The Town (Book 1, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 29 - Truth

JADEN

The two agents escort me inside the building. I kept my mouth shut during the ride and tried not to think too much about how one of the handcuffs was hurting my wrist. The last time I walked into a place like this I was 19 years old. Everything was confusing and I felt horrified at what I did. Now? I have no clue why I'm being arrested. I haven't been in trouble in many years, I haven't argued with anyone... Caleb.

"Stone? What are you doing here?" Chief Davids walks in my direction as I'm being brought to a holding cell.

"I have no idea, you tell me. I was making some signs for the fairgrounds when I got arrested."

Davids stares at me and sees that I'm not lying. "Let's have a chat in my office. Take those handcuffs off," he says to the agents who give each other a confused look. 

"But Chief, he has been formally accused of assault."

"Who did I supposedly assault? I'm the first that wants to know."

"We'll find out. Bring me the report with the charges filed," he says to one of the agents as the other takes the handcuffs off.

Every other person around pretends to be doing something, but you can see they find the situation quite interesting. Davids gives them a stern look and motions for me to follow him. I rub my wrists, especially the sore spot that is now bright red. Inside his office, I see a photo of his wife and children. I've known them for many years, first because he and I went to the same school and he was in Jess' class, and second because I'm their mechanic. A moment later one of the agents comes back with a folder and hands it to Davids. He reads the contents and leans back on his chair.

"You are being accused of assaulting a man called Caleb Bush. He was found around four in the afternoon in front of your garage bloodied and with multiple injuries. A witness described you and even the clothes you are wearing right now, and identified you as the person that committed the assault," he looks at my fist where I have a bandage and on my t-shirt are some blood stains.

I feel so shocked about the accusation that no words come out of my mouth at first, but I need to say something and quickly.

"Caleb is my uncle, don't know if you remember him."

"I have a faint memory. What do you have to say about his accusation?"

"That it's impossible that I could have done it because I left my garage at noon. I went to lunch to the Lonstino Café first and had a chat with Charlie Monroe, then I went to Julio Dominguez who wanted some boxes brought to the fairgrounds where he is leasing a new space for a second location of Julio's. I went there afterwards, talked with Brian Connor, and started working on some wooden signs. I got a cut in my hand, so I went to Fiona Connor for a bandage and stayed for dinner. After that I went back to the food court to continue working on my project. I was talking with Jessica Monroe when the agents arrived. When could I have done this?"

"Are you confident that all these people can prove where you were and at what time?"

"Of course, I am."

The door opens and a policewoman enters the room.

"Chief Davids, the whole reception is full of people coming to testify for him," she points at me.

"I guess we won't have to call anyone," he shrugs. "After you left the garage you went to the café and spoke to Charlie Monroe, right?" He asks and I nod. "Is there anybody outside with the last name Monroe?" 

"Two actually, Charlie and Jessica Monroe," she reads from the note in her hand.

"Okay, bring Charlie Monroe in. Stone, I need to put you in a holding cell while all of this clears out."

"I understand."

Davids himself brings me to the holding cell, which luckily is empty. I take a seat on the bench and hope that this mess gets sorted as soon as possible.

CHARLIE

If things between Zoe and I get serious, this will be a story to tell our kids. We had a wonderful dinner together at Roma where I learned that she comes from Greenwood, like Ximena and Lewis, and knows Greg as they attended some classes together in college. She works at a primary school with special education students and was asked to teach the adult group I belong to. We were talking about the café and she was surprised to find out that the photos on the walls were not taken by a professional photographer, but by Brian. I suggested that we should go one day to the fairgrounds together and she said, why not now? When we arrived at the fairgrounds, a police car passed us, and then Lewis and Brian were standing by the entrance. They both had a strange and stressed expression on their faces.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Jaden just got arrested here on the premises," Lewis said. "Your sister was with him when it happened, you just missed her. I'm waiting for Ximena and my sons to come back from the bathroom. Then we'll see what we can do to help."

"Jaden is one my friends too, a very decent man," I said to Zoe as an explanation. "Any idea on what charges?"

"No," Brian said. "My mom is calling Julio and then we'll go with Aidan down to the station. This is crazy, surreal."

"Zoe, I'm sorry about this, but this is an emergency and I need to go to the station. He had lunch at the café so I guess I can justify where he was around noon."

"I understand completely and will go with you."

And now we are here at the police station sitting on a wooden bench together with Brian, Fiona, Aidan, Julio and my sister. A few guys I've seen at Jaden's garage are also here.

I get called in to talk with the police chief and answer some questions. Jaden arrived at the café around noon, dressed in an old Rolling Stones t-shirt and old jeans and had lunch. He told me he was going to pick some boxes at Julio's and then head to the fairgrounds. The chief asks me if there was blood on his shirt, but I couldn't remember if there was any.

After I return to the group, they get called one by one, starting with Julio. And that's how the story of Jaden's whereabouts developed. Jaden left 15 minutes before noon to have lunch at my place. By one he had left to see Julio where he picked his stuff and headed to the fairgrounds where Aidan opened the gate for him around one-thirty in the afternoon. He had coffee with Fiona and headed to the food court together with Brian while carrying the boxes. Brian came a few times to check on him and update him on the contractors plan. He cut his knuckle on a sharp edge and went to Fiona around five-thirty in the afternoon where he stayed for dinner. He returned to the food court at six-thirty and Jess came by past nine when she finished at the café.

With enough credible alibis matching Jaden's recount of his day, he was released. Now the question left is: who wants to get Jaden in trouble?

"Caleb filed the charges," Jaden says when we are outside. "This has been a fucked up evening. I need to find out what sort of game Caleb is playing, and so to see he wasn't alone since someone described my clothes. Also, I don't think he's skilled enough to punch himself."

"It worries me," Julio says while in deep thought. "Besides Caleb, whoever is involved in this knows about your past and want to get you in trouble."

After saying our goodbyes, and Jaden thanks everyone, I hold Zoe's hand and head to my car. She has been very quiet since we arrived at the police station it makes me nervous.

"Are you okay?" I ask her when we sit inside.

"I am. My head is spinning with all sort of theories about what happened. I'm also moved by your friends and how they came together so quickly to help. Like the gentleman said, it's a reason to worry when probable more than one person is involved. It's creepy even."

"We need to keep alert for any signs. Caleb is probably in a hospital, so he's contained for now, but we know from his past that he associates with scum. I'm sorry that our date couldn't continue at the fairgrounds."

"We'll have another time," her fingers tangle in my curls as she brings my lips to hers.

"Or maybe we can go to your place," I whisper against her lips.

"I like that idea," she smiles and locks her safety belt.

The streets are fairly empty as we head to her house, yet I feel as if I'm not driving fast enough.