Unwelcomed Changes Part 25

Unwelcomed Changes

By Mer

Part 25

Roslyn City Jail-Interrogation Room

Three Hours Later

“Mr. Seaborn for the hundredth time why did you attack and strangle Dr. Winters?” Detective Hammond Williams asked.

“Like I said I didn’t strangle him.” Sam replied with a shake of his head.

“The man was found strangled to death with your hands still placed firmly around his neck and you want to say that you didn’t strangle him?” Detective Williams asked incredulously.

“I didn’t strangle him.” Sam repeated his voice sounding that one of a small child.

“Oh yeah and who did, Frosty the Snowman?” Detective Williams quipped.

“Sam, you don’t have to answer that.” Oliver Babish advised him.

“I swear to you I didn’t do it.” Sam answered.

“Mr. Babish I’m having a hard time believing your client, especially since he was found still holding on to the stiff’s throat.” Detective Williams warned.

“May I have a moment alone with my client?” Oliver asked.

“I need to get some more coffee, take as long as you need.” Detective Williams replied as he sneered at Sam before leaving the room.

“Sam I know that you haven’t been the same since the fire and that people have been worried about your behavior, but no one seriously thought that you would kill anyone.” Oliver replied.

“I didn’t do it. I swear that it wasn’t me.” Sam moaned.

“Sam no one is going to believe you. In fact if we went to trial right now they have enough evidence to put you away for a very long time. Hell all they have to do is talk to Stanley, your physical therapist and even your co-workers. They all well paint the picture of a mentally imbalanced man who just finally snapped. You are probably going to end up in an institution if you don’t give me something that I can work with.” Oliver replied.

“You are never going to believe me anyway.” Sam muttered as he placed his head down on the table, shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Try me.” Oliver replied.

“Senator Herman escaped from jail and he killed Dr. Winters and framed me for it. I also think that he is planning on doing something further to Josh.” Sam replied.

“Senator Herman did this?” Oliver asked in a voice that made Sam question whether or not he was truly listening to what Sam was saying.

“Yes it was Senator Herman. He gave me some type of drug and then he killed the doctor in front of me. There was nothing I could do, I swear. I was paralyzed from the drug and once the doctor was dead he fell to the bed. His lifeless eyes looked up to me for help, as if there was some way I could bring him back from the dead. That’s when Senator Herman placed my hands around the doctor’s neck.” Sam replied as he closed to his eyes to remember every horrifying detail.

“Do you happen to know what he drugged you with?” Oliver asked in full lawyer mode.

“It was like the drug out of that disappointing horror movie with Harrison Ford, you know the one where his wife thought she was going crazy, and in the end he tried to kill her?” Sam asked.

“I think it’s called, What Lies Beneath.” Oliver replied.

“Yeah that’s the one. It was like that experimental drug he gave his wife. I don’t know if that drug really exists or not, but I felt like her.” Sam replied earnestly.

“So you are telling me that you think you were drugged by a drug that you saw in a movie?” Oliver asked.

“Yes. It has to be a real drug, though.” Sam replied.

“Oh boy and I thought that the insanity defense was going to be hard.” Oliver mumbled.

“Oliver, you have to believe me when I say that I didn’t do it. You have to find some way to get me out of this mess. I know that I haven’t been a model citizen since I woke up, but I promise to try harder.” Sam pleaded.

“Sam even if I can get you out of this mess, you know that your political career is probably over. Many people in this town aren’t going to believe that you are innocent even if that really is the case. Dr. Winters death is going to haunt your career for the rest of your life.” Oliver warned.

“Not if we can prove that Senator Herman did it.” Sam replied.

“And how are we going to prove that you did it? It would your word against his. While he was going to stand trial for a slew of crimes, I doubt that a jury is going to believe your word over his.” Oliver complained.

“Why not?” Sam asked.

“Because Sam your behavior over the last few weeks for one, the prosecution is probably lining up all the people it can right now who will testify to your mental state. You even attacked Josh while he was in a coma.” Oliver replied.

“I was under the influence of that mind altering drug; I didn’t have any control over my actions.” Sam replied.

“And even if we could use that defense, which we can’t, it won’t help you get back to the real world. All that will do is get you locked up because your behavior since the coma hasn’t improved.” Oliver stated.

“What if I told you that I was faking it to get attention.” Sam replied sheepishly.

“Are you out of your mind? You have been faking your behavior these past few weeks! Oh I could just kill you myself. Why did you do that?” Oliver exclaimed.

“I didn’t know at the time that someone was going to be killed right in front of me.” Sam replied.

“I know, but Sam you have just made my job twenty times harder. Sam if anyone else finds out about this, then none of your testimony will be creditable and Senator Herman will just go back to serving his original jail sentence. A jury won’t be able to tell whether or not you are lying.” Oliver remarked.

White House-Roosevelt Room

C.J, Toby, Casey, Donna, Mandy and Ginger were all trying to devise a strategy that didn’t involve throwing Sam to the wolves known as the White House Press Core. Tensions were high between Toby and Casey and they had been fighting back in forth since they had gone into the room.

“We need a way to spin this so that this whole administration isn’t damned by one man.” Casey stated, knowing that having never worked beside Sam he was one of the most un-influenced person in the room.

“And we need to make sure that the man himself isn’t damned.” Toby replied giving Casey a hard stare.

“Guys I have to give a briefing in ten minutes and I need to say more than we don’t want the administration or Sam to be damned.” C.J. pointed out.

“Tell them that he hasn’t been charged with anything.” Donna suggested quietly as she looked up from the notes she had been glancing at.

“Yeah and that the White House is doing everything we can to make sure that this matter is dealt with swiftly and professionally. Tell them that we have complete faith in the Roslyn Police.” Toby added.

“Guys all of this is good but it won’t last thirty seconds with the Press. They are all probably foaming at the mouth for a scandal this big.” C.J. pointed out.

“We need to distance the President from this.” Casey added.

“Ya think.” Toby snapped.

“Donna, have you complied the list of Sam’s achievements?” C.J. asked.

“Yes.” Donna replied as she handed C.J. a piece of paper.

“C.J, I highly doubt that reminding them that Sam was an Eagle Scout is going to make a hill of beans when the word murderer is attached to his name.” Toby replied.

“It’s something at least. Where the hell is Leo, I have to be there in twelve minutes.” C.J. asked frustrated.

“He had a very important phone call so he left the room or something.” Casey answered.

“What could be more important than this?” C.J. asked as she waved her hands in the air.

“C.J. there are other matters that need to be tended to.” Mandy quietly stated, though a sly smile was perched across her lips that went unseen by the others.

“I think C.J. knows that, she’s just frustrated right now.” Toby said as he snarled at her.

“Ginger have we gotten an update from the hospital yet?” C.J. asked, trying to ignore the latest dueling duo.

“Not recently, no.” Ginger replied apologetically.

“Well at least that is some good news.” Casey offered.

“I need Leo.” C.J. moaned.

“I’ll go and see if I can bring him back.” Donna replied looking for something to do.

Leo’s Office

Leo sat at his desk staring blankly at the wall. The phone receiver was still firmly clutched in his right hand as if it were glued there. The phone was alternating from that annoying beeping sound to the operator saying, “If you’d like to make a call, please hang up and try your call again.” But Leo was oblivious to all of this.

Donna knocked at his door several times once she couldn’t locate Margaret, but Leo couldn’t hear her knocking. He didn’t even notice when she opened the door and called his name. Nor did he notice as she walked across the office to where he was sitting.

“Leo, C.J. needs you in the Roosevelt Room.” Donna said as she waved her hand in front of his face.

“No.” Leo whispered so low that Donna could barely hear him.

“Did something happen?” Donna asked gently.

“Yeah, Josh just died.” Leo replied as a couple of tears finally willed themselves to fall across his cheek.

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