Dara told me what happened at Flare the next morning. My head still felt packed full of moth balls and I didn't remember the other day that great. Turned out the trial started today, we'd have to wait until he wasn't so busy.
Why don't people tell me everything? Oscar already showed up at my office, didn't have time to hide things. If he needed my help, he had to tell me what I needed to know. Tell me everything, even things you don't think matter. I'll tell you if they don't matter. I was kinda mad. Not cause Oscar was gay, but cause I had to talk to the guy. He didn't think this mighta been important?
Going down to the courthouse, I tried not thinking about how much he paid for bail, just to avoid a little jail time. Last time I got arrested, they let me dry out all night. Money makes the world a better place.
Dara dropped me off, said she had to go and not fail some computer course. I figured she lost interest in the whole thing [Untrue. Despite the fact that Oscar turned out to be a homosexual, I was still interested in the case. It was just that I was a college student, and still had obligations to my classes. Who wants to be remembered as a college dropout? -Dara]
Public trial, so I walked in and sat in the back. Prosecution was tearing into him. They saw what I saw, a guy with secrets, guy that everything he said kept pulling him in deeper into the muck. Even the cops found some forensic evidence for once, and it pointed at Oscar being the killer. He just sat there and took it. Was he taking one for his boyfriend?
Love makes people do stupid things, like go to jail for a crime you didn't commit. If his boyfriend did it, Oscar was playing the fool, and I was playing the fool to his fool. He needed a patsy, someone made it seem like he cared. If that was the case, I was gonna bring em both down.
After the judge called recess for the day, I found Oscar talking to his team of lawyers, enough of em to make a basketball team. The lawyers all walked away in lockstep, even the woman. Reminded me of mercenaries.
We went for a walk, me and Oscar. I led him to the status of lady Justice outside the court. Sweet lady, I told him, but blindfolded. Didn't matter what she saw, only what the scales said. Mentioned how it was a shame he was gonna go to jail, I didn't find anyone besides him that made for a suspect.
It was weird, nothing about him changed, but I felt a little funny talking to him, like he betrayed me. Crazy. All we owed each other was me being his PI, him paying me.
Oscar begged me to keep looking, but I told him I burned up every lead. Everything pointed to him, which was a shame cause I thought he was innocent. Asked him if there was anything else might prove he didn't do it. He just sighed and thanked me for my effort.
I could feel myself turn red. He was ready to give up. I told him I knew about his boyfriend. This was his life, not his boyfriend's, and it wasn't worth protecting him. If the guy could provide an alibi, or if he did it, whatever, it was time to fess up to the court.
Oscar looked at me with shiny eyes. Told me Paul wasn't ready for it. I told him now was as good a time as any to get ready.
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