"Shawn, what are we going to do?" Camila was frightened. They had just found each other again, there was no way she was going to let some small town, petty English cop pin some bogus crime on him to make himself famous or something!
"We're going to do as he said, stay here and keep safe, and hope the evidence clears me," he said, not looking as calm as his words implied.
"What if it doesn't?"
"We can't think that way, we know it wasn't what happened. They're only going by the security camera outside, that's the big one on the tree near the gate."
He stood up suddenly.
"Shit!"
"What?" she asked.
"The security cameras! There's security all through the house, including the barn! I forgot, because Maggie told me not to worry about it, that we're safe out here anyway."
"So why didn't they take the footage?" Surely the police would have seen the cameras?
"They're hidden cameras, don't ask me why, but there is definitely two in the barn, one pointed at the back door and one at the door to the house."
"Well, lets get the tape and send it to the police!" she exclaimed.
"We can't, it goes straight to the cloud and it's controlled by Maggie's iPad, which she has it with her!"
He scrabbled for his phone, which was sitting on the table. "We don't have service, dammit!"
"Well, when the police come, we'll tell them. Then we can find out what happened."
"We need to know what is on that footage."
"What do you think happened?"
"I don't know, but it isn't what they think happened. We know that."
He pulled her close and she slid her arms around his waist, squeezing him. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
"No matter what happens, I love you Camilita."
"I know, I love you too baby, it'll be fine."
They did their chores and watched a movie as the storm closed in, hitting in full force in the early afternoon. The old house rattled and moaned, this was by far the worst wind they'd felt since the Big Freeze started. They heated soup for dinner and ate it by the fire in the little living room, playing Yahtzee. Nothing seemed to penetrate their glum mood. Shortly before they headed up to bed they heard a crash and ran out into the walkway to the gym to find one of the windows had smashed. A tree branch from the tree near the gate, quite a distance away, had been thrown across and crashed through, then luckily landed back outside. Shaw ran to the barn and found some wooden planks and tools and the two of them worked to weatherproof the damage, Shawn boarding up the broken window because it needed his strength to do the job, with the wind so strong, and Camila sweeping up the glass and mopping up the melting snow that had come inside.
Exhausted, they made their way up to their room. Shawn closed the interior shutters to all the windows as they went and made sure all the fires were banked. Once in bed, they snuggled together, listening to the howling wind. It suited their mood, for they were both consumed with the thought of what would happen to him when the storm was over and the police came back. It was hard to think of anything else. As suddenly as the storm arrived, it abated, at about four in the morning. There was an eerie silence and the windows began to make cracking sounds as the ice froze upon them. Shawn added wood to all the fires to combat the cold and more blankets to the bed.
"This is so romantic," Shawn said, plucking at her plaid flannel pyjamas, that looked that they had once belonged to Maggie's sons as teens. She had the drawstring waist pulled tight and the sleeves and legs rolled up. She looked freaking adorable. He wore a larger pair in a different colour, maybe belonging to an older version of Maggie's children. They both wore thick socks and they rubbed their feet against each other's to keep warm.
"Well it is in a way, at least we're together, snuggled in a big bed, with a big fire."
"With a storm outside that could kill us dead if the fire goes out, and police ready to drag me off to prison when it's over."
"Whoa, mood killer!"
He chuckled. "I suppose there's nothing we can do about it right now."
"No," she said. "Let's just make the best of it."
"OK," he said and a moment later he had found the buttons to her pyjama shirt.
"Hey!" she exclaimed with a giggle. "I was thinking more of s'mores or singing campfire songs or something."
"This is 'or something'", he said, finally sneaking a hand inside and cupping her warm breast.
"Fuck Shawn, you're hands are freezing!"
"I know, I'm warming them up. Here, I'll show you where you can warm your hands up too."
She laughed and he kissed her.
They fell asleep with their night clothes in various states of undone, jumbled together, warm and secure. About nine am Camila's phone buzzed.
"Shawn!" she said loudly. He opened his eyes.
"I think we have phone service! Quick, ring Maggie!"
He picked up his phone and dialled the number he had stored in his contacts. It was only an hour ahead where Maggie was, and she answered on the second ring.
"Shawn! How are you lad?"
"Hi Maggie, everything is good here, a broken window that's all."
"And a dead body, I hear!"
"Where did you hear that?" Please don't tell me it made the papers!
"Ludlow police left me a message to tell me, since it's my house."
"Well that's why I'm ringing," Shawn said, explaining about the security video in the Barn.
"Yes, they last for 21 days at a time, it will still be there, on my app. I'll send it to you, and to the police."
"Thank you Maggie, hopefully it will spread some light on what happened." Shawn said tiredly.
"How are my girls going?" she asked, after agreeing.
"Your girls?"
"The chickens," Camila said, nudging him.
"Is that a woman I hear there? Are you not alone then Shawn?"
"No, my....girlfriend....is here with me." He smiled at Camila as he said it, and she smiled back, so happy he was able to say it now.
"I'm so glad you weren't stuck there alone. Anyway, I'll get that to the police, and hopefully that will.........."
"Maggie? Maggie?"
He turned to Camila. "Phones are out again."
"Well, hopefully Maggie can get the footage to the police and prove your innocence." Camila said, snuggling in close. They were both well aware that if the services were down here, they may very well be down at the police station as well, and if the cops couldn't get the video, they were in big trouble.
They lay in bed until midday, reading books and reciting paragraphs to each other, talking, telling each other stories, even meditating, and then he tickled her and they ended up in a tickle match that ended up as something else that ended up in telling each other once again how much they loved each other. After lunch, they decided to spend more time in the studio. The studio was, however, the coldest room in the house, with only a small heater there, so in the end they took the guitar and electric piano into the main living room and worked on their music there. They could record later, when it wasn't quite so icy.
"We should release that song, you know."
He looked at her. He remembered his feeling of fear when she had first suggested it, back in the studio that day. Scared of being hurt, of what it would mean to commit like this, to admit how he felt, to move forward into forever with it. Now, with the chance of being arrested, going to prison, being separated hanging over him, it seemed an insignificant thing to be concerned about. Now, when he thought of releasing the song, he was at once calm and excited. She was his best friend, his partner, his lover. They could make history together.
"OK" he said.
"OK?" she asked with a big smile.
"I need to tweak a few things."
"You always do. You need to leave it alone is what you need. It sounds amazing."
"The lyrics...."
"Well, they're from the heart, hopefully people will realise that's what it means."
"I guess it's as good a way as any to tell our story."
"I'm going to write a non-fiction book," Camila said, tapping her chin. "About my escape from certain death and finding love again during the Big Freeze."
"I'd buy it," Shawn said.
"Oh good, that's one copy sold. I'll even autograph it for you!"
"Will you sign my butt, I'll get it tattooed." She roared with laughter.
"Why are you laughing, I'm serious," he said, giving her an injured look. "I was hoping we could get matching ones."
"Matching butt tattoos,"
"Yes, of course," Shawn said, reaching out to gently pinch the region in question.
"Ow! Don't!"
"I'm not hurting you!"
"You are too!"
"Come here then and I'll kiss it better," he murmured, sliding his hands into the waistband of her pants and cupping her smooth cheeks.
"Shawn Mendes, I can actually say, you can kiss my a....."
He cut off her words with a hot, tongue filled kiss and she laughed into his mouth, the policeman and his threats forgotten for the moment.
The next two days the same pattern continued, heavy snow, and even storms, although no more damage was done, and then a sudden freeze. On the third day, a strange noise awoke Shawn. He sat up and listened, feeling Camila stir beside him. It was a truck. They were clearing the road. Camila sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Are they doing the road?"
"Yup."
"Check your phone and internet."
He grabbed his laptop first and opened his emails. Pages of unread emails awaited him, and in the middle of them was one from Maggie. He felt Camila grab his hand and squeeze as he clicked it open. There was a brief message and a video file. They watched it in silence. It went for about twenty minutes, Maggie had kindly cut and sent only the relevant footage. They exchanged looks solemnly and Shawn closed the laptop and sighed. The police would be here soon, they should be ready.
"I guess you had better go get dressed," Camila said sadly. "I'll go upstairs and sort out my stuff."
The first police car arrived just before lunch. By that time, Shawn and Camila were nervous wrecks. Shawn had finished off about four coffees, but he wouldn't let Camila have any, it would have made her even worse, and she had to agree. They sat at the table, holding hands, and waiting. The uniformed policeman and policewoman sat in their car for almost an hour, waiting for the Detective Sergeant to arrive. The time ticked by so slowly, Shawn felt the life draining out of him. He and Camila didn't speak, the only movement was his leg jiggling under the table. Twice she put her hand on it to wordlessly ask him to stop. At last the unmarked sedan pulled up and Henderson alighted.
Shawn walked to the door and opened it. The Detective stood there, looking solemn and uncomfortable. This was not a pleasant day for him either.
"Would you like to come in?" Shawn asked politely. Camila stood behind him, holding onto his arm.
"No, Mr Mendes, I think we can conclude this business quickly without that." He nodded to the policewoman who came straight to him.
"This is Senior Constable West, she'll be helping me with this business today." The policeman said.
Shawn turned to Camila and slid his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers. Both their hands were damp from nerves. He wondered if the story would get out, and how it would be played in the press. They would have to explain how Camila got there, and the business with Matthew. Nobody would come off looking good in this.
"Come on then, lets get it over with," he sighed.
"Very well," said the Detective. "First I will need you to sign this statement."
***One more chapter and an epilogue to come - do you want it all today? If enough readers want it, I'll drop it all today. Let me know in the comments!***