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"Bail is denied."
Skye's jaw dropped. "What?"
"Do something," Jax hissed to Bobby and Lindsay.
"Your honour, I think it's abundantly clear that our client does not pose a threat to society, and-"
The judge cut Lindsay off. "Perhaps, but knowing Mr. Jacks' tendency to whisk his women away on his jet, we can't rule out that Ms. Chandler Quartermaine is a flight-risk. But besides that, this is a high-risk case, ladies and gentlemen. The mob must be going nuts. The court believes your client will be safer behind bars, with constant supervision, than if she was on the streets, unprotected. It's a final decision. Bail is denied."
A tear was beginning to fall down Skye's cheek, but Jax wiped it away gently with his finger. "Maybe the judge is right," he whispered, "maybe it is for the best. There's no telling what Sonny's associates may do now that he's gone."
"Thanks for the confidence booster," Skye muttered.
"Sorry. I guess I'm just trying to look on the bright side. I want you safe until we can prove you're innocent, and if staying in a guarded cell is the only way to do it, well, that's a sacrifice I think we should be willing to make, don't you?"
Skye sighed. "I guess so."
"Bailiff," called the judge, "please bring Ms. Chandler Quartermaine back to her cell." As the officer led Skye away, Jax turned the Donnells.
"How soon do you think we can get this to trial? I don't think Skye's in any state of mind to be locked in a cell for very long."
"Actually, I have a feeling that the trial will happen as soon as possible. When the mob is involved, people want to remove the potential for a dangerous retaliation," Bobby said.
"Are you sure Skye will be safe?"
"We have petitioned to have her cell guarded around the clock," Lindsay answered, "and due to the circumstances, I'm sure we'll get it."
Jax nodded. "Good. And I'll visit her as much as I possibly can."
"Jax, I should tell you that the cops have garnered a search warrant for both Skye's hotel room, and your penthouse. The Titans office as well."
"Well what the hell do they expect to find?"
"I don't know," Bobby continued. "But they just have to cover all their bases. We'll contact you once we've gone over the evidence with the DA."
"Thanks."
****
PCPD
Holding Cells
Several hours later
"Hey, hun, you got a visitor," the guard said.
Skye quickly got up off the hard and uncomfortable bed and moved to the bars. "Jax?"
"No, it's me."
"Hi, AJ."
"Hey, are you okay? You don't look so hot."
"Well neither would you if you were facing murder charges, and had to be holed up in a cell that is both incredibly small and reeking of an odor I'd rather not identify."
AJ patted her hand through the bar. "Hey, Sis, it will be okay, I promise. Nobody's blaming you-"
"Wait a minute," Skye snapped, pulling her hands away. "You think I did it?"
A sad look washed over his face. "Well, I, uh..."
"Well, let me tell you something, AJ. I may have hated Sonny more than anyone, but I wouldn't KILL him. I could never do that. I swear."
"OK, I'm sorry. I believe you. If you say you didn't do it, then I know you didn't do it."
"I didn't."
AJ nodded. "It must have been a mob hit, then."
"Yeah," Skye said, "he had a lot of enemies. Probably someone he gypped out of millions."
"Well, I'm sorry the visit has been so short, but I've got some things I need to take care of," AJ said. "Things will work out, because you're innocent. They have to."
He squeezed her hand affectionately, then turned and left.
Skye made her way back to the cold slab they called a bed. Well, AJ was convinced she was innocent. But the question was, was she convinced herself?
****
"So what do you know?" Jax asked, eyes wide.
"Sit down," Lindsay said. The three of them took seats at a secluded table at the PC Grill.
"So? Their little search turned up nothing, right?"
Bobby and Lindsay shared a look.
"Oh, geez," Jax murmured. "Okay, for the love of God, just tell me."
"It's looking pretty bad, Jax," Lindsay began.
"The ballistics report states that the two bullets that hit Corinthos match the rest in the gun that was in Skye's hand."
"Well, she didn't even have a gun! So what's the big deal?"
"The gun was traced. Its original owner was Althea Chandler."
"Skye's adoptive mother?"
"That's right. So it seems Skye has had her mother's gun for some time."
"That's impossible. Skye hates guns-"
"Sonny's blood was also found on Skye when they brought her to the hospital."
"Well, maybe she just tried to help him-"
"A message was left on Sonny's answering machine. It sounds pretty bad."
"What did it say?" Jax demanded.
Bobby took a piece of paper out of the file. He unfolded it and read, ""Sonny, it's Skye. We have some business to discuss, so don't go anywhere. I'm on my way over. You've pushed things too far, and it's time to settle the score."
Ouch. That did sound really bad, Jax admitted to himself. But there had to be some other explanation.
"Maybe she was talking about a business deal. Isn't that what Skye said she was on her way over to talk about?"
"Yes, but can that be proven?" Lindsay replied.
Jax didn't answer.
"But the oddest thing of all was something they found in your penthouse, Jax," Bobby said.
"What?"
"A notebook was hidden underneath one of the pillows on your bed. They matched Skye's handwriting on some paperwork at Titans to the entry in the notebook. It was some really weird stuff."
"What did it say?"
"It was apparently a list of some sort. I copied some of the things down," Lindsay answered. She took out another sheet of paper. Jax took it and read it.
Becca
Althea
Voices
No Faces
Close to You
GUN!
Dark-Haired Man
Surprise
Disappearance
Burglary
Junk Drawer
Gun?
Threats
Pain
Sorrow
There were a few other things scratched out, and a couple words or phrases scrawled so quickly that he couldn't make them out.
Jax didn't know what to make of all this. He didn't say a word as he handed it back to the Donnells.
"Jax, I know it doesn't really make sense-"
"So why are you showing it to me? Why isn't Skye here for this meeting?" Jax interrupted.
"Jax," Lindsay began, "is there...is there a chance that Skye might be-"
"Guilty? No way."
"Actually, what I was going to say was....um....on edge...ah...from what I've heard, she was under a lot of stress, and maybe she just snapped...."
"You think Skye is CRAZY?"
"Well, as much as I hate to say it, it does seem like a possibility, and-"
"YOU are the one who's crazy," Jax spat. "I'm out of here."
"Jax, wait!" Bobby called. But it was too late, he was gone.
****
"My, my, aren't you the popular inmate," the guard joked. "You got another visitor, honey."
This time Skye didn't even bother to get up. It was probably just another person who wanted to congratulate her for getting rid of the big bad wolf. She didn't feel up to it.
"Skye?"
She heard the voice gently call her name, and it perked her up. She rushed to the bars.
"Jax!"
"Hey. How are you holding up?"
She shrugged her shoulders lethargically.
"Sorry, dumb question. Um, is there anything I can do for you?"
"Get me a Get out of Jail Free Card?"
Jax smiled. "Hey, I think I have an old edition of Monopoly lying around the penthouse if you really want one....Aha. A smile. Now there's those beautiful pearly whites I haven't seen for a while."
"Yeah...so, have you heard from Bobby or Lindsay?"
Jax's grin disappeared.
"Jax?"
"Uh, yeah, Skye, I did."
"And?"
"We discussed the evidence....and....I'm afraid it doesn't look too good, Skye."
"Oh, God....but, I don't get it! If I'm innocent, why would there be incriminating evidence against me?"
"I don't know...but, hey, what's with this "if" business? You are innocent."
Skye let out a shaky sigh. "I want to believe that, Jax, but come on...you just said yourself it looks like I did it."
"Yeah, but-"
"Jax," she said in the tiniest, meekest voice he had ever heard her use, "what if I did do it?"
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