The next afternoon, Hal was still in a state of despair after all of his losses, he was lying on his bed watching the news then there was a knock on his door so Hal lowered the volume on the television, "Come in", he said.
Then a nurse entered, "Mr. Jacoby, there's someone here to see you", the nurse said. Hal looked confused as to who would visit him. A man he never met before wearing a suit came in, "I will leave you two to talk, excuse me", then the nurse then left the room. Hal senses something wrong
"Good afternoon, Mr. Jacoby, I am Atty. Simon and here on behalf of Mr. Adriel and Mrs. Jacoby", the man announced, "I am to personally give you this subpoena". He handed Hal a big brown envelope
Hal's mouth dropped, "subpoena?", he gasped.
"Yes, you are charged with Trespassing and Aggravated Assault", Atty. Simon said to him, "that would be all, good day". Then the attorney left the room leaving Hal in shock. He opened the brown envelope and read the documents on it then his blood boils again and threw paper at the side and huffed angrily.
Later, Hal had another visitor, the officer that questioned Marie and Alastair, Officer Ramsey who was not wearing his uniform leaning on the wall talking to Hal,
"Those bastards!", Hal expressed.
"I'm sorry, Hal, I really did try", he apologized.
"They have to be joking for doing this" Hal fumed.
"I can't believe this too", Ramsey responded.
"I can admit my mistakes but if they lie in court, so help me God, I'm gonna..." Hal groaned.
"Hal, calm down, we'll figure this out but now, don't do anything dumb", Ramsey suggested.
"Then what can I do?", Hal asked him, "I can't get a lawyer, I don't have a job anymore".
"What about your...? ", Ramsey said.
Hal shook his head at him, "no... no...", Hal responded.
"Just ask them...", Ramsey told him.
"NO", Hal repeated, "they cannot know about this plus I will not hear the end of it from him".
"What other options do you have?" Ramsey reminded.
"The last thing I want is for him to involve," Hal said to him.
"Okay, fine", Ramsey exasperated, "but you're in thin ice, chances of you going to jail is high but you have the chance to not be there, you just need a very good lawyer".
"Which sadly I can't afford", Hal said.
"Our only chance is to get evidence that they are committing adultery", Ramsey requested, "you might still go to prison but maybe with a lesser sentence but the judge will understand why you did what you did".
"But what will happen to them?", Hal wondered.
"They'll go to jail too but the point is the judge might go in your favor", Ramsey explained, "but they can deny it so if I were you then just be prepared to lose your case". Hal was steaming yet trying to since he knows to himself that he had no chance of prevailing. The next few days, Hal was discharged, he signed some paper at a counter then grabbed his duffle bag and as he got out, that's when he realized he has nowhere to go. From the remaining money he had, he stayed at a motel. He got inside his room, it wasn't bad but it was old, out-dated wallpaper designs, discoloration on the carpets, and the bed don't seem like the sheets were changed ever. Hal sighed and threw his bag on the bed and sat on it. He looked around and felt how his life changed for the most unfortunate.
Later on that same day, Alastair was also discharged and he was in a wheelchair and Marie was pushing him and his five-year-old daughter, Reese, dark skin like her father, with straight brown hair wearing a blue dress and flats walking out the hospital with them, "Oh... God, I can't wait to eat good food again", Alastair expressed.
"Foods here wasn't that bad", Marie said to him.
"Are you kidding? I rather eat cardboard", he replied
"Daddy, can I ride the chair?" she asked with her childish cute voice.
Alastair and Marie looked at each other and chuckled at her, "No, sweetie, daddy needs to be in the chair because he's hurt", Alastair explained to Reese in looking annoyed at her daughter.
"Don't worry, Honey, when daddy gets better, we'll play with the chair, okay?", Marie said to her with a smile.
"Okay", Reese said to her. Marie gave Alastair a stern look at how he talked to his daughter.
They got into their cars since Alastair was still in the process of getting better, Marie was driving and he was sitting next to her by the passenger seat and Reese was at the back playing with her doll.
"Anyways, Atty. Simon called and Hal got the subpoena", Marie told Alastair as she was driving.
"Great", Alastair said to her with a smile.
"Yeah", Marie responded with a sigh.
"What's wrong?", he asked her.
"I just wish it didn't have to go this way", she answered feeling wrong.
"But it did, and he might not stop", he said.
"Yeah, I'm worried since he might come and hurt us again", she said.
"I wouldn't worry about it now that we also file a restraining order," Alastair said, "Hal will be stupid to not follow it".
"I don't know about that, the fact that he was pretty angry when he found out about us and then hurt us, what more can he do now that we filed a case against him", she thought.
"No matter what happened I will do whatever it takes to protect you and Reese", Alastair assured her.
"I don't want anything happening to you either", she said to him.
"Don't worry about me", he said to her by looking into her eyes. Marie knows she felt safe with him but still scared that somehow Hal might be back anytime to cause trouble. She then looked at the rearview mirror and saw Reese still playing with her doll and she softly smiles without her knowing, Marie felt this unforeseen motherly instinct to protect her from anything. Later, they already reached to Alastair's house, Marie carried Alastair by his shoulder from his wheelchair to his couch.
"There you go", she said then sat next to him.
"Thank you", he said to her.
"Right now, let's forget about Hal and the court for now," she suggested, "let's focus on you getting better".
"Now that you're here, I will be better in no time", he said to her and held her hand.
"I'm happy to take care of you", she said, "especially Reese, she's been a sweetie".
"She really loves you", he told her, "thank you".
"I love her too", she said back looking at her endearingly while she was playing at the corner. Reese then ran towards the couch and sat between them looking excited.
"Can we have pizza for dinner?", Reese asked them. Alastair looked disturbed and looked at Marie.
"Sure...", Marie answered her.
"No", Alastair opposed to his daughter's request, Marie looked at Alastair in a weird way.
"But daddy", she whined.
"Sweetie, I said no", Alastair told her, "go to your room, Daddy needs to talk to Marie"
"Okay", Reese replied with a pouting look then stood up from the sofa and then went upstairs. Once she got into her room, Alastair turned to Marie.
"Marie, I appreciate you caring for Reese but please don't feed her junk", Alastair requested and Marie was taken aback.
"Alastair, she just wants to celebrate that you're here", Marie explained.
"I know but please just understand what I do for my daughter", Alastair asked.
"Okay", Marie reluctantly agreed, Alastair expects her to follow his perceptions toward raising his child.
A few days later, Hal was walking on the streets not knowing what else to do. He still has money but he has to spend it wisely and so far he has to worry about his stay in the motel and food and he knows that he can't get a job as he was in the heat of some charges on his record. Then his phone rang so he answered it, "Hello?", he said.
"Hal, it's me, Ramsey", Ramsey called.
"Oh! hey, what's up", Hal asked.
"Where are you?", Ramsey asked, "I'm right in front of your motel room".
"Yeah, I just got out for some fresh air", Hal answered.
"Alright, just tell me where you are", Ramsey said, "I'll pick you up and let's talk".
Later, they were hanging out at Ramsey's police car that was parked at a street eating sandwiches and drinking coffee.
"Thank you for the food", Hal said Ramsey.
"Don't worry about it", Ramsey replied. Hal felt like he hasn't eaten for ages.
"Are you sure that it's alright that I'm in a police car?", Hal asked.
"Yes, it's fine", Ramsey assured him, "by the way, how are you doing?".
"Staying at a motel, buying take-outs and seeing my money slowly draining", Hal sighed, "a successful man's dream".
"Look, you can stay in my apartment and sleep on the couch so you don't have to spend your money on a motel room every night", Ramsey suggested.
"No, it's fine", Hal said to him, "you have your son with you, he might not feel comfortable with me there".
"No he won't, Willam loves you plus he is with his mom right now", Ramsey told him.
"How's William doing?", Hal asked.
"He's doing well, at least Lisa stepped up being a parent but I'm still having my eye on her", Ramsey responded,
"I see", Hal said.
"Anyways, I insist, you helped me pay for his well-being, let me return the favor", Ramsey requested. Hal thought about it and knows Ramsey has a good point.
"Alright", Hal happily accepted his offer, "for the time being". They got into Ramsey's apartment, with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a small kitchen, and the dining area was the living room. Hal carried his duffle bag and Ramsey stood by his side.
"Welcome, to mi casa", Ramsey said to Hal.
" Nice", Hal said to him.
"You can put your bag at the sofa first, I will find a container for you to put them there", Ramsey told him.
"Okay", Hal replied then placed his bag at the couch.
"Feel at home", Ramsey said to him, "stay as long as you want, okay?".
"Okay," Hal sighed and started to feel down again.
"Hey! you okay?", Ramsey asked him and worried.
"Yeah...yeah...thank you for letting me stay here", Hal sobbed as tears were forming in his eyes, "I hope someday I can repay you".
"Don't worry about that", Ramsey assured him, "just focus on the trial".
Hal collected himself, "you're right ", he breathed.
"I think we need to investigate", Ramsey suggested, "because they can just deny it once they are asked".
Hal shook his head, "we can't let that happen" he said.
"We need evidence", Ramsey stated.
"How?", he quipped, "they filed a restraining order against me".
"I will handle it, I just need your cooperation", Ramsey replied.
"Okay", Hal nodded.
"We have to catch them in the act", Ramsey requested, "we need video records and photograph evidence".
"How can you get those?",Hal wondered.
"Just think of places where they might you know...", Ramsey said, " and we'll place a camcorder there "
Hal gave it a thought, "but that meant we're also invading privacy", Hal said to him.
"Not if it's your own house", Ramsey clarified, "my partner and I will take care of spying on them".
"Okay, let's do this", Hal agreed, "so what's the first thing we have to do?".
" We have to install camcorder and maybe voice recorder too in your house", Ramsey instructed him, "and we'll do this with while she's at work so at the same time you don't break your restraining order and while you're still married, you still have rights to go inside your own home".
"That's a good start", Hal pointed out.
"I'll just need to call someone to keep an eye on Marie on a near yet safe distance", Ramsey said.
The next daylight, Marie was back in her house. She got out of the front door and was about to walk to her car then across the street, "Hello, Marie!", a woman's voice called out. Marie stopped and turned her head to that women and it's her neighbor who looks single and flirty, waving at her, relaxing and was lying on a lounge chair wearing a two-piece bikini and sunglasses, sun tanning at the front yard with a gardener cutting her bushes, "going somewhere?".
"Hi! Julie", Marie greeted, "yeah, I'm going to work".
"Alright, have a good day", Julie said to her, "I'll see you tomorrow".
"See you tomorrow, enjoy your day-off", Marie said, she got into her car. The gardener watched her drove off while he was doing his work.
"Well, I'll get back inside before I get well done", Julie said to the gardener, "you finish off over there".
"Alright ma'am", the gardener responded. Once she got inside her house, the gardener stopped what he was doing and took out something from his cargo pants and took a walkie-talkie and turned it on.
"The coast is clear, Ramsey", the gardener whispered through the walkie talkie.
"Copy that, Galvez", Ramsey replied, "we'll be replied, "we'll be right there, just keep checking the area".
"Yes, sir", Galvez said. Later Ramsey drove to Hal and Marie's house using an ordinary grey sedan car and Hal was with him wearing something casual. Ramsey stopped at three houses across Hal's house then he turned to Hal.
"Here we are", Ramsey told him then he took out a recording camera, "Okay, here's two camcorders, we use this to spy on our suspects so this camcorder can last as long as a month from now".
"Nice", Hal impressed.
"You know what to do, you put one of them in your bedroom and one of them at the living room facing the front door", Ramsey instructed him.
"Got it", Hal followed.
"Here's walkie talkie if I and Galvez have to reach you", Ramsey said to him then handed him the walkie-talkie.
"Thank you!", Hal replied, "I'll go ahead". Hal put the walkie talkie in his pocket and put on a cap and shades. He got out of the car and crossed the streets and also watch his surroundings then. Once he got to the front door, he got a key from a potted plant placed next to the door, he picked up and unlock the door. He checked his surroundings again then got inside and closed the door. He got in, Ramsey and Galves are watching him intensely with worry from where they were. Hal placed the camera on the living room behind two picture frames by the fireplace giving it an overview angle. Then he got up to the bedroom then put the camera at their dusty bookshelf then placed it somewhere in the middle and hid it between two books. As he was about to leave the bedroom he immediately saw a picture from by a stand next to the bed facing down, he walked to it and took the picture frame then looked at it and it was a photo of his and Marie's wedding day where they stood next to each other with him looking handsome wearing a black tuxedo and Marie was gorgeous wearing her princess-style wedding dress. Hal suddenly felt heavy just looking and reminiscing his wedding day with her. Back outside, Ramsey and Galves were waiting at Hal to get out. Ramsey looked at his watch, feeling that Hal was inside a little bit too long than what they were discussed then suddenly Galves saw Marie's car drove back to the house and he immediately grabbed his walkie talkie.
"Guys! Marie is coming", Galves called out the two men through the walkie talkie.
"Crap! Hal, do something", Ramsey groaned to Hal, "don't let her see you".
"Alright", Hal replied and started to alarm and his hands were clenching together he quickly puts down the frame back to the table and then trying to think of something. Marie got out of the car then ran with her high heeled shoes to the door. Hal got stiff and trying to think of a way out. Marie got a key from her purse but as she holds the knob and inserted it to the keyhole, she unwittingly turned the knob and the door opened and Hal heard it from the bedroom and so he knows that he should think fast. Ramsey and Galves were watching and worrying for Hal. Marie was still outside and felt strange that the door opened before she was about to unlock it. Hal looked around the room and saw a window then and an idea came. "Guys, listen, I'll get out through the window".
"Copy that, be careful", Ramsey said to him. Hal then quietly yet hurriedly walked to the bedroom and slide it up to open and slowly got out. Marie went inside the house and looked around the living room but didn't see anything out of the ordinary and even the camcorder then she shrugged it off and went upstairs and got the bedroom, and Hal was still outside standing by the shingle next to the window trying to hold on so he wouldn't fall. Marie felt something was wrong but she couldn't point it out, she then grabbed a folder from the study table then as she was about to leave she noticed that the picture frame of her and Hal's wedding day was facing upward. Hal took a peek from the window and saw Marie looking at their wedding day picture then he thought that Marie might suspect something since he knows that he didn't put back something where it used to correctly so he gulped. Hal then tried to move back but he slipped a little but was able to get his balance on the shingle but Marie heard the sound of his foot slip and she knows that it came from the window so she walked toward the window slowly, Hal felt that he might get caught. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door so then she let go of what's outside the window and decided to answer the door.
She opened the door and Galves was there, "hi! I'm Galves, I saw you earlier", he introduced himself to her to distract her so that Hal could escape.
"Uhm...Hi", Marie greeted him feeling weird, "can I help you?".
"Well, I'm the gardener across the street and this is my first time working in the area", Galves said to her, "I was wondering if you need a gardener?".
"Not really", Marie politely declined.
"Oh okay, no problem but if you need me, here's my number", Galves told her and handed her a small piece of paper with his number.
"I'll keep that in mind", she responded, "thank you".
"No problem, ma'am", he said to her, "I'll see you around". Then Galves walked back to the house across the street and Marie walked to her car and drove off. Ramsey was watching all this so he took out his walkie talkie again.
"Hal, Marie is about to leave", Ramsey said to Hal, "how are you doing?".
Hal went inside the bedroom again through the window, "I'm good and I already placed the camcorders", he answered.
"Good, just make sure you don't leave anything that will make her suspect that you're there", Ramsey told her.
"Don't worry, I won't", Hal followed from his mistake. He got back inside Ramsey's car.
"Mission accomplished", Ramsey pointed out and smiled at Hal, "now we wait so just hoped that it can get something".
"I'll cross my fingers", Hal sighed.
"Let's go home," Ramsey said then started to drove off but first made a stop at Julie's house to see Galves who was still cutting the bushes, "thank you, I'll see you tomorrow". Galves responded winked and then salute at Ramsey and Hal then they drove off.