Broken Home

22 | Look After You

As FP's lawyer, Mary looks over the custody papers. She's not all too surprised she pulled a stunt like this, but what did surprise her was the possibility of her committing arson.

"She is insane," Fred spits. "What's next? He got arrested for beating up Hal; he was in the middle of a riot; his place was burnt down by his ex girlfriend."

"Don't speak the possibility of something more into existence." Alice glares.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I need to get in contact with her lawyer if I want to move anything forward," Mary shifts the conversation. "If Gladys truly burned down his trailer, then she can't present herself as a fit parent."

"She went to one of the Serpent lawyers, Penny Peabody. She's got an office somewhere on the southside."

"She's a Serpent?" The adults turn to look at Chic enter; he shakes his head. "No, she's a Ghoulie."

"What?" Alice furrows her eyebrows.

"Aunt Penny is a Ghoulie."

"Aunt?" Fred questions him.

Chic holds his hands up defensively. "I'm not a Ghoulie. I already had this talk with Mr. Jones."

"It's why he can't go home," Charles adds, standing next to Chic.

"That makes Penny a mole we didn't even consider there could be," A lightbulb goes off in Alice's head. She looks at Chic. "And FP knows about Penny?"

"I don't think so. I never said her name. I was scared the Ghoulies would find out I was a snitch."

"If he doesn't know, then neither do the Serpents." Alice gives the adults a knowing look.

"What if she did it?" Mary refers to Penny. "If they're working together, she could be a potential suspect for the fire."

Alice's ringing phone unexpectedly interrupts their conversation. She doesn't recognize the number but picks the call up anyway.

Incoming call from Riverdale County Jail. Would you like to take the charges?

"No," Alice hangs up immediately. She answers the question written all over their face. "It's Hal."

Her phone rings again.

Incoming call from Riverdale County Jail. Would you like to take the charges?

Alice groans and takes the call to yell at him. "What in the world do you want, Harold?"

"I want you to come visit me."

"That's why you called?" She scoffs. "No, bye. Don't bother calling me again."

"Don't you want to know a little something about the Ghoulies?" He quickly gets out before she can end the call. He successfully gathers her attention. "Alice?"

"What about them?" She asks.

"I might've heard a little something from the group shackled up here. I'll only tell you if you come see me."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Alice sassily points out.

"These guys don't sound happy about your little lover."

Alice is hesitant but she doesn't want to risk not finding out something important.

"Fine." She gives in. "I'll be there."

+

Alice had to get through security before getting to see Hal in person. She didn't think speaking to her soon to be ex husband was worth her time but he managed to get her there.

She is escorted to the visiting ward and is told to take a seat and wait for the inmate.

She gets a sudden wave of chills knowing the Ghoulies are near, but her skin crawls seeing Hal step into the room.

"Glad you came, Alice."

"What is it that you had to tell me?" Alice is not in the mood for any of his shenanigans. She crosses her arms and waits for him to speak.

"How are the girls?"

"Are you going to be serious or should I just go?"

"Can a father not ask about his daughters?"

"They're swell," Alice grits through her teeth.

"Can I see them?"

"I'm not bringing them here," Alice scrunches her face. "You lost your right to them the second you hurt my son."

"They are still my daughters."

"They will have no legal obligation to you soon."

"This is about FP, isn't it?"

"This has nothing to do with him."

"It's always about him." Hal rolls his eyes.

"You did something that is unforgivable. Who knows what you could have done to the girls too?"

"I would never lay a hand on my daughters!"

"First warning, Cooper." A guard yells at Hal.

"Yet you would my son? Why? Just because he isn't yours?" Alice narrows her eyes. "FP would never hurt a child."

"That's what you say now but" Hal leans closer. "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He's a Jones after all."

"He wouldn't."

"Then what did he do to me?" He challenges bitterly. "It's bound to happen."

"If you're just going to talk down on FP, I'm leaving." Alice scoots her chair back and stands up. She takes a couple of steps before he stops her.

"It's not me," Hal clasps his hands together. "It's the Ghoulies. They're not too happy about their little arrangement here after their encounter with the Serpents. Now word around here is," He grabs her hand but she yanks it back. "They're out for a Jones."

"Why are you telling me this?" She doesn't understand why he cared enough to tell her.

"You're still my wife," He shrugs. "Maybe not for much longer, but I love you. I don't know what they meant by a Jones. You're always going to be seen as a Jones to everyone, aren't you? Just protect our little girls. That's all I ask. Please?"

"I wouldn't let anyone hurt my beloved children," Alice says. "I've got to go." She slowly bolts out of the room and out of the jail altogether.

Before she knows it, she's back home. But to her surprise, she finds FP standing inside her house.