Author's Chapter Notes:
Wow, I'm really surprised at the response to this story. Especially after the last chapter. In fact, a lot of you are doubting my abilities in terms of realism. Not that I mind. It just means I'm bouncing around in my seat trying desperately not to give away what's happening next in my review responses.
Anyway, there's some Shules in this so you better enjoy.
Anyway, there's some Shules in this so you better enjoy.
“I didn’t kill the guy! Sure I wanted to…” Shawn trailed off. “But I have more self-control than that.”
Lassiter snorted and sat back in his chair. Shawn and Lassiter were currently occupying one of the Department’s interrogation rooms. Somewhere behind that two-way mirror, Shawn knew his girlfriend was standing. The chief had probably told her that she had to maintain a professional distance for the time being.
The Head Detective in front of him picked up a file from the desk and flipped through it, “This case has been bumped up to a homicide investigation due to the circumstances of the shooting. In addition to the fact that the Vic was shot in the back, he was also weaponless. That, in itself, is insufficient grounds for a self-defence case.”
“That doesn’t mean I did it!” Shawn gave an exasperated groan.
“You were the only person at the scene,” Lassiter replied tersely. “You also have means and a motive. The evidence clearly points towards you.”
“The evidence hasn’t even been processed yet!”
Lassiter gave a cruel smile, “And when it has, I’m looking forward to personally escorting you to your jail cell.”
Shawn levelled his gaze at Lassiter before clenching his fists and looking down. “I believed you when everyone thought you had shot somebody,” he grumbled.
For a long moment, the room was silent. Then there was a rustle of papers and the sound of a chair being scraped across the ground. Shawn looked up to see Lassiter switching off the recording device and bundling it into his arms.
“I’m going to ask Woody to hurry it up on the autopsy report.”
A large grin broke out on Shawn’s face. “Lassie-face, I knew you liked me. Trust me, the bullet in Carp’s back won’t match your gun!”
Lassiter’s face stayed as impassive as ever when Shawn said this. His eye did twitch a little at the mention of his gun but that didn’t worry Shawn at all. It was what he said next that gave him reason to be concerned.
“Spencer,” Lassiter began slowly. “Whatever you insinuated I was saying, you were wrong. Sweet Lady Justice is all that matters. The sooner the evidence is processed; the sooner you will be rotting in a prison cell.”
Even though Lassiter still seemed to be against him, Shawn took solace in the fact that the evidence would end up speaking for itself. In fact, Woody’s preliminary report would be all that’s needed to acquit him. Lassiter sure jumped the gun (pun intended) on this one.
Next time something like this happens, he’ll steal someone else’s gun. Not Jules’ gun. An angry girlfriend is worse than an angry Lassiter. Now McNab’s gun, on the other hand, he could get away with – that man was too nice for his own good.
It was during this internal musing that the door opened to reveal the Chief. Karen Vick stood in the doorway with crossed arms and a stern look on her face. She cleared her throat, “Mr Spencer. You are free to leave.”
Shawn whooped as he got out of the chair and rushed to the door. As he was about to pass the chief, she held out an arm to stop him from leaving, “I shouldn’t need to say this but it’s important that you stay in town. You are still our lead suspect.”
Instantly all the energy that he had just exhibited faded away, “But Chief…”
“I don’t want to hear it,” she cut him off. “Have a nice day, Mr. Spencer. I trust you can find your own way out.”
She left the deflated man in the doorway as she strode off. After a second of standing there doing nothing, Shawn shook himself awake and stepped through the door into the nearly deserted hallway. Juliet was still standing there staring into the now empty room. Shawn cleared his throat and she jumped.
“Sorry, Shawn. I’ve just been a little spaced out,” she said.
“Are you alright?” he frowned. Something was off about her. He just couldn’t place what. “I swear I didn’t kill the man Jules. If I had wanted to kill him I could have done it when he had the gun in his hands. Trust me…”
A finger to his lips stopped him in his tracks. Somewhere during his rambling, Juliet had crossed the room. She was now standing in front of him with a sad look on her face.
“I know you didn’t do it, Shawn.”
He must have had a weird mixture of confusion and surprise on his face because she laughed. Sure it was a beautiful sound to his ears but the fact of the matter was she still laughed. At him. And he had no clue why.
As if reading his mind, she sighed, “It feels like a repeat of the Yang thing. Everything is going well. Real well. Then, out of nowhere, a psycho pops out of the woodwork and everything is turned upside down. I-I can’t…”
That was when Shawn removed her hand from his lips and kissed her. It was tantalisingly sweet and they broke it off far too early for his tastes but it seemed to have done the trick. Jules shoulders weren’t set in a tense line anymore.
“Come on,” she said. “I’ll drive you to the hospital. We’re going to have to stop by my desk so I can pick up my purse.”
Shawn grinned as he walked behind her but soon the grin faded as he noticed the disgusted looks being shot at him as he walked through the station. Damn, news sure travelled fast. Some of the people glaring at him were from the Narcotics Department. There were also a few Parking Wardens giving him the evil eye.
Sure, he too would have been disgusted with himself if he had shot an unarmed man in the back. After all he’d been through and done with the department, he should at the very least get the benefit of a doubt. Come on, the hard evidence hadn’t even been taken into consideration yet.
“Got it,” Jules walked over to where he was standing. It was like a switch was thrown in the room. Everyone stopped glaring at him for a few seconds as she grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the station.
He took one last look at his surroundings, “Let’s go.”
Chapter End Notes:
I feel awkward writing even vaguely romantic scenes. However, the interrogation and the Shulesyness was necessary to the story but because I know what's coming up, this chapter felt a bit like a filler to me.
Just a question to the readers: Is my characterisation okay?
Just a question to the readers: Is my characterisation okay?