ODDS OF LOVE : ONE MOMENT

Episode 26

" So where were you this past Thursday between the hours of four and five PM, Mr. Sands? ," Detective Nita Browne said firmly as she sat opposite Skip Sands and his lawyer Kenneth Boone in the small interrogation room in the back of the Sex Crime unit. Her partner, Wally , stood behind Skip , his arms folded over his chest and his mouth noisily chewing on a stick of gum. Faith Lane sat next to Nita and her sunglasses wearing gaze never left Skip's face.

Skip opened his mouth and his lawyer stopped his arm with a steady head shake. The lawyer said smoothly," During that time my client was in the company of his girlfriend Kris Keller at their apartment. Ms. Keller will back that up one hundred percent. "

Wally smacked the gum in Skip's ear.

Faith kept staring at him.

Nita said," Where was he earlier today when St. Paul's was shot at? The victim's brother was almost hit in the shooting. And I just got a text that the brother's secretary who is in the hospital was approached by an unknown man who gave him a note referencing the victim. I suppose he knows nothing about any of that either? "

Skip lowered his head and whispered to his lawyer. The lawyer nodded. " My client was out jogging in a park far away from the hospital. He doesn't know these people you talk of so why would he be visiting them? And did this.... secretary see this supposed man ?"

Wally said brusquely," Guy is blind. He couldn't see shit. But we have the note. It was typed. Which makes it not a random thing but more planned. Like the texts you sent the victim threatening his family? His husband? His child? His brother? Now his brother's secretary? Sound familiar? "

Skip said," No. It sounds like something made up by a mentally disturbed man like Spencer Norland -Lane. I went to college with him. He's smart, very smart, but always a little off. You can't believe everything he says. "

Faith hit the table top sharply. " You mean like that video you made of him back in college. The one you spread around campus. Yeah. We know about that. "

Skip waved off his suddenly spluttering lawyer and said," That was just a harmless joke. He took it too seriously. Look. I'm going to be honest. I was having a curious moment in college. I went out with him once. We had fun. We never talked again. Until the parent teacher event at the school when he passed out for no reason. He actually made a pass at me. After the event. Without his husband present. I turned him down flat. Yes I was curious in college but the past is the past. I'm straight and I love my girlfriend Kris. I adore her. I turned him down and apparently this is his revenge. "

Faith stood up. " He raped himself. He beat himself. He broke his glasses. He sent threatening texts to himself. He did all this from his wheelchair. You bastard. You know you did it. "

Kenneth snapped tersely," Who is this woman ? I must register my complaint on how my client is being treated. "

Nita stood up and whispered in Faith's ear," Dial it down a few notches or get the fuck out of here. You want to fuck this up ? "

Faith swallowed harshly and sat back down.

Nita turned back to the suspect and his lawyer, saying," I apologize for my colleague. She does have a point though. We have rape tests that show the victim had very rough anal sex that day. Would you care to give us a DNA sample? "

Skip stood up abruptly. " No. I will not give you DNA. I know my rights. I know what you cops do to frame innocent people. I have rights to privacy. I'm not going to be held responsible for the unstable behavior of an old ex.  Unless you have more questions I am going home. "