Derailed (47 page)

“Hey, I solved this murder for you. Because of me.”

“Shut your mouth!”

My jaw drops. How rude!

Vlad appears amused by my arrest. “Eh…Ritchie, do you want me to sort your bail out, or sort Rival out? If I focus on Rival…” He hitches up his coat sleeve to look at his watch. “Mate, you’re probably going to spend the night in jail.”

“Rival,” I say without hesitation. “I don’t want her spending another night in jail.”

Yeah, I have to kiss my McMuffin goodbye, but Scarlett will soon be arrested. That’s such a comforting thought.

RIVAL

Bail has been denied and I’m devastated. My prior arrests for the kidnapping and slashing of Scarlett comes back to haunt me.

“Stay strong, Rival,” Vlad urges. “We’re working on something.”

It’s not that I don’t trust him; it’s just that I’ve lost hope. My main worry is Holly and Phoebe. To lose a father and a mother in such a short space of time? Will Holly ever get over this trauma? Will she hold it against me forever? I’m terrified of that. Especially since I’m innocent.

I haven’t heard from Ritchie, so I can only assume he doesn’t care. Right now, I really wish he did care. I need him so much. It’s so confusing – how could he change like that? So suddenly? I’ve read Ritchie wrong. Luckily, I discovered who he really was before I married him.

It’s been two days since my arrest and I’m still wrestling with the injustice of it all. I’ve only seen Vlad once since my arrest, and I have to say, I’m worried.

Around lunchtime, I hear my name being called by a female warden. “Get your things. All of it.”

I do as she says. “Where are we going?” 

“Home,” she says.

“What?” I must have made bail. But how? Then I see Vlad with a huge smile on his face.

“I made bail, Vlad?” 

“No, Rival, you’re free. All the charges against you have been dropped. You’re free.”

I blink rapidly. I’m dreaming for sure.

“Rival, did you hear what I said? You’re going home because you’re free.”

He takes my elbow. “Let me explain.” As we walk, he fills me in. I’m too flabbergasted to take in what he is saying. All I can manage is to look at him with my mouth open.

Only when I see Liefie in the prison parking lot, holding the hands of both my girls, who in turn are holding flowers, does my release from jail sink in. 

I open my arms and to my absolute delight – both my girls rush into them. Both.

“I’m sorry for being mean to you, Mum,” Holly says as she plants kisses on my face. “I love you. Don’t never ever go away again.”

Overwhelmed with relief, I break down and cry.

Holly apologizes for being mean to me over and over again. “Can we hug and squeeze till we get all the cheese, Mum?” With a laugh, I do.

I look around for Ritchie and Arena, but I don’t see them.

“Arena had to take Warren to the hospital. He sprained his hand.”

“Ah. That’s too bad.”

“And Bear is with Ritchie.”

“Oh.”

“Ritchie’s in jail, Rival.”

“WHAT?”

I listen in horror as Vlad explains how Ritchie busted the case.

“Oh, God! How…I mean, why didn’t he tell me all of this?”

“He had his reasons.”

“God, Vlad! I don’t know what to think.”

“I expect to get him out tomorrow, so hang in there.”

Ritchie did all this for me? He was prepared to go to jail just to save me? “Ohmygod!” is all I can chant.

“Eh, Rival, I have some papers for you.” Vlad hands me a stack of documents.

“What is this, Vlad?”

“Ritchie has purchased, on your behalf, your house from Scarlett for a sum of fifty-thousand dollars.”

“What!”

Vlad goes into lengthy details. 

“Ohmygod!”

“This document here – Scarlett has kindly signed over all proceeds from Bradley’s life policy over to you.”

“You’re kidding me!”

Again he explains. Ritchie is my savior! All along, I thought he was a jerk and it turns out that he wasn’t. Isn’t. 

“Mum, look what Aunt Liefie bought me,” Phoebe says, dragging me out of my stunned state and showing me a couple bangles on her wrist. “And she bought me a cuddly rabbit too. And she painted with us and told us bedtime stories. And –”

“And she bought me a digital photo frame that has moving pictures, Mum. You put like a stick in it and all dad’s photos appear. We can watch see him all day. Cool idea, huh, Mum?”

I look at Liefie, surprised that she took such good care of my girls.

“Thank you,” I mouth.

She just smiles and looks away.

My mind drifts back to Ritchie. He is prepared to go to prison over me? He loves me enough to sacrifice his freedom for me? How can I not love the man? Nothing matters anymore. Sure his tryst with Maxine will bother me, but…

A gamut of emotions – that’s what I’m feeling right now. I’m happy to be a free woman without the fear of being wrongfully accused of Bradley’s murder, I’m thrilled to know that Ritchie was pursuing Scarlett simply to work on her, I’m delighted to have my house back, and most of all, I’m ecstatic that Holly has finally come around. I love life once again.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Norman has been arrested and I’m in a total state of panic. Ritchie, that motherfucker. That cunt fucked me over. Uuuurgh! I should have had him whacked too.

What if Norman talks? I did what I needed to keep him happy, and hopefully he will keep his trap shut, but…

It’s his fault for being so careless. How could he dump incriminating murder evidence in someone’s
garden
? Seriously?

Not only that, Rival is free. Free! After all my efforts, she strolls out of prison a free woman. After stealing my house and the life insurance policy, she is free and is scheduled to appear on
60 Minutes
! How much more of mine can she steal?

My freedom is now on a precipice. It’s only a matter of time before the cops look my way. I want to help Norman, secure him the services of my daddy and his legal team, but if I do that, suspicion will fall my way.

Just then my phone rings. It’s my daddy.

“Scarlett, have you seen the news? Rival has been released from prison.”

“Yes, Daddy, I saw that.”

“And who’s this Norman character who has been arrested in connection with Bradley’s murder?” Is my father nuts to ask a question like this over the phone? Doesn’t he realize my phone could be bugged?

“Daddy, I have absolutely no idea. Could be someone obsessed with me, or even Bradley. I am most distraught to hear of this new development. Why don’t we meet for lunch so we can talk about it?” My father agrees, to my relief.

I know when I’m cornered, so I decide to confide in my father. Tell him the truth. It’s best he helps me from the very onset so that I do not in any way implicate myself.

“Look, Daddy, I have to come clean with you,” I say at the lunch table. “Norman and I, we were
friends
and yes, we did have a fling
before
I got –”

“Oh, Jesus!” my father says, putting down his fork. 

“– married, and I think…I think he got a little obsessed with me. Probably stalked me and eventually killed Bradley.” (That is my idea of the truth, okay?)

My father stares at me, his eyes the size of the coasters on the table.

“I had nothing to do with Bradley’s death, Daddy, I swear! But I need you to help Norman, Daddy. I don’t want him going to the cops and spinning them some yarn about how I am involved in Bradley’s death. You know what I mean?”

“Scarlett…” My father’s face is now the color of cement. “Scarlett…Scarlett…”

“Daddy, relax. I’m just saying that it could turn ugly, so I need your help here, so please, keep it together.”

He shakes his head from side to side. “You’re my daughter, not a client, Scarlett.”

I dismiss that sentimental fact with a wave of my hand. “He’s unable to make bail, okay? It’s two shootings, one is a murder, which he’s pleaded no contest to. So, all I’m saying is, if something has to happen to Norman, no one can point a finger at me. Who’s going to testify against me? He’s the only witness, remember? The only person to stand between me and my freedom.”

“Witness to
what
, Scarlett? What?” I’ve never seen Milton Smyth this rattled, and frankly, it’s downright annoying.  

“The only person who can put me behind bars, by spinning lies about me, is Norman.”

“What are you asking me to do? I’m not going to do anything illegal.”

Oh yeah? He won’t do anything
illegal
? Since when? Since when did he develop a conscience? Maybe it’s a new year’s resolution – you know, in 2015 I will exercise more, stop smoking, spend more time with my wife and less time with the whore from Columbia and develop a conscience. Fucking dipshit!

“Sure, I understand,” I say in a cloying voice. “It’s just that, I’m really scared to go to jail. Can’t stand that horrible place, Daddy. The last time it was just dreadful. If Norman happened to be shanked…” I lift and drop my shoulders. “You know people, Daddy. You’ve helped so many of them.”

He doesn’t answer.

“I can give them or their family fifty thousand dollars if Norman dies.”

My father, the wuss, groans behind his hands.

RIVAL

I dress with care to meet Ritchie. Knowing that he went to jail to save me changes everything. I love Ritchie and I want him back. The past is now tucked away in the past. I nip out to the hairdresser and have my hair done, get a fresh manicure and buy a dress – a short red, racy number. I’ve lost weight so I am pleased with the way it looks on me.

We all gather at Ritchie’s house to welcome Ritchie.

“How ’bout I make us dinner?” I say to Arena.

“Eh, Liefie’s making dinner for everyone,” Arena says. “A spread, actually.”

“Oh, okay.” Good on Liefie for thinking ahead.

“Let’s make a welcome home banner,” I say to the kids.

“We’ve already done that,” Ally says. “My mum made us do it last night.”

“Oh, okay.” What can I contribute? I wonder. “A cake! Let’s bake him a cake.”

“My mum baked him a cake already,” Ally says.

I stare at Ally. While I was out glamming up, Liefie played wifey. Lucky Ritchie. But still, I don’t really mind. I’ve got the rest of our lives to do things for Ritchie. If he’ll have me, that is.

The man of the moment breezes in late. “Sorry, all. Had to take a shower at Arena’s before I hugged my beautiful kiddos,” he explains as gathers his brood for a group hug. 

I hang back, give them all the space they need. Finally, Ritchie turns to me. He gives me a smile that melts my heart. We walk up to each other. 

“Thank you,” I whisper, taking his hand in mine. “I really appreciate it. I appreciate
you
.”

“You’re welcome,” he says and pulls me in for a quick kiss. “Let’s party!”

“Let’s!” I say, happy to have mended fences with Ritchie. Even though I try to deny it, without Ritchie, there was a huge void in my life. In
everyone’s
life.

We eat, drink and laugh a lot, and it’s good to see everyone in such high spirits.

Later, Ritchie takes my hand and leads me away from the family. 

“You look great,” he says, his eyes sweeping over me.

I reward him with a shy smile. “Once again, I am grate –”

“You should be,” he says, “I was someone’s bitch last night because of you.” 

My eyes turn huge. “Seriously?”

“Oh yeah. Tore me a new one.”

I elbow him. “Bullshit!”

He laughs and takes me in a playful head lock, then hugs and kisses me. I haven’t seen Ritchie this happy and carefree in months. However, I am confused – he was so upset when I lied about sleeping with Bradley; why isn’t he anymore? Is he that forgiving? I doubt it.

Feeling the need to come clean with Ritchie, I say, “I did not sleep with Bradley,” then brace myself for his
yeah, right
.

“I believe you,” he says to my utter surprise.

“What?”

“I know you didn’t.”

“How…? I mean, like, why are you…?”

“Scarlett told me that you didn’t. And I believe you. I think you were just being a total bitch ’cause you thought I fucked Maxine.”

“Thought?” My eyebrows climb.

“I didn’t, Rival.”

“Ritchie, it’s okay. Bygones.” My wave is dismissive.

His eyes narrow.

“It’s okay,” I repeat. “Water under the –”

He grabs my hand and leads me into the garage.

“Where are you taking me?”

He pushes me into his Jeep and buckles me up.

“Where are we going?”

Without answering, he starts the Jeep and reverses out of the garage. To my surprise, he drives up to Maxine’s house.

“Ritchie, no!”

Ignoring me, he switches off the Jeep and walks around to open my door.

“Let’s clear this once and for –”

“Ritchie, no! I am not going to –”

He pulls me out of the Jeep and takes my hand. I begin to fight him. “I’m not doing this, Ritchie.” From behind, he grabs me by the waist and carries me forward.

Just then Maxine’s door is flung open. “Ritchie!” Maxine says, her eyes shining with a mixture of delight and vodka. She’s wearing a short, see-through negligee, and she’s braless. “What a pleasure –” she stops, her eyes shifting from Ritchie’s to mine. 

“Maxine, I want you to do something for me,” Ritchie says from behind me. “I want you to tell Rival the truth. Tell her that we never…fu…
slept
together, Maxine.” 

Maxine folds her arms and looks at Ritchie with eyes like slits. “Now why the heck would I lie for you?” 

“See!” I snap and turn away from Maxine.

“Maxine!” Ritchie says in an exasperated voice, holding onto my waist. “Tell the
truth
. I need you to. C’mon, Maxine!”

“Why?”

“Because …because I love her, Maxine. And it isn’t fair for her to think we did, when we didn’t. Besides, she’s the type to hold it against me, and she can be very, very stubborn.”