11

March 27

Daphne returned to her apartment in the early hours of the morning.

Judy had arranged for Detective Nelson to question Sabrina this afternoon but promised to keep Daphne updated.

Daphne forced herself out of bed and stood under the hot shower before she went to the kitchen to make herself a coffee.

Her sister has sent her a photo of a palm tree and a text message reads "last day in Thailand". There's nothing from Fred yet.

She finishes her coffee and grabs her coat and her car keys. The sun is shining and the snow is slowly melting.

When Daphne arrives at Fred's apartment building, she's relieved to see his car in its usual spot. She parks in the guest spot and enters the building.

Fred's building isn't cold and damp like her building and it has an elevator, she steps in and presses the button to the seventh floor.

The elevator makes a ding sound as the door opens. She steps out and walks along the corridor, she knocks on 7G.

When it opens she's startled to see Fred standing there looking so unlike Fred. Daphne knows Fred values his routine, a good night's sleep, and he goes to the gym most days. But he looks like he's been awake all night and wearing the same clothes as yesterday.

'Freddy?' She asks. 'Daph? What are you doing here?' He asks grumbling, allowing her into his apartment.

'I came to check on you.' Daphne explains and he slumps onto the couch.

'Did you call your mom?' Daphne asks, taking a seat next to him. 'And say what? I found out who my dad is, he's started a new family on the other side of the country.' Fred sighs, dropping his head in his hands. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I just…don't know what to think.'

Daphne lays her head on his shoulder, 'Maybe you should call her, you're not going to get any answers sitting here like this.'

'I know. I need to see her, I'll go on Friday night.' He looks at Daphne, 'Would you come with me? I could use your support.'

'Of course, I'll come with you.' She replies.

'You look tired, are you ok?' He asks. 'I'm fine. I've been up all night, at the police station. Larissa called.' Daphne explains. 'What's happened?' Fred asks. 'Police arrested Sabrina yesterday and her friend Tony Harrison.' Daphne explains.

'Seriously?' Fred asks. Daphne nods, 'Larissa spoke to Sabrina, she admitted she and Tony killed Steven and hid the evidence. Tony denied everything.'

'Of course he did.' Fred comments. 'I'm waiting for Judy to call, they're questioning them again.' Daphne explains how she figured out that Tony is Posie Shelby's father and not Steven.

Fred is speechless, he blinks at her with a surprised look and says, 'Wow.'

'My guess is Steven didn't know but Tony did. Sabrina knew that Tony knew and maybe he wanted to be in her life but he couldn't do it with Steven around.'

'That makes sense. Why tell him the truth when she can just kill him instead.' Fred says.

Daphne can see the cogs turning in his mind and his jaw clenching and unclenching.

'I'm gonna call my mom.' He gets to his feet, steps out of the living room, and follows the hallway to his bedroom.

Fred's apartment is less open plan than Daphne's. The front door opens to the living area and right of the living room is a wall with an archway. The wall is covered in framed movie posters; The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is one of his favorites. To the left of the living room is a small hallway, the walls are decorated with movie posters and framed photos.

Two doors are at the end of the hallway leading to the bedroom and the bathroom. His apartment is lighter than Daphne's too, the living room has two large windows which allow lots of natural light.

Daphne checks her phone for any updates from Judy, but nothing yet. Soon Fred returns and sits on the couch next to Daphne.

'Everything ok?' Daphne asks, she thinks he's relaxed a bit more than before he called his mother.

'Yes, she didn't ask any questions about why we're going to see her, but she's happy for us to visit.' Fred sits back on the couch, wondering what to say to his mother when he sees her.

Daphne's phone pings, she hopes it's Judy, but it's just a message from Thalia explaining how they're boarding the plane and their trip to Thailand has ended.

While she reads the message, Judy's caller ID is displayed on the screen.

She stares for a few seconds, 'Answer it.' Fred encourages as he quickly finds a pen and paper.

'Hello?' Daphne puts the call on loudspeaker. 'You were right.' Judy says.

Fred returns with a notepad and a pen and passes them to Daphne.

'Sabrina Shelby admitted her affair with Tony Harrison, and that the little girl ain't Steven's. And she's changed her story.' Judy explains and Daphne writes her notes, 'What did she say?'

'Sabrina told us that Tony wanted to be a part of his daughter's life, but Sabrina didn't want to make things harder than they were. Tony wanted his daughter, and Sabrina thinks he wasn't concerned about her other children. He said they needed to get rid of Steven and convinced her that his addiction would stick around and he was thinking of the kids when he suggested killing Steven.'

'And Sabrina believed she was saving her children.' Daphne adds.

'Uh-hu. She texted Steven from Larissa's phone and destroyed the phone afterward. She and Tony met Steven at the park, there was a small altercation in which Tony told Steven that he was the father of the youngest daughter. And like Sabrina said, Tony stabbed him twice.' Judy says.

'Did she say what happened between her and Tony after that?' Daphne asks.

'Oh, she spilled everything. She had friends and family around after Steven's death. Tony expected to move in but she told him she didn't love him. She focussed on the kids, and Tony gave up but she felt like he was watching her wherever she went with her kids.'

Daphne thinks about Larissa crying at the police station, 'How are the kids?'

'Madeline Bevor called about an hour ago. They stayed with a foster carer last night and their grandparents came home this morning. I think she's taking them to the house to get their things.' Judy explains.

'Thanks, Judy.' Daphne ends the call, looking at her notepad. Fred is surprised, normally her notes are pages and pages of details, but she's barely filled one page.

'Daph, what's up?'

Daphne glances at him, 'Last night, Larissa blamed herself for the situation, she didn't think her mom had anything to do with murder, she wanted to find the killer.'

'You want to go and see them?' Fred asks, Daphne shakes her head and she looks at the notepad.

'How can I write this? How can I write the truth if the kids don't even know the truth? How will it affect them? Larissa is already being bullied at school and this will make things a thousand times worse for her. And what's gonna happen to Posie? Would Tony's parents take her?' Daphne slumps into the couch.

She brushes strands of her red hair out of her face. Fred leans back onto the couch next to her.

'I understand.' He says and Daphne rolls her head to see his ocean-blue eyes staring into her green ones.

'How can you tell the story of an innocent man if it's going to cause a domino effect? Few people know of his innocence and it needs to be told. You've always written the truth modestly and honorably, I know you'll figure out how to tell Steven's story, you always figure it out.'

Daphne smiles, 'Thanks Freddy, you always know what to say.'

Fred returns a smile, 'Anytime.' His alluring blue eyes hold her gaze and she feels her heart racing.

Butterflies in her belly begin to make herself known and she wonders if he feels like this too.

The gap between them becomes smaller and smaller, both are unaware until Daphne's phone pings. She sees Fred's cheeks turning pink and hers feel warm, she moves away quickly and reaches for her phone. Fred quickly steps to the kitchen to make coffee.

She doesn't look at the caller ID, she just answers the phone quickly, 'Hello?'.

'What have you got for me?' Gilroy asks abruptly. 'A lot, I just need a couple of days.' Daphne explains.

Gilroy sighs, 'Two days and I want something on my desk, Kramer and Green have handed their report in. If you want yours on the front page it needs to be in editing by Monday morning.' Gilroy hangs up the phone.

Daphne's had articles make the front page since her time at Washington Post and she respects her colleagues' writings.

Kramer and Green have worked at the Washington Post almost as long as she and Fred have, they're great guys and honest reporters. This begs her to wonder if they've written about Fred's discovery, she knows they probably haven't.

Fred returns to the living room with two mugs of coffee, his cheeks flash pink when they make eye contact again. He puts the mugs on the coffee table, 'Who was that?'

'Gilroy, he wants something by Monday morning.' Daphne returns her phone to her pocket.

'Of course he does.' Fred comments, 'What are you thinking?'

Daphne shrugs as she takes a sip of her coffee as she thinks.

'Daph?'

'Do you think Tony killed Steven out of love for Sabrina, or do you think it was jealousy and control?'

'It's a tough one, Daph. I mean, they had a fling before the affair, right? Maybe it was love, maybe it was control.' Fred watches her eyes narrow as her mind works.

'What are you thinking?' He asks.

'Tony convinces Sabrina to kill Steven so he can have shared custody or maybe move in with Sabrina and the children. But he doesn't move in with Sabrina after the killing? And it's another four years before Posie's parentage is discovered?'

Daphne makes notes on her pad as she explains her theory.

'But if Sabrina convinced Tony to kill Steven to allow him to see his daughter and continue their affair, surely he would agree to it. But after the killing, Sabrina keeps the secret and doesn't allow Tony any contact, then when he is questioned he throws her under the bus?'

'Either way, they're both going down for murder.' Fred adds.

Daphne fumbles for her phone and calls Judy. She explains her theory and Judy tells her she will be questioning the suspects bu she doubts either will confess.

'Sabrina is going to be charged with murder but we're trying to get Harrison to talk.' Judy explains.

'Tell them what I told you, maybe he'll confess.' Daphne suggests. 'Alright, I'll keep you updated.' Judy ends the call.

'I'm gonna go home and write the article up.' Daphne quickly finishes her coffee. 'Sure, I'll come around later.' Fred replies, Daphne nods, 'See you later Freddy.'

'Bye, Daph.'

Several hours later, Daphne is hunched over her laptop at the kitchen island, her eyes flicking back and forth between the laptop screen and her handwritten draft. So far she's written the title and one paragraph, she needs this done.

She reads the first paragraph over and over again. It describes the crime scene on the morning Steven's frostbitten body was found, and the two clean stab wounds indicate a quick killing.

She needs something more, something about Steven. She grabs her notepad and flicks back a few pages, the day she and Fred met Larissa, she talked about her father and how amazing he was.

She writes the truth, Steven was an addict but he loved his kids, and he was trying to turn himself around. He was fighting battles.

Daphne's mind wonders about her own mother's ongoing battle with addiction. She knows her mother has been an addict for a long time. Ecstasy - given to her by a relative as a "coping mechanism" following the loss of a stillborn child.

Signs of drug addiction were noticed but nobody intervened. Her father went to work leaving her alone with Daphne and her sisters and relatives visited as normal.

Her addiction worsened after the death of Daphne's young sister, everyone noticed but nobody helped. Until Thalia's near death all those years ago and her father cut ties with the relative.

Daphne tries to shake the memories from her mind, focusing on the article she needs to complete. She focuses on painting Steven in the light of a good dad, not an addict, he was trying to get better after all.

When she finally finishes the article, her stomach growls and remembers Fred's coming over.

There is a knock at the door, and when she answers it, she's delighted to see Fred standing there, smiling and seeming like his usual self. He's good at that.

'Did you finish the article?' He asks. 'Yes, I just emailed it to publishing.' Daphne moves her laptop to one side.

'Wanna order a pizza?' Daphne asks and Fred nods, 'That sounds amazing. Usual place?'

'Of course.' Daphne picks up her phone and rings the pizzeria, giving their usual order. Then she sits with Fred on the couch.

Daphne flicks through the channels, the movie channel is playing The Pink Panther Strikes Again. It's one of their favorites.

Daphne remembers the first time she watched this with Fred at college, how he laughed and laughed. She thinks about that every time.

She watches him in her peripheral vision, he doesn't seem into it, 'I can tell you're too distracted. Do you wanna talk about it?' She turns the volume down.

Fred studies her, 'Yes, I think I would.'

Daphne turns the TV off. When she turns to Fred, their eyes meet but she can't see the brightness that's always there, instead, she sees emptiness.

'What's on your mind?' She asks.

'A lot of things. Throughout my whole life it hasn't bothered me not knowing my father. Now I know he's real and never wanted me, but has a family with someone else?' Fred sighs.

'Freddy, you've never needed him. Look how far you've come without him. Whatever he's done was his decision, none of this is your fault.' Daphne tries to assure him but can see the hurt in his eyes.

'I can't help but think otherwise. I've never given him a thought before. I never imagined his looks or the sound of his voice. I never wondered if I resemble him. I've never imagined him in my life. He probably doesn't remember I exist. And I feel betrayed by him. Does that sound stupid?' Fred asks.

'No, of course not.' Daphne sits closer to Fred, 'I know you're upset and hurt Freddy, but don't give him a thought, he doesn't deserve you.'

'I don't want to think about him, as hurt as I am that he left, I can't forgive him for letting my mom down.' Fred says. Daphne takes his hand, gaining his attention, he squeezes her hand.

'I know, but you don't know what she has to say. Kramer and Green got the story from a drug dealer in jail.'

'I know. I've tried to think that but I know in my gut that it's true.' Fred says.

'Then is he worth getting upset over? He was mixed up with a drug dealer and told him he didn't want you, then fled to another state. Now he's done the same to his new family, leaving them without a goodbye.'

'He's not worth it.' Fred speaks slowly as if trying to convince himself, 'His family doesn't know what he's done, what he's doing.'

'Don't over-think this Fred, none of this is your fault.' Daphne squeezes his hand.

'I just need to speak to her, the sooner the better.' He looks at Daphne and their eyes meet, 'You're still coming with me, aren't you?' He asks.

'Of course I will.'

Fred smiles sweetly, 'What would I do without you?'

'I dread to think.' Daphne returns the smile. Fred laughs and moves closer to Daphne and wraps his arms around her in a tight embrace. She suddenly becomes anxious but reciprocates. The smell of his sweet, earthy aftershave is overwhelming and his strong arms hold her tightly.

She listens to his soft breathing and feels herself sinking into his embrace. She doesn't want to let him go, all her feelings for him come flooding back but she's not ready to admit to him.

She pulls herself away but is captured by his enchanting blue eyes. Her heart races and a voice inside her head tells her to just go for it but she can't. Fred leans closer, Daphne can taste the coffee on his breath. She feels his soft warm lips against hers in a chaste kiss.

A loud banging on the door quickly separates them, and the pizza delivery guy announces his arrival. Daphne goes to answer the door and Fred turns the volume back up. Daphne takes the pizza from the delivery guy and pays him. She returns to the couch and puts the pizza box between her and Fred as if nothing happened.