The Return: Midnight Chapter 22

Ma ma say not in Fel s Church,Mrs. Flowers ingeminate to Stefan. And that means not the thicket.All right,Stefan say. If hes not on that point, and hence where else?Well,Elena said slowly, its the natural law, isnt it? Theyve caught him.Her heart felt as if it were in her stomach.Mrs. Flowers sighed. I suppose so. Ma ma should have told me that, unless the atmosphere is ful of strange influences. but the sheriffs discussion section is in Fel s Church. What there is of it,Elena objected.Then,Mrs. Flowers said, what ab come forward the police in another city close by? The ones who came looking for him before Ridgemont,Elena said heavily. Thats where those police that searched the boardinghouse were from. Thats where that Mossberg guy came from, Meredith said.She looked at Meredith, who didnt even murmur. Thats where Caroleans dad has al his big-shot friends and Tyler Smal woods dad does too. They belong to al those no-women clubs with does too. They belong to al those no-w omen clubs with secret handshakes and stuff.And do we have anything wish well a plan for when we bring go forth there?Stefan asked.I have a sort of Plan A,Elena admitted. But I dont enjoy that it wil work you may know better than I do.Tell me.Elena told him. Stefan find tabued and had to stifle a laugh. I think,he said soberly by and byward, that it just might work.Elena immediately began to think ab away Plans B and C so that they wouldnt be stuck if Plan A should fail.They had to drive finished Fel s Church to get to Ridgemont.Elena maxim the burnt- come to the fore houses and the blackened trees through tears. This was her t cause, the town which, as a spirit, she had watched over and protected. How could it have come to this?And, worse, how could it perpetually possibly be perplex spine together again?Elena began to shiver un tick ably. lusterlessness sat grimly in the jury conference room. He had explored it long ago, and had found that the windows were boarded ov er from the emergeside. He wasnt surprised, as al the windows he knew bear in Fel s Church were boarded up, and besides, he had tried these boards and knew that he could break out if he dispensed to.He didnt care to.It was time to face his personal crisis. He would have faced it back before Damon had taken the three girls to the Dark Dimension, but Meredith had talked him out of it.mat knew that Mr. Forbes, Caroleans father, had al his cronies in the police and legal system here. And so did Mr.Smal wood, the father of the signifi nominatet culprit. They were unlikely to give him a fair trial. But in any kind of trial, at some point they would at least have to listen to him.And what they would hear was the plain truth. They might not believe it now. But later, when Carolines twins had as little control as were wildcat well babies were reputed to have over their shapes Well, then theyd think of plane, and what hed said.He was doing the right thing, he cognizant himself. Even if, right now, his insides felt as if they were made of lead.Whats the worst they scum bag do to me? he wondered, and was depressing to hear the echo of Merediths voice come back.They can put you in jail, monotone. Real jail youre over eighteen. And while that may be well news for some genuine, vicious, tough old felons with homemade tattoos and biceps like tree branches, it is not breathing out to be good news for you. And then after a posing on the Internet, Matt, in Virginia, it can be for life. And the minimum is five years.Matt, please I beg you, dont let them do this to youSometimes its true that discretion is the better part of valor.They hold all the cards and were go blindfolded in the darkShe had gotten surprisingly worked up about it, mixing her metaphors and al , Matt idea dejectedly. But its not exactly as if I volunteered for this. And I bet they know those boards are clean flimsy and if I break out, Il be chased from here to who-knows-where. And if I stay put at least Il get to tel the truth.For a very long time nothing happened. Matt could tel from the sun through the cracks in the boards that it was afternoon. A man came in and asideered a visit to the bathroom and a Coke. Matt accredited both, but also demanded an attorney and his phone cal .Youl have an attorney,the man grumbled at him as Matt came out of the bathroom. Onel be appointed for you.I dont pauperism that. I want a solid attorney. One that I pick.The man looked disgusted. Kid like you cant have any money. Youl take the attorney appointed to you.My mom has money. Shed want me to have the attorney we hire, not some kid out of law school.Aw,the man said, how sweet. You want milliampere to take care of you. And her al the way out in Clydesdale by now, I bet, with the black bird doctor.Matt froze.Shut back in the jury room he tried frantical y to think. How did they know where his mom and Dr. Alpert had at peace(p)? He tried the sound of black lady doctor on his spitti ng and found it tasted insalubrious, sort of old-time-ish and just plain bad. If the doctor had been Caucasian and male, it wouldve sounded sil y to say gone with the egg white man doctor. Sort of like an old Tarzan film.A great anger was rising in Matt. And on with it a great fear. Words slithered round his mind surveillance and spying and conspiracy and cover-up. And outwitted.He guessed it was after five oclock, after everybody who normal y worked at approach had left, that they took him to the interrogation room.They were just playing, he figured, the both mutilateicers who tried to talk to him in a cramped little room with a video tv camera in one corner of the wal , perfectly obvious even though it was smal .They took turns, one yel ing at him that he might as well confess everything, the other acting sympathetic and grammatical construction things like, Things just got out of hand, right? We have a picture of the hickey she gave you. She was hot stuff, right?Wink, w ink. I understand. But then she soak uped to give you mixed signalsMatt reached his snapping point. No, we were not on a date, no, she did not give me a hickey, and when I tel Mr.Forbes you cal ed Caroline hot stuff, winkey winkey, hes gonna get you fired, mister. And Ive heard of mixed signals, but Ive never seen them. I can hear noas well as you can, and I figure one nomeans noAfter that they beat him up a little bit. Matt was surprised, but considering the way he had just threatened and sassed them, not too surprised.And then they seemed to give up on him, leaving him alone in the interrogation room, which, unlike the jury room, had no windows. Matt said over and over, for the benefit of the video camera, Im innocent and Im macrocosm denied my phone cal and my attorney. Im innocentAt last they came and got him. He was hustled between the good and bad cops into a completely empty courtroom. No, not empty, he existentized. In the first row were a few reporters, one or two with s ketchbooks ready.When Matt cut that, just like a real trial, and imagined the pictures theyd sketch just like hed seen on TV, the lead in his stomach turned into a fluttering relishing of panic.But this was what he wanted, wasnt it, to get the story out?He was led to an empty tabularise. There was another table, with several well-dressed men, al with piles of papers in front of them.But the thing that held Matts attention at that table was Caroline. He didnt secernate her at first. She was clothing a dove colorise cotton dress. Gray With no jewelry on at all, and insidious makeup. The only color was in her hair a brazen auburn. It looked like her old hair, not the brindle color it had been when she was starting to become a werewolf. Had she learned to control her form at last? That was bad news. Very bad.And final y, with an air of walking on eggshel s, in came the jury. They had to know how irregular this was, but they unbroken coming in, just twelve of them, just enough to fil the jury seats.Matt suddenly realized that there was a figure sitting at the desk high above him. Had he been there al on? NoAl rise for Justice Thomas Hol oway,boomed a bailiff. Matt stood and wondered if the trial was real y going to start without his lawyer. But before everyone could sit, there was a crash of porta doors, and a tal flock of papers on legs hurried into the courtroom, became a charr in her early twenties, and dumped the papers on the table beside him.Gwen Sawicki here present,the young woman gasped.Judge Hol oways neck shot out like a tortoises, to train her into his realm of sight. You have been appointed on behalf of the defense?If it pleases Your Honor, yes, Your Honor al of thirty minutes ago. I had no idea we had gone to iniquity sessions, Your Honor.Dont you be pert with meJudge Hol oway snapped. As he went on to al ow the prosecution attorneys to introduce themselves, Matt pondered on the word pert.It was another of those words, he thought, that was never utilize toward males. A pert man was a joke. While a pert girl or woman sounded just fine. But why?Cal me Gwen,a voice whispered beside him, and Matt looked to see a girl with brown eyes and brown hair back in a ponytail. She wasnt exactly handsome, but she looked frank and straightforward, which made her the prettiest thing in the room.Im Matt Well, obviously,Matt said.Is this your girl, Carolyn?Gwen was whispering, showing a picture of the old Caroline at some dance, wearing stilts, and with tanned legs that went up and up to almost meet before a miniskirt took over, black and lacy. She had on a white blouse so tight at the bust that it simply seemed able to contain her natural assets. Her makeup was exactly the opposite of subtle.Her names Caroline and shes never been my girl, but thats her the real her,Matt whispered. Before Klaus came and did something to her boyfriend, Tyler Smal wood. But I have to tel you what happened when she found out she was pregnant Shed gone nuts, was what had happened. No one knew where Tyler was dead after the final fight against Klaus, turned into a ful wolf in conceal whatever. So Caroline had tried to pin it on Matt until Shinichi appeared and became her boyfriend.But Shinichi and Misao were playing a wild joke on her, pretending that Shinichi would marry her. It was after she realized that Shinichi didnt care at allthat Caroline had gone total y bal istic, and had real y tried to make Matt fit the gaping gob in her life. Matt did his best to explain this to Gwen so she could explain it to the jury, until the judges voice interrupted him.We wil dispense with opening arguments,said Judge Hol oway, since the hour is so late. Wil the prosecution cal its first witness?Wait ObjectionMatt shouted, ignoring Gwens tugging at his arm and her hissing You cant object to the judges rulingsAnd the judge cant do this to me,Matt said, twitching his T-shirt back from between her fingers. I havent even had a chance to meet with my public defender yet peradventure you should have accepted a public defender earlier,replied the judge, sipping from a glass of water. He suddenly crush his head at Matt and snapped, Eh?Thats ridiculous,cried Matt. You wouldnt give me my phone cal to get a lawyerDid he ever ask for a phone cal ?Judge Hol oway snapped, his eyes traveling round the room.The two officers who had beat Matt up solemnly move their heads. At this, the bailiff, whom Matt suddenly recognized as the guy whod unploughed him in the jury room for around four hours, began wagging his head back and forth in the negative. They al three wagged, almost in unison.Then you forfeited that right by not asking for it,the judge snapped. It seemed to be his only way of speaking. You cant demand it in the center of a trial. Now, as I was formula I object Matt shouted even louder. Theyre al lying Look at your own tape measures of them interrogating me. Al I kept saying Counselor,the judge snarled at Gwe n, control your knob or you wil be held in contempt of courtYou have to shut up,Gwen hissed at Matt.You cant make me shut up You cant have this trial while youre breaking al the rulesShut your trap The judge belted out the words at a surprising volume. He then added, The next person to make a remark without my express permission shal be held in contempt of court to the tune of a night in jail and five hundred dol ars.He paused to look around to see if this had change posture in. Now,he said. Prosecution, cal your first witness.We cal Caroline Beulah Forbes to the stand.Carolines figure had changed. Her stomach was sort of upside-down-avocado-shaped now. Matt heard murmurs.Caroline Beula Forbes, do you swear that the testimony you shal give wil be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?Somewhere involved inside, Matt was shaking. He didnt know if it was mostly anger or mostly fear or an advert combination of both. But he felt like a geyser ready to blow not necess arily because he wanted to, but because forces beyond his control were taking hold of him. Gentle Matt, smooth Matt, Obedient Matt he had left al those behind somewhere. Raging Matt, Rampaging Matt, that was about al he could be.From a dim outside world, voices came filtering into his reverie. And one voice pricked and stung like a puzzle.Do you recognize the boy you have named as your former boyfriend Matthew Jeffrey Honeycutt here in this room?Yes,the prickly nettle voice said softly. Hes sitting at the defense table, in the gray T-shirt.Matts head flew up. He looked Caroline straight in the eye. You know thats a lie,he said. We never went on one date together. Ever.The judge, who had seemed to be asleep, now woke up.Bailiffhe snapped. Restrain the defendant immediately.Matt tensed. As Gwen Sawicki moaned, Matt suddenly found himself being held while duct tape was wrapped round and round his lip.He fought. He tried to get up. So they duct-taped him around his waist to the chai r. As they final y left him alone, the judge said, If he runs off with that chair, you wil pay it out of your own salary, Miz Sawicki.Matt could feel Gwen Sawicki trembling beside him. Not with fear. He could recognize the about-to-explode expression and realized that she was going to be next. And then the judge would hold her in contempt and who would speak up for him?He met her eyes and shook his head firmly at her. But he also shook his head at every lie Caroline came up with.We had to hold back it a secret, our relationship,Caroline was saying demurely, straightening the gray dress. Because Tyler Smal wood, my previous boyfriend, might have found out. Then he would have I mean, I didnt want any trouble between them.Yeah, Matt thought bitterly youd better walk narrow y because Tylers dad probably has as many good friends in here as yours does. More. Matt tuned out until he heard the prosecutor say, And did anything unusual happen on the night in gesture?Well, we went out toge ther in his car. We went over near the boardinghouseno one would see us thereYes, I Im afraid I did give him aa love-bite. But after that I wanted to leave, but he didnt stop. I had to try to fight him off. I scratched him with my nails The prosecution offers PeoplesExhibit 2 a picture of the deep fingernail scores on the defendants arm Gwens eyes, meeting Matts, looked dul . Beaten. She showed Matt a picture of what he remembered the deep marks made by the huge malachs teeth when he had pul ed his arm out of its mouth. The defense wil stipulateSo admitted.But no matter how I screamed and foughtWell, he was too strong, and I I couldnt Caroline tossed her head in agony of remembered shame. Tears flooded from her eyes.Your Honor, perhaps the defendant ineluctably a break to freshen her makeup,Gwen suggested bitterly.Young lady, you are getting on my nerves. The prosecution can care for its own clients I mean witnesses Your witness from the prosecution.Matt had scribbled as m uch of the real story as he could onto a blank sheet of paper while Carolines theatrics had gone on. Gwen was now reading this.So,she said, your ex, Tyler Smal wood, is not and has never been a she swal owed a werewolf.Through her tears of shame Caroline laughed lightly. Of course not. Werewolves arent real.Like vampires.Vampires arent real either, if thats what you mean. How could they be?Caroline was looking into every shadow of the room as she said this.Gwen was doing a good job, Matt realized. Carolines demure patina was beginning to chip.And tidy sum never come back from the dead in these recent times, I mean,Gwen said.Well, as to that malice had crept into Carolines voice if you just go to the boardinghouse in Fel s Church, you can see that theres a girl cal ed Elena Gilbert, who was supposed to have drowned last year. On Founders Day, after the parade. She was throw off Fel s Church, of course.There was a murmur among the reporters. Supernatural stuff sold better than anything else, especial y if a pretty girl was involved. Matt could see a smirk making the rounds. parade Miz Sawicki, you wil keep to the facts in this caseYes, Your Honor.Gwen looked thwarted. Okay, Caroline, lets go back to the day of the al eged assault. After the events you have narrated, did you cal the police at once?I wastoo ashamed. But then I realized I might be pregnant or have some horrid complaint, and I knew I had to tel .But that horrid disease wasnt lycanthropy being a werewolf, right? Because that couldnt be true.Gwen looked anxiously down at Matt and Matt looked bleakly up at her. Hed hoped that if Caroline were forced to keep talking about werewolves she would eventual y start to twitch.But she seemed to have complete control over herself now.The judge seemed furious. Young lady, I wont have my court made a joke with any more supernatural nonsenseMatt stared at the ceiling. He was going to jail. For a long time. For something he hadnt done. For something he wou ld never do. And besides, now, there might be reporters going over to the boardinghouse to bother Elena and Stefan.Damn Caroline had managed to get that in despite the blood blighter shed made never to give their secret away.Damon had signed that oath as well. For a moment Matt wished that Damon were back and right here, to take revenge on her. Matt didnt care how many times he got cal ed Muttif Damon would just appear. But Damon didnt.Matt realized that the duct tape around his middle was low enough that he could slam his head against the defense table. He did this, making a smal boom.If your client wishes to be completely immobilized, Miz Sawicki, it can be But then they al heard it. Like an echo, but delayed. And much louder than the sound of a head striking a table.BOOMAnd again.BOOMAnd then the distant, unreassuring sound of doors slamming open as if they had been hit by a battering ram.At this point the people in the courtroom Stillcould have scattered. But where was there to go?BOOM Another, closer door slamming open.Order Order in the courtroomFootsteps sounded down the wooden floor of the corridor.Order OrderBut no one, not even a judge, could stop this many people from muttering. And late in the evening, in a locked courthouse, after al that talk of vampires and werewolvesFootsteps coming closer. A door, quite near, crashing and creaking.A ripple ofsomethingwent through the courtroom.Caroline gasped, clutching at her bulging stomach.Bar those doors Bailiff Lock themBar them how, Your Honor? And they only lock from the outside whatever it was, it was very close The doors to the courtroom opened, creaking. Matt put a calming hand on Gwens wrist, plait his neck to see behind him.Standing in the doorway was saber, looking, as always, as big as a smal pony. Mrs. Flowers walked beside him Stefan and Elena drew up the rear.Heavy clicking footsteps as Saber, alone, went up to Caroline, who was gasping and quivering.Utter silence as everyone took in the sight of the giant beast, his coat ebony black, his eyes dark and moist as he took a leisurely look around the courtroom.Then, deep in his chest, Saber went hmmf.Around Matt people were gasping and writhing, as if they itched al over. He stared and saw Gwen staring along with him as the gasping became a panting.Final y Saber tilted his nose to the ceiling and howled.What happened after that wasnt pretty from Matts point of view. Not seeing Carolines nose and mouth jut out to make a muzzle. Not seeing her eyes recede into smal , deep, fur-lined holes.And her hands, fingers shrinking into unable to help waving paws, widespread, with black claws. That wasnt pretty.But the animal at the end was beautiful. Matt didnt know if shed absorbed her gray dress or shucked it off or what. He did know that a handsome gray wolf leaped from the defendants chair to lick up at Sabers chops, rol ing al the way on the floor to frolic around the huge animal, who was so obviously the alpha wolf.Saber mad e another deep hmmf sound. The wolf that had been Caroline rubbed her snout lovingly against his neck.And it was happening in other places in the room. Both of the prosecutors, three of the jurorsthe judge himselfThey were al changing, not to attack, but to forge their social bonds with this huge wolf, an alpha if ever there was one.We talked to him al the way,Elena explained in between cursing the duct tape in Matts hair. About not being aggressive and snapping off heads Damon told me he did that once.We didnt want a bunch of murders,Stefan agreed. And we knew no animal would be as big as he was. So we concentrated on bringing out al the wolf in him we could wait, Elena Ive got the tape on this side. Sorry about this, Matt.A sting as tape ripped free and Matt put a hand to his mouth. Mrs. Flowers was snipping the duct tape that held him to the chair. Suddenly he was entirely free and he felt like shouting. He hugged Stefan, Elena, and Mrs. Flowers, saying, Thank youGwen, unfortu nately, was being sick in a trash can. veritable y, Matt thought, she was lucky in having secured one. A juror was being sick over the railing.This is Ms. Sawicki,Matt said proudly. She came in after the trial had begun, and did a real y good job for me.He said Elena,Gwen whispered when she could speak.She was staring at a smal wolf, with patches of thinning hair, that came limping down from the judges chair to cavort around Saber, who was accepting al such gestures with dignity.Im Elena,said Elena, in between giving Matt mighty hugs.The one whossupposed to be dead?Elena took a moment out to hug Gwen. Do I feel dead?I I dont know. No. But But I have a pretty little headstone in the Fel s Church cemetery,Elena assured her then suddenly, with a change in countenance, Did Caroline tel you that?She told the whole room that. Especial y the reporters.Stefan looked at Matt and smiled wryly. You may just drop dead to have your revenge on Caroline.I dont want revenge anymore. I just wan t to go home. I mean He looked at Mrs. Flowers in consternation.If you can think of my house as homewhile your unspoiled mother is away, I am very happy,said Mrs. Flowers.Thank you,Matt said quietly. I real y mean that. But Stefanwhat are the reporters going to write?If theyre smart, they wont write anything at all.