EYES LIKE RAZORS

(125) Good boy

"Holy shit," Ashton chuckles, flicking through one of the files Lance had left Madison, "why does he have copies of all your prison records?"

"They date back to when we were nine and accidentally set that guys tent on fire at the fair." Edmund says.

"Let me see," Madi says and Ash hands one of the many files over to her.

"Those aren't copies," Eddie states, picking a note from the box.

Technically, you've never been to prison, or at least they have no evidence to prove you have been, consider this my final act of service.

"The crazy fucker stole the files," Ashton says, "fair play, must've taken awhile considering the hefty amount of crimes you've committed."

"There's still the papers that reported on it," Edmund replies.

"Yeah, but that doesn't count, everyone knows you can buy the papers." Ashton shrugs.

"Everyone knows she went to jail," Edmund points out.

"There's no paper trail anymore," Ashton states, "it doesn't matter if people know, no jury can add charges to charges that no longer exist. They've been struck from the record, hence she has a clean slate."

"Thats not how it works." Edmund responds.

"No, he might be on to something," Madison says, "when Lance visited me in jail, we overheard someone say that even if I ever managed to get out, whatever crimes I ever committed would pile on and I'd be trialed on all of them, not just the new one."

"They'd keep re-trialing you on the same counts?" Edmund asks and she nods, "all together, every single time I did something, even if it was as small as stealing a shilling, they'd trial me on the murders."

"Now they can't do that," Ash says, "because she technically has no criminal record to link her to any of the past things she apparently did."

"And that's going to stop them?" Edmund questions, "you think that'll stop them if they want to arrest her? They haven't forgotten, they're not stupid, they'll just think the files have been lost and charge her anyway."

"I haven't done anything that illegal in a while now that I think about it." Madison hums.

"Fucking hell.. look of course its good they have no records, which I guess means technically you're right, no evidence, but there's still a large chance they won't give two shits about the files if they want to arrest you again." Edmund sighs.

"Always such a pessimist." Ashton groans.

"Realist," Edmund corrects.

"Call it what you want, you're a negative nitwit." Ashton retorts, as a soft knock sounded at the office door, the three adults all telling the person to 'enter' simultaneously, resulting in Ed and Ash being smacked round the head my Madi, "it's not your office."

"Millie?" Ash asks, "what's wrong?"

Millie was stood in the doorway, she was out of breath and hiccuping through her tears.

"I didn't know where else to go." Millie whispers.

"You came to the right place," Madison assures, walking towards her, noticing her arm was scratched up and her dress torn, "what's happened?"

"I climbed out my window," Millie says.

"Why were you climbing out your window?" Edmund questions.

"Mark's at my house, he was screaming at the front door, kicking and hitting it. Ma is out, so I hid upstairs, but he broke through the door." Millie explains.