Rebel With A Cause

by Ashleigh Neame

  She groaned but did as he commanded. She got up from her seat and went and had a shower. The hot water was bliss. As she stood under it, she closed her eyes and imagined herself in an alternate reality, where Carter was by her side, they had never broken up, and now they were planning a wedding.

  But when T-Man knocked loudly on the door, she was forced to stop daydreaming.

  “Katie, you’ve been in there for forty minutes. Come on, it’s time to get dressed and get a move on.”

  She sighed and switched the water off. “Yeah, I’ll be ready in a few.”

  She heard his heavy footsteps move away and looked despairingly at her reflection in the mirror. Dark bags were under her eyes, and her skin looked sallow. She rubbed and pinched her cheeks, trying to bring some colour into them.

  After a moment, she gave up trying to look human and grabbed a clean towel from the cupboard to the right of the vanity. She dried herself off then changed into her clothes.

  She put on some dark wash skinny jeans and a white, button-down shirt. She looked so innocent, not like her usual devilish self.

  She went through the motions of tidying up the bathroom and getting ready for the day, but her heart just wasn’t in it. She didn’t really care what her surroundings were like, especially as the love of her life was in hospital with a – hopefully – healing gunshot wound.

  Back in her bedroom, she did her make-up, put a pair of socks on, and grabbed some biker chic style boots. She laced those up and pulled her favourite leather jacket out of the wardrobe. She slipped it on and decided she needed some jewellery.

  She walked over to her jewellery box, and marvelled at how much of a selfish idiot she was being. Here she was, fretting over her appearance, when Carter was in hospital, and Aria was dead.

  She was about to slam shut her jewellery box shut when something sparkly caught her eye. She picked it up, and turned it over in her hand.

  It was her engagement ring. It was ostentatious, designer, and way too flashy. It was not who she really was, not at all. It was something that she’d chosen, just for show.

  She put it on anyway, on her ring finger. She was going to see Carter today, and she wanted to show him how much he meant to her.

  “I love you,” she whispered, pretending that she was with Carter.

  T-Man chose that time to walk into her room. “Come on,” he said. “Time to go.”

  She nodded and followed him out of the house. She locked up and got into his car.

  “There was no need to lock up,” T-Man said casually. “Bekah is still living there.”

  Kaitlyn scowled. “Not for much longer. I bet she was all for sticking to the plan, right? She wanted you guys to wait a few days, while De held me hostage? Give him a chance to kill me?”

  T-Man shrugged. “Yeah, she was all for sticking to the plan, but I doubt it was for the reasons you’re thinking. I mean, why would Bekah want you dead? Come on, be serious.”

  He pulled out of the driveway and drove towards the local police station. Kaitlyn wanted to tell them everything. She wanted to put Deangelo Carboni away for good.

  “I bet that’s why Bekah was all about plans, and waiting. She wanted to give De time to finish me off.”

  T-Man rolled his eyes. “Cut it out,” he replied, annoyed. “It’s not funny, Katie. Bekah is like Carter’s sister, why would she want anything to happen to the girl who makes him happy?”

  Kaitlyn scowled and sat back in her seat. She didn’t like Bekah anymore, not after what she’d said to her a few days ago.

  They pulled up to the Police Station. T-Man cut the engine and looked at Kaitlyn.

  “You sure you can do this?” he asked. “You don’t have to, you know.” His words were meant to comfort, but both he and Kaitlyn knew they were a lie. She had to do this, for Aria’s sake, for Carter’s sake, for her sake, and for De’s dead baby.

  “I have to, T,” she said quietly. “He needs to be locked away. He needs to stop hurting everyone.”

  T-Man nodded and got out of the car. He did the chivalrous thing and came around to her side of the car and helped her out.

  “Thanks,” she said, taking his hand.

  He nodded at her and didn’t let go once as they walked into the police station. As usual, the place was mostly empty, except for a few cops that always seemed too busy to stop and ask them why they were there.

  They walked up to the front counter and introduced themselves.

  “We’re here to see Constable Schwartz,” T-Man said. “Kaitlyn has something she needs to tell him.”

  The cop looked bored. “And this is regarding...?”

  “Deangelo Carboni,” he replied.

  The cop nodded and picked up the phone. He dialled a few numbers, spoke briefly into the receiver, and then placed the phone down.

  “Come with me,” he ordered. “Both of you.”

  They followed him into an interrogation room. There was nothing but a metal table and three chairs. It was nothing like the interrogation rooms you’d see on TV or in movies.

  They took a seat on one side of the table and the unnamed cop left them alone. They waited patiently for Constable Schwartz to arrive.

  When he did arrive, he wasn’t alone. The female cop from the other day was with them.

  Constable Schwartz greeted them with a smile. “Hi, Kaitlyn, Arthur,” he said amicably. “I understand you have some information for me?”

  Kaitlyn’s eyes flicked to the female cop, then back to Constable Schwartz. Being the sharp police officer that he was, he noticed Kaitlyn’s confusion.

  “Ah, this is Officer Watson. She was with us yesterday at Mr Carboni’s house. Do you remember?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I just couldn’t remember your name. Sorry,” she apologised, looking at the woman.

  Constable Schwartz gave a small cough and her attention reverted back to him.

  “Now, Kaitlyn,” he said importantly. “As you may or may not be aware, Officer Watson and I are in charge of the Carboni case. If you’ve remembered anything, please don’t wait to inform us. Any information helps.”

  Kaitlyn licked her lips. “I remember everything.”

  Constable Schwartz’ eyebrows shot up. “Everything?” he repeated. “Are you sure?”

  She shrugged. “I think so. Going to De’s yesterday helped. I remember the critical bits anyway.”

  Constable Schwartz nodded and pulled a pen out of his shirt pocket. He opened De’s case file and poised his pen over a sheet of blank paper, ready to take notes.

  She took a deep breath and began. “De shot Aria.”

  The Constable noted it down and looked at her. “Do you know of any proof?”

  She nodded. “I’d gone to De’s house with the intention of tricking him into using me again, so I could go straight to the police and get him locked up.”

  “I don’t understand. How is this proof?” Officer Watson interrupted.

  Kaitlyn looked her in the eye. “I’m getting there.”

  The Constable nodded and motioned for her to go on.

  “I’d taken some pepper spray and other protective elements with me in a little backpack. I’d also hidden a gun inside a secret pocket in my bag. De and I fought and he knocked me out, and when I woke up, he had the gun. If you find it, you’ll see that only his fingerprints are on it.”

  “Where did he shoot Aria?”

  “He shot her in the head, at close range. It’s her blood that’s on the walls.”

  Constable Schwartz nodded and noted that down. “What else do you remember?”

  Kaitlyn took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “De wanted to shoot me. He wanted me to die like Aria. He was so crazed and manic…”

  “Are you sure Mr Carboni wanted you to die?” Officer Watson asked.

  Kaitlyn nodded. “When it was just me and him, he kept pretending to shoot me. I knew that sooner or later he would do it for real.”

  Constable Schwartz noted that down. “Continue.”

/>   She took a deep breath. “When De pulled the trigger for real, Carter jumped in front of me. I was frozen in fear, but Carter…what he did was instinctual.”

  She closed her eyes. Talking about Carter, thinking about Carter…she missed her boyfriend. She just wanted to go and see him.

  “Now, when you say Mr Carboni used you, what exactly do you mean?”

  “He took advantage of me. I’d just split up with Carter, and I’m ashamed to say I was a bit loose. I was looking for some fun, and De was willing. Except when we got back to his place, he changed. He was all angry and rough, and when I asked him to stop, he became rougher. He was too rough. He kept hurting me.”

  Constable Schwartz looked at Officer Watson. “Looks like we can add another charge to his case.”

  Officer Watson nodded. “I guess so.”

  They looked at Kaitlyn. “Is that all?”

  She nodded and sat back, closing her eyes. Remembering the events that took place at De’s house was awful. She knew that she’d have nightmares about it for a while, and with no Carter to help her, they’d be ten times worse.

  She wondered how Carter was coping.

  “Are we done here?” she heard T-man ask. He’d been silent throughout the time the cops were asking their questions, but now he was back to playing her protector. It was like Carter had asked him to look after her, and he was obeying. But Carter hadn’t had the chance to ask. T-Man was taking charge all of his own accord. It was quite admirable, really.

  Constable Schwartz replied. “We are, but Kaitlyn, if you remember anything else, give either myself or Officer Watson a call.”

  She opened her eyes and offered a small smile. “Of course. But, I just remembered, there should be a bullet in the wall. De shot the wall once, to scare us.”

  Constable Schwartz wrote that down. “Right. Well, the crime scene investigators have already been over the place, but we don’t notice everything. We’ll go over there and take another look.”

  “What’s going to happen to De at this point?” T-Man asked.

  Constable Schwartz smiled ruefully. “At the moment, I can’t tell you. Mr Carboni hasn’t been proven guilty for anything, and he probably won’t be for a while. The court’s backed up so you’re looking at a lengthy court case.”

  Kaitlyn sighed. “Of course. God, I wish De would just go to jail already! I’m sick of this whole thing hanging over our head!”

  Officer Watson smiled sadly. “So are we. Believe me, we wish Mr Carboni was locked up, too, but we can’t control the court. Hopefully, will all of these different charges against him, including the fact that he held three people hostage, killed one and with intent to kill another, he won’t be granted bail.”

  T-Man closed his eyes and rubbed his head. “Thank god.”

  Constable Schwartz and Officer Watson packed up and made to leave. T-Man motioned for him and Kaitlyn to do the same.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he suggested. “Let’s go and see Carter.”

  Chapter 23

  Of course, they had to go through the whole charade of stating who they were, who they wanted to see, and how they were related to the patient. The bored nurse, however, shocked them.

  “He’s not here,” she replied dully. “He’s gone. They moved him to another ward this morning.”

  T-Man frowned. “Do you know which ward?”

  The nurse shrugged. “Wait here, I’ll go and check.”

  They waited at the door for fifteen minutes.

  “I don’t think she’s coming back,” Kaitlyn sighed dejectedly. “It’s been quarter of an hour.”

  T-Man, who was leaning against the wall opposite her, shook his head. “Come on, Katie. There could have been an emergency or something. She could be with a patient.”

  Kaitlyn mirrored T-Man’s position on the wall behind her. “Or, she could just be a lazy cow who’s gone back to reading gossip magazines and snapping gum.”

  T-Man laughed bitterly. “You can be a real bitch, you know that?”

  She shrugged. “This is my boyfriend we’re talking about. He’s the love of my life. I don’t know what I’d do without him. And yet she can’t be bothered caring! All I can say is, I hope she’s not Carter’s nurse anymore.”

  T-Man looked away. He couldn’t believe how Kaitlyn was acting.

  Thankfully, the nurse returned. Just in time, too, or Katie would have broken the doors down, trying to get some answers.

  “He’s in ward seven,” the nurse announced tonelessly. “Will that be all?”

  “No,” Kaitlyn snapped. “Where’s ward seven?”

  The nurse – she really was a terrible nurse – rolled her eyes. “Level five of the new building. It’s around back, and it’s quite a long walk.”

  Kaitlyn laughed. “Yeah, right, I’m sure. What, a long walk for you is like a hundred metre walk for anyone else. Am I right?”

  The nurse scowled. “Get out of here before I call security.”

  Kaitlyn shrugged and looked at T-Man. “Let’s go. I want to see Carter.”

  He nodded. “Let’s get out of here.”

  She grabbed his hand, and together they walked to ward seven, in the new building.

  “Do you think he’s ok?” Kaitlyn asked.

  T-Man shrugged. “He has to be. I mean, they moved him out of intensive care, didn’t they? That has to count for something.”

  Kaitlyn looked at the ground. “Maybe, but what if someone else came in with worse injuries? Do you think they’d kick Carter out because he has the best of the worst?”

  T-Man had to laugh at that. Kaitlyn really was naïve sometimes. “Katie,” he said, very amused. “It’s a hospital. They don’t do that type of thing in hospitals. Not unless they’re in dire need of beds. I reckon he’s better, and that’s why they moved him.”

  Kaitlyn scowled. “If he’s not better, there’s gonna be hell to pay.”

  Again, T-Man laughed. “You’re so cute, Katie.” He mussed her hair and she pulled away, patting it down.

  “T!” she yelled. “Not funny!”

  He laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Chill, Kaitlyn,” he said in her ear. “It’s just hair.”

  Again, she pulled away and slapped his arm. “T-Man, not funny.”

  He shrugged and continued walking. Kaitlyn was like his little sister. He enjoyed teasing her. It was like his own personal sport. Also, her reactions were hilarious!

  After she’d finished freaking out about her hair, he grabbed her hand and led her through a labyrinth of plain white corridors, until they reached a set of elevators. They climbed into one of the metal contraptions and T-Man pressed the button for level 5. The elevator rose swiftly and before they knew it, they were standing in front of the doors to ward seven.

  “Are you nervous?” Kaitlyn asked T-Man.

  “No,” he replied. “I’m not nervous.”

  “No,” Kaitlyn lied. “Me either.”

  T-Man chuckled. “Well then,” he said. “Since neither of us is nervous, how about we go in and see him?”

  She nodded, but made no move to enter the ward. T-Man grinned.

  “You liar, Kaitlyn Johnson. You are nervous.”

  She frowned and looked at T-Man, worry etched onto her face. “What if he can’t remember, T? What if he has no clue who I am? I don’t think I can handle that.”

  T-Man gave her a one arm hug and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “Don’t worry, Katie,” he said confidently. “Carter will remember you. There’s no possible way he could ever forget you.”

  She sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. She was so scared, so worried, and she wasn’t sure she could handle any more bad surprises. If Carter didn’t remember her, something would break inside of here, she was sure. Her heart would be forever broken, unable to be repaired, and she would die a little bit inside. She didn’t have the strength to go about rebuilding their relationship, not again. After he’d broken up with her, their relationship had taken a few hard knock
s, and lately it seemed like it had been one trial after another. Deangelo Carboni had made her a shadow of her former self, and if Carter didn’t remember her, or if he died, then she knew that she would die. She would end it. She just couldn’t take any more blows to her heart. If Carter wasn’t the same, then they were done.

  “What if he’s like he was before?” she sighed tiredly. “What if he doesn’t remember breaking up with me, or asking me to marry him? What if he goes back to cheating on me? What then?”

  T-Man faced Kaitlyn and hugged her tightly against his chest.

  “If that happens,” T-Man said. “Then I will personally give him a kick up the ass. Or maybe a knock to the head. I hear that helps patients with head injuries.”

  Kaitlyn let out a reluctant giggle. “I don’t think so, T. But thanks.”

  T-Man gave her one last squeeze, before dragging her into ward seven. They stopped at the nurses’ station to find out what room Carter was in, before heading to room seven hundred and thirteen. The door was closed.

  Kaitlyn took a deep breath and placed her hands on the door. She was intending to push the door open, but her muscles froze. “I can’t do it,” she whispered. “I’m scared.” Her heart was hammering, and she felt like she was about to faint.

  T-Man did it for her. He pushed open the door, almost as nervous about seeing his best friend as Kaitlyn was. He caught her around the waist as she stumbled forward, the disappearance of the doors under her palms throwing her off balance.

  Carter was the only one in the room, and he lay in bed, as pale as a ghost. His cheekbones stood out prominently, and dark rings circled his eyes. Eyes that were open and bright, staring at Kaitlyn with concern.

  “Katie!” he yelled hoarsely. He tried to get up, but he was too weak to support his own weight.

  Kaitlyn’s eyes found his, and she was lost. He remembered her. He remembered! She felt elated. Joy was a rare emotion on her face, but it was quickly extinguished by fear when she saw Carter panting. He was trying to hold himself up, but he wasn’t strong enough.