Chapter XIV
Warnings: Murder, Mentions of Murder, Language, Death, Car Crash
Summary: Y/N is Andy and Laurie Barber’s 14-year-old daughter who is a high-grade student in Archer Middle School. Her best friend, Alice Miller had been gone for a while. They search for the lost student and find out that Alice Miller’s body has the prints of Andy and Laurie Barber’s daughter, Y/N.
Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X Chapter XI Chapter XII Chapter XIII Chapter XIV
—DEFENDING JACOB SPOILERS—
Last Chapter of Imprisoned Series
I want to thank for those who read through this journey and this is one of my favorite series because I love Andy Barber and daughter fics. It breaks my heart.
This is ending how it is. Different ending to Defending Jacob. I’m sorry people...
~~~
From a time that felt like forever, the police eventually found Nathan. The boy was wrapped up in a blanket, shivering as they guided him into the lobby. “Nathan!” His mother called.
And that night, everyone was relieved. But Andy and Laurie had cut the trip short, skipping the last three days. So the family was free to go, packing up their things and left Mexico. Heading back to Massachusetts.
But Laurie had changed that day. Once they got home, she started to unpack, being quiet throughout the whole trip back. Andy came up to check on her, knowing that the night before she knew it all.
Andy leaned on the door frame and looked at her, he then lowered his head. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
“No,” She said. Andy looks up to her, “When then?” Laurie continued to pull out the folded clothes. “I don’t know. Maybe never.” Turning around, she headed for the closet, putting the clothes away as Andy stood there for a few more seconds before turning away.
.
Everything seemed to go back to the usual quiet mornings. Laurie’s usual jog around the neighborhood. Y/N with her teacher, learning ninth grade for high school. Who knew if Y/N could return back to school. They didn’t get a single call from the principal nor anyone in town.
That morning, Laurie returned after her morning run and Andy watched her come in from the upstairs window.
Milo hears the door open and shut close, jumping up to his feet he greets Laurie as she entered the kitchen.
Not seeing that Y/N’s teacher had smiled up at her and watched Y/N write things down on her paper. Laurie didn’t greet either of them, instead she walked over to the fridge and took the bottle of water to drink.
Seeing Y/N from the dining table, she stared. Knowing Andy’s father had ask a man to kill Patz for him to take the blame for Alice’s murder. Laurie then had no doubt. Doubt that Y/N was innocent.
Laurie imagine what they would do if they found out that Patz was murdered. The night when Y/N came up to the little girl at the bowling alley. Raising a ball twice her weight. The knife shown in court by Logiudice. The story Derek had read that was so similar to the murder.
Y/N raises her head up at Laurie and makes a sheepish grin before turning back to her work. Not a single twitch in Laurie’s face did she smile. It was a cold, longing stare.
.
Andy thought to finish packing up the books and games off the shelves in the living room. Slipping them into the boxes. He looks through them and slid them into the box. Taking a board game in hand, he stares at it. The memories with Chutes & Ladders he grins.
His head turns to see Laurie stand, already dressed to go out. “I have to run some errands,” She mumbles. Andy looks at her attire and nods, “Okay.” He looks down at the board game, “Hey, remember this?” He shows her the game with a grin. Giving her some small memory to make her grin.
But Laurie didn’t.
“I’ll be back later.” Andy’s grin slowly falls as she turns her heel and walks out of the room. The sound of the door closing made him look back at the game. He placed the box on top of the bigger one. Taking another game in hand, it was the Othello.
He softly grins and stands up.
.
“Have you just been secretly honing your Othello skill?” Andy asks, watching Y/N put down her disc and flips the others. Andy was leaning on his elbows, watching her fingers flip his over in defeat. He couldn’t do much. “It’s all about taking the corners. You taught me that,” She grins.
“Jesus,” Andy mumbles, taking a disc in his palm. Andy stared at the board, looking for a move. Maybe find some strategy. “Where’d you say Mom went again? I’m kind of hungry.”
Andy finds a spot and reached over, “She just went to grab a few things, she’ll be back in a few.” He flips over her discs colors. Y/N picks hers up and placed it next to his, claiming his color as her own. “What’s going on with her?” She asked.
Andy peers up at her, “What do you mean?”
He watched her shrug, “She just seems really... I don’t know. Quiet. It’s worrying me a little bit.” Andy takes his disc and sighs, “Well, she’s got a lot on her mind. You know, packing and the move.” He pauses for a moment knowing Laurie has been off since. He knew she would never talk to him. As if she took his spot from the beginning. Shutting him out now. Keeping things from him.
He shook the thought, “I think we just gotta give her time.”
Y/N peers up at him with worry, sitting there in silence as Andy lifts up his head to look at her. Seeing her worried look, “What?” He asks. Y/N shook her head and nods, “Nothing. It’s your turn.”
Andy twirls the disc in his fingers and looked at the board, searching for spots to beat the game. But he shook his head, “I can’t find a move.” Y/N looks up and inhales sharply, “It’s ‘cause you don’t have one.”
.
That night, Andy figured to help Y/N with dinner since Laurie hadn’t return the time they expected her, too. So he found something and Y/N went to bed. Andy took the rest of the night to pack in his office downstairs. Slipping things into the box, Milo had been sitting at his desk, watching him put everything in the dark boxes.
Andy reaches over and rubs Milo’s head. Suddenly, the back door opens and Milo rushes over, greeting who had came through the doors. Andy stopped and tried to peak over into the hall to see Laurie pass by, slightly pushing Milo away as she heads for the steps. “Laurie?” He called, standing up from his desk, he walks around and leans on the wall.
“I didn’t know you were down here,” Laurie says.
“Yeah,” Andy sighs, “Lot of stuff to go through.” Laurie nodded up at him and gestures to the stairs, “I was gonna go to bed.” Andy softly whispers an ‘okay’, Laurie turns around.
“Y/N’s been wanting to get a haircut. If you want, I can take her tomorrow. Besides, I need to do something for Milo as well at the vet. Needed for shots,” Andy says.
“No, I can go,” Laurie says.
“You sure? I don’t mind doing it,” Andy asked. Laurie shook her head, “No, I know what to tell them.”
“Okay,” Andy said. Laurie takes a step towards the stairs till Andy spoke again, “I think she’s worried about you.” Laurie turns. “So am I,” He added. Laurie walks forward and slightly threw her arm out, “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Nothing. Just...” He sighs, “It’s like living with a ghost. I don’t know if you’re punishing me or--”
“I’m not,” Laurie says.
“Then what is it?” He asked, drawing his eyes back up to her, brows together in worry. Laurie’s fingers rub against each other sheepishly. Andy shook his head at the slightest, “The way that you look at her...”
Laurie turns away form his gaze. “I’m just trying to figure out how to move on from here,” He says.
“Isn’t that what we’re doing?” She asks. Andy inhales softly, “Laurie...” He mutters, lowering his head, “If you just want to take some time... by yourself, the move can wait. Just want to get away and... decide what you wanna do.”
“Maybe,” She mutters. Andy nods, “Okay. Whatever you need. I mean it.” Laurie takes this time to turn away, taking her feet up the stairs.
“I love you, Laurie,” Andy says.
She stops.
“I know that might not mean much,” He says, looking up to her, “But I do.” Laurie didn’t look at him one last time and stood there in silence. Laurie takes the stairs up leaving Andy there to watch her go. With no return with the same affection.
.
Y/N jumped in the car with Milo in the back and her in the passenger seat. Laurie sat behind the wheel. It was raining in the morning and Y/N figured the ride would be a long but short ride, so she drew out her phone and played some videos.
Laurie shook her head, “I’m trying to remember.” Y/N tilts her head, not glancing up at her, “Hm?”
“Last year, when it was all happening... I don’t think I ever just asked you. Not directly.” Y/N didn’t seem to be phased by the ways Laurie spoke to her. A cold tone but Y/N managed to grin at the screen in her lap.
“I guess I was just scared of what they might do to you. But they can’t hurt you now. No one can,” Laurie spoke. A truck passes by and it makes a loud clank sound of its trailers crashing against each other as they pass.
.
Andy started to continue to clean up the place, taking books and DVDs down from the shelf in the living room. He tossed old papers and noticed that he missed the bag. He walks over and picks up the papers that had fallen. He tosses them in the bag and stops to see something familiar in the garbage.
Taking it in hand, he sees the blue photo album with a picture of Y/N when she was first taken home. He wondered why this was in the garbage. He never would’ve thrown it in the garbage.
Why would Laurie?
.
“Still, would you have told me the truth? If I promised to love you no matter what, would you tell me?” Y/N doesn’t respond and softly laughs at the video. “Y/N,” Laurie says. Y/N still doesn’t look at Laurie as she replies with the same hum.
“Did you kill Alice?” Laurie asks. Y/N lifts up her head and turns to her, completely taken by it, “What?” Laurie’s phone began to buzz and Y/N finally had her gaze focused on Laurie.
“No. You know I didn’t.” Y/N sees her decline Andy’s call. “What if I said I don’t believe you?” She asked, not buying Y/N’s innocent look and her stare.
“What?” Y/N mumbles.
“A man died, Y/N,” Laurie says, “You don’t know this, but a man was murdered so that you could go free.” Y/N sees Andy call Laurie again, “So I have to know,” She says.
“Know what?” Y/N asked, Laurie looked agitated, “Did you kill Alice? Just tell me the truth-”
“I did tell you. What’s wrong with you?” Y/N flips out. Milo began to growl and bark, making it ring in Y/N’s ears.
“-I will love you no matter what,” Laurie says, she shakes her head to his reply, “I don’t believe you.” Y/N heard her car was making a loud humming noise causing her to shake. “Mom… Mom, you’re driving too fast.”
“Why would you write that story?” Laurie asks.
“Mom, slow down,” Y/N says, the shaking was audible in her voice. “All the details, the little things,” Laurie completely ignores her pleads. “I made it up. Slow down!” Y/N replies.
She shook her head again, “I don’t think you did. I’m sorry. If I just knew the truth,” She said. Y/N held onto the door as she sees the miles go up.
“I made it up! Just slow down!” Y/N says, her eyes burning up with tears and stared up the road, “Mom, slow down!”
“If I only knew what happened!” Her eyes tear up. Y/N whips towards her, “Fine! I killed her, okay?” Y/N shouts. Milo barks like the sound of thunder, his stance was going back and forth in the backseat.
Laurie turns in shock, “You did?” Y/N turns away as the tears filled in her eyes, “Whatever you want! Just slow down, please, you’re freaking out Milo,” Laurie turns back to the road, not slowing down. “I want the truth!”
“Slow down! Slow down, Mom!’ Y/N screams.
Laurie never slows down and continues to floor the gas. “But I’ll never know, will I?” Laurie asks, “I will never know.” She shook her head. “Slow down, mom! Please, please, please!” Y/N tugs on her seat belt, reaching for Milo for some contact of touch.
Laurie sobs, “I can’t do it anymore, Y/N.”
“You sound crazy! Mom, you’re scaring me!” Y/N cries, “Stop!” Laurie chokes a sob, “I love you. I love you and your father both.”
Y/N turns to her, “Mom!” Laurie sees tunnel come into view and Y/N watched as Laurie turns the wheel. And the car crashes into the wall.
.
“I need to ask you again.”
Andy held his head in his hand, rubbing his temples.
“Why isn’t Laurie here today?” Andy doesn’t respond as Neal looks down at him. “On February 22, nearly six weeks ago, you received a call from the Massachusetts State Police. Is that correct? You were told that there had been an accident.”
Andy continued to rub his forehead. “That Laurie and Y/N were in a car that had gone off the road. That both mother and daughter had been rushed to the intensive care unit of Newton General. Your dog, Milo was included in that accident, they said he didn’t make it.”
The images of the accident was not pretty. Neal didn’t want to push it, “The officer explained that there were no other cars involved. That there were witnesses, other drivers, who saw your wife’s car swerve suddenly off the road.”
Andy inhales shakily, “She was speeding...” He mutters.
“I’m sorry?” Neal asked.
Andy drops his hand, “I said she was speeding. It was raining, and she was driving too fast.”
Neal looks down confused, “None of these witnesses reported seeing any attempt by the driver to right the vehicle or apply the brake.” Andy needed Neal to stop with these statements and he needed to defend her. So he snapped, “She was speeding, and she lost control.”
“Did she? Lose control?” Neal asked.
“That’s not what I meant-”
“Joanna Klein, Y/N’s prior attorney told investigators that she received two missed calls from your wife between the hours of 4: 00 and 5: 00 a.m. on the morning of the crash. Both hang-ups. Why do you suppose she was trying to get in touch with Y/N’s attorney?”
Andy shook his head, “I don’t know. Joanna is a friend,” He said. “Is Elizabeth Vogel a friend?” Neal asks, “Phone records show that there was a call from Laurie;s phone to Dr. Vogel’s office at 3: 18 a.m. This sounds to me like a woman who was distraught. Did she get any sleep at all that night?”
Andy doesn’t respond. “Andy,” Neal says sternly, “You said you wanted the truth to come out, but you’re not telling the truth-”
“Yes, I am. It was an accident,” Andy almost growls.
Andy kept his head low. “You would do anything for your daughter, I know that. No matter how painful. Help us,” Neal says, “Help us deliver justice. That’s all we want. Justice for Y/N. For you.”
“It was not an accident,” Neal said, “She tried to kill her daughter. Your daughter,” Neal leans forward and Andy turns his head to the jury,
I understand why you don’t want to help us. But Y/N is owed justice. Nobody here blames you, Andy. You’re a victim, but you need to be strong.”
Neal watches as Andy kept his eyes low on the table, “Andy.” The man’s fingers twitch and he never moved his gaze, “She was speeding. It was raining. And it was an accident.”
Neal leaned off the table and looked over to the jury. He ended it from there. Wanting them to vote.
.
That morning, Andy took his car to the Newton General Hospital. Signing in the paper, the woman hands him a tag and he heads on in. Watching as the nurse steps away from Laurie, he slowly walks over and pulls out a chair.
He gently takes her hand and held it, “So?” She asks. Andy softly grins, “They voted. No bill.”
“What does that mean?”
Andy sighs, “It means no indictment. They know it was an accident.” Laurie lets out a huff and Andy raises her hand and places a kiss on her knuckles. Laurie looks at him and shook her head, “I just wanted our family back.”
Andy looks up, stroking his thumb over her knuckles, “So do I.”
Laurie blinks, “I keep trying to remember that day.” Andy shook his head, “Don’t. It was an accident. That’s all it was,” He looks at her, “It was just an accident.” He raises from his chair and places a kiss on her forehead, gently stroking her hair. “Try to get some rest.”
Laurie watches him, “Will you go see her?” Laurie asked. Andy grins and nods. “I will. Always will.” He gives her one last grasp on her hand before leaving.
Andy walks down the hall and out to his car. He drove out out of the parking lot. Glancing over to his side, he sees the flowers that had laid on the passenger seat.
He reached the field and takes the flowers.
The cold breeze struck him as he come across the field. Flowers and green grass everywhere. He stops and looks down at the ground. A clean marbles slate on the ground with her name carved.
Y/N Barber.
Slowly, he took a knee and placed the flowers below her name. His hand gently touches the stone. Dropping his head low, he thinks of the conversations he had with her. The laughs and drives.
Pulling his hand back, he kneels there for the next hour. Until he headed back home with his own takeout. It was nighttime once he got there. Dropping his coat on the counter, he pours himself a glass of whiskey.
Drinking that with his food at the table. In the dark. The silence throughout the house was depressing. Lonely. Andy took his fourth glass and walked upstairs. Stepping into Y/N’s room. The moonlight shined through her window as he entered her room.
He sat down on the edge of her bed and saw the dog toys that were still needed to be packed. Milo and Y/N’s things still remained in this room. Even her posters on her walls. Andy only stared in front of him.
Andy pulls the glass to his lips. Taking the last drop of his glass before sitting in her room for the next hours.
End.
~~~
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