Ghosted

Consequences of Betrayal

2 DAYS LATER

He'd been awake for awhile but left his arm over his eyes. Voight had been standing outside the cell for five minutes but hasn't said anything yet. He wasn't sure if Voight knew he was awake but he didn't care. The timing is perfect. Voight had arrived when he is riding the rage part of his emotional rollercoaster.

"Hailey told me the evidence they have. It's all bullshit. Blood in my truck, huh, planted? Witness statement, coerced or made up, your choice. Video of me and the victim at a gas station at the same time? Don't know what to say about that one. I could have been there at the same time but couldn't tell you since I don't know what the victim looked like. It's weak to say the least."

"It was at a gas station in Wisconsin. You were in Wisconsin."

"Still weak."

"She was dumped in Wisconsin."

"Yes, I was in Wisconsin. Still weak."

"Your DNA on her shirt and her arm and underwear. Your saliva on her neck."

He sat up a little too fast for his aching ribs, "Wait what? Hailey didn't tell me that. She just said DNA."

"There's a lot of DNA Halstead."

He had nothing to say to that. That was a lot of DNA. But he also knew he didn't do it, so he knew it had all been fabricated. It's taken him 30 seconds to think of the ways it could be done. And the more he thought about those 30 seconds, the more this hurt. They couldn't spare him 30 seconds?

Finally without looking at Voight, Jay asked, "Would you like a hint?"

Nothing.

Jay painfully got to his feet, pissed at himself he couldn't stop the hiss from escaping his lips.

There was no reaction from Voight about his appearance. He knew Hailey must have told him he got the shit beat out of him and frankly, the lack of reaction hurt. He's having a hard time holding onto the rage.

"Cuz, the answer to this whole bullshit situation was knocked into me on the first punch."

Voight said nothing but something flickered in his eyes.

Jay scoffed and took a step closer to Voight but that's as close as he'll get given the bars in front of him.

"Did you ever, for even one second, think it was possible I was being framed?"

There was something in Voight's eyes but his lack of affirmation of him possibly being framed, knocked the wind out of him. He knew the pain of not being trusted, not being given the benefit of the doubt is written all over his face. He hated it but at this point doesn't care and that just sparked his anger. This rollercoaster made him want to puke.

It was a moment before he found his voice, but it was filled with filled with anger, despair and profound sadness. "I don't understand...why didn't you guys...what did I do?"

Voight didn't respond and he really believed his heart could stop beating from the crushing silence that was breaking it.

Not giving up, desperate to hold on to his anger, he broke the silence, "Okay, first one's free. Why don't you go talk to your buddy Alderman Price about HIS buddy Marcus Pearson."

Silence but again that flicker.

"They declared a mistrial, right? I testified the morning I got arrested. I get charged with rape and murder, my testimony goes out the window. No case."

Nothing.

He shrugged, feeling a little defeated. He's got nothing else. He's lost the rage. Voight's stoic countenance had taken it. The sadness and despair are back. He prayed it didn't show on his face again.