Game

David watched as Hannah settled down quietly on the hard wooden chair just across him. She had grown thinner. Why wouldn’t she? She wore a calm demeanour but he was well aware she was rattled inside. For a second, she’d looked as though she were somewhere else. 

“You know... Orange kinda looks good on your skin.” 

“You doofus.” Hannah said, her face bearing no special smile. “I'm surprised you made it here in one piece.”

David chuckled lightly, settling his hands gently on the table top. Hannah turned her gaze to him. 

“Trust me. It wasn’t easy. Thanks to the Sheriff, I would have died from instant suffocation.”

Hannah raised a brow. “So how are you?”

“Not so good.” David held his gaze at her. 

“You?” 

Hannah shrugged. “What do you think?” 

David flashed a nervous smile. 

“Who's handling the prosecution?” Hannah asked drily. 

“Dexter Mitchell.” David answered, scanning her face to see any sign of panic. There was none. 

“And my kids?” 

“They are at your Aunt Macy's.”

“You didn’t tell them. Did you?” 

The question threw David off. He felt insulted. What was he expecting though? It was Hannah after all. 

“N-No, of course... why would I?”

Hannah turned away. She was staring blankly at the wall. 

“Nothing makes sense.”

The statement stirred a rage in David’s heart. 

“Things would have been different if you accepted me.” 

Hannah frowned. “I was a married woman David.” 

David scoffed. “A married woman huh.” 

Colour appeared on Hannah's cheekbones. 

“Well I thought I was.” She pushed off a loosed strand of hair from her face. 

“You have to get me out of here David.” 

David sighed, he was trying hard to suppress the pang welling up inside him. 

“The bond hearing is set for ten o'clock Wednesday morning.” Hannah rolled her eyes. David ignored the act. “You are aware you've been charged with kidnapping and murder.” 

“That's insane.” Hannah said crisply. “They have no reasonable evidence to prove that.” 

“Well, your hair and an unidentified hair strand. Probably your alibi – were the only foreign piece found on Daniel's body.”

“What do they expect, I was his wife, we slept on the same bed.” 

“Your shawl was found just few yards away from the crime scene with blood stains that matched Daniel's blood type.”

Hannah shook her head. 

“Plus the gold watch he wore the day he was kidnapped was found in the pigeon hole of your car.”

“Oh come on.”

David threw his head in his palms. “And you were the last person to see him at his office that night.”

“How valid is the info.”

“Security footage.”

“Oh.”

"After you left, Where did you go?"

"A bar. Crescent bar. I was there till ten p.m."

“Amy... the secretary... she also reported you both had a big quarrel at the Office before you left.”

“Well– "

“And you broke something before you left too.”

“Yeah a damn vase but that’s nothing out of the ordinary. I mean everybody do that.”

“Everybody?”

Hannah sighed frustratingly. “Well some people.” Hannah bit her fingers. “It doesn’t prove anything.”

“Think about it David. If I really was the murderer would I be so careless? I mean I’m a Lawyer. Don't you think I’d be too smart to overlook anything implicating.” 

They remained quiet for a minute. David was the first to talk. 

“All these years Hannah, you never told me.” 

Hannah turned away. She knew very well what he meant. 

“Why?”

“I guess I thought he would change. The girls. They adore him. I didn't want them to grow up like me.” Hannah whispered.

David sighed, massaging his temple. “When did you find out, he was sending off large amount of money to strange accounts.?” 

“The same day he was kidnapped.”

“And the other women?”

“Same day.”

“How did you find out ‘bout all these?”

“You know David, that's what I still haven't figured out. I got a call.”

“From who?”

“He never said who he was – only that he worked at Daniel's firm.”

“And how did you know about the other women.” 

“I found a DVD cassette, some pictures and docs in my mailbox. I bet someone put it there intentionally for me to find out.”

“That was the reason you went to his office that day.”

“Yeah.” Hannah slouched tiredly. 

“I bet Daniel has been involved in some criminal shit right?”

“Uh huh.”

“And he paid badly for it. But why put it on me? Why will they set me up for his murder?”

“To divert attention from them?”

“Well Hannah you're not in many criminals favourite book you know.”

“Of course.”

“I still don't understand how I could have been so stupid for so long.”

“Don’t say that Hannah.”

“My daughters. I don't even know what to tell them.”

“You will be fine. When the time comes, I'm sure you will know how to handle it.”

David sighed. “I bet Mitchell is gonna say it was a crime done out of grief and contempt. 

David frowned. “You had a mental breakdown history and well... you've been pretty much exposed to crime shits.”

“That sounds ridiculously low – “ 

“So is Dexter.” 

“Besides I'd that as a teenager.” 

David shrugged.

“I didn't kill Daniel.” 

David nodded but said nothing. Hannah thought she would burst. The weight of his silence killed her.

“Do you think I'm guilty Frederick?” It was the first time she called his middle name. David turned green. 

“No. I know you're innocent.” 

Hannah flashed a smile of relief.

“B-but I can't be your Attorney.”

The smile disappeared as fast as it had appeared. She remained silent. It made him swallow hard. 

“George Kirkwood will.”

It was more than obvious she was disappointed. 

“Emily. She wants me off the case.” The statement drew a surprised look on Hannah's face

“We're moving to New York.”

“God – and you never told me all the while?”

“Say that to yourself Hannah.”

“Okay! I'm sorry. I’m sorry I wasn't honest about Daniel's behaviours.”

David scoffed. “Behaviours huh? It doesn't matter now. Does It?

“So you won't help me?” 

“Don't think about it that way Hannah. George is great at his job and you know that.” 

Hannah found herself holding her breath. “You baffle me David.” She said crisply. 

“I am sorry Hannah.”

“Maybe you should just leave.” 

David stood up slowly. He had been bracing himself all day for this. He walked slowly away stopping dead just in front of the metal board.

“There was a time I'd moved heaven and earth for you Hannah. But I never could do that.” David whispered , bowing his head slightly against the door. “I can never do that. It took me this long to realize. Hannah not anymore. I don't think I want to be involved anymore.”

“Please.” She said faintly. 

“I can't.” 

“Please.”

“She's my fiancé.”

“You can't just leave me –“ Hannah called out shakily. “the kids!”

David pulled the door handle. 

“David?”

“I'll go make some calls.”