***Cedars Sinai***
Jennifer was lying in bed, staring off into space. She was quiet, despondent almost, and hadn't said much in hours.
Jonathan was still by her side. He was determined to not leave her for a second.
It was around 8 when Marcy stopped by.
She rushed to Jennifer's side.
"Jennifer….how are you feeling?"
"Numb, lost…I don't know".
Marcy nodded.
Jonathan looked at Marcy.
"Marcy, did you feel any ill effects after the party today?"
"Yes. I could barely keep my eyes open".
"I guess it was the champagne in the gummy worms, that started the whole thing".
Marcy looked at Jennifer.
"Jennifer, Susan used non-alcoholic champagne for the gummy worms. She doesn't drink alcohol at all".
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I saw the bottle in the kitchen myself".
"So, then it was the margaritas that I drank, plus the sleeping pill that I somehow ingested. Not sure from where though".
"I think someone gave all of us sleeping pills".
"I do too, but who? And why?"
"That's what I can't figure out. And I looked up that face mask when I woke up- you aren't supposed to keep it on that long. You are only supposed to keep it on 15 minutes, not 45".
"That's very strange…."
Jonathan cleared his throat.
"Something isn't adding up…."
"I think so too".
He turned to Marcy.
"Marcy, if you could help us out, we would appreciate it. We will need everyone from the party to give their statement on their version of events and what they saw Jennifer doing".
"I will try my best".
Marcy left soon after, and Jonathan and Jennifer tried to get some sleep. Jennifer slept fitfully, and Jonathan did too.
***The next morning***
Jennifer woke up when the nurse came to check on her.
Mark Watson showed up around 8.
"I was unable to get her a hospital arraignment. However, I did get her one for today. So, they can take her to county, you and I can follow, and then as soon as her arraignment is over, we can bail her out. I am pretty positive they will give her bail, as she has no prior criminal record whatsoever".
Jonathan reached for Jennifer's hand to try and reassure her.
She held his hand tight.
The doctor came and discharged her, and Jonathan stayed with her as they took her into custody.
She was crying but trying to be brave.
They allowed them a minute to say goodbye.
He kissed her and held her.
"I am going to follow you to the station, and I am going to be there for your arraignment and I will be right there at the door when you are released".
She nodded. She kissed him, and then they started walking and put her in the car.
Jonathan had gotten them to agree to not cuff her in the hospital and to take her in an unmarked car, due to the press.
He got into his own car, and followed them to the station.
***LA County Jail***
Jennifer was brought in, booked, and fingerprinted. She was placed in a cell until her arraignment. It was 11:30 when she was brought in, and her arraignment was scheduled for 1.
Jonathan and Mark sat and waited, and at 12:30 they walked over to the courthouse and stood in line waiting for their turn to go in.
Her arraignment started right on time. She was the 4th person to go before the judge.
She looked ok, confident that she would get out of there and go home with Jonathan.
The DA was pushing for no bail, since someone died, but Mark Watson countered with the fact that Jennifer had no record.
The DA countered that with the fact that she had the means and finances to go just about anywhere.
In the end, the judge agreed with the DA.
"No bail. The defendant is hereby remanded to LA County Jail, trial will be one month from today".
Jennifer looked crestfallen as she was led away in handcuffs. Jonathan was allowed to kiss her goodbye.
"I will get you out of here, I swear it".
She nodded, and blinked back tears, before they led her away.
***Willow Pond***
Jonathan was unable to get them to let Jennifer have a visit with him today, so he came home. The officers had said that she would be allowed visitors on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. He planned to be there for all of it, or as much as they would allow.
He felt so helpless. He had sworn to protect her always when they got married, and he felt like he let her down. He knew deep down that something was going on, but he couldn't place his finger on it.
Just then the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Mr. Hart? It's Kelly".
"Hi Kelly".
"Hi. Listen, Daniel Evans just called and left a threatening message. He stated that he bought more Hart Industries stock, and that he was going to keep buying it till he owned the company outright. He stated that he has interviews about Jennifer's situation scheduled with the press. And he wanted to make sure that you knew that there is nothing you can do about it. And then he hung up".
"Ok, thank you, Kelly. I want to put Alex McWaters in charge, along with Stanley. And I am going to send an email to our stockholders addressing this head on. If he calls back, take a message but don't give him any information".
"Yes sir".
They hung up shortly after.
He went to the study and sent out the email to the stockholders, thanking them for their faith and belief in him. He mentioned that Jennifer was in a bit of legal trouble, but that he had complete faith that it would be resolved and that Hart Industries would still be the powerhouse that it had always been.
He called Lt. Grey, and asked him to come over.
Jonathan was sitting on the couch when Lt. Grey arrived. He let him in the gate and then in the front door.
"Hi. Thanks for coming".
He and Lt. Grey sat down, and Jonathan told him everything and gave him a list of the women that Jennifer said were at the party.
"Lt., I know Jennifer. She would never drink and drive. She admits that she had margaritas at the party, but she was eating too. She didn't knowingly take a sleeping pill, so that tells me that someone slipped it to her. If that's true, wouldn't that mean that Jennifer isn't responsible, and the person who drugged her is?"
"Yes, that's what that would mean".
"Ok, that's a start".
"So, here's what we need. We need evidence, such as a confession, that she was drugged".
Jonathan nodded. He figured he would get Marcy to help him with that.
He and Lt. Grey talked specifics, and then Lt. Grey left.
Jonathan immediately called Marcy and asked her to come over.
She drove right over, and he let her in the gate, and then opened the door for her.
He hugged her and they went and sat on the couch.
"I am going to need your help. It's for Jennifer".
"Anything".
"I need a confession from whomever drugged her. I am thinking maybe if you have a ladies luncheon at your house, and invite everyone who was there that day, and casually bring it up, then you might get something."
"I can do that. It's supposed to be at my house on Wednesday, anyways".
"Perfect".
He gave her a tabletop transmitter that she could put under the table and it would record everything. She agreed to do it.
"Jennifer and I really appreciate this, Marcy".
"No problem. How is she holding up?"
"She was stoic today when they took her, but that's to be expected. I can visit her tomorrow, and this weekend. I will tell her that you are helping us. Just between you and me, I think it might be Natalie Evans who is behind this, and I think it might be business related. So, try to watch her extra close".
Marcy nodded.
"I'm actually having lunch with her tomorrow. I will call you if she says anything".
"Perfect. Thank you".
Jonathan saw her out, and then turned the lights out and headed upstairs. He didn't know how he was going to be able to sleep in this big house without her, but he knew he was going to have to give it a shot.
He moved one of their pictures to his bedside table. It was his favorite one of her-from a trip to London. He climbed into bed, and kissed her tonight, before turning out the light.
***The next day***
Jonathan was at the jail an hour before visitations began. He signed in, got frisked and sat where they told him to. He waited about an hour, and they started ushering the inmates in.
He saw her, and moved to the table she was assigned to. They were allowed a brief hug and kiss, and he sure gave her one.
"How are you?"
"Alright, I guess".
They sat down, across from each other. He grabbed both of her hands.
"Jonathan, I'm really sorry".
"Jennifer, this isn't your fault. Could have happened to anyone. I wanted to tell you that I asked Marcy to help us. I think you were drugged, sweetheart, and I think you are innocent. So, I asked her to see if she could find out anything and she readily agreed".
Jennifer nodded. "That was nice of her".
"I thought so too. Hopefully she can find out something. We aren't giving up, I promise."
She nodded.
"Boy, I always thought that if I ended up in jail, it would be for something work related, like refusing to name my source, not for this".
"We will get through it the same, I promise you that".
"Are they treating you nice in jail?"
"Yes, for the most part. It was hard going to sleep without you, and the guards keep accusing me of hiding things in my cast. And I had a hard time getting my pain medicine last night, but it is what it is".
His heart ached for her.
"Darling, how well do you know Natalie Evans?"
"We aren't best friends, but we are friends. She's always been kind to me, but we've never hung out by ourselves".
"Her husband is buying up a lot of stock in Hart Industries, and I think it's related to this."
"Could be".
"Jonathan, what's next? I mean, court wise? Am I just going to stay in here till the trial?"
"Unless Mark can get the judge to change his mind, I think so. If Marcy finds anything, we can take it to the DA and if they drop the charges, you will be let out".
She nodded.
"I just want our life back".
"I know, me too. But, if this is our life moving forward, then so be it".
She looked at him incredulously. "I can't believe you would stand by me through this".
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Jonathan, we have been through a lot of stuff together and come out on the other side, but we have never gone through one of us being in prison. And this feels pretty permanent".
"I know. But this, nor anything else will ever change the way I feel about you. If you have to stay here a long time, then I will just have to wait a long time for you to come home. I will visit you, I will put money in your account, I will write you letters, I will accept your phone calls, I will do anything I have to do, because I am not going to stop loving you or fall out of love with you just because you are in here. You would do the same for me-it's just what we do, babe".
She wiped the tears from her eyes.
"This just feels so wrong…so out of control".
"I know. I feel it to. But I promise you, I am not giving up and we will find our way out of this. I love you so much, you know that".
"I just have all these regrets. And I hear them in my head every minute…"
Just then, they announced that visitation was over. He had to go.
"I will be back as soon as I can get in here tomorrow, I promise."
She nodded.
He hugged and kissed her.
"I love you, Red".
"I love you, Jonathan Charles".
She gave him one more quick kiss and then was led back to her cell.
He signed out and left, feeling like his whole heart was being left behind.