Post Claudio's murder Todd and Helen were interviewed three times separately and asked where they were when the lights went out, what they did whist the lights were off and where they were when the lights came on. Todd was seething inside he felt it was more like they were being interrogated as suspects, but he managed to keep cool. During the 'interviews' and in between them he had no opportunity to speak to Helen though he felt he should be there at her side, she needed him. It was late afternoon before they were told they could go as several members of the jury had corroborated their stories, apparently they were sympathetic towards her and were watching her while the witnesses were being questioned.
Trevor took them out the now familiar back way so as to avoid the myriad of reporters and TV crews that thronged the main doorway. Todd held her protectively telling everything was ok now although he knew there were still the three boys to deal with how she would get through that he had no idea.
Helen showered and Todd helped her dress for bed, (she wouldn't sleep naked with him yet) and the pills he gave her soon sent her into a blissful sleep. She was asleep when Todd climbed in behind her and spooned against her with his arms around her so she would know he was there if she woke up.
Wake up she did, sobbing into her pillow, crying, but not wails of despair they were tears of relief at being free of the spectre of Claudio. Again he comforted her telling her everything was ok and holding her tight with her trembling body against him, then she rolled over and lay in his arms still sobbing gently as she finally realised the enormity of what had happened in the courtroom. Helen clung to him as if she would never let go and Todd didn't mind one little bit. Slowly her sobbing ceased and she was asleep again her tear stained face angelic in the early morning light, angelic and peaceful.
His phone going off brought him awake and he answered it in a flash not wanting to wake Helen, it was Lou with some great news after she had asked after Helen,
"She's still asleep Lou so what do you have to tell me?"
“Okay then, it will be up to you to pass it along. Pete had a little talk with Colin and those other two scum bags. Once they found out what happened to Claudio, they started rethinking what they were claiming. Then we played for them the end of one of their little sex tapes. It outlines their plans to keep Helen doped up as their own prostitute, plus to try to snag some other innocent young women to start their own stable. I’ll leave it up to your decision as to whether to reveal that or not.”
She paused a moment to let her words sink in.
“Suffice to say, the assholes agreed to plead guilty to rape and none of that other stuff has to come out. They have no idea as to who offed dickwad Claudio. His attorney kept trying to claim that it was you or Helen, but your saving grace was that half of the jury was watching the two of you throughout the entire power outage. The women were touched at how caring you were of Helen, holding her and comforting her.”
She took a breath before continuing.
“The jury has been released. Meanwhile, Claudio’s men seem a bit nervous, I guess wondering if they are next.”
"I guess they are but do you have any theory as to who might have bumped him off? Maybe the Mob themselves, Claudio was a downright coward and he could open up trails leading to the Mob losing millions, maybe they didn't want to take the chance he might talk to try and save his skin."
"You could be right Todd, we'll be taking a look at the security tapes and see if there's any faces we recognise. By the way did you know the knife used to kill Claudio was Navy Seal Knife?"
Trevor took them out the now familiar back way so as to avoid the myriad of reporters and TV crews that thronged the main doorway. Todd held her protectively telling everything was ok now although he knew there were still the three boys to deal with how she would get through that he had no idea.
Helen showered and Todd helped her dress for bed, (she wouldn't sleep naked with him yet) and the pills he gave her soon sent her into a blissful sleep. She was asleep when Todd climbed in behind her and spooned against her with his arms around her so she would know he was there if she woke up.
Wake up she did, sobbing into her pillow, crying, but not wails of despair they were tears of relief at being free of the spectre of Claudio. Again he comforted her telling her everything was ok and holding her tight with her trembling body against him, then she rolled over and lay in his arms still sobbing gently as she finally realised the enormity of what had happened in the courtroom. Helen clung to him as if she would never let go and Todd didn't mind one little bit. Slowly her sobbing ceased and she was asleep again her tear stained face angelic in the early morning light, angelic and peaceful.
His phone going off brought him awake and he answered it in a flash not wanting to wake Helen, it was Lou with some great news after she had asked after Helen,
"She's still asleep Lou so what do you have to tell me?"
“Okay then, it will be up to you to pass it along. Pete had a little talk with Colin and those other two scum bags. Once they found out what happened to Claudio, they started rethinking what they were claiming. Then we played for them the end of one of their little sex tapes. It outlines their plans to keep Helen doped up as their own prostitute, plus to try to snag some other innocent young women to start their own stable. I’ll leave it up to your decision as to whether to reveal that or not.”
She paused a moment to let her words sink in.
“Suffice to say, the assholes agreed to plead guilty to rape and none of that other stuff has to come out. They have no idea as to who offed dickwad Claudio. His attorney kept trying to claim that it was you or Helen, but your saving grace was that half of the jury was watching the two of you throughout the entire power outage. The women were touched at how caring you were of Helen, holding her and comforting her.”
She took a breath before continuing.
“The jury has been released. Meanwhile, Claudio’s men seem a bit nervous, I guess wondering if they are next.”
"I guess they are but do you have any theory as to who might have bumped him off? Maybe the Mob themselves, Claudio was a downright coward and he could open up trails leading to the Mob losing millions, maybe they didn't want to take the chance he might talk to try and save his skin."
"You could be right Todd, we'll be taking a look at the security tapes and see if there's any faces we recognise. By the way did you know the knife used to kill Claudio was Navy Seal Knife?"