Enchanted Adventure

XVIII. The Stable Boy

"But I didn't kill Kathryn. Why won't anyone believe me?"

"The murder weapon was found in your apartment, your fingerprint was on the box containing Kathryn's heart... Shall I go on? Why not, for once, make it easier on everyone? Because confession or not, you're leaving Storybrooke."

"And you like that. Why? Why do you take such pleasure in this? What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?"

She left and soon, Emma and Mr. Gold entered, while in the midst of an argument.

"A pretrial interview with the prosecution?" Emma said. "Explain to me how that is a good idea."

"The D.A. merely wishes to ask Miss Blanchard a few questions," Mr. Gold replied.

"She's done answering questions. And why are we kissing up to the D.A.? Why aren't we going after Regina? She's the one who's setting up Mary Margaret."

"And what proof do we have of that, Sheriff? Just because you found the Mayor's skeleton key in the cell, doesn't mean we can prove she put it there."

"So, what's your plan?"

"I believe our best chance of winning this case is to employ our most valuable asset."

"What's that?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Well, that's you, dear. A sweet, kind, elementary school teacher. Doesn't exactly fit the prototype of a killer, now, does it?"

Emma narrowed her eyes. "That's how you're going to get acquitted? By using her personality?"

"Perception is everything, Miss Swan -- not just in the courtroom, but in life. As such, I'm sure you can imagine how the jury would perceive Miss Blanchard, if she agreed to cooperate with the District Attorney. These things engender trust. It shows the jury she's at least trying-"

Sidney entered with a vase of flowers and interrupted the conversation. "Emma? Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt. I just, uh, came by to drop these off. I thought they might brighten the place up." He went into Emma's office and set the vase down.

Emma joined him. "What did you find?"

"Nothing. I-I'm sorry, Emma. I tried, I really did. I looked into her phone records. I talked to the people at the Toll Bridge. But look, what can I say? Regina knows how to cover her tracks."

"What about the murder weapon? You find anything tying her to that?"

"From what I can tell, she never bought or owned a hunting knife."

"That's all you were able to uncover?"

"Don't worry -- I'm going to keep digging. And I won't stop until I do find something."

Sidney left and Emma returned to Mr. Gold and Mary Margaret.

"I'm going to do it," Mary Margaret decided. "I'm going to talk to the D.A."

"Are you sure?" Emma asked.

"Mr. Gold's right. I know I have nothing to hide, but no one else does. I need to let people see me for who I am."

The D.A. Albert Spencer and Regina entered.

"Excellent decision, Miss Blanchard," Albert said. "My name is Spencer. I'm the District Attorney. Shall we begin?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "Yeah."

Mary Margaret, Mr. Gold, and Albert were in an interrogation room. Regina and Emma watched from behind a large window and listened to the conversation through a speaker.