Can You Keep A Secret? | COMPLETE

Chapter Seventeen

"Your honour, if I could just have some more time to compile evidence to defend my case," Evangeline started, standing behind her table.

"You've been given more time than we usually allow, Miss Brear!" the judge stated. "Your defence time is up! You work with what you have now and your fate will be determined by the jury."

"Of course, Honour." She seated herself and looked at her attorney.

The woman placed a gentle hand on Evangeline's shoulder, a sympathetic look on her face.

"I'll try my darnedest, Miss Brear, to prove your innocence. When you're called to the stand, just tell your whole truth. You hear? Your truth."

"Thanks."

***

Anastasia stood at the sink, hands soaked and covered in soap suds. She was humming an old Russian song softly as she reached back into the water and pulled out a dried red-stained knife. Taking the sponge back up from where it floated in the bubbles, she set to work on scrubbing away the crusted over stain.

She halted when a knock came from the front door. Sighing, she dropped the knife back under the multitudes of suds and grabbed the drying towel from the countertop. She dried her hands as she made her way to the door, opening it to reveal Richard Preacher.

"What do you want, Preacher?" the Russian groaned.

"I figured you'd be here," the Southern gentleman sighed. "We need to talk."

"What's there to talk about?"

"What's happening, Anastasia."

The redhead stood there for a moment before sighing and stepping out of the way. "Fine, come in. Sit at the table. I was cleaning up."

***

Evangeline swallowed hard, staring out at the crowd of people behind the barrier deciding them from the defendant and prosecution tables.

"Officer Brear," the prosecutor attorney started, only to be cut off.

"Pardon my interruption," Evangeline said, "but I'm not an officer anymore. As of a while ago. I'm on temporary suspension."

"My apologies," the man said, then continued.

"Miss Brear, are you aware of what crime you're being charged with?"

"Yes, sir."

"And what crime is that?"

"Two counts of first-degree murder."

A gasp and whispers filled the court room for a brief moment, before a hush fell upon the attendants.

"And you claim to be innocent of these charges. Why do you believe that?"

"Because I am. And I've been trying to prove it but nothing seems to be working in my favour. I have little to no recollection of the night of Patrick Rambeau's murder. But what I do remember places me at a bar with my best friend and waking up the next morning hung over as all hell, at home, in bed beside her. As for Rosen, I was home all night. My best friend had been over that night and she was talking to me about an interrogation Rosen had put her through. She stayed over for a few hours before heading home. I stayed home all night after that, still trying to piece together Rambeau's murder."

"But you said you were placed on suspension. Why were you still working the case?"

"I shouldn't have but I was positive we had missed something. My necklace had been found at the scene and I needed to find out how and why!"

"You mentioned your best friend, Miss Brear." The man walked toward the prosecutor desk and opened a manilla folder, pulling out a sheet of paper. "That wouldn't happen to be the same best friend who testified against you in a follow-up interrogation, would it?"

Evangeline's expression dropped, heart in her gut. This can't be good.

"Anastasia Breken?"

***

"Okay, Preacher. Talk to me. Что у тебя в куче трусиков?"

The woman plopped down in the recliner across from the couch where Richard was seated, propping her feet up on the coffee table.

"People are starting to ask questions, Anastasia."

"Questions about what? Что они могли знать, что это ещё не было обнародовано?"

"The Whitmans, you know—that couple that lives across the street from me? The ones who seem to be stuck in a 1940s time loop?"

"Да... Продолжай."

"They stopped by my place and were lookin' in my trash bins. They found the vials of Temazepam and Zolpidem."

"Yeah, I knew that. Captain Goodie-Two-Shoes told me when I went in and gave a testimony against Evangeline. What else happened? You're wasting my time."

"When Evangeline gets locked up, what exactly are you planning on doing?"

"I'm going to break my brother out of prison. I miss him and you two deserve to be together again."

"Does Evangeline know of your relation with him?"

"Does Evangeline know anything about me, really?"

***

"Miss Brear," the defence attorney stood outside of the courtroom with Evangeline. The meeting was concluded for the day. "I wish you luck for tomorrow."

"Thanks for trying to help me," the other woman said. "This can't be easy."

"I've had to defend worse cases. It's part of my job."

"Thank you though, seriously. It means a lot."

"Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too."