Mated To My Stepbrother-Chapter 30

Jaxon’s POV*

Each passing minute I spent on the cell floor ticked soulfully at my eternity and my heart pitter-pattered in despair. I tossed and turned on my sides, got up and took short walks but nothing could alleviate the heavy pain in my chest. The final questioning between Stevie and me would take place the next day and the odds weren’t in my favour at all. The officers were convinced that I was the one who assaulted her and on grounds of her immobility, Stevie was already being persuaded to press charges against me.

"You either plead with Stevie Crockett not to press charges against you" the youth officer had told me the previous day, "or hire a good lawyer"

"A lawyer?"

"Yes" the middle-aged man concurred, with a light nodding

"But that’s not it. I didn’t lay hands on Stevie Crockett and I didn’t even know her from anywhere. My stepsister and I were on a camping trip when I came across her. Again, I maintain my ground that Stevie Crockett is not mute. She spoke to me, said horrible things to me before finally drawing her dagger on me. She said she followed me on Instagram and that she normally sent me money! I don’t know what or how she managed to deceive all of you but Stevie is not mute, she can speak very well"

The policeman didn’t look convinced by my words but as he peered into my frazzled face in an awkward search for traces of lies or deceit, I discovered that something about my defiance and sense of certainty resonated with him

"I’m going to implore you to find a witness or a lawyer Mr Cross", He finally said, "As you can see, Stevie’s family is quite influential and her father willing to go to any length to get justice for his daughter" He paused and readjusted his spectacle, "You already have a criminal record a case of attempted murder. The rift between you and Miss Crockett is an attempted rape and it is very dangerous. Do something, Mr Jaxon, just make sure you don’t go to jail"

When I finally lay back on the cold cell floor, the policeman’s last statement kept replaying in my mind. A witness or a Lawyer.

There was no way I could hire a lawyer on my own and hiring a lawyer even means that I would have to be tried in court and there was no way that would happen without my parents finding out. I closed my eyes to rest my weary eyeballs and I was beginning to doze off when an idea suddenly hit my head.

The intensity of this Idea was so sharp that I jumped to my feet and leaned on the railings and peered out of the cell, hoping to find a sergeant who was on duty.

My heart was beating with excitement and my stiff limb became restless, shaking vigorously on its own volition. I would finally get out of here and nothing would go wrong: no one would find out, not even Aria!

"Good morning Mr Jaxon"

The juvenile policeman asked me the next morning, as one of the sergeants opened the door for me to get out.

"Good morning Sir"

I greeted as I scurried out of the square-shaped cage,

"I’ve gotten a solution to my problem, I’ve gotten someone who can be a witness"

"Really?"

The policeman raised his eyebrow in scepticism but the excitement in my heart didn’t read meanings into it

"Yes"

"Was this witness of yours at the accident scene?"

"No but she attended the same school as Stevie Crockett"

"She?"

"Yes.... It’s a she"

"Okay," the policeman said with a shrug as he gestured for another policeman to bring my phone, "the fact that this friend of yours attended the same school as Stevie Crockett doesn’t guarantee anything. How sure are you that she can even help?"

I replied to the juvenile policeman with a light shrug and kept silent until the other policeman arrived with my phone. As expected, there were hundreds of missed call notifications and text messages from Aria but I swiped them all off and opened my dialler.

Each second that fleeted away as the phone rang sounded like trumpets that marked the end of the world

"Hello"

The silvery voice came from the other end of the line and I heaved a sigh of relief

"Good morning Rebecca" I greeted, swallowing hard to keep my quivering lips in place, "how have you been? It’s me, Jaxon Cross"

"Of course I know it’s you" I pictured her twisting her nose and lips in irritation, "what do you want? Why are you calling me?"

"Calm down Rebecca, please I’m desperately in need of your help"

"You need my help? Wait, the almighty Jaxon Cross needs my help?"

"I know I’ve not exactly been good to you Becky, but please you’re the only one who can save me now"

She paused for some seconds, "Okay, you have just ten minutes to talk"

"Thanks. Hmm, do you know a girl named Stevie Crockett in your school?"

"Stevie Crockett?"

"Yes Stevie Crockett" I was going to start describing her looks when Rebecca said, "Of course, I know her, what’s with her, your ten minutes are almost over"

"Is she actually mute"

"Is that why you’re calling me?"

"Not really" I shouted as I sensed that she was going to end the call, "it’s something really urgent"

"Okay, she is mute, Stevie Crockett cannot speak"

"Oh, okay" my shoulders slumped in disappointment and my voice followed suit

"What’s going on Jaxon" she asked with a voice laced with curiosity, "what’s your business with Stevie"

I hurriedly told her everything that transpired in the forest, including the scene where Tim first introduced her to us.

"Okayyyyy Jaxon." Rebecca trailed off for a moment and then took a very deep breath, "This is one weird scenario. Stevie Crockett is mute! She cannot speak and I don’t think she will ever be able to speak"

"But she spoke to me. I can swear on my whole life that she spoke"

"Well I can’t testify to that Jaxon if I were even to testify at all"

"What do you mean testify Jaxon? Do you really think I’m going to help you?"

There was venom and undiluted resentment in Rebecca’s voice and I shivered, "Please you have to help me, you just have to help me, you know I already have a criminal record and you know I haven’t gotten out of probation. Please do something, just help me"

Another sigh and a long moment of silence

"There is something I can do actually," she said slowly

"What?"

"Yes Jaxon, I know about... I shouldn’t tell you, just request that she and her father be invited to the police station. I’m going to join the meeting after you’ve agreed to do my bidding Jaxon Cross"

"What bidding Rebecca, what do you want?"

"It’s nothing Jaxon" she breathed slyly, "we’ll get back together and I’ll transfer back to Emerson High School"

"What!"

"You heard me Jaxon. You go to jail for attempted murder and attempted rape or we simply go back to being boyfriend. You and I, like it was in the old times"