Defending Jacob: The Aftermath Book 1

Clashing

They where in Jacob's room again, talking acting like a normal family. Jacob really had no clue his parents where fighting every minute of the day. Andy stayed for a while, he than left leaving Laurie there with Jacob, it made him nervous, but he had to go pack things at the house. He needed to make sure he ran into Derek Yoo as well. He told Laurie he would be back later to pick her up. She told him though Tobi had reached out and she was going to go get dinner with her old best friend. He thought great gave him more time to go find Charlotte talk to her, be with her. 

Andy was driving home, he got no texts from Charlotte not since she cancelled on him. He texted her saying he got answers from Jacob and he was going to talk to Derek at his job at the whole foods store. He texted her once more saying "Charlotte please talk to me, are you sick I love you." Still she hadn't texted him back. He pulled into the whole foods parking lot and got out of his audi. He went inside he bought some chicken noodle soup and juice, tea. He was going to take to her house. If she was in fact sick he would help take care of her. He texted Laurie saying he had packed things at the house, that he would go and sign the papers get the key for the new house. He was going to go crash at the new house to clean it up for the move in two days. He got to the check out and he saw Derek just than, working as a bag boy. Derek notice him smiled but he looked nervous.

"Oh hey Derek, how have you been lately?" he asked.

"Hi Mr. Barber, I'm good, just working, um can I ask how is Jacob, he still in a coma. I'm sorry." he said.

"No Derek, he's actually much better now he remembers a lot, he comes home tomorrow you should keep in touch. You guys where good friends." he said.

Derek looked like a deer in headlights. "That's great, ya I'll call him, I know he didn't kill Ben. I'm sorry for what I said in court." he said.

"Why would you be sorry Derek, you where under oath, and just saying what you thought, no one knew it was Patz." Andy told him.

"Derek can I ask you, Jacob tells me you have access to his xbox and online accounts, as he did with yours. I think it's best if you guys stop that, my credit card had a lot of gaming chargers on it." Andy said, shocking Derek.

"Oh ya, sorry I'll stop that Mr. Barber, I'm really sorry." Derek said shakely.

"Nice seeing you again Derek, just be careful on those online sites, you don't know who watching you, oh Derek if you had access to Jacob's online accounts that meant you knew about that story on cutter porn site longer than you told police right?'' Andy asked.

That did it Derek went white, he was scared,"ah no I found it days later Mr. Barber anyways have a good day." Derek said. Andy being that he lies to cover his tracks he knew the look on Derek's face he knew that it was a lie. He was convinced Derek was the killer. 

He left the store walking to his car. He got in he was turning the engine on when his phone went off. She texted him. "Sorry Andy not feeling good, going to bed. We can talk another time. I can't keep doing this to your family. We can meet in a couple days for coffee and talk about the case."  His heart sank, she was running away from him and he didn't want to lose her. "Charlotte if your sick I'm coming to see you. I got you some soup." He started driving to her house to talk to her and check on her. He pulled in the back of the driveway his car was hidden behind the house. He got out and walked to the back door. He hoped it was unlocked, but this time it was locked. He knocked on the door. 

His phone got a text "look Andy we can't do this your married, I know things happened but I just can't." 

He texted her back "My marriage is over, please we can just talk nothing more. I saw Derek too." That did it she came walking to the door. She was in her pj's some pale blue satan shorts and matching tank top. Andy saw her face she wasn't sick, but she had been crying. He wanted to hold her in his arms, he didn't want her hurting. He knew he was the cause of her tears and that killed him. She walked him to the couch so they could talk. He gave her the soup, juice and tea. She started drinking the tea at least. 

"Look Andy, I'm in love with you ok, but this can't happen. It's just your the right one but at the wrong time. We can still meet for coffee at public places to talk about the case ok." she told him.

He looked at her in shock, sad eyes, "I love you ok, you know you think there's that one soulmate out there for you, and your realize it' s not who you married. I can talk to you about anything. Please don't give up on us." he pleaded.

She didn't say anything back she just looked at him, she wanted to kiss him. She didn't though "Andy you saw Derek, why what happened?" she asked.

"Jacob told me Derek and him had full access to each others online information, Jacob told me he didn't kill Ben, that he lied in court he didn't write that story." Andy told her.

She was shocked, "if Jacob didn't write the story about Ben's murder that means Derek did. Derek told Ben in a threat he knew where he could get a knife if Ben didn't delete the pictures of Sara. He said he get away with it too. Look I found this on Ben's laptop." she showed Andy.

Andy looked at the mac book the hidden messages she had uncovered with a program. She was smart and beautiful. She looked at him in the face as they where looking on the laptop their touched hands feeling each others skin, that spark again they both felt it. "Andy you said Jacob had a knife is there anyway Derek had access to it in and around Ben's murder?" she asked.

"Yes he was at our house playing video games, the night Ben was found in the park, he was at our house most days before it too. Derek and Jacob would be on his xbox in his room. Jacob I found his knife in a sock in his night stand" Andy said.

Andy realized she was right all along, it was Derek, he couldn't believe he had missed it the entire time. He always thought it never made sense Derek accusing Jacob from the start, even his testimony in court had holes, and sounded fake to Andy. They look at each other realizing the truth, now they had to prove it to others. Andy couldn't help how he felt in the moment, she gave him hope. She believe in him and his son when Laurie didn't, he grabbed her face kissing her again. He leaned into her she didn't stop him. She lied down on the the couch pulling him on top of her kissing him. He put his hand up her night shirt he could feel her chest how she wanted him. She pulled away from him. 

"Andy we can't do this really, We got to control ourselves. Yes I want you right now and here, but we just can't." she said.

She had tears in her eyes, Andy was still leaning on top of her, he told her he loved her. He hated seeing her cry like this, he pleaded with her not to pull away from him. He could see she was clashing inside of herself, she loved him and wanted him now but she didn't want to break up his marriage. He told her his marriage is broken and had been long before her. She starred at him she could see he was being truthful with her. He leaned down kissing her again. She didn't stop him. They spent the night on the couch feeling every inch of each other most of the night. Eventually they fell asleep wrapped in each other arms under a blanket on the couch. Andy just looked at her sleeping before he went to sleep kissing her on the forehead said he loved her. He just now needed to take the steps to be with her forever. He knew the move was the first start.