Convicted

Chapter 9

"Are you sure you're not just trying to save your girlfriend's ass? You have to admit the timing is pretty damn strange," the officer shouted to Jacob, who had been sat in the room for an hour and not said a word. With Jacob's confession in court they had been unable to charge Connie, and so all the officers were agitated at having the case drawn out longer. As far as they were concerned, the system was letting an innocent (though possibly deluded) man take the wrap while the true criminal walked scot-free, and it was infuriating to say the least.

"Listen, I didn't go shopping. I got pissed. I went to the pub, got myself pissed, and the last thing I remember is being at his house. Then you tell us the next day that he's dead. I know Connie didn't do it - I know she didn't. I've been known to get violent when I'm drunk... I had my head messed up with stupid shit about not being good enough for Connie and Sam's just there to rub it in. Means, motive and opportunity - that's what you lot say isn't it? Well I had all of 'em and then some, and I've been worrying a lot recently over whether I killed him or not."

"So why did it take you this long to come forward? Your partner was in jail."

"And I didn't think that you'd be able to convict her when she didn't do it - I didn't think there'd be enough evidence because she's not guilty. I had a hope that you'd find someone else who did it, but I should've known that after you arrested her, you'd stop looking. The second that judge found her guilty, I knew I had to do something. It could have potentially been me, but it certainly wasn't her."

"Speaking of evidence against Mrs Beauchamp, her fingerprints were found on the knife, there was CCTV footage of her entering his apartment, and she lied about her whereabouts multiple times. However, there isn't an awful lot of evidence against you." Jacob looked down to the table, and the officer sighed, leaning forward.

"I found gloves in my room," Jacob sighed. "I have no idea what I did with the receipt, but I bought them at that time. Black, leather gloves." The officer looked up - he was convinced now that Jacob was telling the truth, and whilst the evidence still needed to be collected, it seemed possibly that Connie could be innocent.

"You do realise that this confession will land you twenty five years imprisonment?"

"Are you saying you'd prefer an innocent woman goes down instead?" The officer stayed silent for a few moments, just looking at Jacob and his shameful features.

"That will be all. Masters, if you'd like to collect your uniform, and the officer will guide you down to your cell. I can't promise you'll have a pleasant stay."

Meanwhile, Connie, who had been released on parole after the confession from Jacob, was distraught and knew for a fact that Jacob hadn't killed Sam. He couldn't have done - Connie knew that it wasn't in his nature to be violent, and even when he was drunk, he wouldn't be able to carry out such a planned attack such as this. Connie couldn't bear to see him go to jail, but she didn't have to, as she was taken away whilst he was in the interview room. Grace was happy to have her mum back, but she too was struggling without Jacob, and so, as the two of them made their way back home, they barely talked for the rest of the day, despite having so many questions for one another. Connie had missed Grace so much, and just seeing her now brought a small smile to her face.

The next day, Connie decided to go back into work, since Grace was at school and she didn't have anything else to do without Jacob around. The staff greeted her in a friendly manner as soon as Connie entered, many of them telling her that they never believed her to be guilty, and that they were glad to have her back. She knew this was a lie from most of them, as Jacob had told her that certain individuals had been really horrible towards her, and had caused Jacob quite a bit of trouble. As Connie approached the reception desk, she overheard Louise talking.