I walked quickly, as I made my way to the police station. I felt a renewed sense of hope. Maybe I'd found enough evidence to force them to open the enquiry again. If they investigated further there was a chance that Ethan will be declared innocent, and then I'd have my husband back. We could be a family.
"Hi, my name is Emma Hardy, would it be possible to speak to an officer?" I asked when I reached the reception desk.
"What's it regarding?" she asked me.
"I have some more evidence for a case." I told her.
"Okay, just take a seat and someone will be with you shortly." she sighed.
I smiled my thanks and slowly sat down. I jumped as I heard my phone ringing. As I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the screen I saw that it was Caleb. I sighed and quickly cancelled the call. The last thing I wanted right now was to talk to him, he'd only want to know where I was and would undoubtedly try and undermine me. I needed to do this, if there was even the slightest change that I could help free Ethan then I had to take it. I owed him that much.
"Emma Hardy!" my head snapped up as an officer called.
I quickly stood up and followed him into a room. As I sat opposite him I felt my hands begin to shake as it suddenly dawned on me that I was Ethan's only hope.
"How can I help you?" he asked politely.
"I am here about the Ethan Hardy case." I told him.
He frowned at me for a moment and began typing on his computer. I watched him closely as he read the file on the computer, the silence becoming painful.
"What about him?" he asked eventually.
"I have found some new evidence." I stated.
He smiled slightly.
"Mrs Hardy, I understand this is a very difficult time for you, but I assure you if there was any evidence we would have found it already." he sighed.
"I've been retracing my mother's steps and found this message on the subway." I said as I showed him the photograph on my phone.
"That could be anything." he said dismissively.
"But it's in the same shade of lipstick that I gave her!" I said desperately.
"What lipstick?" he frowned.
I silently pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to him.
"This still doesn't prove anything." he said.
"There's more... I believe the message she was trying to write is meant to spell Andrew." I told him.
"What makes you think that?" he asked me.
"He was hanging around the hospital as you'll see on this footage and he has a motive." I stated as I handed him the cd.
He sighed and took it from me.
"And what motive is that exactly?" he asked condescendingly.
"He didn't want my mother to be involved with me and my brother, I believe that he must have found out and got angry with her." I told him.
"That's a lot of assumptions." he sighed.
I shrugged and waited for him to speak.
"There's nothing I can do, we've already charged your husband." he said matter of factly.
"Please, there must be something you can do." I pleaded.
"I'm sorry." he said quietly.
I stood up slowly as my heart plummeted. They weren't going to open the enquiry again. My only hope now was that when he got sentenced, it was a short one.
I quickly left the police station and made my way back to work. My footsteps felt heavy, my whole body numb to the core.
I glanced at Louise as she gave me a questioning look. I shrugged and continued walking to the staff room. As I quickly changed into my uniform, Caleb entered the room.
"Where have you been...I've been calling?" he asked as soon as he saw me.
"I didn't realise I had to clear it with you!" I snapped.
"You don't, I was just worried about you." he said quietly.
"Well as you can see I'm fine." I told him.
"What's wrong?" he frowned as he watched me closely.
"Nothing." I said shortly.
"There's obviously something wrong." he insisted.
I sighed and glanced at him, there was no point keeping it a secret, he would find out anyway.
"I went to the police station to give them the evidence, but they weren't really interested." I admitted.
He sighed and watched me closely.
"I was so hoping that if I worked hard enough, I could get Ethan out." I added.
"Yeah I know." he sighed.
"What do I do Cal?!" I exclaimed.
"I don't know." he said quietly.
"I really need him back." I admitted.
He sighed and pulled me into his arms. I rested my head against his chest and let the tears flow.
