Cheryl's POV
"Ok I asked T to get me tea from cross campus, and soup from west campus so we have like 20 minutes because she's running," I say as RJ comes in
I've been really sick the last couple days so I've been more on the RJ trail than the school work
"So have you heard anything?"
"Yes, they do not have any DNA, you got really lucky. If I needed to fake DNA it would take a long time," I say looking at my folder "as of now, they are treating it as death due to injuries from an unknown assailant,"
"What does that mean?"
"It means since Toni already scuffed him up so they are working the lead that he got in another fight," I sigh "it's also lucky that Fred wasn't with him,"
"I didn't see anyone," he says
"Two witnesses, both saw the attack on Toni," I say "no one, saw yours, but was your face covered? Were you wearing anything to distinguish yourself?"
"I had my hood up, the knife I used I found on the street,"
"It was Dougies knife," I confirm "he tried to get rid of it after using it on Toni,"
"Really?"
"That's why they didn't find your DNA, they found T's,"
He nods and I keep looking through the binder. I get a message from my person inside the police station.
"Just got this, the police have 5 formal suspects," I say looking at the email
Cheryl,
The police have 5 suspects including his brother, you, Reginald Mantle, and Thomas Topaz,
Any more developments you'll hear from me
"You aren't named, you are in the clear,"
"Who is?" He asks
"Me, Reggie, Freddy, and Thomas Topaz?" I say confused
"Who's Thomas?"
"Toni's uncle, he's supposed to be in jail,"
"I thought you said 5,"
"She did," I say confused
I refresh my email
The last suspect wasn't included
Toni Topaz
Sorry
"It's Toni," I sigh "Toni's the fifth suspect,"
"If She is arrested, or you- I'll turn myself in,"
"No you can't," I say
"Why not?"
"Because I can protect Toni, she's innocent, you aren't," I say "that's the blunt way of telling you, but I can persuade cops that Toni's innocent and plead my own case- even Reggie I can defend. But a confession isn't something I can take back, I can't cover it up- it would be life in prison,"
He nods
"Ok so there is no physical evidence pointing to the crime but the knife.."
"I found it on the street, I was wearing gloves,"
"It was the knife dougie used on Toni," I sigh looking at that page "it was his own knife,"
"Oh, well.. karma?"
"Quite possibly," I half laugh
I think- what am I missing? What can I do?
"Alibi," I sigh "there's no witnesses but without an alibi they can point it at you,"
Think Cheryl, think. What can I do?
"Give me your phone," I say
He hands it to me and I start.
"What are you doing?" He asks
"Hacking you an alibi," I say
"How?"
"Plausible deniability RJ," i sigh "just like everything else I've done, you can't know,"
He sighs and nods.
I add the call, 15 minutes before Dougies time of death until 43 minutes after.
Now who?
"Who would cover you?" I mumble
"Reg might,"
"Reggie's a suspect, that's how they'll get both of you in jail," I sigh
Mox would be good
But there is two twins, twice as strong
"Austen," I sigh "best option,"
I add Austen to his call log for that time and then close it so it can't be undone.
I dial austen on my phone
"Austen?" I say as I hear him pick up
"What's up Blossom?"
"The night Douglas was killed, after you got to your dorm, you got a call from RJ and you guys talked for almost an hour,"
"I didn't hear from RJ after me and Will left,"
"You did, you talked- on speaker, with Will and RJ about Football and touched on T's concussion,"
"Cheryl.."
"Austen, trust me, listen to me. If people ask questions, which they won't- I have made absolute sure about that. But in a case where I'm wrong, that's what happened, tell your brother. Any questions?"
"Blossom, I've come to learn you are never wrong,"
"And with that you are right, Austen tell your brother, tell this story to yourself long enough that you believe it's the truth,"
"Ok Blossom, I'm telling toni you're in Xanax,"
"Do not tell toni anything," I say "please it's for her own good,"
"Fine," he says
I hang up and have a coughing fit.
RJ puts his hand on my back and calms me down.
"You have an alibi, it's enough for reasonable doubt," I say "for the foreseeable future, in the many outcomes I have established even if they try and connect you- they no longer can. I corrupted every cam on the campus after 12 and before 3 on campus that night and for several nights after that so it looks like a it's not an isolated event. There's no connection," I say "you're off the hook,"
"Thank you for all of this, I know you're putting your neck out for this,"
"No one, ever, will trace this back to me," I say "there is no way, there's no trace,"
"Thank you," he says
"Thank you," I reply "if he didn't die, I wouldn't have my fiancé,"
I hug him and he hugs me back.
"You tell no one else though, if they figure out that I did some tampering, they'll send undercovers after you. Not even your best friend and never Toni,"
"Deal, Of course,"
I nod and we turn on the TV.
"Baby, I'm back," T says opening the door "oh hey RJ,"
"Hey Tiny," he says
"What are you doing here? Did I miss film?"
"Oh no, Cheryl was helping me out on a project and I had some questions, but I have to go now actually," he says "see you at practice tomorrow?"
"I'll be there," she says
He leaves and Toni come over to sit down.
"Hey baby," she says
"Hey,"
"Are you feeling any better?" She asks
I shake my head.
"That's ok, I got you soup and tea and I got you this," she says
She grabs a bag from beside the couch and gets a bear out of it.
It's a medium sized, brown bear with a red ribbon, holding a heart plush that says I love you forever
"Awe baby, this is so cute," I say taking it "Thank you,"
She goes to kiss me and I put my finger on her lips
"It's football season babes, you can't get sick,"
"I don't care," she says
"But your teammates will," I say "and I don't want to get on their bad sides,"
She laughs and we watch tv while I eat my soup and finish my tea.
I go into a coughing fit and T rubs my back.
"Are you tired babe?" She asks
I nod and she smiles softly
"Lie down," I lay on her and she wraps her arms around me
She kisses my head and then my lips
"T.."
"Cher, let me get sick," she whispers kissing my cheek "I want you to feel safe, and happy,"
I hum and cuddle further into her.
"I love you C,"
"I love you T,"
...
I wake up clutching the small bear in one hand and Toni's shirt in the other. She's playing on her phone, peering over my head.
"Hey babes," she laughs "did I wake you?"
"No you're ok," I say "are you bored?"
"I'm here with my smokin hot fiancé," she smiles "how could I ever be bored?"
"Because I was sleeping,"
"And you're beautiful in your sleep,"
I giggle and she turns her phone to camera mode.
"T I look like crap,"
"You absolutely do not, buy this is only for me. I promise,"
"Ok,"
She take a few selfies and giggles.
"That's really cute C,"
"You're really cute," I laugh
She scrolls through her Instagram while I play with the bear.
It's cute, I like it.
"You seem to enjoy his company more than mine," she laughs
"He doesn't talk,"
"Ya but I kiss you,"
She kisses me and I smile against her lips.
"You're right, that's way better,"
"If I ever go to jail.." I start
"Babe don't bring that up, there's no way,"
"Just in general T, if I ever go to jail don't stop your life. Don't for a minute drop things, you need to stay who you are because when I get out- and I have plans in place that ensure I will get released- I need your life to be the same and if I'm gone for long I want to see if we still work,"
"C, I think your delirious from the high fever,"
"Maybe you're right," I sigh
She laughs and kisses the top of my head
"Sometimes I look at you and wonder how I got so damn lucky," she says "when did my life become this?"
"When I first met you T, I really didn't think you'd be this important to me. I mean, you're the absolute best thing to ever happen to me, and I love you, but I always thought you were too good of a person for me,"
She giggles and we watch TV.
Freddy's face pops up
And T goes into a panic attack.