Andy Barber - Duplicity 💜

Chapter 13

Andy stood in front of the judge with Jacob and Joann as she spoke up.

"Your honor, we are here today to ask for the case against Jacob Barber to be dismissed."

The judge nodded, "under what circumstances?"

Neal cleared his throat, "your honor, we have a new suspect, someone who has admitted to the murder of Ben Rifkin. We the prosecution move to dismiss the case against Jacob Barber in light of new evidence."

The judge nodded, "okay then. Mr. Barber, on behalf of the city, we offer our apology for what you've had to endure these last few months."

Jacob smiled, "thank you your honor."

Andy sighed as the judge brought her gavel down, dismissing them and the case against Jacob. "Let's go home."

Neal stopped him before they could leave, "Laurie wants to talk to you."

Andy scoffed, "you have everything you need to try her?"

Neal shrugged, "yeah. Why?"

"Then there's nothing left for me to do or say. I have no intention of seeing her ever again. I'm sorry Neal."

Neal sighed and nodded, "yeah. Alright. I um.. I'm sorry about Jacob and Allie. For the record, we dated long before she started dating you, and it wasn't for very long."

Andy smiled, "I know. It's fine."

"What are you going to do now? Are you going to come back?"

Andy laughed, "no way. In fact, the three of us have been talking about moving somewhere else before Allison gets too far into her pregnancy. We just haven't decided on where yet."

Neal smiled, "right. Well, good luck Andy."

"Thanks Neal. If you need either of us to testify, let me know." He nudged Jacob in front of him, "let's go bud."

They sat at the same table in the diner Andy always sat with Allison for lunch everyday as they all ordered food. Andy noticed the waitress still looking at Jacob as he sighed.

Allison scoffed, "he didn't do it. Just set the drinks down and go!" She watched the waitress's face turn bright red as she heard Andy and Jacob laughing beside her. She looked at Andy, "what?"

He shook his head as he laughed, "need to kept hold of those pregnancy hormones baby. That's all."

She rolled her eyes, "no. People shouldn't be so rude!" She looked around, raising her voice as she watched a few people blush, looking back at their plates. She laughed, seeing Andy and Jacob both looking at her, "okay, maybe you're right. I'm sorry."

Jacob shook his head, "don't be sorry. Thank you."

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**2 months later**

Allison answered the phone in the morning just after Jacob left for school. She looks up to see Andy watching her as she sighed, "yeah okay." She handed the phone to Andy.

"Hello?" He heard Neal sigh on the other line, "Neal?"

'Andy. Laurie is insistent on seeing you and Jacob. She said if you guys come to see her so she can say goodbye that she'll plead guilty.'

Andy groaned, looking at Allison. "When?"

'I mean, as soon as you can Andy so we can get this over with.'

"Fine. We'll be there on Friday."

Neal sighed, relieved, 'great. Thank you Andy.'

"Sure." He hung up the phone, handing it back to Allison.

"What did he want?"

Andy sighed, "Laurie wants to see Jacob and myself. Neal said that she said she would plead guilty if we go to see her. That means no trial, just a sentencing."

She shrugged, "okay then. Friday?"

"Yeah. We'll have to fly. I don't want you in a car for that long."

She laughed, "we could always take breaks, but flying is fine Andy. You should go before you're late for work." She wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love you." She grinned as he kissed her neck, up her chin to finally, her mouth. She moaned into his mouth at the urgency before he finally pulled away. "That's so mean to kiss me like that before you leave."

He laughed, "I know. I love you too baby. I'll see you tonight."

She looked around after he left, looking at the pile of boxes she still had to unpack in the kitchen. They had decided to stay on the east coast, moving to North Caroline where Andy was offered a job at a big firm in downtown Charlotte.

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Allison arrived back home after grocery shopping, hearing something in the living room. She set the grocery bag in her hand on the kitchen counter before going to the living room, turning on the light to see Jacob leap to his feet with a blonde girl next to him. "Oh god! Jacob Barber!"

Jacob blushed as he stood in front of the girl, "sorry Allie."

She shook her head, "you better get that girl out of here before your father gets home."

He nodded, motioning to the girl, "this is Mallory. Mallory, this is my step mother, Allison."

Allison grinned at him calling her his step mother, "not yet. But it's nice to meet you Mallory." She looked at Jacob, "you can't be sneaking girls into the house Jacob."

He shrugged, "I didn't sneak her technically. I thought you would be home."

Allison nodded, crossing her arms, "and since I wasn't?"

He blushed again, "sorry. Can Mallory come over for dinner on Friday?"

She sighed, "normally yes. But not this weekend Jacob. I'm sorry. We have to go to Boston this weekend." She saw the color leave his face as she rubbed his shoulder, "it's fine. But your dad was going to talk to you about it tonight." She looked at Mallory, "do you need a ride home?"

Mallory shook her head, picking up her book bag, "no ma'am. I can walk." She kissed Jacob on the cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Allison looked at Jacob after Mallory left, hitting him in the arm, "at least you were making out on the couch and not your room. I don't know what your rules are with your dad. But be safe, yeah?"

Jacob blushed, "Allie, we were just kissing."

She laughed, "yeah. That's how it starts." She placed her hand on her stomach as he laughed, "go get the rest of the bags from the car please." She smiled as she heard him sigh, going to the garage.