wine stains

blood is thick

Jack gets in the police station after a call from Corbyn. His eyes scan the busy precint until he sees Corbyn's tuff of hair. He was speaking with some detectives. Jack sits in front of his desk.

The lieutenant dismisses everyone once he realizes Jack finally arrives. He looks stressed. They greet each other.

"Sorry for calling, man, Christina can't make it in time. He's in the interrogation room. He refused to speak without a lawyer. Wanna wait there?"

He nods and lets Corbyn direct him to the hidden room that allows one to see the interrogation room. Jack sees Jonah in handcuffs. He stuffs his hands in his pockets as he basks in his blank stare.

He looks good in silver. Jack smiles at his own joke.

A detective is there with him, with his arms crossed. Corbyn opens the door and allows Jonah's lawyer to walk in. Once Jack fully registers who the lawyer is, his jaw falls open.

"Kristin Stanford, Mr. Marais's lawyer." She shakes the detective's hand. "I'd like to have a moment in private with my client, please."

Corbyn enters the same room as Jack and pauses. The curly head cracks his fingers as he looks at the lawyer. He turns off the audio for the next room and asks him the question that sparked such annoyance.

"You know her?"

He scoffs. "Know her? She's my mother."

Corbyn's eyebrows furrow. "Isn't she in the same law firm as you?"

"She is, but at the same time, she's not." He turns to Corbyn. "Just like me, she can take cases outside of the firm. She created Avery Veritas to her image, Corbyn. She's anything but dumb."

The lieutenant nods. "I'm guessing we have to change something around." He comments.

Jack shakes his head. "We can maintain the plan. We just have to wary of her." He chuckles humourlessly. "She's sly as a fox. Do not fall into her trap." He warns.

Corbyn nods slightly, surprised at the family dynamic they have going on. "Oh, looks like they're ready." He gets in the interrogation room, and Jack turns on the audio.

"...not a word, Jonah. I'll do the speaking."

Jack assists the interrogation, scoffing every time his mother invokes a law that doesn't even apply in their context. Christina opens the door breathless. Jack smiles softly as a way of acknowledgement.

"How's it- Holy shit. Is that your mom?" She asks, eyes trained to the glass.

Jack nods. "She's not letting him speak. I'm waiting on Corbyn to start pushing his buttons."

Christina sets her purse down and ties her hair in a low bun. She cracks her neck and quickly scribbles half a sheet of paper. Jack watches attentively as he reads all the questions she's writing.  Christina clicks on the intercom.

"Lieutenant Besson, a word, please." Corbyn quickly rushes in the room. Christina hands him the sheet of paper and pushes him out.

"I made a friend emit the warrant five minutes before the arrest. And the warrant to search for his shit and his father's shit is right here." She sets it down on the table.

"What did forensics say about the body?" Jack questions, always so curious.

"Same M.O., undercover say he left the house at seven and returned at nine. The snow makes the time of death a bit complicated to guess. However, a strand of his hair was found in the victim's fingernail, which incriminates him." She hands him a report. 'There's also a hair in her chin. I'm guessing that was Corbyn."

"No signs of struggle?" He asks, flicking through the pages.

"We can argue it was consensual - "She shuts up when she sees Jonah slam his hands on the table. "Bingo." She smirks.

Two officers go in the room and make Jonah forcibly calm down. Christina turns in the sound. "I'll see you in court." Kristin grabs Jonah by the tie. "Don't do anything stupid until then." She gets out of the room as the two officers try to contain Jonah.

"Bring Zach to the hearing." Christina requests. "That's what makes him flip his shit."

Jack raises an eyebrow. She continues. "Zach triggered all of this; if he's in court while Jonah's on the stand, we boost our chances of him losing his shit." She grabs her purse. "Make sure he sits right behind you."

"What about Jonah's father?" He asks. "He'll serve as a witness for his son."

"Timothy is anything but innocent. Off-shore accounts, threatening an employee, sexually abusing one of the victims right before she died. If we play our cards right, both will end up in jail." She lets her hair loose.

"My mother won't go down that easily."

"I don't like losing, Jack." She looks at him up and down. "Don't betray me, I know how blood is thick."

Jack scoffs and stuffs his hands on his pockets. "If I was on her side, I wouldn't have sued Jonah. Stop being so fucking wary of me, I'm on your side." He says sharply.

Christina looks at him up and down. "Then act like it." She leaves the room.

Jack closes his fist and takes a deep breath. No killing. Not right now. Not when he's in jail. He starts biting on his nail. Jack imagines Christina on her knees, grasping her neck as blood drips down her mouth. He feels himself grow relaxed.

His phone rings. He sees the name darling on display. Jack picks it up.

"Hi honey, I just heard Jonah was arrested. Is that true? Daniel can't call Corbyn..."

"Hi, darling. Yes, he was. Listen, do you want to come to court to report on his case? Do you need any permission?"

He hears Zach hum while thinking. "If Jonah was here, I'd have to ask him... I think I'm in command now." He hears some whispers around him, confirming what he said. "I'm in command now, so yeah."

"Amazing, darling. Tomorrow, I'm going to court for the first hearing. It's a closed hearing because I'm sure his lawyer is trying to reach an agreement." He sighs. "My mom is defending him for some reason." Jack confesses.

"I mean... there's not much she can do... right?" He asks.

"I don't know, babe. She always has tricks up her sleeve. I think Christina no longer trusts me because of it." He sighs.

"Prove her wrong, then." He simply says.

"What are you implying, exactly?" Jack asks, not believing how calculated his sweet, darling boyfriend is being.

"Exactly what you're thinking. Take down her rook."