The next day, Jack and Rose drove into the parking lot of an unusually quiet school. Frowning they got out of the car. Jack turned to Julie, confused. Usually, there were students in the parking lot talking and laughing, making plans for the day. Girlfriends kissing boyfriends, best friends giggling together and some horseplay between some of the male students. But there wasn't much of that today. In fact, everyone looked shocked and if anyone was talking they were talking in low voices, as if sharing a secret. Jack frowned as he looked at his fellow students.
"What's going on here?" He asked, putting the car in park.
Rose shrugged. "I don't know. It's kind of eerie." She grabbed her backpack and purse and got out of the car, her red hair pulled into a pony tail that swayed as she moved.
Jack was getting out as well, along with Julie. They both were surprised to see Madeline approaching angry tears in her eyes. Rose opened her mouth to say something when the other girl reach out and slapped her.
"Rose!" Jack yelled, grabbing a shocked Rose by her shoulders and pulling her in back of him. He turned to Madeline, his own blue eyes flashing angrily. "What the hell, you keep your hands off of her!"
"That was for Cal you stupid cow! I hope you're happy! You just couldn't leave him alone could you?!" Madeline yelled, trying to get past Jack who pushed her away.
"You stay away from her!" Jack yelled, keeping his body between Madeline and Rose, making sure that the other girl couldn't attack his girlfriend again.
"You should have told her to stay away from Cal!"
"I didn't do anything to that monster! Except perhaps save his worthless life!" Rose yelled right back.
"What's the matter Madeline? Heard what he tried to do to Annabelle again and got jealous? Mad that he hadn't raped you yet? Give it time, he will!"
"You sick bitch, even now you continue with the lies!"
"It's not a lie. I caught your boyfriend in the act!" Jack glared at the angry girl. "You are on the wrong side of the debate. Wake the hell up!"
"You're the one that needs to wake up about that murdering witch! She saw Cal with Constance and I bet she was just too jealous to let him finally be happy!"
"Why would I care about Cal and Constance? I don't! Really, he didn't seem too concerned with how he again attacked poor Annabelle!" Madeline's words chose then to sink in. Murderess? "And what do you mean by murderess?"
"You killed Cal you bitch! That's what I mean! You were jealous and killed him! His poor beaten body was found at the bottom of a ravine this morning! He had been so happy, him and Constance were going to have a big gala to announce their engagement and you just couldn't handle it could you!?"
The news sent ripples of shock through both Jack and Rose. The last that they had seen Cal, he had been unconscious, but alive.
"I-I didn't do this, Madeline. Yes I hated Cal, but not enough to kill him. So you can stop your insane accusations now," Rose shook her head, her pale hands gripping Jack's shoulders, who was also pale now, wondering if he had played a part in Hockley's cause of death. He had been so angry the day before...so full of rage...he hadn't cared how hard he had hit him.
"I suggest that you get out of here. You've said all that you were going to say, so leave," Julie crossed her arms, hearing enough. "It's obvious that princess there didn't do anything. Besides, why would she be jealous of Cal and Constance when she has my cousin? You make no sense."
"Who wouldn't be jealous, huh?" Madeline glared.
"The girl he raped, for one," Rose glared angrily at her former friend. Their friendship had been over for a long time now, but it still hurt that Madeline thought her capable of murder.
"You heard my cousin. Get the fuck out of here!" Jack yelled, having enough of this girl defending that monster. It made him wonder who had defended the man that had destroyed his sister. Why had she been so sure she was to blame? It made him want to rage all over again.
Julie must have heard something in his voice because she placed a restraining hand on his arm. "You don't want me to make you move along do you? Because I have no problem doing so. Get out of here and leave her alone. She had nothing to do with what happened to your boyfriend, despite what he had done to her and who knows how many other girls."
Madeline wanted to argue some more, but the look on Julie's face promised a world of pain if she even tried it. So she gave one last glare in Rose's direction then stormed off.
Jack turned around and pulled Rose into his arms, holding her tight. "Are you alright?"
"I am, but Cal's not. If Madeline is to be believed..."
Jack looked at Julie, his blue eyes confused, terrified and guilty. "He was alive when we left, right? I didn't...I mean..."
"He was plenty of alive. Even threatened to bring charges against you," Julie nodded. "Don't worry. If she's telling the truth, you didn't put a end to that bastard..."
"But you suspect who did?" Rose asked, her mind still reeling from the news. Could it really be true? Could things get any better than her rapist no longer being a part of this world? If this was so...she didn't have to be afraid anymore. No more looking behind her shoulder, or fear of running into him during the school day. He was finally gone and she was finally free!
Julie felt guilty for raining on the parade, but there was no choice. Jack had been seen beating Hockley within an inch of his life. If someone told...that could mean trouble for Jack. "Um...how well do you know that Derrick guy?"
Rose frowned. "Not very well, I'm afraid. I never really talked to him at White Star...I just know that he's really protective of his sister..."
"And who can blame him? If only I could have protected Lisa like he does Annabelle," Jack sighed. "He seems like a good guy to me. Any one who protects their sister like he does is okay in my book."
"Is he capable of murder?"
Jack laughed. "Julie, I'm capable of murder if it means protecting the people I love. Hockley didn't attack Anna once, but twice. If it had me, I would have killed the bastard right then."
"You tried to," Julie dryly replied. She felt awful. She liked Derrick. He was okay for a swell and she felt sorry for him and his sister with the parents they were stuck with. She didn't like thinking that he was capable of murder. But this was her cousin's freedom on the line and Derrick was the very last person she had seen with Hockley and he was muttering something about being rid of him once and for all.
"Wait, you're not trying to say Derrick killed Cal are you?" Rose frowned.
"Well...he was the last one I saw with Cal and he had plenty of motive," Julie explained, beginning to feel sick to her stomach, as if she was going to throw up. "Look, I don't like it either, but I can't ignore the facts..."
"So what if he did?" Jack asked, his eyes unapologetic, his voice matter of fact. "It's not like it's some great big loss. The guy was a fucking monster that the system would let out on parole anyway. He deserved to die for what he did to Rose and for what he was trying to do again to poor Annabelle. If Derrick did do it, he should be given an award."
"Jack," Julie frowned, hating how cold her cousin was being about this. "I'm not saying that it's a bad thing that Hockley is dead. But it's a bad thing for Derrick. Hockley is not worth the jail time Derrick would have to spend if convicted...that is if Derrick did it."
"If I did what?" Derrick asked, coming up behind Julie, his arm tightly around his sister who looked even more scared of the world than she had been when she came back to school.
Rose frowned, looking at Annabelle. The poor thing. All of the progress she had made was gone. Jack was right. Whoever had killed Hockley should be commended, not punished.
"Caledon Hockley is dead. His body was found at the bottom of some ravine last night."
"And you were the last person I saw with him yesterday," Julie crossed her arms.
"Derrick...you didn't...did you?" Annabelle stared at her brother. He had been so angry when he came home last night. He had almost gotten himself tossed out of their parents home, but he had calmed down, not wanting to leave her alone with them.
"No, of course I didn't. Even though I wanted to. I took the fucker to some caves near the ocean and tied him up and beat on him some more than untied him and left. He was still alive the last time I saw him, I swear. Unfortunately, I didn't have the pleasure of killing him," Derrick explained. "Wait...before I left, I did tell him that if he didn't leave town, I was going to press rape charges against him and no amount of manipulation from my parents or his will save him. But that was it. Maybe he jumped."
"No...people like Cal aren't that merciful. No, he would want revenge against Jack for not only interrupting him, but for beating him up as well and he wouldn't take threats from you lightly either. No, Cal would never do us all a favor and kill himself," Rose sadly shook her head.
"Well then who killed him then? I sure in the hell didn't."
"Jack...when did you come home last night?" Julie asked.
"I don't know...but I was back in my right mind enough to know that I didn't do it. Believe me, if I had, I'd be bragging about it."
"Jack!" Rose stared.
"I'm sorry, sweetie but he was a monster. And even if we took him through the justice system...well you saw how spectacularly they failed my sister, letting her rapist back out onto the street..."
"Which is another reason you're a suspect, Jack. You'd have no remorse doing Cal in. Not only would it be a symbol of revenge for what happened to Lisa, you would be avenging your girlfriend and Annabelle. We'd see you as a hero, but the police would see you as a potential killer."
"We don't even know the time of death, though. Jack was at my house until eleven last night. So if Cal died before then, Jack's in the clear," Rose pointed out. "My parents can even testify to that. They saw him leave."
"Well, I for one don't care who offed the bastard. Good riddance to him," Derrick said. "I mean, look at what he did to my sister. All that progress she had made is completely gone. We all know what would have happened if Jack hadn't gotten there. So why are we acting like Hockley's death is some kind of tragedy."
"We're not. But the thing is, the Hockley's are powerful and rich and if they suspect either of you of killing Cal...they won't stop until their version of justice is served. I'm not willing to see my cousin in a cell for a crime he didn't commit," Julie explained.
Rose wrapped her arms around Jack's waist, a part of her afraid that someone will come and whisk him away from her, which can't happen. She needed him in her life. He was her anchor, her guardian angel. They couldn't take him away.
Feeling Rose's arms wrap around him, he turned around and wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. "Hey, it's okay. Neither one of us is going to jail, because we didn't do it. The justice system sucks, but they still need evidence saying we did it, which there is none."
"Look, we're going to be late. Let's head for homeroom and discuss this later," Julie sighed, tired of going around in circles. One thing was for sure. Both boys were insistent that they had nothing to do with the murder.
The homeroom bell had just rung and students were still discussing the Hockley murder. Some people looked at Jack wonderingly, but was glared down by Rose, who knew that Jack would never do such a thing. He wasn't a killer. The teacher was quieting everyone down when two police officers and Nathan Hockley, Cal's father entered the room and talked to the teacher.
"Shit, who's the suit?" Julie whispered, her heart falling into her stomach at the sight of the police officers.
"Nathan Hockley. Cal's father," Rose answered, also getting a sick feeling. She grabbed her purse and dug out a cell phone and slid out of her chair, ducking beneath her desk.
"What are you doing?" Julie asked. "We're not supposed to be using those in here."
"I have a bad feeling. I'm calling my dad. He's the only one that can go up against Nathan Hockley and get people to see sense."
"Jack Dawson. Please come up front please," the teacher looked towards the back. Rose and Julie met each others eyes. Julie just nodded, singling for Rose to get her dad.
"Take care of Rose," Jack looked at Julie and got up and went up front to the teacher's desk.
"William Dewitt Bukater," Her father answered, sounding busy.
"Daddy, it's Rose. I need you to come here right away...I think Jack is going to need your help."
"What's going on?"
"Caledon Hockley was found murdered last night and now Nathan Hockley and two police men are here asking for Jack. I think he's going to need a lawyer...and you're the best..."
"Is he under arrest?"
Rose peeked up over her desk and gasped to see them put Jack in handcuffs. "They're putting him in handcuffs..."
"Ok, Rose. This is what I want you to do. Give the phone over to one of the officers. Tell them that Jack's lawyer has some words for him. It's okay, sweetie. Just do as I say."
On trembling legs, Rose got up and calmly walked up to the front where the officers were just about to lead Jack out of the room.
"Wait, wait! Mr. Dawson's lawyer is on the phone. He has some words for you," She held the cell phone out to the officer who was holding Jack.
"His lawyer?" The officer frowned. Great. The kid already had a lawyer, how did that happen? Maybe this guy would be easy to deal with once he realized that Nathan Hockley was involved. Not many lawyers were interested in tangling with a case involving the millionaire.
"Yes. His lawyer. William Dewitt Bukater."
"Great," Nathan growled, crossing his arms. "How did he get involved?"
The officer took the phone. "Hello? Yes sir...yes sir...well...I suppose it wouldn't hurt...," the officer looked towards the principal who had just arrived as well. "Do you have a conference room or office we can use? The kid's lawyer don't want him at the precinct just yet..."
"Sure. You can use my office, gentlemen," The principal offered.
"We'll be in the principal's office. But I suggest you make this quick, Mr. Dewitt Bukater. There's been a tragedy and Mr. Hockley here is demanding justice."
The officer handed the phone back to Rose. "Fine. Let's get going."
"It's going to be alright, Jack," Rose tried to reassure him. He tried to smile for her, to make her feel better.
"I know..."
She took a step to go after them, but the teacher stopped her. "Miss. Dewitt Bukater, please go to your seat now."
"Oh let her go. Let her watch her little boyfriend get carted off to jail where he belongs," Madeline smiled with dark glee.
"The only one that belonged in jail was Caledon Hockley, you stupid bitch," Rose glared.
"Mrs. Dewitt Bukater, that is a warning! Go to your desk!"
She looked at Julie who looked more worried than Rose had ever seen her, then she looked at Annabelle, whose head was on her desk sobbing. She shook her head. She couldn't do that. She couldn't just sit at that desk and wait to hear something.
"Mrs. White...I need...I need to go to the principal's office. I can't just sit here. Write me up for insubordination, just please don't make me stay here," Rose pleaded with the teacher.
Mrs. White sighed. Rose was usually a good kid and she had seen how close she had come to the Dawson boy. She knew she shouldn't, but this was just homeroom anyway. "Fine. But go straight to the principal's office. Nowhere else."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you," Rose looked over at Julie one last time before excepting the write up and leaving the room.
She got to the principal's office just as her father was entering.
"Daddy!" She waved and ran up to him hugging him tightly. "Jack didn't do it! He was with me last night until late! You saw him! And now Nathan Hockley is here wanting to send Jack to jail for a crime he didn't commit and over Cal, after all he had done to me and Annabelle and...you have to do something..."
"Shh, Rose, sweetheart. Calm down. I'm going to fix everything. Nathan Hockley will not be sending anyone to jail. I promise you that. What are you doing out of class?"
"I couldn't sit there and do nothing while Jack's in trouble. The teacher sent me to the principal's office at my request."
"Smart girl. Come. I'll handle everything," William led his daughter into the office, where the officers had Jack sitting in a leather chair in front of the desk surrounded by the two officers, Nathan Hockley, and the principal.
"Jack!" Rose ran over to him, just to find her way blocked by one of the officers. "Out of my way, sir!"
"Rose, it's okay. Let me handle this," her father pulled her back. "Now gentlemen. Tell me the meaning of this, marching into a public school and arresting the boy. Really? And have you even called the boy's guardians or did you forget that you were dealing with a minor here? To busy bowing down to Nathan Hockley?"
"Watch it Dewitt Bukater. I'll have your job," Nathan threatened.
"Or I'll have yours, knowing what your son has done to numerous girls, my daughter included. I would say sorry for your loss, but the father in me is too busy not being sorry for that scum's death at all."
"Why you..."
"But I am not here to air out my grievances with you and your family, Hockley. I am here to keep you from railroading Mr. Dawson here. What makes you think that the boy had anything to do with the murder of your son?"
Suddenly there's a commotion outside before Annabelle Watson came in, her blue eyes wide and full of tears. Rose immediately went to her. "Annabelle?"
"This is my fault. I can't let Jack go to jail for helping me," Annabelle sniffed.
"What is she doing here?" Nathan glared.
"Just answer my question while the police are contacting Mr. Dawson's guardians. Why are you accusing my client of having anything to do with your son's demise?"
"Madeline Astor told me how Dawson there beat my son up yesterday after school. Had beaten him pretty badly from the bruises I saw when his body was recovered."
"Did she tell you what he found Cal trying to do again? Cal was trying to force himself on me again on the school bleachers. Jack found us and saved me! He shouldn't go to jail for that!" Annabelle cried out.
"Anna," Rose wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl.
"I was so scared...no one believed me the first time except Derrick and I knew it'd be more of the same...but Jack saved me. Please, let him go..."
"My son rape you? Preposterous! My son would do no such thing!" Nathan loudly denied.
"Oh he would and he did. To Anna and to me! Who knows who else he did it too! The only reason we didn't press charges was because of the pressure from oh so loving parents like Anna's and my mother!" Rose spoke out. "Jack is a hero! Not a murderer and I'm not going to let you paint him as such!"
"Rose, sweetie. Let me handle this," William calmly replied, feeling his heart go out to both of the girls, both of them victims of that villainous boy. He would love to just tear into the man that had brought such a loathsome creature into the world.
"Men, who are you going to believe? A well respected man like myself, or a couple of scared little girls, bitter over my son dumping them for more appropriate choices?"
"Oh my god, they're not going to believe us," Annabelle sobbed.
"They don't have to believe us," Rose spoke, an idea hitting her. The only card she really had to play. "I'm sure my father here can sit up a press conference, Mr. Hockley. A press conference telling every newspaper in the country what a monster your son really was. You may be a big deal, but your influence goes only so far. How many people are going to want to do business with the father of a serial rapist? A father that helped manipulate the victims into silence. Sure, maybe they won't believe two girls. But there's strength in numbers. Who says that the number of victims won't go up once the national papers get hold of our story? Your son was no angel and it's high time that you and everyone else stop pretending that he was."
William couldn't help but smile. That was his daughter. She may be a victim, but she wasn't going to stay that way for long. Jack also had to smile as well, witnessing the fire that had carried her through her ordeal and using it to burn the people that would keep the truth buried.
"What are you smiling about kid?" On of the officers asked, not seeing what was so funny.
"No reason. Just like seeing my girl there holding her own," was Jack's answer just as his Aunt and Uncle arrived.
"We got a call to come to the school! What is going on and why is my nephew in handcuffs?" Phil Dawson demanded as Aunt Beth stood back, tears in her eyes.
"You must be Philip and Beth Dawson, Jack's guardian's. I'm Rose's father and Jack's lawyer. It seems that Mr. Hockley here is trying to have your son arrested for the murder of his son Caledon," William explained. "But not to worry. I am sure that we'll have this mess cleared up in no time."
"Dear lord," Beth gasped. Hadn't this family been put through enough?
"Pardon me, but what was the time of death?" Rose asked. "We all know Cal's dead, thank god. But what time did he die? Was that ever calculated? Because Jack was with me most of all of last night. We left school together and he was at my house until eleven."
"And he came home at Eleven Thirty," Phil nodded. "I remember, I was waiting up doing a crossword and contemplating grounding him for staying out so late. We even had a discussion about responsibility and when he was expected to be home."
"And I can vouch for Jack's presence at my house and so can my wife Katarina if you should need another witness. So unless Jack is some super kid that can search out his victim, kill him, and then dump his body at the bottom of a cliff then make it home thirty minutes later to get told off by his Uncle, he simply didn't do it. Despite what his actions may have been earlier that day," William smirked, knowing that he had them. Looking at the thunderous expression on Hockley's face, he knew that he did. It was moments like this, when he foiled the Goliaths of society, that made his job worthwhile.
"Let the boy go," the officer sighed.
"What? Let him go? He attacked my son if not out right killed him!" Nathan screeched.
"According to Miss. Watson there, it was self defense and anyway, charges would have had to be filed by Caledon himself...and since he's dead...there's nothing that we can do about that," The officer had Jack stand up so he could take off the handcuffs.
"But what about my boy's murder!"
"You heard them. Not enough time. Besides, forensics came back. Time of death was at twelve midnight. Mr. Dawson was home by then. There's no way he could have committed the murder."
"Well someone murdered my son! I demand justice!"
"And justice will be had, but sending the wrong person to jail will not bring justice. Only finding and prosecuting the real murderer will," The officer explained. "I'm sorry for this misunderstanding, Mr. and Mrs. Dawson. Mr. Dewitt Bukater..."
"Just keep doing your jobs well, gentlemen," William nodded smiling when Rose went running pass him and into Jack's arms.
"How much do we owe you, sir?" Phil asked, relieved that his nephew won't be going to jail, but dreading the big bill that lawyers like William Dewitt Bukater came with.
"Don't worry about it. All that Jack has done for my daughter is payment enough," William waved away the offer of payment.
"Well, I suggest that the kids get back to class and we get back to our jobs," One of the officers headed for the door. "I do suggest to everyone to keep their ears open for information about the murderer. It'd be a big help."
And with that, the officers and Nathan Hockley were gone.
"Jack, you come straight home today. No stopping off at Rose's," Beth replied before leaving with Phil.
"Thank you, Mr. Dewitt Bukater," Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He really hadn't known how any of that was going to end up.
"Hey, no problem Jack. You just keep being good for my daughter," William winked, before leaving as well.
Walking to class beside Annabelle and Rose, Jack knew that he had dodged a pretty major bullet. But the question still remained. Who really did kill Caledon Hockley and why? Would they ever find out? Hopefully, time will tell. But for now, it was ding dong Caledon Hockley was dead. May the girls in the school rejoice.