Chapter 8: Danielle

In was late afternoon when Mel and David gave their formal statements to the police detectives. David's testimony took longer because he had actually spoken to Brentano, and the detectives wanted every little detail. When he was finished and rolled out of the interrogation room, Melanie rushed to hug him.

"Are you okay, Baby?"

He made a face. "Let's stay with Davy, okay?"

She blushed. "Sorry, I was worried. I was finished almost an hour ago."

"Yeah, well, I shouldn't have talked to the loon. They wanted chapter and verse of every word we spoke. So, what now? 'Meet the press'?"

Melanie nodded with a frown. "They're waiting in the entrance hall. At least there's a bunch of cops at hand. Ready?"

"When you are. Mel, just so you know – I do love you."

The frown on her face was blown away within the blink of an eye. "You're an idiot, but I guess you're my idiot now. I love you, Davy!"

Side by side, they entered the lobby of the precinct building only to have flashlights explode into their faces and a cacophony of shouted questions. There was Josh with two associates from his office and he tried to calm the reporters down to no avail. David gave Mel a sign to turn around and they did, leaving the shouting mass behind. Behind the doors they could hear the noise dying down and then Josh was at the microphone.

"My niece will not appear in front of you if you cannot behave in a courteous and professional manner. She survived an attempt on her life this morning and she had to learn of her mother's murder. Either you show some respect or this press conference is over!"

Josh gave them a sign and they entered the lobby again. The hubbub started again almost immediately and they turned around again.

"Okay, you people. Last chance. One more word from you before I open the Q&A, and this is over! Do we have an understanding?"

Again, Josh motioned for them to come in and this time the assembled reporters kept their mouths shut. Melanie stepped over to the lectern and adjusted the microphone.

"Thank you for toning things down a bit," she began. "This was a harrowing day for all of us. I understand that for you people this is top news, but for me it means that I will never have a chance to make peace with my mother. It means that a person very dear to me was almost killed and it means that we had to confront a violent and armed intruder.

"This morning, at 8:30 a.m., my friend David Olsen and I were getting ready for his exercises. His nurse had just left and I was changing into a swimsuit to help David with his underwater exercise regimen, when David alerted me to Don Brentano's presence on the premises. He urged me to call the police which I did.

"Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, David had left the house in his wheelchair and confronted Brentano. Brentano was asking where I was and David tried to talk to him. Brentano then threatened David with a handgun, trying to force him to reveal my whereabouts. David was able to distract Mr. Brentano for a brief moment and drove his wheelchair into him. They both fell into the swimming pool. Fortunately, Brentano dropped his handgun which discharged when it landed on the patio paving.

"Hearing the shot, I was afraid that David was hurt and I ran out of the house armed with a collectible, a wooden baseball bat. I heard the sound of struggle from the pool and ran there to see Brentano trying to drown David. I did not think, I just jumped into the pool, waded up to Brentano and hit him over the head with the bat. It worked, sort of, and David was able to come up again, but now Brentano turned on me.

"In this moment, David's mother must have arrived on the scene. She is a sheriff's deputy in her hometown in Montana and she picked up Brentano's gun and ordered him to give up and stand still. He paused briefly, but then he tried to jump for me and the shots went off. Brentano fell forward. I suppose he was killed instantly.

"I was already in a state of shock, but I managed with Mrs. Olsen's help to pull David from the pool. Then, I'm afraid, I had a breakdown. I don't remember anything beyond that for at least an hour or more.

"When I overcome my shock, I had to learn about my mother's murder. I had not spoken to her since late summer, and I was not planning to do so in the near future, yet she did not deserve to be murdered. I guess we will never know what really happened and what triggered the shooting, but when all is said and done she was my mother. She gave birth to me and raised me as best as she could. I sincerely hope that she did not have to suffer too much from the pain and the fright.

"I am at once angry at David for risking his life and grateful for his brave attempt to protect me. I'm also very grateful to his mother who saved both our lives. She had to shoot him when he was trying to attack us and I hope that she will get over the trauma quickly.

"I want to make one thing absolutely clear – Donald Brentano died as a convicted serial rapist while he was trying to assault a key witness in his trial, namely me. I refuse to feel bad about his death. I will now and forever feel safe from his schemes and so will others who were also violated by this man. I would have preferred to see him in a prison, but he himself chose the path that ended in his death.

"That is what I wanted to say. Thank you. Please, if you have questions, try to show a bit of class and professional conduct."

David was at her side now and they held hands while the questions were fielded.

"Did Brentano say anything?" David was asked.

"Nothing you'd be allowed to print. To me he seemed quite out of his mind," David answered evenly.

"Melanie, did Brentano kill your mother?"

"That is for the police to find out. It is my understanding that the preliminary ballistic evidence indicates his involvement, but the investigation is still ongoing."

"How do you feel about his death, Melanie?"

"I already made a statement with regards to that."

"Why did David Olsen try to protect you? You almost killed him last summer."

"I guess because he's a wonderful person, and because he feels about me as strongly as I feel about him."

"David, your take?"

He wagged his head. "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I thought I could distract him, string him along. I thought he wouldn't hurt a person in a wheelchair, so I could buy us some time until the police would show up. I wasn't prepared for him to point a gun at me."

"Are you and Melanie lovers?"

"We are very close and hope to get even closer with time," David hedged, looking at Melanie who nodded with a smile.

"Melanie, is that your take too?"

"Yes." She smiled briefly. "How can I not love this guy after today?"

There were some chuckles from the crowd.

"But Melanie, when will you resume your acting career?"

"That's actually my least worry. I am a junior at USC. I intend to graduate on schedule and this is where I put my priorities. Well, that and David's recovery of course."

"So no movie projects for another two years?"

"I have nothing planned. My agent fired me for ratting out his buddy, Don Brentano. I have not seen a single screenplay in the past six months. I'm not missing it much either. I am in a much better place now than I was half a year ago. Right now, my plan is to attend medical school after graduation."

"What if there's an Oscar nomination for you?"

Melanie shrugged. "I guess I'll need a new dress then and David will have to rent a tux."

"So you are a couple?" one insistent female reporter shouted excitedly.

Melanie shrugged. "He's in my life, and I hope for a long time."

Things became repetitive then and Josh closed the press conference thanking the newspeople for their good behavior and the LAPD for the venue. While Mel, David and Josh left the precinct through a side entrance, the lead detective of the case stepped up to the lectern to give the waiting reporters the latest beef. He could announce that the bullets from Lana Hartwell's body matched Don Brentano's gun, but that viewing additional crime scene evidence would take at least a week. He also announced the preliminary finding that Deputy Sheriff Judy Olsen's actions were viewed as justifiable homicide unless new evidence to the contrary would surface.

He also explained that Brentano had removed the court-ordered GPS ankle bracelet with a bolt cutter. An alert was given and an APB was issued for Brentano. However, it was wrongly assumed that he would try to flee the country, and that was why the search was centered on airports and major highways. The detective was then questioned why nobody saw fit to warn the state's witnesses that Brentano was on the run, and all he could respond was that all actions would come under review.

Meanwhile, Melanie's party was returning to Josh's property when a thought struck her. She asked her uncle to detour to a shopping mall. Once in the parking structure, she asked Judy and David to wait and dragged Josh inside. For the first time that day, Judy and David were alone.

"How do you feel, Mom?" David asked hesitantly.

"Could be better, but also much, much worse. The problem was that I could not aim at his lower body. He had just his shoulders and head above the water."

David understood. A police officer does not normally shoot a perp in the heart from behind, but Judy's options had been limited. Then he realized something else.

"Was that ... I mean, was Brentano the first?"

Judy nodded in the dark car. "Ninety percent of all law enforcement officers never have to shoot at a person. I've been one of them until today. Well, I still am. I wasn't on duty after all. It's just that I had to shoot him before he reached Melanie. I didn't know what type of ammo was in the gun, and I couldn't risk shooting her with a through-and-through. The detectives understood that."

"It was a shitty situation, but you saved us, Mom."

Judy looked at David. "The one thing I'm not sure about is did I shoot him because he tried to drown you? I mean, subconsciously?"

David thought of his mother's history, but then he shook his head. "That will be hard to unravel, Mom. Fact is, you had valid, unassailable reasons for the shooting. Fact is, he came to kill Melanie. Fact is, he killed Mel's mother. Fact is, he would have killed you and Josh and me to get to Melanie. You stopped a madman who was running amok."

Judy sighed. "You do know how much you've grown up in the last months? Yes, I guess you have that right. He was on a rampage and somebody had to stop him." She took a deep breath and exhaled again. "So, what's the beef with you and Mel?"

David was taken aback, but he rallied nicely. "Pretty much the same as with you and Josh, only without the sex."

He thought he could see his mother blushing in the dark car. "Touché! I invited that one. Does it bother you, I mean, Josh and I?"

David took his mother's hand. "Mom, you are one hell of an attractive woman. You missed out on life to shoulder being a single mom for far too long. I think Josh is a great guy, and even if you two only have a fling, you'll both come out of it better than you went in."

"And you?"

"I'd like to see you happy, Mom. That's what Dad would have wanted too, and you waited long enough. Danielle will leave for college next summer. That means you'll be all alone in Clearwater. Think of yourself for a change, okay?"

"How do you think Danielle will react?"

David shrugged. "She'll be too pissed off at me to bother with you."

"Huh? Did I miss something?"

"Dani resents the hell out of Mel. I only mentioned on the phone how much Mel is helping me and she just about bit my head off."

Judy nodded sadly. "She's unforgiving. David, you must understand that you're Danielle's hero. She lost her daddy and you took his place in her mind. Now you're hurt and what's worse, you're getting serious with another female."

"I've been with girls before and we did far more..."

"Doesn't matter. Those girls were no threat. They'd come and go. Melanie is the real thing, right?"

David nodded. "She might be. We're still sorting through all the emotional garbage. She's only now coming out of her shell, but sometimes, when she's just Mel, she's incredibly sweet."

"I hope that today won't set her back," Judy sighed.

David shook his head. "I don't think so. Today freed her. I mean, the guy is gone now. No worries that he'll ever be back. Plus, she found the courage to strike at him. She sort of left "Melanie Renault, victim" behind today."

"She did it for you, David. I may have to let go of you, but that girl is standing in line to take my place."

"Yeah, I noticed. It's cute in a way 'cause she's so small. Once I'll walk again, it'll get less."

"Don't count on it, David!" Judy chuckled. "Oh, here they're coming."

Melanie was carrying a medium sized wreath when she entered the car. There was a tie attached but David could not read the inscription. Josh sat behind the wheel and drove off. He threaded the big sedan towards Hollywood Hills and David understood where they were headed. Josh stopped the car in front of a modest home that was cordoned off with police tape. A uniformed officer stood watch outside. Inside, the lights were on and shadows were moving behind the screens.

They all exited the sedan. Judy produced David's wheelchair from the trunk and together they moved up the driveway. The officer approached them.

"I'm sorry. This is a crime scene. I must ask you to move on."

Melanie's voice had a catch. "We only want to lay down the wreath on the steps, Officer. She was my mother and this is my uncle, her brother."

The officer was hesitant. "I have my orders. I'm sorry. But let me ask the sergeant." He activated his shoulder mic. "This is Patrolman Jenkins, at the Hartwell residence. There's a young lady here who claims to be the vic's daughter. She wants to lay down a wreath on the steps outside."

{"Stand by. I'll send someone out."}They could hear the radio answer.

A minute later, a detective came out looking at them intently. "May I see some ID?" he asked.

Three of them produced drivers' licenses and Melanie her student ID. The detective studied them. Then he looked at Judy. "You're the deputy from Montana who nailed our perp?"

Judy nodded. "I guess I am."

"Well, thanks for helping out. Look, I can't let you inside. We're still not finished processing the evidence. If you want, you can place the flowers at the rail near the door?"

"That would be nice, Detective," Melanie said. "She was my mother when all is said and she shouldn't have died like that."

Together, Melanie and Josh walked over the grass to the white rail and hung the wreath over a post. In the light from the porch David could read the inscription.

We wish you peace

Melanie and Joshua

They stood for a minute and when they returned, David saw the tears in Melanie's eyes. He offered his hand which she accepted and pressed.

"Thank you, Detective. We'll be on our way now."

"You're welcome, Miss Renault. We'll let you know when we're done here. There's a lot of damage in there. He must've ripped the upstairs bedrooms apart in his rage."

Melanie hugged herself. "I'll just have it cleaned, painted and then sold. I couldn't ever live here again."

"Probably for the best, Miss Renault. Look, I have to get back in. You people better get some rest."

Back in the car, Melanie snuggled close to David on the backseat.

"Don't ever leave me," she whispered.

Lana Hartwell's burial was six days later. Judy had asked for a week of unpaid leave to stay with Josh who was even more shaken by his sister's death than Melanie. A day before the funeral, Dani Olsen arrived on a morning plane and was picked up by Judy and Josh. She stepped out from the Arrivals gate and frowned when she saw Josh.

"Hey, Mom! Jeez, you could have warned me a little earlier. Why do you need me here so badly?"

"Hi, Sweety. Danielle, you know Josh Hartwell?"

Dani nodded. "He's the uncle of that..."

"Ssh! Behave! You know that David and Melanie have become close."

"Yeah! She almost got him killed again!"

"It was David's own decision to confront that madman. That's how he is. He is a lot like your father was. And he wasn't alone. Mel came to his aid."

"Fine. She's the greatest thing that ever happened to us. Anything else?"

"How about a polite greeting?" Judy asked with a voice that brooked no dissent.

"H-hi, Mr. Hartwell. I don't like your niece, but I shouldn't let it out on you."

"Hi, Danielle. I hope that you will only judge me by my own screw-ups," Josh smiled. He was a handsome man and against her will, Dani smiled back.

"Deal. So, what screw-ups?"

The opportunity was too good. Josh looked at Judy and she nodded back.

"Well, for one thing, I kinda fell in love with your mother," he offered.

The carry-on bag dropped from Dani's slack hand and she stared at her mother who nodded.

"It's mutual. Josh and I are an item. That doesn't mean I'm packing things and moving to LA. We'll be taking things easy. What it does mean is that I won't be sitting in an empty house when you'll leave for college."

Dani's eyes were still ping-ponging between her mother and Josh. "W-when? H-how l-long?" she stammered.

"It's been growing for a while, but it was last week that I found the courage to speak up when we talked on the phone," Josh explained.

"D-does Davy know?"

"He knew as soon as he saw us together. We didn't even have to tell him. He says he's happy for me. Baby, I hope that you'll be as accepting as your big brother."

"So we'll be moving to LA?"

Judy looked at Josh. That was something they had not yet discussed.

"I haven't been to Clearwater yet, but what I saw on the internet is really beautiful," he said. "I can see myself retiring to a place where I can sit on a porch and look at the mountains. There will be a few years left for me here in LA, but I'm not too fond of this city."

"Is that why you wanted me to come here, so I'd meet your... ?"

"Boyfriend. Let's stick with boyfriend for now," Judy nodded. "Yes, it was one reason. The second is that I need to stay a few days longer, and I did not want you to be alone for that long."

"Because you shot Brentano?"

"No, because he shot Melanie's mother who happens to be my boyfriend's sister. It's a matter of commitment. He has to bury his kid sister and I will stand by his side."

Dani nodded slowly, obviously accepting the concept. "Yeah, I get that. So I have to make nice with ... Melanie?"

"Just give her a chance. Do it for David too. They have grown really close."

"I don't get it, Mom. She almost kills him and he ... Doesn't he know that she'll drop him like a hot potato once her probation is over?"

Josh answered to that.

"Danielle, I'm not so sure who is dependent on whom with those two. Sure, David needs a gofer and he's ... let's say having a crush on her. It's what you can expect of a young guy having to live with a pretty girl. But for Melanie it's already far more serious. David is her first love."

Dani snorted. "I don't buy that, sorry."

"Maybe you should just watch them," Judy said gently. "I'm not saying it's eternal love, but if not, it's the mother of all crushes. Give her a chance, please."

Dani did not answer, but Judy could see her daughter struggling with the news. Judy gave a little sigh herself. Nobody had said things would be easy.

Dani had never been to Josh's place before, and she felt way out of her comfort zone with the obvious display of wealth. David and Melanie were attending courses and would not be back until later in the afternoon, leaving Dani to explore the garden and pool area by herself. She entered the pool tent hesitantly hearing noises from within. It was a pool cleaner, a young man wearing his sun-bleached hair in a shoulder length pony tail. Dani guessed that the pool needed cleaning after what had happened a few days before. She left quietly and continued her tour.

The garden house caught her attention. It appeared to be much older than the main house, but it oozed style and class. So this was where David and the little bitch were shacking up Dani thought.

The patio door was open and she stepped in. The living room beyond the patio door was dominated by a gym mat and exercise equipment, but a corner was reserved for a two-seater sofa and a TV set. Another room was clearly David's. A hospital bed stood there, but also a desk with a massive chair. Exploring further, Dani came upon the kitchen. It was on the large size and inside, Dani saw a middle aged Asian woman at the open fridge. Hearing Dani's steps, she turned.

"H-hi, I'm Danielle, Danielle Olsen."

"Oh, David's sister," the woman smiled. "I am Mrs. Ling, the housekeeper. I'm stocking up the fridge. Your brother cooks a lot."

Dani had to smile. David had often cooked for them when Judy was on duty.

"Yes, he's good," she agreed. "So he and ... Miss Renault ... live here together?"

The woman nodded with a smile. "Yes. David has the ground floor, and Miss Renault has one of the upstairs rooms. But she's mostly down here with David."

"I see. Do you mind if I look around? Mr. Hartwell and my mother are busy and..."

"Go ahead. I'm sure they won't mind."

Dani left the kitchen and explored the house further. She explored David's room with the hospital bed and also a desk with a massive chair. She saw the wheelchair accessible bathroom. Next she hesitantly climbed the stairs and inspected the upstairs rooms. Two were empty save for what had to be guest beds, but one was obviously that little bitch's room.

Dani could not help herself – she had to snoop around. There were a few books on a shelf, mostly about nursing and physical therapy. The bitch was thorough. The bed was just a double with utilitarian bedding. The pajama was flannel and plain. Come to think of it, there was nothing fancy in the entire room.

There was a chest of drawers, but even though Dani searched it thoroughly, there was nothing but panties – again, nothing extravagant – plus T-shirts, tank tops and socks in it. Even the bras were simple affairs. No push-ups, Dani noted. In fact, what the little bitch had in her drawers was very similar to what Dani herself preferred.

She shrugged. There was nothing to learn from the room. Except ... Dani lifted the mattress off the frame on each corner. At the foot end, close to the wall, she finally struck gold. A bound little book, very plain. Upon inspection, Dani saw that it was some sort of a diary. Eagerly, she opened the first page. The date on top of the page was August 4 of the same year.

Okay, so I'm writing a diary. Dr. Edwards suggested it so I can express my feelings. What feelings? I can't express what I don't have, can I? Maybe hatred? I can't even hate Lana. She's just being herself, her selfish self. Can I hate Don Brentano? I'm afraid of him. I'm afraid he'll find me again. Looks like the only person I can hate is myself.

I have to go and see David tomorrow. I hope he's getting better. I wish I could do more for him, but he's getting the best care. At those rates, he should at least. It would be better if that bitch Marsha would support him. Stupid airhead bitch! Yes, I can hate her. If I had a guy like David, I'd stand by him and he'd stand by me. Fat chance of that! I fucked up his life.

There was no entry for the next day, but one for the day after, and it was almost diametrically opposed in its upbeat mood.

He agreed! He's staying with us. He's afraid of me, but he's giving me a chance. I have to talk to the guidance counselor. Maybe I can switch to pre-med. That would be so awesome. Maybe David can even help me in the beginning. He's a top student. Plus, I'd know better how to help him. That old bitch in theatre class will have a cow. Good! Why did I ever let Lana browbeat me into this performing arts shit? Yes. I'm gonna talk to Professor Grundvelt. If not pre-med, I'll go for chemistry.