The Clash, Book One

Chapter 36: One Little Tear, Part C

Hyperion Heights, Present Day

Detective Rogers shut the door to his car and began walking toward the station, just as Victoria walked out.

With a smug smile, she greeted, "Lovely morning, Detective."

Clearly annoyed, Rogers then demanded, "How are you out of jail?"

Victoria told him, "In a word, determination. I didn't get to be who I am sitting around, waiting for others to improve my odds."

"And I didn't ask for a TED Talk. I asked how you managed to sidestep your charges," Rogers seethed, just as Weaver walked outside.

He then pointed it out, "I'm afraid that honor goes to you. You failed to get a warrant."

Rogers then walked over to his partner and refuted, "I had exigent circumstance. There was immediate danger."

"Judge didn't see it that way," Weaver coolly replied, only for Rogers to argue: "Don't you mean you made certain he didn't? You dress it up any way you want. I know you're getting something out of this arrangement. Come clean with it now, or I'll go dig it up myself," sounding fiercely determined.

Weaver then reminded him: "I'd advise against that, Detective. Or has ignoring me not done enough damage already?"

He then got into his car with Victoria while Rogers wore an angry expression. He then walked into the station.

Weaver then matter-of-factly addressed his passenger: "Congratulations. You're a free woman. Now where's Anastasia?"

Victoria then told him, "It does me no good to get to my daughter without the means to wake her. You and I have a few stops to make."

Though the detective looked slightly exasperated, he cranked up his car and began heading to her first stop.

A knock sounded on a door, and it opened to reveal Victoria. She held an envelope under her arm.

A surprised Sabine looked at the woman in question before she turned to her roommate and told her, "Uh, Jacinda, there's a fugitive at the door for you."

Jacinda looked a little exasperated as Victoria began, "What I am is a free woman in need of a manicure." She then walked into the apartment and stated, "New evidence is coming to light that will show just who the villain is in all this."

Jacinda rose to feet before she questioned, "And, uh, the first thing you do is come here about Lucy?"

"Specifically about our long-standing agreement," Victoria told her, as Sabine looked on with crossed arms and a concerned expression.

A protective and determined tone took over as Jacinda said, "If you think that you are getting Lucy back--"

"I'm here to, quite literally, do the opposite," Victoria clarified, placing a hand up in surrender, "I am removing all claims of custody and handing Lucy over to you."

Jacinda took the envelope from her stepmother and opened it. Sabine then disbelievingly asked, "Wait. Where's the catch?"

Victoria eyed Sabine out of the corner of her eye as she stated, "There is none."

She then turned her attention to her stepdaughter and told her, "I handed you that custody paperwork years ago in the hopes that you would tear it up and throw it back at me," gesturing with her hands, "The fact that you signed Lucy over told me who you were as a person."

"It was a test?" Jacinda then asked.

"One you failed," Victoria smugly began. Her voice softened as she continued, "And now one you've passed. You reached out to Nick and wisely used Lucy's lawyer of a father to clear matters up. I, for one, am glad he's back in your life."