Chapter 23: Charged to court

After being interrogated by detective Silvia, Rachael was devastated, but her mood lit up when she saw Xavier at the reception, quarreling with the officer. He stopped when he saw her approaching him.

"Xavier" she called out, trying not to act too excited, but she felt secure with him around. One minute she was scared of her own shadow, now she felt invulnerable.

He beckoned on her and they both walked out of the station. The moment they got out, he turned to ask her. "What did the officers ask you?"

"Questions relating to the case. At this point, I'm so confused. I don't remember anything from that night. I am not even a heavy sleeper, but I slept like a pig while a man was being murdered." She raised her palm to her head as she exhaled sharply. "This is so confusing"

Something flashed in his eyes while she babbled, but it was too fast to be deciphered.

"Let's go inside the car," he let out, totally ignoring the topic Rachael ranted about.

He always averted anything that involved bringing his brother up and Rachael understood his pains.

"Are you bothered being with me when I am linked to your brother's case?" Racheal asked when they were both settled inside the car.

"Do I look bothered?"

"Do you know who killed your brother". At that point, Rachael couldn't help but ask because he seemed too unbothered by everything. He even had sex with her when the news carried her as a murder suspect of his brother. People did strange things, but Xavier just kept getting more strange by the day.

He hesitated for a while but finally spoke. "No"

Now Rachael knew he was hiding something. The look in his eyes said it all when he gave her that response.

"Xavier is there something you are not telling him?"

The way his countenance changed immediately she asked that question showed how much it disturbed him. "What do you mean?" he glared at her.

"I just... "Rachael wanted to continue, but the glare she got sent a cold shiver down her spine and caused her to swallow every question she had. "Nothing. Forget I said that. I just thought...... "

He cut her off instead of letting her finish. "you thought wrong Rachael" he said, peeling his eyes off her and focusing on his phone instead.

*******

Rachael dropped her fork back on her plate as she stared at her mother who ate her food slowly.

"The police came today while you were in therapy" she began and her mother looked up at her.

"Well, they took me to the police station and asked me some questions" tears began to well up in her eyes. "Mum I was so confused. The detective was so good to the extent I thought I committed the murder" she paused to wipe the tears that had gone down her cheeks. "But I didn't mum, I didn't kill him. I'm certain of that. Even though I don't remember anything from that night, I am certain I wasn't the one who stabbed that innocent man multiple times" she added with a sob.

Mrs. Rebecca's eyes saddened as she looked at Rachael. She beckoned on Rachael to come over for a hug. Rachael slipped off her chair with tears still in her eyes and walked to her mother's chair to hug her. She stayed in her mother's embrace for a while, shedding tears on her chest while her mother stroked her hair slowly.

"Thank you mun" she mumbled inaudibly. "I know you know your daughter can't kill a person. I know you trust me"

This was more of a reassurance than a question. At that point, Rachael was confused beyond words. She wished her mother could not only listen to her but also speak. Tell her what she thought about the whole thing, and probably give Rachael some advice.

"His brother is very strange. The whole country believes I murdered that man except his brother. Xavier once thought I was the killer and he tried to kill me, but now he is different" she paused to take a deep breath. "I'm scared mum, I feel like something is going on and I'm the only one not aware of it. Probably he knows something I don't, but I can't ask him because he gets too mad when I try to bring up his brother's case"

Her mother kept, stroking her hair. Rachael didn't care if her mother listened, she continued speaking nevertheless. "He even got mad at the receptionist for taking me in." Rachael began to sob again. "I'm so confused"

Rachael was still in her broken moment when her phone rang and she paused wiping the tears from her eyes. She walked back to her seat, took her phone, and headed to the kitchen to answer it while she grabbed a bottle of water.

"Xavier" she called out, taking the water from the fridge.

"Rachael" his voice sounded stressed and strained.

"Is there a problem?" She asked worriedly.

"I was informed by the detective in charge of the case that you would have to go to court" he blurted and the water Rachael had partially ingested almost choked her. She stepped a few paces back, trying to process the whole thing.

"What?" even her voice had changed in just split seconds.

"Rachael you know the case wasn't meant to be dropped in the first place. A murder case can't be dropped all of a sudden, but I managed to drop it. This time, I think my hands are tied"

Rachael didn't say a word. She was too devastated to say anything. All she could do was stare blankly into space. She felt all her world crashing down right in front of her. Just when she thought she had gotten past this case.

"Rachael" Xavier had to call out because she wasn't saying anything.

"Will I get sentenced?" she asked through a faint whimper which broke Xavier's heart.

"I would be dammed if I let that happen. I'll get you a lawyer and you'll be lectured on what to say in court. Now all I need you to do is relax. Everything will be fine, I assure you" he consoled her, but at that point, Rachael needed more than a consolation