Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (2012 Watty Winner)

I Have My Suspicions

"Matty, bring me that box over there, will you?" I point to a box sitting on the floor beside the couch. He jumps up from his spot at my side and retrieves the box for me. Him and I have hung out all morning. I decided to blow off work this morning until my meeting with the first responder on the scene this afternoon.

I really did miss being around this little guy.

"Here you go, Ashee." He says handing me the box.

"That's for you buddy." I tell him with a smile and he beams up at me.

"For me?" He asks in the cutest voice I ever heard.

"Yeah, Matty." I smile.

"What is it? What is it? What it is?" He keeps repeating over and over as he jumps up and down with the box in his hands.

I giggle at him. "Just open it, Matt." I say and he stops jumping, sits the box down on the floor and starts to rip the wrapping paper off. He's having a hard time so I help him with it.

"Oh wow!" He says jumping up from his knees. "A Wii U!" He exclaims. Apparently, he'd been asking my mom for one ever since he saw the commercial a month ago but she kept saying that she wasn't going to pay that much money for something he would play with for six months then never think about again. Like she doesn't have the money...

"You like it?" I ask with a smile, already knowing the answer.

"I love it!" He screams out and jumps on the couch to hug my neck. "You're the bestest, Ashee." He says in a low whisper. "I love you."
"I love you too buddy." I tell him right back.

After he played his Wii U for a while we watched a movie and ate popcorn before I dropped him back off at my moms to go to my meeting.

–

I sit in my office, waiting for the cop, Amanda James, who was the first responder to make it to the Dennison residence.

"Your two-thirty is here, Ms. Davies." Madison tells me over the phone intercom.

"Thank you, you can send her in Madison." I tell her and stand, waiting for Amanda to come in my office.

"Ms. Davies..." She says as she peeks her head in my door.

"Come right in Ms. James." She was about 5'5 or so, light brown hair with sort of bleach blond streaks—if you can even call them that. She's built like a cop, which is a rare thing to find in women cops these days, especially in L.A, but her tight-fitting jeans and shirt contoured to her body perfectly. "Have a seat." I smile and gesture to the chair in front of me.

"Sorry about the late interview, I literally have worked double shifts for the past two weeks straight." She says and lets out a nervous laugh. She runs her fingers through her hair and forces a smile. "So what can I help you with?"

"You were the first on the scene correct?" I ask the officer in front of me. She nods. "According to the police report you got to the Dennison residence only ten minutes after the call was made by Mrs. Dennison, correct?" She nods again. "How'd you get there so fast?" I ask and she looks like she's thinking of an answer.

"I was in the neighborhood." Is all she says.

"In the neighborhood?" I question, unconvinced.

"I'd just left a another incident when I received the call."

"Okay." I nod and stare at her intently. Clearly she was uncomfortable. "How do you like being a police officer, Amanda?" I ask.

"Actually I just made detective." She says proudly. "A huge bust like the Dennison Murder gave me the credentials I needed." She adds.

"Well congratulations." I tell her and smile.

"Thank you."

"Amanda..." I start, clearing my throat and sitting up further in my chair. "I'm going to be blunt here, is that alright?" I ask her and she nods. "In your statement you said that when the police call came in your were on Fremont, leaving a prior call that you'd answered right?" She nods and sits up. "Fremont is at least eighteen minutes, going seventy-five-miles an hour, I tested that theory myself." I say in a condescending tone. "How'd you get there in under ten?" I ask and she clears her throat uncomfortably.

"I um..." She trails off and looks around my office.

"Ms. James?" I question her and she shoots up from her chair.

"Am I on trial here or what?" She asks before stomping out of my office.

You weren't...

But you are now...

"Madison." I call over the intercom and she comes into my office.

"Yes, Ms. Davies?" She responds.

"Get me everything you can find on Detective Amanda James please."

"Right away."

–

"I have some good news to share with you." I tell Spencer and she smiles.

"You got me off?" She asks playfully quirking a brow. "Oh wait," She says holding her cuffed hands up. "I'm still in prison so... never mind." She smiles. It's two days before her trial and I think I'm more nervous than she is. Jackson and I have been working none stop to pull this case together and I think we've just about done it. Just a few more loose ends to tie up.

"I said I have good news... not spectacular." I counter and she just smiles wider.

"So, what's this good news you need to share with me?" She asks sitting back in her chair.

"Your case, it's um... it's coming together quite nicely." I say and she nods and leans forward.

"Do you think we have a shot at winning?" She asks in a hushed tone.

"I told you, this is the DA's office case to win or lose. But I have plenty of holes to poke in it." I assure her and she nods. "You okay in here?" I ask after a moment of silence.

She shakes her head and smiles. "This again?" I'll admit, I ask her this question just about every time I come here. I can't help it. I care.

Maybe a little more than I should.

"I'm just-"

"I'm fine, Ashley." She says sternly with a head nod for emphasis. "Haven't gotten into any fights, no one steals my chow and I think other women may even be intimidated by me. I mean come on... everyone does think I murdered my husband in cold blood." She says in a sarcastic tone.

"Bad ass." I play along.

"That's me." She says then pretends to hock a loogie and spit it out.

"Gross, Spencer." I tell her playfully, making a disgusted face.

"You're right that was gross." Her face turns from faux seriousness to disgust as well. We both giggle before silence falls over us. She stares at me intently and I don't dare look away. It's like she's reading me. Deciding if this façade I some times put up is real or not. I've never been more real and honest in my life than I have been around this woman.

"I should go." I say standing up, breaking our staring contest.

"Really?" She asks. I nod. "Do you have to?" No, I don't but I should.

"Yes." I lie. So much for being real.

"Shut up brain." I say out loud on accident.

"Huh?" Spencer questions me.

"Nothing." I shake my head and smile before making my way to the door to signal the guard of my want...need to exit this room.

"Ashley you okay?" Spencer asks, confusion still evident in her tone and her face.

"I'm fine." I assure her.

But I'm not fine. I'm not fine at all. I mumble a 'see you later' and run out of the building... well more of a power walk, but I got out quickly none-the-less.

I have two days to prepare for trial and I'm gonna need every second I've got.