Charming In Handcuffs

Chapter 29: Do I Get To Happy Cry Too?

-Jack-

My dad was on his phone calling the lawyer before I got another word out. He spoke quickly, stumbling over his words. I've never seen my dad...flustered. He's always been quick, but he's never lost his words before. Especially being a producer, he's usually quick and smooth with his words.

My mom gripped my forearm while she kept an eye on Dad. Once he hung up and placed his phone on the table and leaned towards me, "He's on his way so wait to say anything until he gets here."

I nodded.

"Do you want any breakfast while we wait?" Mom asked.

"Uh, no. I can't even think about food right now."

We sat at the breakfast table and everyone was basically on edge. My mom was bouncing her leg continuously and my dad was fidgeting while reading the newspaper. When the doorbell rang, but my mom was the first to jump up and go to the door. Seconds later, she walked back into the kitchen with my lawyer, John, in tow. He sat in the seat my mom just vacated and she sat across the table.

John pulled out a tape recorder and a note pad from his briefcase and laid it out all on the table, "You haven't said anything, right?" He asked.

"No, nothing to them." My heart skipped a beat.

"Good." He reached for the recorder and clicked in one of the buttons, "I want you to start from the beginning. From the time you got up to the time you remember last."

I rubbed my hands together nervously and swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. I sat up straighter and cleared my mind of any previous events and started my story, "I woke up late for school that morning. I was stressed over the upcoming exams and about colleges. All the normal teenage stuff. I went to school like I usually do. Go through all the classes like normal. My friends, Matt and Ethan, noticed my sudden...drift. I couldn't focus on anything and I couldn't get anything done.

It was Friday night and they wanted to do something to get my mind off of things. We went to The Iron Boot, which is like the only bar we've ever been to. I had a beer, just one. And they were talking about me getting a tutor to help me pass my exams. I started getting a headache and wasn't feeling well, so I left." I paused for a few moments while he wrote some things down.

He made the gesture for me to continue.

"I was in a cab on my way home when I got a phone call from Paxton." Saying his name made me feel better and worse at the same time, "We met up at Teresa's diner. He said he just wanted to talk and hang out because we haven't talked in awhile. It wasn't until after I left again, I got another phone call from him. It was a frantic one."

After fifteen more minutes of truth telling, I was finished. I made sure not to leave out a single detail. I waited five minutes after I finished, searching my brain in case I may have missed anything important.

"This is a solid case, Jack." John smiled a little, "I'm going to call the lab down at forensics to get the gun out evidence and test it for more fingerprints. Since they were only looking for yours, it wasn't hard. But if your story adds up, there has to be something."

"How long will that take?" Dad asked.

John stood up and started collecting his things, "I'll call as soon as I get any information. For now, Jack," He turned to me, "Stay in the house and don't talk to anyone. Not even your friends."