry incident for this night at least." I stated.
"What's that?"
"Are you and Dermot up for a trip to the cinema?" I asked enticingly.
"To see what?" She asked/
"Mal said for us to choose something." I replied.
"Ok. Then how about Leaks of Doom." She suggested.
"It is a film about floods?" I asked.
"Not leaks, leeks." Dove clarified.
"As in the vegetable?"
"Yeah. Leeks are like related to some English county or something, but that's not really important. The important thing is that Simon has the starring role." She said with a grin.
"He does?" I asked casually. "And what is this film about?"
"Something called Rugby." Dove said wrinkling her nose. "I'm not sure what it is, I think it might be a sport."
"It is." I said. "They even have a world cup."
"Yeah, this is about the Wales team's valiant efforts to lift a trophy after getting a wooden spoon for ten years. I don't know what a spoon's got to do with it, but this follows the supporters as they follow their team to England where the last match is being held. I thought Wales was in England, but there you go."
"Wales is not in England and I'd advise you not to say that in front of Mal." I stated.
"Why?"
"He has Welsh roots and that can make him a little edgy when it comes to England. There's millennia of rivalry that can only be found on a small island as Britain that contains three countries." I explained. "That however is a mere trifle compared to the fact that it may not sit well with Dermot if you mention you wish to watch this movie because Simon is in it."
"Then what do you suggest?" She asked.
"That I twisted your arm. I am an enthusiast of obscure sports from the continent and I have developed a thing for Simon ever since watching Dark Revenge."
"But won't that get you in trouble with Mal?" She inquired, and now I felt she was digging a little.
"We are friends, possibly best friends, but nothing more." I stated firmly. "Besides, if we were going out then there would be no harm in my having a crush on Simon, he is nothing more than a celebrity to me."
"Whereas I actually slept with him and it's not so nice on Dermot for me to still be drooling over my ex?" Dove reasoned.
"Yes."
"Well maybe we shouldn't see that film at all."
"If you want to see it then say you had no idea Simon was the star. I had suggested the film; I sold it as a portrayal of the ordinary people who do anything to see their team to victory. You were interested in the human drama." I suggested.
"That might work."
"Yes. Now phone him and ask him if he would like to come and I can let Mal know either way." I stated.
Dove called Dermot and he agreed to go. He had prior knowledge that Simon was the lead, but he wanted to see the film because he had an interest in rugby. I phoned Mal to let him know we were going to the cinema and had agreed on a movie. I did not tell him the name of the movie, hoping to surprise him. What would he make of this movie set in his native land?
Mal and Dermot were waiting in the common room when we arrived and we all four of us walked to the cinema together. Dove and Dermot went to purchase the tickets while Mal and I queued to buy popcorn and soda. We arrived just as the film was about to start and were ushered straight into the theatre.
We were in our seats as the rating certificate showed and suddenly Mal's hand clenched on the arm rest and the popcorn in the bucket on my lap floated slightly before settling back down as Mal relaxed slightly to the strains of 'Cwm Rhondda' played epically over the opening credits. I knew enough of Welsh rugby to know this was an anthem of sorts, well it was sung at every match.
Then the film began with a shot of a figure lying in the centre of a local rugby field with the camera spinning in to focus on a staring green eye. It was Simon and now there was a flash of images before the caption 'Three weeks previously…' appeared on the screen and the camera panned out from that open eye to reveal Simon in a somewhat grubby bed with a sleeping blonde while evidence around them suggested a night of passion.
Thus the film began and as we watched Mal grew angrier, although he was silent about it, I knew he was angry. It boiled off him and things around him were vibrating. It was lost in the midst of the surround sound, but how long would it be before people noted that popcorn and other things dropped to the floor were now floating around their ankles?
I placed my hand on his in the hope that I could give him comfort, but he had a problem with this film. I had no idea why; it wasn't portraying the Welsh in a bad light as such. There was a clear cross section of society.
Suddenly the lights flickered and there was a horrendous sound from the projection booth as feedback sounded around the theatre. The screen became a white rectangle floating in the darkness.
There was a sound of static over the PA system.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, if you'd like to…um…to remain in your seats, we'll soon have…err…Leeks of Doom playing again…"
"We're leaving." Mal said, shooting to his feet.
I followed him out into the foyer with Dove and Dermot close behind me.
"What's wrong?" Dove asked. "They're about to restart it."
"I'm not sitting through anymore of that drivel." Mal said firmly. "The rest of you can, but I'm going home."
"You're gonna walk out in the middle of a movie?" Dove asked as if it was unheard of.
"Yes." Mal said firmly and headed toward the outside door.
"I think it best you two watch the rest of the movie, or go home if you choose, I will see to Mal." I stated, looking after him with concern.
"Are you sure?" Dermot asked. "He seems pretty pissed. I could talk to him instead."
"I know how best to talk to him." I stated. "I will not be late."
Without waiting for a further response I jogged in order to catch up with Mal. He looked at me at his side but merely kept on walking, although his pace was such that I could comfortably walk beside him. He wished to keep my company, but he wanted to go elsewhere before we talked.
He came to a secluded area behind the cinema where there was a scattering of picnic tables. They were a bustle during the day, but without any lights they were abandoned at night. But we were dhampir and our vision was not as limited as humans.
"Mal, why did you break the projector?" I asked without preamble for I was concerned that his power had got so out of his control over what I could think of as nothing.
Mal turned on me and for the first time ever I felt momentarily scared of him as he lifted me up, but he merely placed me on the table and now I was more level with him. He placed his hands either side of me and placed his forehead against mine.
"I'm sorry I ruined your night." He whispered.
"Mal. Please tell me what bothers you." I pleaded as I placed my hands to his cheeks.
"That movie was bad." He said. "It would have been just about bearable if the leading man had a passable accent, but it jumped all over the place. Simon should have got a better coach cause it just weren't working for me. One minuet he's valleys, then he's north, then he's west, Cardiff, Pontypool, Swansea. It was doing my head in how it kept bouncing round. If you're going to do a Welsh accent at least choose one and stick with it."
"At least he tried." I said carefully.
"You think that's good enough? Not to me." Mal growled.
"This is not about his accent." I stated and Mal looked sad.
"The film was pathetic." He said.
"I should have told you the film, but I thought it would be a nice surprise for you." I said, as I hugged him.
"I'm sorry I reacted so badly, and I probably would have still gone even if I'd known the film. I didn't think it'd be that awful." He murmured as he hugged me in return.
"It was not awful." I stated. "It had its good bits."
"Maybe. But you got to admit his accent was bad. And what about his attempt at Welsh?" Mal said with a snort.
"To be honest I thought it was meant to be bad. That his character knew little of the language." I stated.
"Of course you'd think that." Mal murmured. "You're in love with him."
I froze as a thought occurred to me.
"Is it jealousy?" I asked.
"No." Mal replied firmly.
"Then what is it?" I asked, pushing away from him enough to look into his eyes.
Mal looked into my eyes and I swear he was caught for a moment as he pushed back my hair. I felt my heartbeat rise in anticipation. Was he about to kiss me instead of the other way around?
"If I'm honest then I am j…" His words were cut off and he was pulled backwards by the chain around his neck.
I snapped my head up quickly to find that Gobbo held Mal to the ground as he tightened the chain around his neck while Trick advanced on me. Trick looked somewhat nervous and I concluded that Gobbo was honing Trick to take Malcolm's place.
I leapt to my feet and without a thought I flew through the air, landing a kick in the centre of Trick's chest that sent him sprawling to the floor. I then delivered a roundhouse kick to the side of Gobbo's head before he had chance to rise. I knocked him sideways and away from Mal. I freed the chain from Mal's throat and helped him to his feet. Without a word we left the scene and ghosted behind the buildings until we were a safe distance from the boys, then we fell to the floor.
"God, I didn't sense them coming." Mal gasped.
"Neither did I." I stated as I inspected his throat, it was healing, although the welts the chain had caused were nasty. Gobbo had meant to kill Mal. "No." I gasped as I kissed at his throat, hoping to soothe it. "I will not have them hurt my friend."
"Liza, they were going to r…" Mal rasped.
"They were going to kill you." I said firmly, looking into his eyes.
"No." Mal said, shaking his head.
"If you had been human you'd be dead now." I whispered and there were tears in my eyes. "Gobbo would have killed you while Trick raped me. Then Gobbo would have had his way before they killed me too. Thus Gobbo would have initiated Trick into his sordid little game. We must save Trick before Gobbo perverts him!"
"If Trick was willing to go along with murder it's probably too late." Mal said sadly.
"No. Trick might be annoying, but he is not a monster." I stated firmly.
"What do you want us to do Eliza? I control things with my mind, I can't control people. Of course if you called your Mam here then she could alpha him into being a good boy." He stated.
"I hate this, hate this so much." I sobbed.
"Come now Liza bach, there's no use in crying, we can't sort all human problems. Now let's get back to the halls before those two come around and catch back up with us." He stated.
"No." I said. "They attacked us, I am going to report them to the police."
"Then let's get into the light and phone." Mal said. "It'll work better for you if we do it straight away now."
"Yes." I agreed.
We ran around to the street and into a coffee shop that was still open. I was in enough of a state that I had no need to feign my emotions as I phoned for the police to assist. The staff of the coffee shop were kind enough to give me a free latte as Mal and I waited for the police to arrive. There were two officers and we told them where the incident had taken place. They went to investigate, but Gobbo and Trick had disappeared, the police informed us they would track them down and advised us to stay somewhere other than our dorms that night.
Then I thought of Dove.
"My roommate!" I gasped. "What if they attack her in my place?"
"Then we'll get her somewhere safe too." The policeman said. "Where is she?"
"Possibly still at the cinema."
The police took the theatre number and went to the cinema and sure enough Dove and Dermot were still there. We were taken to a hotel where the four of us would share a room. Mal, Dove and Dermot settled almost immediately into sleep but I could not settle. I hid in the bathroom for a while, where I took the opportunity to text Tony and tell him what had happened for he had text me almost immediately after the text.
When I returned to the room proper I was certain I wouldn't sleep that night. I spent most of it sat in the window looking out over Riverside as I thought of how much misfortune I had brought on these good people. If I had behaved in a more mature manner where Mother's decision was concerned these people would not be cut off from their belongings.
"Liza, you have to sleep." Mal said firmly.
I looked to him, I hadn't realised he was awake or heard him approach me.
I shook my head.
"You'll drive yourself sick worrying about this." He said as he scooped me into his arms.
He took me to one of the twin beds and placed me beneath the sheets. Were it not for the fact that Dove and Dermot were asleep in the double bed in the same room I would have invited Mal to join me, I would have enjoyed the comfort of his presence that night. We could not do it with Dove present.
"I'll stay here till you fall asleep." Mal whispered, taking my hand as he sat in the chair beside the bed.
I smiled, curling my fingers around his as I turned on my side to face him. I kissed his hand and placed my head against the pillow and began to drift to sleep. When I opened my eyes the next morning Mal was still sat beside me with his head resting on the edge of the bed as he snored gently.
I smiled at him before I patted his head gently, his hair felt soft and I had to resist the urge to run my fingers through it. I watched as his nose wrinkled slightly and his eyes opened and closed a few times before finally focusing on me. He smiled and reached his hand out to stroke my nose once, before he seemed to gain his composure and he pulled away, sitting up and stretching out his limbs.
I rose silently from the bed and went to freshen up in the bathroom. As I emerged there was a knock at the door. Since I was closest I opened it to find Hickman and Fraser on the other side.
"Good morning Detectives." I said.
"Morning Miss Summers. Heard you had some excitement last night." Fraser said brightly.
"There was nothing exciting about it." I said flatly. "Have they been caught?"
"Yes. We came to inform you that you can return to your dorms now." She replied while Hickman continued to watch me.
"It is very kind of you to come do it personally when you are so busy with a murder investigation." I observed.
"Yeah, well we need to talk to Mal Rogers, thought we'd kill two birds with one stone." Hickman said gruffly.
"What can I do for you Detectives?" Mal asked as he came to the door and stood behind me.
Fraser looked him over and liked what she saw, Hickman was unimpressed. It was clear from his expression that he didn't trust good looks. In his book that usually pointed to trouble.
"Would you come with us to answer a few questions?" Hickman asked.
"Of course." Mal said. "I'll see you later Liza."
"Yes." I replied before I watched him leave with the Detectives.
Dove and Dermot slept through the entire incident; in fact it was half an hour later that they finally stirred. I informed them that we could return to our rooms and they were relieved. It was clear from their faces. Fancy hotel rooms were only nice when there was no one else there to spoil the fun.
Tuesday was somewhat subdued, although I forced myself to attend my lessons that afternoon. I kept my head low, although I was unable to block out all the whispering. News had spread of the attack last night and of the fact that I, and now Mal had been questioned over the death of Malcolm. It mattered not that it was merely routine, the student body seemed convinced that I was guilty and Mal was my accomplice. That was why Gobbo and Trick had attacked us. It made perfect sense.
The rumours intensified on Wednesday, especially when the detectives came into my lecture in order to take me down to the precinct. There were no handcuffs but it was clear by the atmosphere that I had gone from witness to suspect. A fact that was confirmed when I arrived at the station and was introduced to a nervous looking man in an ill-fitting suit.
"Max Orwell." He said, holding out his hand, I looked at his sweating palm and declined to shake it before looking back up into his face.
"What can I do for you Max Orwell?" I asked.
"I've been appointed by the city to be your attorney in this case unless you can afford your own."
"I am capable of that." I said. "Had I known I'd be in need of an attorney this day I would have phoned home and requested that the family lawyer be present."
"Well this was a little short notice." Max Orwell said, rubbing his hands in his suit and leaving a damp patch behind.
"Tell me Mr Max Orwell, how many murder cases have you worked on?"
"None." He said.
"That is reassuring." I said dryly. "When am I to be questioned?"
"As soon as Hickman and Fraser are ready. I advise you not to say anything incriminating."
"Sound advice if ever I heard it." I said with a reassuring smile and I patted his arm hoping with all my might that he would compose himself before we entered the room.
It was unlikely that Orwell would prove a competent attorney and I decided that should this go further I would need to get someone else if I actually intended to prove my innocence.
I was led into the same interview room as before. After the preliminaries with the consol the questioning began. Hickman wished me to repeat what had happened the night I had last seen Malcolm, this time he asked the questions.
"So you felt angry that he'd tricked you." Hickman said.
"Of course I felt angry."
"Now you strike me as someone who likes to be in control of a situation." Hickman said, regarding me with his sharp blue eyes. "I bet it annoyed you more that he'd taken control from you."
"Any woman would feel betrayed by their control being taken from them when it comes to the subject of intercourse." I countered.
"All them weeks where he was spinning this line and you fell for it. You weren't dominant and you didn't like that." Hickman said and I realised he was goading me.
"I like order, but I do not wish to dominate." I stated. "I merely crave order in my personal spaces."
"But Mal had disrupted that and so you killed him."
"I did not kill Malcolm." I said. "I was in no fit state to do such a thing, my mind was not focused in that moment."
"I think it's time we showed you a little video." Hickman said and he pressed something on the consol. A screen appeared out of the table and it flickered to life.
It was dark, but one could just see the outline of objects in a room. The lights flickered on and I recognised the room of Malcolm. I felt my blood run cold as I stumbled onto the screen, wine bottle in hand as I climbed up onto his bed.
"He filmed me?" I asked aghast.
"You didn't know?" Fraser asked.
"I would have thought it strange if he had said, 'Lizzy babe, why don't we film our convo.' I would have wondered why he would want to do such a thing."
"Now this is the part where it gets interesting." Hickman said and I closed my eyes, unwilling to watch as Malcolm tried to molest me on screen. "This." Hickman said and my eyes snapped open in time to see myself throw Malcolm across the room and I was upon him, holding him up against the wall as I growled my threat.
The video had recorded every word I had said, even the part where I had promised death would visit him if he dared to touch another girl.
"Is that why you did it?" Hickman asked as the scene continued with me exiting the room. "Did he hurt another girl?"
I shook my head then frowned at the screen as Malcolm returned to his bed and there was a flash on the screen, the next instant Malcolm was dead. His death was right there on camera but I could not prove it for the flash had been a vampire.
"Miss Summers?" Hickman prompted.
"That was the last time I saw him, that night." I said as I watched the still form of Malcolm still on the screen, had the police not noticed the fact that he was not breathing? "I did not see him again."
"Not even around college?"
"No."
"Didn't you think that was strange?"
"I thought it a blessing I didn't have to look upon his face. It seemed right to me that he should avoid me in shame." I stated.
"It says here that Mr Johnson and Mr Hill approached you a week later to say that he'd disappeared." Hickman stated, checking his notes.
"Who?" I asked.
"Gobbo and Trick." Fraser translated.
"Oh, well they are his friends, why should it matter to me where he was?" I stated with a shrug.
"That's a little cold." Hickman observed.
"I had no idea he was dead at that point in time. It had been but a week, for all I knew he had dropped out of college and gone home. Or perhaps he had gone to Las Vegas for the week. There were a myriad possibilities that passed through my head at the time, but none of them amounted to him being dead."
"Who said anything about him being dead at that time?" Hickman asked as if he'd caught me out.
"Pardon my assumption, but if I am the last person on record to have seen him alive then it is easy enough to conclude that he died shortly after." I countered.
Hickman harrumphed for there was no denying the fact that it was what everyone assumed.
"Look Detective, have you got any concrete proof?" Orwell demanded. "So far all you've given is a bunch of circumstantial evidence."
"She's clearly heard to threaten the victim on the video." Hickman protested.
"A threat people use everyday, especially when they're in a distressing situation. Now unless you got anything you can actually charge her with, I suggest you let my client go."
Hickman glared at Orwell for a moment before saying, "Interview suspended at fourteen twenty four."
Hickman insisted on giving me a lift home, despite protestations from my lawyer. I promised I would say nothing to Hickman that might incriminate me and Orwell agreed. He informed me that I would have to speak with him at some point and we made arrangements to meet up on Thursday evening since I would be in lessons all day.
Hickman led me to the police parking lot. I had expected to climb into the Mercedes again, but instead he led me to a sleek Porsche. He held open the back door and I climbed in. I realised he was not going to be as amicable as Fraser had been.
I sat in the back of the Porsche feeling the difference from when Fraser had driven me home in the Mercedes. The air in the car was definitely cooler and Hickman kept glancing at me in the review mirror. I felt anger toward him at first, but as I regarded him further I realised there was an edge of fear to the set of his eyes. This was not a fear I could work to my advantage however; Hickman was the type of person who fought harder when they were afraid.
I realised in that moment that we had taken an alternative route. We were not headed back into college, but onto a road that led to a patch of wilderness. A wasteland that was a meeting place for criminals and degenerates if I was any judge. If I were a carnivore I would find it to be a perfect hunting ground.
I felt my heart still and my blood freeze as Hickman stopped the car, his eyes firmly fixed on mine in the rear view mirror. He unbuckled and rounded the car to open my door.
"Get out." He said.
"I would rather not here." I said.
"Get out!" He said with a little more force, and it was against every instinct of my being that I stepped out of the car.
"Stand there." Hickman said, pointing to a place that would box me in and left no room for escape if I wished to keep up the pretence I was human.
I obeyed for I had little choice, but I could feel the hairs on my neck rise. Was there a vampire present, or was it merely a reaction to my predicament?
"That Malcolm weighed, what, two hundred pounds? But you threw him across that room as if he weighed nothing." He stated.
"It was adrenaline." I said in a breath.
"That wasn't adrenaline. You didn't even have a good angle on him to put it down to leverage. That was pure strength that someone as small as you shouldn't have." He stated.
"There are many accounts of such things." I said, my voice shaking slightly in fear.
"So, say you had an adrenaline rush that let you throw him across the room, there's no way you could have then lifted him and held him up for as long as you did."
I looked at the detective not knowing where this conversation was heading.
"Now tell me 'Little Miss Adrenaline' what would happen if I put a bullet right through the middle of your head?" He asked, as he drew his gun, cocked it, and pointed it directly at me.
I gasped, feeling the tears spring to my eyes as fear took me.
"Surely I would die." I exclaimed.
"What if I shot you in the heart?" He asked as he adjusted his aim.
I shook my head feeling so utterly afraid, oh Tony, I need you brother, I thought as I closed my eyes and felt the tears escape down my cheeks but I was too frightened to move to brush them away.
I felt a thumb brush my cheek and the scent of Hickman was close. I opened my eyes to find that his gun was now holstered as he frowned at his thumb.
"Tears?" He asked.
I admitted myself a nanosecond of curiosity before I allowed my fear to consume me and I began to weep into my hands. I had not cried like this since the day I was born and Tony and I realised Mother was lost to us.
"What is this?" I asked. "What do you want from me?"
"I…" Hickman paused. "Oh god!"
"First you accuse me of murder, and now this?" I exclaimed.
"I'm…I'm sorry." Hickman said. "It's just…when I was new to this, just out of the academy and ready to bring bad guys to justice, I…"
I continued to cry for I was sure it was the only thing keeping me alive at the moment.
"I guess it was before you were born. There were these killings, started in LA. Exactly what a rookie cop needs. I had to attend on I don't know how many of these scenes, and one of them…" He trailed off with a sigh and slumped down onto the embankment, I looked at him from the corner of my eye and he looked sad. "Her name was Mindy, and we were meant to marry. Once she'd finished college, but she never got to. I was called to the scene, didn't know it would be her, there'd been so many we'd got used to it, but when I thought of my poor Mindy, there in a ditch, her bones broken and her blood drained I wanted to catch the son of a bitch cultist that did it to her. But they never got caught. The crimes stopped as soon as they reached north, the perps vanished without a trace and so many people left without justice."
"The Chiang-Shih." I whispered before I could stop myself.
My hands flew to my mouth, but it was too late as Hickman's head suddenly snapped up and I was held by the intensity of his glare.
"So, you are one of them." He growled, and suddenly the gun was pressed to my temple and I looked up into his angry face.
"I am but eighteen years of age. I was born a month after those atrocities ended. I only know of the name because they killed most of my mother's family."
Hickman glared at me.
"Nobody knows about the Chiang-Shih, that was never released." He growled.
"That is what they called themselves. Mother had to bear witness to her family slaughtered. They thought it the height of humour to leave a heavily pregnant woman tied by her wrist whilst going into labour. At least they thought she was, it was merely Braxton Hicks." I invented quickly as my mind gained clarity in that moment.
"I can't remember that one." Hickman said with a frown.
"My mother is Native American and her people have their own laws. They managed the situation." I stated.
"What do you mean by managed?" Hickman demanded.
I glared at Hickman, I was tired of this game and I wondered if I disarmed him and ran would he tell the other police officers? Would they believe him? I knew not the answer, but I was now set to stubbornly refuse to answer that question and I was in no doubt that I could outstare him. He was only human after all, and I a dhampir. I could outstare a cat if I chose to.
"Did they take the gang out?"
I continued to glare at him.
"You know there are some things you can't condone by claiming it's tribal law, and one of those is murder."
I would say nothing.
"I'll get you to talk." Hickman growled.
"Not if I invoke the Fifth Amendment." I stated.
Hickman glowered.
"May I go home now Detective?" I asked.
"Yeah." Hickman said grudgingly as he opened the back door for me to get in.
I climbed into the backseat and turned my attention to the window once the detective had closed the door and was making his way around to the front. As he turned the Porsche around in order to drive back to the college I wondered if I had any cause for complaint, or would I be opening a can of worms if I did complain? It was a thorny issue and I realised I would have to discuss it with Mal.
What would be to my best advantage? If I complain it could antagonise him and he'll push ahead with whatever false allegations he would try to pin on me. On the other hand, if he went on with his plan regardless, it would not work well in my defence if I reported this later. They would want to know why I said nothing immediately. It would make me look rather bad, that I was making it up to hide my guilt. No doubt Hickman had a good reputation otherwise why would they loan him to Riverside?
Finally Hickman pulled up outside my building and he sat waiting for me to get out. It was a moment longer before he remembered he had to open the door for me. I kept my eyes averted as I left the car and gave no farewell wishes as I made my way into the building. Hickman watched me until I was inside. I know not how long he waited before he left, neither did I care, I was happy that he was gone and no longer pointing a gun at my head.
I wanted to rush straight to Mal to discuss my ordeal with him, but it was three o'clock on a Wednesday, he would not finish his lectures for another hour yet. It was an agonising hour sat in my room as I considered all the possibilities. I was in no doubt that Hickman thought me to be something supernatural, but how best to disprove him? Should I merely disappear?
I found myself packing my backpack with essentials, an escape kit if you like. I had no idea if this was the best thing to do, should I seek guidance? However it was my mess and I had to clear it up, those were the laws. Although at the moment it seemed as if my best chance was to merely escape, but should I run away?
I hid the backpack in my closet where it would not be found should Dove rummage in there, but I could lay my hands on it easily if I required it in a hurry. By the time I had finished it was five past four. I went to the common room to await Mal. When he appeared I felt the tears threaten, but I would not cry in the common room, not while it was filling with people for an afternoon of relaxed socialising. I tried to communicate to Mal that I had need to speak to him immediately before I turned to head into his corridor.
I managed to hold off the tears as Mal caught up with me and we entered his room.
"Liza, what's wrong?" He asked.
I burst into tears; unable to hold them back as I recounted what Hickman had done to me. It took a while for Mal to understand me completely through my sobs. Mal took me into his arms and comforted me once I had finished. He held me and soothed me until I could pull myself back together.
"He pulled a gun on you cause he thought you were a vampire?" Mal asked in disbelief.
"Yes."
"He's lucky you're not a vampire, or even a carnie dhampir, he wouldn't have been holding that gun for much longer if you had been."
"Oh dear. Now I feel I should warn him not to try this again. What if he gets himself killed?" I asked.
"But he'd be dead anyway cause he knows." Mal said pointedly.
"Not necessarily." I stated. "It may prove useful to have those in law enforcement on our side."
"The Volturi will never go for that." Mal said, as he hugged me still.
"What's a Volturi?" Dove asked, having knocked the door then stepped inside without waiting for a reply. "And what's wrong?"
"I have had a most trying day and am very upset indeed." I replied as I extricated myself from Mal's arms.
"Yeah. Dahlia said you looked upset. Has this got anything to do with Malcolm?"
"The police questioned me again today." I murmured.
"What? But how could they even suspect you of even being involved. Yeah you hated Malcolm, but you're a cold vengeance kind of person, not a kill in the heat of the moment. You would have made him pay for what he did, but using the law as your tool, not a gun." Dove frowned. "Was he killed with a gun?"
"His neck was snapped." I stated. "That is all the police will tell me. I think they are hoping that I will slip up at some point and they can go 'a-ha but we did not say he was drowned' but that will not happen. I know nothing more than what they have told me."
"Stupid asses." Dove growled. "You got a good lawyer?"
"Not yet. Today I had a state appointed lawyer as a stand in until I can contact home and ask for the help of the family lawyer. I am sure they have offices in LA also."
"If not I'll put you onto a few good ones." Dove said in all seriousness.
"Have you ever been in need of a lawyer?" I asked curiously.
"No. But Mom's had a couple of obsessed fans and she had to defend herself two years ago when some students tried to sue the studio for breach of copyright, they went after Mom too because she was down as an Executive Producer. Some film students they proved to be if they don't even know what Executive Producer means."
Dove prattled on for an age after that and in a sense I was glad for it took my mind off the problem that I may soon be arrested for murder. No, I was not guilty; I would not let them take me in for that. I would not be treated like a criminal, which I was sure I would be simply because there were some things I could not say in my defence. There was a law that was a lot more binding than human law. For the sake of everyone it was Jane's law I would have to keep.
As we reached our room Dove mentioned that she had heard the phone ringing earlier and she rang the call return, and called out the number. I recognised it as being the landline of Tregarran and I realised I hadn't turned my phone back on after leaving the police station. I did so now and I had a voice message.
It was Tony and he was in a panic. I had to reply to him but not in front of Dove.
"I am going out to the pond to think." I stated.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No. I wish to be alone." I assured her.
"Well if you're longer than half hour I'm coming to look for you."
I nodded and left the room. I found the most secluded bench in the park and dialled Tony's mobile as he had asked me to do. It was answered almost immediately.
"Hello?"
"Tony? Brother I assure you, I am fine." I said in a rush for I wished to assure him of this.
"God Liza, I've been so worried. What the hell happened today?" He demanded.
"Liza?" I heard a voice on the other end, the inquiring voice of a young child.
"Who was that?" I asked although I was sure I knew who it was.
"Liza is on the phone?" That voice again and I was impressed by the clarity.
"That's our li'l Sis." Tony stated and he sounded a little worried to admit it.
"I speak to her." The voice said firmly and then there was a sound of exchange. "Big sister I am Billie Black." And those were the first words I heard my sister speak.
"Billie? What a big girl you are speaking on the phone." I said, feeling impressed.
"I can use my words." Billie stated happily.
"Yes you can. And I am happy to hear you." I replied.
"Will you be here on Christmas?" She asked.
"Yes Billie. I give you my solemn word that I will be there at Christmas. I have important things to tell Tony now, can you give him the phone please?"
"I will give him the phone and I will go tell Momma that I spoke with you."
"Yes. And assure her I will be home for Christmas."
"I will Liza. Don't be gone long. I will see you. Bye-bye." She stated.
Then Tony retrieved the phone and I explained to him that I intended to be home on the weekend, it seemed the best course of action now, the only option available to me. But if I ran immediately then I would be inviting them to fine me guilty. Although running in general would indicate my guilt, with no way to prove my innocence now I knew the crime had been committed by a vampire.
I would wait until the end of the week, play it calm, and then I would leave. Perhaps Mal would come with me. I would ask him in the morning.
I did not attend my morning lesson on Thursday; after I had dressed I could not bring myself to leave my room. Mal seemed to know and he appeared not long after Dove had left for her lesson. She had offered to stay with me, but I would not see her in trouble for me. I had all of eternity to repeat a year if I so desired it, Dove had but one lifetime.
Dove had locked the door through habit on her way out. I wished to remain on the bed, unmoving as my mind flittered through the worst-case scenario. I could not decide if being found guilty of murder or being exposed to the world a dhampir was the worst. I wished to debate this in my mind and was not up for visitors.
Mal of course had his own key; one that meant no lock was really a deterrent for him. I hoped the corridor was empty when he applied his power to the lock. The door opened and Mal came in and shut the door, but he did not approach me.
"What if I had been dressing?" I asked.
"I know your routine Liza, you're always dressed by now." He said in a steady voice.
"I may be running late." I said, not raising my head from the pillow or looking at him.
"You? Run late? Is it the apocalypse?" He joked, trying to lighten my mood.
"It sure feels that way." I sighed.
Mal knelt beside my bed and placed a hand on my arm.
"Now come, Liza bach, what's wrong?" He asked.
"I have to leave college." I stated. "I've no other option. I cannot adequately defend myself for I cannot reveal the full truth. I have to leave these hallowed halls of learning and return to my family."
"Right. You going today?" He asked.
"The sooner the better." I stated, realising I had been awaiting his opinion before I truly decided on when to leave. "I am merely mustering the energy to pack." I murmured despondently.
"Right. Well come on young lady." Mal said as he pulled me to my feet. "It's time to get moving. Now get everything you need together, anything that's important. Everything that you can replace we can either come back for it, or we can replace it."
I nodded.
"I'm going to pack my stuff. I'll meet you in half an hour." He said and kissed my forehead.
I nodded once more and he left.
I was dressed, even deciding to mope in bed all day I had showered and dressed. Now it seemed that fate was smiling on me, for leaving college had to be something almost spontaneous. With Mal to accompany me I would succeed, and I was happy that I was dressed, and that I had thought to pack my bag, it already had the things I could not replace. I did feel a moment of sadness to leave behind Grace's books, but they were something that could be replaced, I guess it was merely a mercy that they were not the first editions that Tony owned.
Speaking of Tony I should phone him and let him know of my change of plans. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket just as it began to ring. It was Dove phoning and I answered with a frown as a wave of dread swept through me.
"Oh my god Liza! They've impounded your car!" She exclaimed before I had even said hello.
"Pardon?"
"You looked so worried I decided to head into LA today to talk to Mom's lawyer. Thought I'd use my famous name to get me through the door. Anyway, not important now! I get here and the police are loading your car onto the back of a tow truck. There's all evidence stickers all over it and they've cordoned off your space. I don't know what Detective Sour-guts is up to, but I think… I think they might be coming for you next."
"Oh no!" I gasped and I ran to the window and threw it open. I could hear sirens in the distance. "Thank you Dove." I gasped. "I must go, delete this now. They cannot know you phoned me."
"Do you want me to phone the lawyer?" She asked.
"Dove! For the love of god listen to me! Phone no one, make up some other reason why you are cutting your lecture today. Play down our friendship even to the point that you were using me…" I instructed.
"But…" She protested.
"It's for your own good, believe me. Now hang up and delete the record. I will do the same on my phone."
"Ok." Dove said and I hung up before she could delay me further.
While I had been discussing this with Dove I had pulled my pack onto my back and had made my way to Mal's room. I burst in without knocking.
"We must leave immediately." I said then gasped as I heard the sirens closer, they were outside the building and were about to enter. "We are trapped!"
"We can go out the window." Mal stated as he slammed the door, locked it and broke off the key in the lock.
"But we're five floors up." I said as I opened the window as far as it would go and looked down.
"That's nothing to us." Mal said firmly as he lifted me into the little space. "I'll lower you if you want."
I glanced down once more and spotted a soft landing.
"Save your energy, I will aim for the bushes." I stated and jumped.
I landed in the bushes and Mal was close behind me. He had thrown his pack through first and now he swung it up onto his back. He took my hand and we began running.
"Where to?" He asked.
"The trees." I said. "They have impounded my car. We cannot get yours for they will spot us."
"We could steal one."
"They may set up roadblocks. It is much better for us to take to the trees and use their cover to run as fast as possible to the next town where we may steal a car." I stated.
"Yeah. Then we can head to the forest and ditch the car. We might have to rough it a few days, but I got an emergency stash of money at the cabin. We can head on into Oregon, hire a car their and drive the rest of the way to Forks."
"Olympic Pines." I corrected. "But won't the police look in the cabin?"
"Not unless Dove and Dermot rat us out." Mal stated. "It's not registered to me."
"I'm sure it won't take them long to figure out that Mal is short for Malachite." I pointed out.
"I registered it in my Dad's name. They won't figure it's mine." He stated.
"Ok." I said, unable to manage much more as I pushed myself to my limit so we could reach the cover of the trees.
We were deep into the trees now, heading north beyond Riverside. Mal and I were running as fast as we could, but suddenly I felt strange. My senses seemed to float around me as I found it hard to focus on any one thing. I was disorientated and a sudden wave of fatigue washed over me. I had not felt such a feeling of impending sleep since… since…
Everything went dark.
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