Chapter 13: Moment Of Truth

Chapter 13: Moment Of Truth

Jack: We may have a lead on who shot at your window last night. Take your time looking at each photograph in the folder and tell me if you recognize them from anywhere. (raise eyebrows)

Renee: Okay. I’ll do my best.

Jack puts the manila folder in front of Renee, waits for a moment and then opens it up. He is waiting to see Renee’s reaction. She looks down and stares at the picture of Kim and then Simon Stewart. Her face is as pale as a ghost and she turns to Jack. Now he knows that Tara was right. He is momentarily in shock and very upset with Renee at the same time.

Renee: Is this some kind of sick joke? You set me up. Why Jack?

Jack: Gee. I could ask you the same question. Tell me is Renee Becky Cabot really your name? You probably had a good laugh at my expense. You had me fooled all along and I bought every single line from the beginning to the end. Listen carefully, I want to know what the heck is going on with you and I want to know right now. And if you’re not straight with me, I can have you arrested.

Renee: Arrest me on what grounds? And yes, my real name is Renee Becky Cabot. I never lied to you at least not deliberately. But this is different.

Jack: You are a fugitive. You have kidnapping charges pending in Florida. There will be an extradition hearing. So cut the crap, and tell me why you kidnapped your own daughter?

Renee: I understand that you’re furious with me. You have every right to be. But Grace means everything to me. That’s why I gave up my career, and I would do it again. To protect Grace from her father, I would do just about anything.

Jack: Stop calling her Grace. We both know her name is Kim Stewart. The worse part of all this, you have been lying to me from the moment we met. Should I call you Rebecca Zoe Curtis, Renee Becky Cabot, or another alias you use when it suits your purpose?

Renee: My real name is Renee. And I was going to come clean last night. That’s why I invited you to dinner. I wanted to tell you my side of the story. Why I had to take Kim away from her father.

Jack: Here’s your chance. I am willing to listen to your story. But if you are lying to me, you are never going to see Kim again.

Renee takes a moment to gather her thoughts and figure out how much she can tell Jack. She begins; “it is a long and unpleasant story. I had my dream job, anchoring the six o’clock evening news for WXLM in Floral City, Florida”. Charlotte Taylor Stewart, my twin sister as it turns out was living in the same city only neither of us knew. Until one day, she calls me up at the station and invites me to meet her for dinner. That’s when I met Simon Stewart; they had been married for one year. She told me that I was going to be an aunt. I was shocked but also excited for her. After Kim was born, things between Charlotte and Simon went downhill. Charlotte would come over to stay with me more often but I was glad because I loved spending time with my niece.

Then I began seeing subtle changes in Charlotte, warning signs that she was being abused. I asked her and she denied that there was anything wrong. In fact, she had excuses ready to avoid the truth. She kept telling me “how clumsy she had gotten, she would trip and sprain her ankle, she run into walls, and she fell and hit her head”. Of course, I didn’t believe her story, but I couldn’t get her to open up and tell me that her marriage was fallen apart. What was worse; she made excuses for him; like the house was a mess and he always blamed her for everything. Charlotte thought she deserved what he dished out.

Finally, it got to the point where I could not stand by any longer, and Simon had finally pushed her too far. She came over to my house with Kim. It looked like she was moving out. I was proud of her. I went to give her a hug, and she winced. I knew something was wrong, so I lifted her shirt up and saw a purple bruise on her ribcage a mile long. I told her “no more excuses, no more lying for Simon”. And that night, Charlotte broke down and told me everything. She tried once to leave him but Simon threatened to sue her for custody of Kim. She loves her daughter so much that she was willing to live with her despicable husband.

If she did leave Simon, he would take Kim away from her. He had clout and his father practically owns Floral City. They had everyone on their side. He would call her up and apologize over and over, and beg for her forgiveness. Charlotte would fall for his dirty tricks time after time; she went back to him. Things would be okay for a few days, more fighting would erupt between them. It would escalate towards dishes being thrown, pulling her hair, and throwing punches. Charlotte had been to the E.R. at least ten times for bruises on her face and her body. But the doctors and everyone else just looked the other way.

It was Sunday afternoon, a beautiful day. I took Kim to the park and we had a picnic lunch together. We came home and Charlotte told me she had to go back to the house. Simon called and once again promised her that he would not hurt her anymore if she would only come home to him. He missed her so much and he wanted to make things up to her. I told Charlotte he was up to his old tricks again. I told her I was going to go with her to the house to see Simon. I didn’t want her going alone.

Charlotte begged me to stay at home and take care of Kim. She wanted me to treat Kim as if she was my own daughter. She was adamant that I be a good mom to Kim if something should happen to her. I told her I’m calling the police. She told me the police aren’t going to do anything. She said; “I have to do this on my own. I have to leave Simon on my own terms”.

Charlotte hugged me and kissed Kim on the cheek. She said to always tell Kim how much mommy loved her everyday. That was the last promise I made to my sister. The night before, we had talked about how she and Kim could leave and Simon would never be able to find them. I called my neighbor to watch Kim for an hour but when I turned around Charlotte was gone. That was the last time I saw my sister alive.

Two days later, two policemen knocked on my door. According to the report, my sister had gone for a late night skinny-dipping in the pool with her husband when she “accidentally” drowned. That’s when she hit her head on the platform. Simon tried to save his wife but could not get her out of the pool in time. The coroner’s report stated that they had been intimate earlier in the day and it was ruled as an accidental drowning.

Jack: But you don’t believe it was an accident? (raise eyebrows)

Renee: No. Charlotte was an excellent swimmer. She competed and won many swimming awards. There’s no way, she could have drowned in her own swimming pool. I know in my heart that Simon murdered my sister. But I don’t have actual proof that he did it.

Jack: How can you be so sure? You said that Charlotte and you had been estranged for so many years. Maybe Simon did coax his wife, it happens a lot. (raise eyebrows)

Renee: No. Charlotte would not go skinny-dipping because she was self-conscious about her figure. After Kim was born, she tried to get back in shape the way she was before. I know my sister did not take her clothes off in the moonlight. Just so she can have a tryst with her husband like the report claimed. Charlotte always wore a robe even when she had on a nightgown. She didn’t want people to see the bruises on her body.

Jack: If you believe that Charlotte was murdered, why didn’t you tell the police?

Renee: I did go to the police. I talked to them until I was blue in the face. Nobody in Floral City would believe my story. It was as if Roger Stewart bought the town, lock, stock, and barrel for his son. I went around town telling anyone who would listen to me at the time that Simon killed my sister. The response was the same; they can’t do anything because there was no evidence to indicate that foul play occurred on the night Charlotte died. Of course, Simon was angry and he called me a lunatic. The next thing I know I got fired from my job. So I decided to sue for custody of Kim. That is what Charlotte would have wanted me to do. Only the judge in Floral City gave Simon full custody and I was not allowed any visitation rights because I was her “crazy” aunt. I was exasperated with the judicial system. I knew I had to do something.

Jack: That’s when you kidnapped Kim? (raise eyebrows)

Renee: I wouldn’t call it kidnapping, I call it saving Kim from her father. Since Charlotte wasn’t around to abuse anymore, he started taking his wrath out on Kim. Even though, I never had actual proof of him abusing Kim. I had my suspicions and I wasn’t going to take the chance of Kim ending up like her mother.

Jack: In a court of law, kidnapping whatever your reasons are, valid or not, you still committed a federal offense.

Renee: Let me finish my story and you can decide if I was right to go on the run with Kim or not. Simon wouldn’t let me near Kim for 5 months after Charlotte was murdered. Three weeks later, I get a call from Mr. & Mrs. Jamison; they live next door to Simon. It turns out Simon had left Kim home all alone. He gone out partying and Kim would stay with the Jamison. Oh sure, Simon hired a nanny to take care of Kim but that night she was off duty. So Mr. Jamison told me on the phone that Kim is over at his house playing with his granddaughter, Rachel.

The two girls are about the same age. He also pointed out that Kim has a cast on her arm. He does not remember seeing Kim with a cast on before that night. His wife comes on the phone, and tells me that maybe Kim fell out of the tree and hurt her arm. It happens with little kids all the time. I told Mr. Jamison that I’m on my way over to pick Kim up.

I packed all of my things into two suitcases and drove over there. First thing I do is thank them for taking care of Kim. I ask Mr. Jamison to wait an hour before reporting that Kim has gone missing. He doesn’t say anything to me but I’m sure he knows what I planned to do. His wife packs a bag of goodies for us to take on the road. I tell them I hope someday I will see them both again.

Mr. Jamison said I’m sure we will meet again. He whispers in my ear, “Be safe and be careful. I will try to stall Simon as long as I can”. Before leaving, I thank them again for their generosity towards Kim and me.

On the run with Kim in the backseat sleeping, I get to my rendezvous point and meet up with a friend. My friend works with the Underground Women’s Group. It is an organization that helps abused women and children flee from their homes and start over in a new place still living in fear that their abusive husbands might try to find them. I wrote a story about them when I was working at WXLM. My friend told me it would be a good idea to use an alias and carry cash only so Simon would have a tougher time tracking us down. My friend gave me a whole new identity, a place to live, and a job so I can get to my next destination.

Kim celebrated her 2^nd birthday on the run, after a few months, I started calling her Grace and the name stuck. I remember her calling me mommy for the first time. I was overjoyed but also heartbroken because I missed Charlotte so much. I made a promise to my sister to keep Kim safe and I am going to do that no matter what. Being on the run all the time can be exhausting.

We have lived in Pittsburgh, Boston, Trenton, Modesto, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Phoenix. I tried to make each new place a home for Grace for as long as I can until we have to move on to the next stop. When I came to Washington D.C. two years ago, I decided I didn’t want to run and look over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I wanted Grace to have a normal upbringing. More normal than my own, my father was always on the lam. I didn’t want that kind of life for her. I was doing pretty well for us, until I saw you at the Embassy party. Then everything blew up in my face.

Renee: Now, I have a few questions for you…Do you believe my story? Are you going to arrest me? And what’s going to happen to Grace? Can you protect her from Simon and whoever tried to kill me last night?

Jack: I don’t know what to believe at this point. I’m still trying to assimilate everything. You will most likely have to go to jail. Grace will have to go back to Simon unless we can prove that he did murder his wife. As for who tried to kill you last night, my team is working on it but so far we have nothing to go. Is it possible Simon found out where you are hiding Grace and last night he wanted revenge? (raise eyebrows)

Renee: I know that Simon is cruel but I don’t think he has any idea where I am. If he did, he would have already come after me. The truth is he doesn’t care about Kim. He cares about himself and having control over people around him. Charlotte and Kim were just property to him.

Jack: Well, that leaves someone who isn’t on our radar. I have a buddy who is a terrific Associate Attorney General. He owes me a favor or two. Maybe he can work a miracle for you. I’m willing to give it a try. (megawatt smile)

Renee: Jack, there’s something else you should know. I read in the newspaper that the police have been looking for a little girl who was at the candy store. Well, you don’t have to look anymore, because Grace is the little girl in the pink dress that day.

Jack: Are you telling me that Grace witnessed the man who shot Mr. Brinkman? Why didn’t you come forward with this information? (raise eyebrows)

Renee: Yes. It was Grace’s first time going into Brinkman’s Candy Store alone. She couldn’t wait to pick out all the different candy. I was standing guard outside waiting for her to come out. Grace was so focused on what she wanted to buy, she couldn’t decide between the jellybeans, licorice, juju, or gummy bears. She was walking towards the counter to pay for her candy, when she saw three men arguing with Mr. Brinkman. Then she saw one of the men take a gun out and shoot Mr. Brinkman. I heard the gunshot and ran inside to make sure she was okay. I saw Mr. Brinkman lying on the floor and three men fled from the store out the back door. I called for an ambulance to get there. And I grabbed Grace and we ran back to my apartment. There I saw the blood stain on her dress, so I told Grace to get out of her clothes. And I burned her dress in the fireplace. I asked Grace to tell me everything that she saw in the store. She doesn’t remember anything that could help the police find those men. I’m sure of it because I asked her twice. That’s why I didn’t feel guilty about not coming forward with what little information I had.

Jack: I don’t believe this. Do you realize that a teenage boy is in jail for a crime he didn’t commit? You should have come forward with what you knew. (raise eyebrows)

Renee: I told you, Grace didn’t see anything. She was too busy admiring all the candy displays. I was protecting my daughter. I may not have given birth to her, but I love Grace just the same. I didn’t know that the police was going to arrest the wrong person. But it is not my fault that the teenager was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Jack: What about Mr. Brinkman’s family? Do you have an excuse to tell them why you waited so long to come forward? They deserve justice against the men who killed a loving husband, a wonderful father, a doting grandfather, and a great friend to all who knew him. The trigger man is still on the loose. If he thinks Grace can I.D. him, he could have been the one shooting through your window last night. Did you stop to think about that at all? (raise eyebrows)

Renee: I am sorry for Mr. Brinkman’s family. I have no excuse except that I love Grace with all of my heart. I guess I didn’t stop to think about the consequences of my action. All I wanted to do was protect Grace from everything that could harm her. I am sorry that I didn’t come forward sooner. But Grace barely got a glimpse of the shooter.

Jack: Yeah. Well, Grace is the star witness. The police, lawyers, media, everybody is going to want to talk to her now. (concern smile)

Renee: How many times do I have to tell you, Grace doesn’t know anything? All that she remembered about that day, I told you just now. I swear I’m not keeping anything else from you. Please give me a chance to explain things to Grace. I have to find a way to tell her that I’m going to jail.

Jack: Okay. I can give you 24 hours before I have to arrest you. I wish there was some other way to do this. (concern smile)

Renee: I know there isn’t. I don’t blame you for what you have to do. But even if I go to jail tomorrow, I would do it all over again if I had to. Because Charlotte would have done the same thing for me if the roles were reversed and I was the one in trouble.

Jack: For what it’s worth. I’m on your side, Renee. I will help you get through this. Now, I have to pull some strings and see if I can keep you out of jail. (concern smile)

Renee: Thank you for believing in me. It means more to more than you’ll ever know, Jack. (smile)

Back at the bullpen, late evening

Sue: Is everything okay?

Jack: That is such a relative question. Listen up, everybody. I have an announcement to make. I am usually not wrong. But in this case, I was. On a good note, I did get Renee to tell me the whole sordid story. Now I have to keep her out of jail and Grace safe.

Bobby: What exactly did she tell you? And how are you going to keep her out of jail?

Jack: Renee believes that Simon killed her twin sister, Charlotte. He is a wife beater and possible child abuser. After Charlotte died, Renee kidnapped Kim in order to protect her from him. So all we have to do is find evidence that Simon killed his wife. And if we dredge up enough dirt on him I’m sure we can put him behind bars where he belongs. (megawatt smile)

Bobby: Well if he is a wife beater, and you know what they say about a leopard never changing his spots. I say why not find out if he has any other skeletons in his closet.

Myles: Good idea. Should we need such skeletons to use against Simon Stewart?

D: I’ll call Florida PD and get them to fax us the coroner’s report, witness statements, police reports of domestic abuse, hospital visits, and anything else we can get our hands on about Simon Stewart.

Jack: Good. One more thing, I called Diane and told her that we found the little girl from the candy store. It was Grace. Now we need to find Fernando Botticelli before he finds Grace.