Part 26 (1/2)
”No.” He stood. Everyone looked at him. ”No, Captain Jersey, this isn't going to happen this way. I'm not going to take a DNA test.”
”Excuse me?” Arlen gaped.
Steven gulped. ”You heard me, Arlen. I won't take a DNA test.” ”Steven, have you lost your d.a.m.n mind?”
”May seem like it, Bree, but I haven't. I'm innocent and I don't need to take a d.a.m.n test to prove that.”
”Hold on.” Parsons waved his hand. ”Let me get this straight, Detective. You're innocent and that's why you won't take the test?” Steven nodded. ”That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life.”
”Steve, what in the h.e.l.l is this?” Jersey walked to the table. ”Do you understand what you're doing? You're refusing to do the one thing that could free you!”
”Take the G.o.dd.a.m.n test, Steven!” Arlen yelled.
”No. I'm not taking a d.a.m.n test because I did nothing wrong! I got my pride! I've put years into this department and this is the way they pay me? I cannot believe that my word isn't good enough! I've been sworn to uphold the law, yet that same law hasn't listened to my pleas, demands or reason! I know it looks funny to not take the test. I want to prove my innocence more than anything but I will not take a DNA test! Not now and not ever!”
”Steve.” Brianna scoffed.
Zachary shook her head. ”Do you realize you're playing with the rest of your life, Detective?”
”Steven, I've always admired you for standing up for your beliefs, but this is not one of those times! You cannot be serious about what you're doing.”
”I am, Bree. I gotta do what's right for me, no matter how it looks to all of you.”
”I don't believe this.” Arlen shook his head. ”Steven, this is your life. Forget your d.a.m.n pride! If you keep going on like this, you won't have a life, career or future! Do you realize the pile of horse s.h.i.+t you've stepped into?”
”Steven, this is not the time to pull this hotshot-cop s.h.i.+t!” Brianna sighed. ”Take the d.a.m.n test and worry about getting your point across later.”
”No, Bree. I've done things their way since I've been in here.”
Parsons scoffed. ”Man, this is too easy.”
Zachary raised an eyebrow. ”So, you're actually refusing to take the test, even if it could free you? Detective, do you realize how guilty that makes you look?”
”Yeah, maybe. I don't care.” Steven looked at his weary attorney. ”I appreciate everyone who believes in me. But I'm not taking a DNA test. I know I'm innocent and I shouldn't have to do some test to prove it. It's not fair to me at all. I have rights and one of them is to refuse this test. I'm sorry, Arlen.” Arlen stayed silent.
”Then you stay in jail.” Parsons grinned. ”You realize you're headed for a trial, Detective Kemp?”
”So be it.” He shrugged.
”Steven?” Brianna waved her hands. ”Why are you doing this?”
”I don't care if this whole city thinks I'm a rapist, Bree. I can risk what others think of me, but I can't risk what I think of myself.”
Arlen felt his forehead. ”So you're giving up your future for self-respect?” he shrieked. ”Take the test and take it today, Steven!”
”No.”
”Then get yourself another attorney!”
”Okay, if that's the way you want it.” Steven sighed. Arlen left.
”I don't understand you at all right now, Steven.”
”Well, you got company then, Bree. There's a lot of things I don't understand right now, either.”
Chapter Fourteen.
A Week Later ”Melody, it's for you.” Craig brought the portable phone to the couch. Melody hated being interrupted during the end of a cla.s.sic film. She sat Indian-style on the couch with a plate of steaming spaghetti on her lap. The clock struck six p.m. This Wednesday had been the first day off she'd had since working at Caper. She intended to enjoy it until at least midnight.
”Who is it?” she asked with a mouthful of spaghetti.
”Keith.” Craig threw the phone on the couch. He headed to the bedroom area.
”Craig!” He turned around. ”Why didn't you tell him I wasn't home? I don't want to talk to Keith. It's bad enough I gotta work with him.”
”He says it's important. Something about Sarah.” Craig left the room.
She grabbed up the phone. She hadn't seen her sister in a week. Being away from Sarah nearly killed her. She enjoyed staying at Craig's, but it didn't compare to living at home. She'd talked with Sarah on the phone every other day. It wasn't enough for either of them. Melody couldn't help feeling depressed each time she thought of how close they used to be.
She hated herself for giving Keith the power to break them up. She and Sarah were sisters. Melody had an obligation to that bond. She blamed Sarah for not choosing her over Keith. But had that been fair? Hadn't she been the one that allowed Keith to destroy her life with Sarah? Had it been right to let Keith run her away from her own home? So far, Keith had kept his distance at work. It wasn't enough.
Melody wanted him gone. Nothing would ever be the same unless Keith disappeared from both their lives.
”Keith?” she sighed.
”Hey, Mel, uh...” he exhaled. ”I, uh...am I interrupting you?”
She sighed. ”No,” she lied. If it involved Sarah, it had to be important.
”How did you get Craig's number, anyway?”
”I saw it in the address book at your house one day.” She sighed. Like she suspected, he had been spending even more time there since she left. ”Melody, I...you gotta come over here quick.”
”What's going on, Keith?” She set her spaghetti on the table. ”You're breathing hard, panting and it's scaring me.”
”It's Sarah. She's...Mel, she's not moving.”
”What? What do you mean she's not moving?” She jumped from the couch.
”She's not moving! s.h.i.+t, I mean...we were talking and she started breathing funny.” Melody covered her mouth. ”Before I could call someone, she pa.s.sed out! I tried to revive her but she isn't moving.”
”Is she breathing, Keith?” Melody panted.
”Uh, yes...I think she is.”
”What do you mean you think? Go check!”