EPISODE SIX: Presumed Guilty

CHAPTER ONE

"He's guilty,"Dan insisted. "He must be guilty."

Emma and Sutton were standing across the desk from him in his office, in various states of exasperation. "You don't know that though,"Emma argued.

"Well, who else would it be?"

"I don't know but none of that family are particularly popular around here."

Sutton nodded. "You said it yourself, you kept getting calls from people who didn't like Thayer being back here, who wanted him locked up. And now he is."

"So you think one of them did this just to get him behind bars?"Dan asked, sounding sceptical.

"Well, if they did, it worked."

Dan shook his head. "This is just guesswork."

"But it fits,"Emma insisted.

"Maybe. But unless you can get me some evidence, Thayer remains the prime suspect."

The comment was obviously meant to close the conversation and Emma and Sutton didn't see the point in arguing. They both turned and left. "I guess we shouldn't have expected anything else,"Emma admitted.

Sutton nodded. "He wants Thayer to be guilty. And I get it. Heck, I want him to be guilty too."

"So what do we do now?"

"Well, I don't know about you but…there's something I should probably have done a while ago."

Kristen gave Sutton a hug as she arrived at the house. "It's good to see you."

"Thanks, Mum." Sutton looked around, businesslike. "Is he here?"

Ben stepped into view. "Well, well. This does take me back."

Sutton managed a smile. "Take a walk?"

The two of them headed out the back. "I had a feeling when I met you the first time that you had your eye on one of my sons,"Ben remarked. "I didn't think it would be Dan though."

"A lot's happening since then,"Sutton admitted. "Feels like a lifetime ago. Competing against my twin sister for Ethan…"

"Not all you had in common, from what I hear."

"Thayer, yeah. That feels even longer ago." Sutton paused. "Not that I'm sure things are going ahead with Dan, the way things are at the moment."

"To do with that Thayer fellow again?"

"That's about the size of it, yes."

Ben paused. "Do you love Dan?"

"Yes,"Sutton replied without hesitation. "A lot."

"Well, from what little I've seen of you, you don't seem like someone who lets things go easily. I suspect things are going to be fine between you."

Char opened the door and was surprised by her visitor. "Mr Caldron!"

Graham nodded briefly to her. "Is Mads here?"

"Er, yes. Come through."

Char led Graham through to where Mads was sitting in the dining room. Mads stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about your mother. I'll be taking her home for the funeral."

Mads nodded. "I thought as much."

"It won't be yet though. Not while everything's still up in the air with Thayer."

"Do you know what's going on?"

"I'm arranging a lawyer for him. Sheriff Whitehorse doesn't seem to be looking at any other suspect but…maybe someone can give him a nudge."

Thayer was surprised when a young woman was shown through into the cell area. He really hadn't expected many people to bother visiting him, especially not this one. "I can only give you a few minutes," the deputy noted, opening up the cage area.

Lexi came in and sat down next to him. "How are you holding up?"

Thayer gave a rueful smile. "I've kind of gotten used to it."

"For what it's worth, there's a lot of people who don't think you did this."

"Shame Dan isn't one of them."

"Yes, well, we'll get to him." Lexi surprised him by taking his hand. "Just hold on, okay?" She got up to go.

"Are we friends now?"Thayer asked.

Lexi smiled. "Yeah. I guess that's what we are."