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Delaney Hammond, Sr., does not know that he is going to be arrested. It is not hard to find his flight, learn that the chauffeur can also fly the tiny family airplane and will be bringing the boss directly to Forks's little airport to save transit time, and be there to meet them at the airport with a pair of uniforms.
So Charlie does all that.
"Delaney Hammond, you are under arrest," Charlie says, while Joshua puts on cuffs and Terry makes sure the chauffeur isn't going to interfere. "You have the right to remain silent..." The Miranda rights just pour out, like they're all one word; Charlie doesn't really think about them. He doesn't even skip the part about how this ridiculously rich person could be provided a public defender if he cannot afford one.
self_composed
self_composed
"Knock yourself out," Charlie says, pointing.
Delaney Hammond, Sr. is the only occupant of the lockup at the moment.
Delaney Hammond, Sr. is the only occupant of the lockup at the moment.
edgeofyourseat
Mr. Hammond looks up at her approach, and then huffs a disappointed sigh when she comes into view. "Oh," he says contemptuously, "it's you."
"It's me," she agrees. "Should I apologize for the mortal sin of not being your lawyer?"
"Be reasonable, Judith," he says. "I'm sure you want this nonsense over with as much as I do."
"Yes," she muses, with an odd note in her voice. "I think that's true."
"What now?" he grumbles.
"Have I ever told you how much I hate it when you tell me to be reasonable?"
"Now is not the time, Judith."
"On the contrary," says Judith, "I think the time is exactly right."
There is a pause; a rustle, a clink; a shocked intake of breath; a roar.
Judith Erskine sweeps out of the short corridor with too-bright eyes and no rings on her left hand.
"It's me," she agrees. "Should I apologize for the mortal sin of not being your lawyer?"
"Be reasonable, Judith," he says. "I'm sure you want this nonsense over with as much as I do."
"Yes," she muses, with an odd note in her voice. "I think that's true."
"What now?" he grumbles.
"Have I ever told you how much I hate it when you tell me to be reasonable?"
"Now is not the time, Judith."
"On the contrary," says Judith, "I think the time is exactly right."
There is a pause; a rustle, a clink; a shocked intake of breath; a roar.
Judith Erskine sweeps out of the short corridor with too-bright eyes and no rings on her left hand.
self_composed
Charlie eyes her as she leaves, but doesn't say anything.
He does privately note that the prosecutor might be interested.
He does privately note that the prosecutor might be interested.
edgeofyourseat
She calls Junior from the car, although she hasn't the faintest idea what she is going to say.
Junior does not answer his phone.
Judith gets out and marches right back into the station.
"I don't suppose you can tell me where to find my son?"
Junior does not answer his phone.
Judith gets out and marches right back into the station.
"I don't suppose you can tell me where to find my son?"
self_composed
"Nope," Charlie says. "Can put you on the phone with my daughter and see if she tells you." He pushes his landline phone across his desk. Bella's cell (old number kept, attached to new phone) and their house landline are both on the speed dial, clearly labeled.
edgeofyourseat
That actually gets a small smile out of her. She'll have to apologize to Bella for trying to press her into service as an emergency exit.
She tries the cellphone first.
She tries the cellphone first.
self_composed
"Somewhere safe," Bella says.
She doesn't feel like being informative.
[Your mom just called me,] she informs Alice, [and wants to know where you are.]
She doesn't feel like being informative.
[Your mom just called me,] she informs Alice, [and wants to know where you are.]
self_composed
"Yep," says Bella.
She can channel her dad sometimes, when she wants.
[Called me up from Charlie's work phone. I told her "someplace safe", she said "that'll do".]
She can channel her dad sometimes, when she wants.
[Called me up from Charlie's work phone. I told her "someplace safe", she said "that'll do".]
self_composed
"Yes," Bella says.
[She wants me to tell you she called,] Bella continues. [I guess you don't get a signal in your lair. Would you have answered her if you did?]
[She wants me to tell you she called,] Bella continues. [I guess you don't get a signal in your lair. Would you have answered her if you did?]
edgeofyourseat
[I guess?] he says. [I mean, yeah. I would. I just dunno what she wants to get ahold of me for.]
"Thank you," Judith says graciously.
"Thank you," Judith says graciously.
self_composed
"Shall I also tell him something about why?" Bella asks.
[You know, there's probably enough in the notebooks to get her for neglect or failure to report or something. I don't think anyone's going to arrest her without your say-so, but if you feel like it...]
[You know, there's probably enough in the notebooks to get her for neglect or failure to report or something. I don't think anyone's going to arrest her without your say-so, but if you feel like it...]
edgeofyourseat
"That makes two of us," she says wryly.
[Yeah, I don't really give a shit. Why, is she being an asshole to you or something?]
[Yeah, I don't really give a shit. Why, is she being an asshole to you or something?]
self_composed
"Bye." Bella hangs up.
[She doesn't seem to know any better than you do. You could wait ten minutes, delair, and call her, if you're curious.]
[She doesn't seem to know any better than you do. You could wait ten minutes, delair, and call her, if you're curious.]
edgeofyourseat
[...yeah,] says Alice. [Yeah. I think I'll do that.]
Judith hangs up the phone, gazes at or possibly through it for a brief moment, and then leaves without a word.
Judith hangs up the phone, gazes at or possibly through it for a brief moment, and then leaves without a word.
self_composed
Charlie slides the phone back into place and silently watches her go.
He decides to call Hilary and let her know what's going on, in case there are repercussions she'll have to deal with.
He decides to call Hilary and let her know what's going on, in case there are repercussions she'll have to deal with.
edgeofyourseat
Time passes.
About an hour later, Alice brainphones Bella. He sounds deeply, deeply confused and vaguely unsettled.
[My mom is hugging me and I don't know what to do.]
About an hour later, Alice brainphones Bella. He sounds deeply, deeply confused and vaguely unsettled.
[My mom is hugging me and I don't know what to do.]
self_composed
Bella returns to reading him; she'd stopped to work on some trig, which, even since she pentagoned math, requires a fair amount of working memory to handle. [...Hug her back?] she suggests. [Tell her to back off? Whatever you wanna do.]