AUTHORS NOTE: Just a short one, as it took me ages to work out how to write this chapter. I wanted her to attempt suicide and fail - that was my plan from the start, and I wanted to show that it was literally the end of the road for her. I sat and wrote it and re wrote it several times before I got this which I am more or less happy with but it also took a bit of tweaking of the previous chapter to manage it.

CHAPTER 95

I open my eyes and for a moment I'm disorientated and confused. I squint at the bright lights wondering where I am. I blink and I hear a beeping noise and suddenly everything becomes clear, and my heart sinks - I failed to kill myself.

I turn my head to the side and I see Angus McCleod sitting in the chair next to my bed which surprises me as he was the last person I'd expect to see here, then just outside the room I see some police officers and my lawyer and my heart sinks even further.

"Oh, so you are back with us" Angus says coldly as he looks up and notices I am awake.

"What happened?" I croak and I swallow hard, my throat is sore and I wince.

Angus stands and picks up a coat which was draped over the back of the chair. "You failed in your attempt to end yourself, you've had your stomach pumped and now you are awake and the authorities are here to prevent it happening again so I can now leave".

"Angus… Wait" I say as he turns away. He stops and turns back to face me with an impassive look on his face.

"What?" he asks simply.

"How? Who? Did Gideon?" I ask wondering who foiled my plan.

Angus laughs, "No, he didn't save you, he just asked me to make sure you didn't die as he is anxious for you to face justice and not escape it like Geoff did".

"Then who?" I ask in confusion, if Gideon didn't come who raised the alarm?

Before Angus can reply I ask another question, "What time is it?" I ask wondering how long I'd been out.

Angus glances at his watch, "3.30am so I am going home to bed. In answer to your previous question, Corrine called, she had tried to call you and when you didn't answer your phone she raised the alarm. She tried to call Gideon, but she is on Gideon's no answer list and so her call was automatically diverted to my phone. I took the call and she told me of her concerns. I told Gideon what Corrine had said and he asked me to investigate which I did and I found you in your bathroom along with the empty pill bottle".

"So… Corrine?" I ask hopefully.

"Don't get too excited by that as Corrine was disgusted by what she heard about you in the interview and it was her intention to call you and tear you off a strip but when you didn't answer your phone when you are on house arrest she put two and two together and realised with the revelations that came out what you had possibly done and so she raised the alarm. Gideon didn't speak to her as he wants nothing to do with her, just as he wants nothing to do with you".

"Oh" I say as disappointment fills me, why didn't' they just let me die?

I realise I have voiced that thought out loud as I see the disgust on Angus' face.

He stalks up to the bed and leans over me, glaring at me. "You really are a selfish mare. Gideon lost his father to suicide when he was a wee lad. Didn't you care what this could possibly do to him? Was it your wish to try and make him feel guilty about causing your death? He hates you but he doesn't want you to die before you have faced the music for your crimes".

"What it has done to him?!" I splutter, "What about what he has done to me? He has completely destroyed me publicly, there is no way I will recover from that" I say.

Angus nods in agreement and looks totally unconcerned, "That was his intention, and he just told the truth, the truth which you have denied and tried to distance yourself from for years. Thankfully he has his family around him and they are loving him and supporting him so that he realises he is not to blame for your selfish actions tonight. That lad was broken for years – you broke him with your lies and your denial. He needed you to help him when he was violated by that… man, not conspire to alienate him and vilify him. I blame myself every day that I encouraged him to tell you about the rape. I blame myself for the fact I wrongly thought you had an ounce of decency in you when you don't and that I thought you would do the right thing by your son".

"Oh please!" I exclaim, "It's always all about Gideon but what he has done to me, I am better off dead, I…" I stop as Angus holds up his hand, clearly not finished with his tirade.

"No, you listen to me. You are to blame for everything bad in that lad's life. It is only now that he is starting to realise that he isn't to blame for any of it and that he is loved and believed. For years he suffered alone with what happened to him. God knows I did my best for him, and I tried to make him believe he was worth something, but it took that wee lass he married to turn things around and that is why you hate her isn't it because she helped him see the truth. Now he is strong and he is fighting back and righting the wrongs you heaped upon him and in doing so he knows he will also help many others who were your victims in one way or another. I have worked tirelessly to help him and we have the evidence to prove your culpability and wrong doing over the years and there is no way I will allow you to escape unscathed after what you put that lad and everyone else through. You will be held accountable for your actions because you are a cancer on humanity and undoubtedly the world would be a better place without you in it, but your long list of victims need their justice and I will make sure they along with Gideon get it. But once you have been convicted and held accountable you are free to do whatever you wish with your sorry life but believe me lady, you will not be able to make that escape before you are held accountable for your crimes".

I glance at my lawyer who has entered the room and is listening to everything and he has a grim expression on his face so I know he doesn't have any happy news for me at this point. Angus moves away and after giving me one last withering look he leaves the room without another word.

I look at my lawyer hopefully as he steps forward and shakes his head, "It's over Elizabeth, there is no way you will be acquitted after this. It is my honest opinion that you should simply try and make a deal with your victims. I would strenuously advise you to seriously consider that… If you refuse then I won't be representing you in court. I have seen the massive stack of evidence against you for all the crimes you are accused of and I have nowhere to go as I cannot defend the indefensible".

"It will ruin me" I whisper and my lawyer shrugs.

"You need to realise there is no other option now at this point" he says with a grim finality.

I close my eyes and shake my head, "Do it" I say simply.

"Alright" he replies with a sigh and I hear him walk away. Then I hear the chair near the bed move again and someone sits down.

I open my eyes once more, and see a young police officer sitting staring at me.

"Mrs Vidal I am here to prevent you from harming yourself or attempting escape" he says.

I let out a small snort and close my eyes once more.

"Whatever" I mutter.

oooOOOooo

(EVA)

"Gideon, come on baby sit down"

I watch my husband pacing like a caged animal. It is the early hours of the morning and although I think we have managed to convince him that he is not to blame for Elizabeth's suicide attempt he is still on edge.

He sits down beside me and I glance at Ireland who has fallen asleep on the other sofa. Christopher is still awake and is watching Gideon carefully. My dad is also watching him closely, we had all gathered to watch Gideon's interview like we did last week for the previous one and I have to say he nailed it. We should've realised that Elizabeth could possibly attempt suicide though and for once I am actually grateful to Corrine for sticking her oar in as if she hadn't raised the alarm, there is a very good chance Elizabeth would've ended up dead and escaped justice like Geoff did.

"How are you feeling now?" I ask gently as Gideon wraps his arms around me and holds me too tightly.

"I'm not sure… I will be happier when I hear from Angus again. Now that I know she is alive and won't be allowed to attempt anything like that again I do feel better, but I need to speak to Angus face to face to help me process everything".

I watch as Gideon looks at my dad who is watching him carefully, "What is your take on tonight?" he asks "As I know you will tell me straight if I am to blame for the events of this evening".

"Gideon!" I exclaim in exasperation, "You are not to blame" I reiterate for what seems like the millionth time. I glance at my dad who takes a quick look at me before replying.

He takes a deep breath and looks Gideon in the eye and smiles kindly at him, "You are not to blame for your mothers actions Gideon. We have told you that now several times tonight. You did that interview for you and your peace of mind, and you did it magnificently. I am so proud of you for how you told your story. You have undoubtedly helped the case of many of her victims by telling your story. Could you have anticipated what your mother decided to do as a result… there are always what if's but I don't believe you are feeling guilty for what she did per se. I believe you feel guilty for the fact you didn't anticipate what she did and that if she had succeeded it would've brought an end to the civil cases being pursued and she like Eric Landon and Geoffrey Cross would've evaded justice".

My dad pauses and lets Gideon think about that for a moment before he continues.

"Am I correct?" he asks gently.

Gideon doesn't answer but after a moment he looks up and just slowly nods his head.

My dad smiles again, "So, in that case you have nothing to feel guilty about as she failed. The alarm was raised, Angus went to investigate and she was found and she is alive and in the hospital under police guard so that she doesn't try anything like that again".

Gideon considers that and I feel him slowly start to relax.

"Bro, you did good" Christopher says simply.

Gideon takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, "Thank you Christopher" he replies.

Before anyone can say anything else the door opens and Angus appears. He looks tired but he manages a small smile for Gideon. "She woke up, she is disappointed her plan failed and I gave her a piece of my mind for her actions tonight and she is now under police guard so she can't do it again. As I was leaving her lawyer arrived and he has told her to throw the towel in and settle out of court".

My eyes widen at that, "It will ruin her – as there are so many victims now" I say.

Angus shrugs, "I don't believe that is our problem. From what I overheard she has instructed him to pursue this. He also told her if she didn't seriously consider this then she would need to find herself another lawyer as he wasn't prepared to defend her if she fought it due to the enormous amount of evidence against her".

"So basically, she's screwed?" I say bluntly and Angus smiles again.

"Ay lass, she's screwed" he replies.