Abby

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

"He's still in there." Jennie told the police. "He hasn't come out since you took her away, yesterday." Jason looked on, quiet as a mouse.

"We need to go in there. We have a search warrant for the entire house." Officer Hicks said. Whatever consideration he had for the grieving family was gone now. She knocked.

"Aaron." He didn't answer. Officer Hicks was losing his patience with this whole family. He pounded on the door.

"Aaron. It's officer Hicks. We have a search warrant. I'll break the door down if you don't open it."

"Go ahead. My parents may not care about Abby anymore, but I do. And I won't let you touch her things, destroy her room for nothing. She hasn't even been staying here."

"He's right." Jennie said. "And we search her room regularly."

"I don't care. I have a warrant, and I will break down the door." He said, looking at Jason.

"Do what you need to do." He gave his consent. Jennie ignored him. He was grieving, she reminded herself. And with three slams of the shoulder, all his body weight going into it, the cheap wooden frame splintered, and the door flew open. Aaron sat on the bed. He still had his dress pants on but sat barefoot and in the white t-shirt he'd worn under his suit. He was angry.

"I'm watching everything you touch, and I'll take a video of anything you destroy." He said, his tone oozing with contempt. This was all he had left of his sister.

"We're not here to destroy her things, Aaron." Officer Hicks said, trying to remember he was a victim in this as well.

"Oh really. Tell that to the door." Everyone watched in silence as they systematically searched her room for drugs and stolen property. They found nothing. Jennie sat next to Aaron as Jason walked them out.

"What now?" Aaron asked.

"She'll be arraigned today. In a few hours. Then she'll go to trial or take a plea deal." She made it sound so simple.

"She's in pain, mom." He said. He sounded like a small boy on the verge of tears. "She's scared." He was hollow without her.

"She should be." His mother said matter-of-factly. But she took his hand. "She broke the law repeatedly. She did it sober and brazenly. She thought she was untouchable. And there are consequences for that. Very serious and long-lasting consequences."

"Is she going to jail?" He asked, afraid for the answer.

"Very likely." She replied.

"Are we going to try to help her?" He begged.

"We've spoken to several lawyers. One of them will meet her for her arraignment." They sat in silence.

"Can I go? To support her?" They'd discussed this, having known for several days that she'd be arrested and charged, and that Aaron would want to help.

"No." She replied delicately. He knew she wasn't changing her mind. He could hear it in her voice.

"So, she'll look around scared and see no one?" She squeezed his hand. "She'll know you're there with her. She'll feel it."

"It's not the same." He said, crying. She rubbed his back.

"I know. But I want her to know how serious this is. And besides hiring a lawyer, there's nothing we can do for her." Jason stood outside the door, listening to his son, practically a grown man, weep for his sister. His twin. His other half. Eventually, Jennie came out and shut the door the best she could. She looked at her husband but didn't say anything. She walked past him and curled up in her own bed. He checked on her moments later. She was fast asleep, her phone in her hand, awaiting a call from the lawyer. Her only link to her beautiful but fragile baby girl.