A Wife's Fall part 4
By
Soul71
Thanks to WAA01 and Killerarmyguy for the edits.
******
~~~Betty~~~
I stood in fright between two patrolmen as I rode the elevator up to the department my husband works in. I had no idea why I was being dragged down here for. I was sitting at my desk, doing my work so I could go on lunch, remembering how the last three nights had gone. I had my husband back, at least physically. The road to repair our relationship that I had stupidly harmed was a far more difficult trail to trek. Nevertheless, I was determined to ensure to Wane that I would never stumble like that again. So imagine my surprise when I looked up, and there stood two uniformed officers. Looking around as I followed after, "
Wane
?!" I gasped in my mind when I walked past the door to one of their interrogation rooms. "
Oh, God, what happened? Oh, shit, this is bad, this is very bad
," I mumbled to myself, remembering how Sean and Dean didn't show up to work Tuesday and Wednesday. I knew Wane wasn't done. The question now is: can I live with what I know and still remain? I pondered this as I was led into a room and told to have a seat. I knew this day would come, and I told myself I would lie to the police if I had to. I guess I knew my answer to my question.
"Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Carter. I'm Detective Sanders with IAB." I turned my head as the door opened, and in stepped a late fifties man with salt and pepper hair. "Now I have some questions that will be hard to hear, but I need to ask them, so please bear with me."
"Okay, what's this about, and why are you talking to my husband?" I asked, looking at the man, then to the one-way glass, knowing someone must be behind it.
"Mrs. Carter, do you know these two men?" the man asked, laying Sean's and Dean's pictures before me.
"Yes, I had an affair with them," I said truthfully. I could see that the man was taken aback that I was so candid about the transgression I had made against Wane and my wedding vows.
"You're admitting that you're in a sexual relationship..."
"No, I said, had an affair, past tense, and it was only the one time, plus they're my co-workers, so of course, I know them. Why are you asking me these questions?"
"How was your husband acting before the days of Tuesday and Wednesday?" Detective Sanders asked, pulling out a pad and pen.
"Normalish, we've been doing a lot of counseling; as you can suspect, Wane wasn't happy when he walked into that. So we've been working on trying to work things out."
"And how did your husband take it when he came home that day?" he asked.
"Marched us out the door nude as he found us to my sister's house six blocks down the street," I answered truthfully. Knowing Wane, he wouldn't lie about that day. So I knew I couldn't leave out a part or sugarcoat it either. If I was going to keep my Wane from going to jail, I would bear my sins for all to see.
"And how did he do that? Surely these two men could have easily overpowered your husband."
"With his gun, not threateningly," I assured the man.
"And has he ever made any threats that you know of against these two men after that day?" Detective Sanders asked, lightly touching the two pictures.
"No, he has not," I stated firmly.
"At any time has he acted strangely around you... you know, disappearing at odd hours, on the phone or texting to someone and quickly putting it away?" I knew what he was trying to do; I wasn't falling for it.
"No, he has not," I repeated.
"Thank you, Mrs. Carter, for coming down, one last question. Where were you on Tuesday at 9 and 10am on Wednesday?"
"At my desk, taking phone calls and doing my work, you can ask anyone on the floor," I said, gesturing with a wave of my hands.
"Please wait here while we talk with your husband," Detective Sanders spoke; I just simply nodded. Praying to God that Wane had nothing to do with this, even though I had a feeling he did.
******
~~~Wane~~~
I knew I'd be sitting at this table. I accepted that the moment I put this into motion. However, I knew I covered my tracks before they drew their last breaths, so I wasn't worried. Although, the sight of the Captain of the division I work in entering did pique my interest.
"Good morning Mr. Carter. I'm Detective Sanders with IAB," he said, introducing himself as he walked into the room and nodded to the Captain.
"Want to tell me why someone from IAB wants to speak with me? Sir, should I have a lawyer present for this?" I asked, looking at my boss.
"They're simple questions, Wane, nothing to be worried about," the Captain said; I knew he was there to oversee this interrogation.
"Mr. Carter, do you know who these two men are?"
"Yes," I answered as he slid their pictures towards me.
"Who are they, Mr. Carter?"
"The men I found fucking my wife," I stated, pushing the pictures back towards him. "What of it?"
"Did you or did you not, at gun point, march your wife, Sean Douglas, and Dean Shepherd nude down the street to your sister-in-law's six blocks away?" I stared into the eyes of the man across from me; I could see the job was it to him.
"Yes."
"At any point in time did you threaten, assault, them in any way?"
"No, the moment they stepped on Celine's property, I turned and went back home; after that, I never saw them again," I said truthfully.
"And did you speak to a Mrs. Douglas and Mrs. Shepherd at any time during that day?"
"Yes, a little after I got home. I was in the middle of tossing my wife's things into the guest bedroom when their phones went off in the pants they left behind. So I answered it, told them who I am, why I would have their husband's phones, and where to find their cheating husband's in the nude."
"And what happened to their belongings, Mr. Carter?"
"Gathered up their shit, tossing it in the car they had arrived in and took a piss in the back seat all over it and the car, then I tossed the key on the front seat, locked the doors, called Robert down at the tow yard we use and had it towed to their impound lot," I stated factually. I could see the amusement in his eyes.
"After that, you say you have had no contact with these people?"
"That's right," I nodded.
"Where were you on Tuesday at 9 and 10am on Wednesday?"
"Tuesday, I was on my way with Grey to another crime scene in the Bondage slayings case, and Wednesday I was on scene at a domestic homicide," I said, seeing his pen moving across his notepad.
"Wane, until this investigation is over or until you're cleared, I'm putting you on paid leave. It's not that I think you had a hand in it; I just have to protect our ongoing cases," my boss said once the Detective had left the room. I had thought this might happen. Not that I was going to enjoy it. "Since you'll be on suspension, you'll be barred from any and all police functions, that's including the awards dinner. I'm sorry, Wane." Well, saves me the trouble of thinking of a lie to get out of it.
"I'm being refunded for my tickets, right?" I asked, looking up at him. I had bought them before Betty had her fit of insanity, as she calls it. I could see I had caught him off guard. "Seeing how I've already paid for them." Everyone knew where they were, where I always place them when they come in, on top of my computer. I, however, wasn't expecting the man to reach into his jacket and pull out his wallet. "I'm sorry, son; I hope the two of you can work it out. Maybe this time away from this place can help you and your wife." I knew he meant well; I had my doubts as he placed the forty dollars to cover the cost in my hand.
******
~~~Betty~~~
My head snapped over to the door as it opened after what seemed like hours of waiting to me. My eyes lit up at the sight of my husband standing in the doorway. While it wasn't there because of my actions, I knew in my heart there were still embers clinging to life, embers ready to spring back to life if given the right fuel.