Law of Love

43

Stevie was reading a book on the couch and drinking a glass of red wine, and Lindsey was strumming on his guitar when Lily and her two best friends, Terra and Madelyn came running into the house. 

"Daddy!" Lily calls.

"He's in here," Stevie yells as Lindsey stops playing. 

"Daddy, we need your help." Lily runs in, tears in all three of the girls' eyes.

"What happened?" Lindsey asks sitting his guitar down and taking all three of them into his arms. 

"Well, we were staying that night at Madelyn's house and they just arrested Terra's brother Tommy." Lily sobs.

"What?" He asks.

"My, M-my brother is Autistic, and we grew up with the Clint's...We live just down the road from their ranch. Mr. Clint hired Tommy to work with the horses. Growing up we spent all of our time with them and Tommy has a really good connection with them, they c-calm him down and he loves taking care of them." Terra sobs.

"Okay," 

"My Sister was just murdered and they found Tommy hiding in the barn where they found her." Madelyn cries. 

"But Tommy loved Maleena, they were best friends and she understood his disability and she was the only one on the farm that treated him kindly. Daddy, Tommy's one of my best friends he's so sweet and kind." Lily starts.

"We know he didn't kill her Mr. Buckingham, we know it." Madelyn sobs into his chest.

"He's going to have to stay in jail tonight. I'll go see him first thing in the morning. I want you girls to stay here tonight. All three of you. Terra, call your parents and tell them what happened. I'll talk to them then and fill them in on what I have to do. They won't be able to bail him out until arraignment and that could be in several weeks. I'll explain all of that to him. Madelyn, call your dad and Step-mom and let them know where you are." Lindsey demands sitting down on the couch.

When the girls disperse Stevie has a sad look on her face. "Just please go easy on him." 

"Lindsey, I don't know if I'm going..." She starts. 

"You're going to get it. It's capital murder, Tom always gives you capital murder. Go easy on him please." 

***

Lindsey's heart was breaking as he was sitting in the interrogation room with this broken 25-year-old boy. 

"I knew Ms. Maleena was dead because sometimes on the ranch, Horses get dead they get all cold and they don't move and that's just the way she was and it made me scared to see Ms. Maleena like that." 

"Tommy, come sit down," Lindsey says slowly and quietly. Terra had said that that was the best way to talk to him.

"That's why you ran away and hid?" Lindsey asks after a moment.

"Can I go home now?" 

"No, not yet." 

"Oh, I forgot to feed the horses their oats this morning Mr. Clint's going to be so mad." He starts crying.

"Oh, I'm sure Mr. Clint got someone else to do that," Lindsey replies.

"I hope so. I hope Alby did." 

"Tommy, listen to me,  no listen to me, alright. Are you listening?" 

"Yeah." 

"Okay, now this may be hard for you to understand but you have to try okay," 

"Okay." 

"Okay, some people think you killed Maleena and that means there's going to have to be a trial are you with me so far?"