Naive Charles Royce (great novels .txt) 📖

sure his statement of validation lingers. He is doing his best to place himself there in the hotel room with Micah, to empathize, to soften Micah’s fears, but he is already on the case.

Shawn is looking at the street just outside the crime scene of Micah and Lennox’s condo at the corner of Henry and Rutgers. He is jotting down notes to hand off to his private investigator.

Why all the broken glass? Necessary?

Any witnesses from the church across the street?

Does the god-awful television monitor outside the church have anything to do with any sort of security camera? Or is it just tacky advertising?

Anyone in the building hear anything, or see any strange people lingering about?

CCTV across the street?

Something isn’t right here, he thinks.

Shawn breathes in the air that sweeps across his face. He looks up at the afternoon sun and closes his eyes just as a row of clouds blocks the light, and rain begins to pelt his cheeks with a stinging drizzle. He pinches his phone between his shoulder and his ear, removes his suit jacket and maneuvers it over his head. He grabs his bag, limbos underneath the crime scene tape, and enters the Garfield Building. Just inside the small lobby, he sees a stairwell and, brushing the shards of glass to the floor below with his yellow legal pad, sits down on the bottom step next to the elevator. Watching the sheets of rain pelt the broken glass on the sidewalk outside, he continues his conversation.

“Hey, listen, Micah, I’m afraid I have more bad news,” Shawn says. His voice is a little loud to compensate for the weather. “There’s a chance they may arrest you later today on preliminary murder charges. Now, even though that may sound terrible, I fully believe this is just a formality for now, to keep you from leaving the country, blah blah blah. I’m meeting with my firm later today to see if we can get this ridiculous false confession thrown out. They don’t have anything else I’m aware of that will keep you inside for long.”

“Shawn, you gotta help me. Everything keeps swirling around and around in my head. I can’t stop it. If I go to prison, I think I might lose it. I wanna go home, if I even can.”

“I’m here right now. At your home.”

“You are? Why?”

“Just wanted a reminder of the building, snoop around, do some preliminary work. I know you wanna come home, buddy, but it’s gonna be a while.” Shawn removes a piece of glass from his shoe. “But soon enough, Micah. Shit, you haven’t even had a chance to mourn yet.”

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that. I didn’t sleep. I kept rolling over, thinking he’d be there, then I’d just, you know, cry. Like those awful cries that you can’t control. I can’t.”

“I hear you.” Shawn tries to reassure him. “Hey, I’m gonna come visit you in a few to discuss some details.”

“Okay. Be prepared, though, police have been outside the hotel all night. I think they’ve been watching me.”

“That’s pretty standard, Micah. You’re a person of interest, actually the only one they’re focusing on, which is a mistake they’re gonna pay for. They just want to make sure you don’t go anywhere.”

“How could I? Have you seen the news crews out there too?”

“It’s a mess, yes. But there’s a lot of hope, too, Micah. Much to discuss. I’m on my way to you now.”

“Okay. If anyone can help me, it’s you, my friend.”

A flash of lightning illuminates the now-darkened sky. Shawn moves his bag closer to him, as if trying to shield himself from the approaching storm. “Well, I’m here, buddy.”

“Can you do me a favor and call Jenna real quick and fill her in, if you haven’t already? You can tell her anything you need to. She’s pretty much my only other connection out there.”

((Boom!))

Shawn jumps at the thunderous sound, which rattles the remaining glass of the lobby facade. “Sure, buddy, see you soon. Be there in a few.”

“Hey, Shawn?”

“Yeah, buddy?”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. It’s what we do, right?”

((Click.))

((Beepbeep.))

“Call Jenna.”

((“Calling Jenna Ancelet.”))

“Shawn! Thank God! How’s he doing?”

“As well as can be expected, I guess. He wanted me to call you and fill you in.”

“I’ve already read the Times, and it seems to be the only thing on the news right now, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. Jenna, listen. Lots of questions were raised in that article, and I have some myself. We both know Micah didn’t do this, but he may be arrested later today.”

“Oh my God, why?”

“Well, since he asked me to fill you in, I can tell you that there’s a confession of sorts, but it’s nothing you need to worry about. But it seems Lennox may have been alive when Micah found him, and Micah panicked and tried to save him, but may have ended up making the situation worse.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. I mean, he was trying to save him, right? And if he was alive when he found him, then he couldn’t have killed him.”

“Listen, Jenna, I know how close you are to Micah, and especially Lennox, so I’ll be able to fill you in on some stuff, but not all of it, right? I’m Micah’s lawyer, and can only divulge so much. But know this. I smell something odd. Off. Something sinister, even. I’m going to find out who did this and why. I think it might go deeper than any of us think.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s still early, so don’t give up hope.”

“Oh, I won’t.”

((Boom.)) The lightning and thunder are synching.

“And Jenna, I’m just assuming he’d want this, but can you keep an eye out on the property for Micah? Since you live close by, once the dust settles and the crime scene has been cleared, maybe you could even help Micah with some preparations, you know, for Lennox? I’m just assuming he’ll want to have some sort of service soon.”

“Oh my God, of course! I’ve felt so helpless, it’s the least I can do.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey, Shawn. I