Chapter 145 The Truth Comes Out
CAITLYN'S POV
I woke up to my phone ringing. It was DA Walsh calling at seven in the morning. I answered quickly trying not to wake Emma.
"Caitlyn," Walsh said. "Turn on the news. Any channel. The press conference is about to start."
"Press conference?" I asked. I was still half asleep.
"Rourke and I are exposing Vanessa," Walsh said. "Telling the world she lied. This is it. Your name is about to be cleared."
I hung up and shook Jason awake. "The press conference is starting. They are exposing Vanessa."
Jason jumped up and turned on the TV. We sat on the bed watching. Emma was still asleep in her bassinet next to us.
DA Walsh was standing at a podium with Detective Rourke next to her. Reporters were everywhere. Cameras flashing. Everyone waiting.
"Thank you all for coming," Walsh said. "I have called this press conference to address the recent allegations made against Caitlyn Cross. Allegations made by a woman named Vanessa Cory."
"Over the past few weeks Mrs Cory has made serious claims," Walsh continued. "She said Mrs. Cross was involved in criminal activity. That she knew about her husband's crimes. That she was lying to avoid prosecution. These claims have been widely reported. Many people have believed them. But I am here today to tell you that every single claim is false."
The reporters started murmuring. Taking notes. Recording everything.
"We have conducted a thorough investigation into Mrs. Cory's allegations," Walsh said. "And we have found no evidence to support any of her claims. In fact, we have found evidence that proves she was lying."
Walsh pulled out a document. "Mrs. Cory claimed she was Collin Hayes's girlfriend for three years. But our investigation found no proof of this relationship. No hotel records. No travel records. No phone records. Nothing. Because the relationship never existed."
"Oh my god," I said. "She was never even his girlfriend?"
"Apparently not," Jason said.
"Mrs. Cory also claimed she had proof that Caitlyn Cross attended meetings with drug suppliers," Walsh said. "But Mrs. Cross has alibis for every date Mrs. Cory mentioned. She was at doctor appointments. Therapy sessions. Charity events. She could not have been at the meetings because she was somewhere else. Somewhere documented."
Walsh kept going. Laying out all the evidence. All the proof that Vanessa was lying. My heart was pounding. This was really happening. They were really clearing my name.
"Furthermore," Walsh said. "We discovered that Mrs. Cory was paid significant amounts of money to make these claims. Fifty thousand dollars from a tabloid. And additional payments from shell companies connected to defendants in upcoming trials. Defendants that Mrs. Cross is scheduled to testify against."
The reporters erupted. Shouting questions. But Walsh held up her hand.
"This was a coordinated effort to discredit a witness," Walsh said. "To obstruct justice. To help criminals avoid prosecution. Mrs. Cory was part of a conspiracy. And she will be charged accordingly."
"We have issued a warrant for Mrs. Cory's arrest," Rourke said stepping forward. "She is being taken into custody as we speak. She will face charges of perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements."
"What about Caitlyn Cross?" a reporter shouted. "Is she cleared of all allegations?"
"Yes," Walsh said firmly. "Mrs. Cross is completely innocent. Every allegation against her was false. Fabricated. Part of a criminal conspiracy. She is a victim. Not a criminal. And I am demanding that everyone who reported Mrs. Cory's lies issue a retraction and a public apology."
"Will they?" another reporter asked.
"They should," Walsh said. "If they care about the truth. If they care about journalistic integrity. They reported lies. They damaged an innocent woman's reputation. The least they can do is admit they were wrong and apologize."
The press conference went on for another twenty minutes. Reporters asking questions. Walsh and Rourke are answering them. Showing more evidence. Making it crystal clear that I was innocent and Vanessa was the liar.
When it ended Jason and I just sat there staring at the TV. I could not believe it. After weeks of being called a liar. Weeks of having my reputation destroyed. Weeks of hiding from protesters. It was over. The truth was out.
"They did it," I said. Tears were streaming down my face. "They really did it. They cleared my name."
"They did," Jason said. He pulled me close. "Everyone is going to know the truth now. Everyone is going to know Vanessa was lying."
My phone started ringing. Text messages coming in. Calls. Social media notifications. I was almost afraid to look. Afraid it would be more hate. More accusations.
But when I checked it was different. People were apologizing. Saying they were sorry for not believing me. Saying they should have known Vanessa was lying. The tide had turned.
"Look at this," I showed Jason my phone. "People are apologizing."
"Good," Jason said. "They should apologize. They should have believed you from the start."
Tommy came into the room. He had been watching the press conference too.
"You guys see it?" he asked.
"We saw it," I said. "I cannot believe it is over. Cannot believe they proved she was lying."
"Rourke is a good cop," Tommy said. "He does not give up. He gets results."
"He saved us," I said. "He and Walsh. They saved our lives."
"They did their jobs," Tommy said. "And now you can go back to your life. Go home. Be a family."
"Can we go home?" I asked Jason. "Is it safe now?"
"Let me call the landlord," Jason said. "See if the protesters are gone."
He called and came back smiling. "The protesters left. The building is clear. We can go home."
"Really?" I said. "We can really go home?"
"We can really go home," Jason said.
I started crying again. Happy tears this time. We could go home. Go back to our apartment. Our life. Everything was going to be okay.
"Let me pack our stuff," I said. "I want to go home right now."
"Okay," Jason said. "Let us go home."
We packed quickly. Said goodbye to Tommy and thanked him for everything. Then we drove to our apartment. The building looked normal. Quiet. No protesters. No cameras. Just normal.
We went inside and our apartment was exactly how we left it. The window had been repaired. Everything was clean. It felt like coming home after a long journey.
"We are home," I said. I put Emma in her bassinet. "We are really home."
"We are," Jason said. "And we are never leaving again."
"Never," I agreed.
My phone rang. It was Detective Rourke.
"Did you see the press conference?" he asked.
"I did," I said. "Thank you. Thank you so much for everything you did. For proving I was telling the truth."
"You are welcome," Rourke said. "I told you I would clear your name. I always keep my promises."
"You do," I said. "What happens now? To Vanessa?"
"She is in custody," Rourke said. "Being processed. She will be arraigned tomorrow. Probably looking at serious prison time if convicted."
"Good," I said. "She deserves it after what she put us through."
"She does," Rourke said. "Now you can focus on your family. On the upcoming trials. On getting justice."
"Three more trials," I said. "Can I do them? After everything that happened?"
"You can," Rourke said. "And it will be easier now. Now that everyone knows you were telling the truth. The defense cannot use Vanessa against you anymore. Her credibility is destroyed."
"That is good," I said. "That is really good."