What You Don't Know (Sequel to "Secret Love")(Hunter Hayes/James Marsden)

An Affirmation Rescinded and a Walk Taken

Here's the explanation Trenton was promising! Though, perhaps not so much of an explanation, after all?

Picture of Bethany at the top! :D 

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"I can explain."

Bethany blinked slowly, tearing her eyes away from his suddenly-muscled chest and forcing herself to look at his newly-shaven face. She tried to nod that he continue, desperate for whatever comfort his explanation could offer, but was not entirely sure her head was following her orders.

She shrank back on the mattress, but Trenton did not come forward to pull her back. He stayed where he was, arms folded and shoulder blades pressed into the white-washed wood of his doorframe.

"Do you remember what I told you about my reputation, Bethany?"

She tried to focus; what had he said?

"A few years ago, I was in New Mexico for a conference. I was staying in the town's nicest inn, and somebody in the room next to mine had been shot and killed. Of course, I had nothing to do with it; I'd never met the man except the morning before when he had bumped into me on his way to the lobby. But...someone wasn't so sure about that. To this day, I still don't know what it was, but they found some kind of evidence that I was behind the murder, and...they started following me. Everywhere I looked, there were people watching me. Even after someone else was convicted and confessed to the crime, they were there! I became paranoid and no matter what I did, I could not shake them! Finally I called the cops, but they told me I was being crazy. I even called the FBI, but they told me it was out of their jurisdiction! I hired a private detective, but he couldn't turn up anything on them either. It seemed that nobody knew who these men were. I stayed in New Mexico far longer than I should have, hopped around from city to city trying to lose them, afraid that if I left the state, they'd follow me all the way back here and then I'd never be free.

"So...I finally came up with the idea to disguise myself. At first it was just a mustache and a wig, and I wore bigger clothes so I wasn't so conspicuous in a crowd. They recognized me too easily. I was too familiar. I went bigger: changed wigs and grew out a beard, but it still wasn't effective, and eventually they began threatening me to stop running from them."

He came forward and knelt in front of the bed, his hands folded in front of his face as though he were saying his bedtime prayers. He took in a quavering breath.

"They cornered me in an alley one day. Four of them, all bigger and more skilled than me. I wasn't armed; they were. They beat me up and tossed me to the ground, and the biggest one stuck a gun in my mouth and told me that if I ever showed my face in New Mexico again, he'd shoot me.

"I've been trying to find those men ever since I got back to New York, but without recruiting any help, it's been too difficult. I can't go to the police; I can't trust anybody. If, somehow, their so-called evidence is compelling enough...there may be a retrial. I can't go to jail, Bethany."

Trenton was gripping the sheets now, conviction and fear a brutal brew in his eyes.

"Especially for something I didn't do."

He leaned his head onto the bed and Bethany drew in a breath. Then she drew in another, and a smile spread across her cheeks. She thanked her lucky stars that Trenton kept his head pressed into the sheets, because her reaction was probably far from what he had anticipated.

She almost could not keep herself from giggling! Euphoria was washing over her in torrents, and if Trent had asked her why, she would not have been able to answer.

Trenton was a murderer! He was every last thing Jeremy Willakers or Reese Thereon, or Benny, or any of her own inklings had said!

There were so many holes in the story Trenton had just told her that she knew beyond a doubt that he was exactly who she had come here to prove he was.

For one thing, Trenton McDermott had been quoted numerous times saying he would never set foot in New Mexico or any of the states surrounding it. He was terrified both of being land locked and of tornados! Not only that, but what kind of "conference" would he have been going to? She had never heard of a convention for Broadway backstage managers. No such thing existed.

He must think I'm unbelievably stupid! She thought, strangely excited by that fact. A "retrial"? Really, Trenton? You do realize that Double Jeopardy prevents the reopening of a case in which a defendant has gained legitimate acquittal or federal conviction. Who do you think you're dealing with: a fifth grader?

And why would these men -who, according to Trenton's story, had framed him for a murder he did not commit - bother to follow him around New Mexico? Why would they threaten him to leave the state? Why would the police completely discredit Trenton's tale, if he had, indeed, gone to them with the news that dangerous men were following him? Also, she was personally involved with the FBI, and knew that they were not the kind of agency that was open to the public's calls at random. There was no way that Trenton would have been allowed to contact them...directly...unless...

The thought hit her suddenly, and wiped the mislaid smile from her cheeks. Trenton chose that moment to look up from the sheet, and, seeing her stunned expression and taking it as the result of his explanation, sank his head into the skin of her thigh and gripping her hips fiercely. She hardly noticed, but could feel his apologetic words falling heavy and warm on her jean-clad skin.

He couldn't possibly...could he? Is...can that even happen? I always wondered if Jeremy were really a real agent, but he couldn't be working for Trent could he? And what if he is? Why would he be gathering Intel on Trent if he were Jeremy's boss? What could he possibly hope to gain?

No...that's far too...out there. You're thinking crazy, Beth. Jeremy knows too much. Trenton would never trust anyone with that information, especially not one of his employees.

What if...maybe I was right! Maybe Jeremy and Reese and all those creeps in glasses...what if they're the bad guys? Or...some bad guys..and Trenton is, too...wait...ugh! I'm confusing myself!

"Let's go out!" she near shouted, feeling the air around her suddenly, and hating the thick soup of it in her throat.

Trent did not move, but she pushed through his door anyway.

"Come on, Trent!" she yelled, clutching the knob to his front door and pulling her coat on as she ducked into the hallway. Why was she taking him with her? Obviously he clouded her focus, confounded her and made her entire sense of logic tip and turn uncontrollably. One second, he was exactly what Jeremy Willakers said, and the next, she was ready to absolve him of all guilt! What was going on with her?

She tore at her hair and took several deep breaths just as soon as the tip of her nose tasted the nip in the September air.

It's a little early to be this chilly, she thought errantly, holding out her hand as though she expected snow to litter her palm.

Trenton finally made his way through the revolving door outside his apartment complex. He stared at her curiously, though hesitantly, and she felt the urge to smile. She held out her hand and pulled him further into the world, enticing him to join her on her excursion.

"Walk with me, Trent."

"Bethany...I-I...wha-"

"Hush," she whispered, patting his arm and leaning in to kiss his neck reassuringly. "It's all too much for me right now, Trent."

She turned to look him dead in the eye, and he responded by pressing her hand further into his side.

"Don't you want to talk about this?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't. Look, I'm going to go home in just a little while, and I think you know that...well, I'll be thinking about this...I'll be thinking about this for a long time. But right now...I just want to walk. Can you just walk with me, Trenton? Please?"

He gawked at her a moment longer, but finally shut his mouth and nodded warily.