Inner And Outer Demons

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Tris's POV

I breathe in a deep breath as I step into the small interview room. All rooms like these around here are basically the same space and size, but this one feels much smaller as I stand with Tobias's estranged mother. The air in the room not seeming to be enough for the two of us to share.

"Tris." Evelyn greets me with a stiff nod and faint curl of her lips.

I reciprocate the same, "Evelyn."

"Have you seen Tobias? Is he here somewhere?" She asks anxiously, and I know she's holding back some. Not knowing how I'll react, and she's smart to do so.

"I have seen him," I tell her with a tense nod of my head. "And they just moved him out. He's getting arraigned in the morning."

Evelyn nods, and I can watch the emotion shift on her face. "So I suppose it wouldn't be possible to see him, would it?"

I actually can't help myself as I let a small laugh escape from my lips. "No. And even if he was still here, maybe two rooms over, I wouldn't let you see him."

Evelyn's eyes widen, and that mask of a worried mother fades from her face. "There's no need for the hostility Tris."

She spits my name as if it's venom from her tongue.

"There's no hostility here Evelyn, I'm just telling you the way it is." Sure, of course there is some hostility. But the way I'm speaking to her right now has nothing to do with that. This is about her, and Tobias being in the situation he is right now.

"And what you're saying, is that you would keep me from my son as he takes on a murder charge?"

I tilt my head slightly, and try my hardest not to break my cup I hold in my hands that want to curl into fists by my sides. "You're starting to catch on."

"I have every right--"

"You don't. Really." I snap, and Evelyn scoffs softly.

"You were brought in here as a suspect, and we can still treat you as one despite Tobias's confession."

"He confessed did he?" Evelyn asks, crossing her arms in front of her. Fake curiosity and innocence clouding her words, but I see straight through her act.

"You know he did." I say, and take a step further into the room. Closer to the woman who makes my skin boil the longer I'm stuck speaking to her. "And we both know it was bogus."

"Are you trying to insinuate something?" Evelyn asks, as her jaw clenches slightly. And as much as I can't stand the woman, when I look at her I can't help but see aspects of Tobias in her. Physical attributes and small habits here and there.

"The confession he gave was complete bullshit, you and I both know that. But what I don't know," I pause, stepping closer to Tobias's mother inside the small room. "Is why Tobias would've lied about something like that. Why Tobias would put himself on the line for someone else when facing a twenty to life prison sentence."

Evelyn narrows her eyes at me, "How do you know he was lying? You weren't there."

"I wasn't, you're right. But it's quite convenient that you were." I say, and just as Evelyn moves to say something, a knock on the open door behind us makes me turn.

Zeke stands in the doorway with a knowing look on his face, "Tris, a minute?"

Nodding, I exit the room without addressing Evelyn before leaving. Zeke leads me back into the squad room, and has me go ahead and sit down in my chair at my desk.

"I let you talk to Tobias," He murmurs under his breath quietly. "Which I could get in trouble for. But now you're talking to Evelyn; the only other suspect or witness at the scene. That, I can't authorize. That, you could get in trouble for Tris, and I think you know that."

Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. Everything Zeke is saying is true, there's nothing I can argue with here.

"I don't trust her Zeke," I say shaking my head angrily now at that woman. "I think she's responsible, not Tobias, in the death of Marcus. I'd put everything I own on the fact that I think she was the one to kill him."

"Then why did Tobias confess?" Zeke asks, tilting his head to the side as he runs a hand over his jaw. He sits on the edge of my desk once again, but right now I don't have energy to spare in being upset.

"Because it's his mother. No matter how terrible a mother she was, she's still his blood."

The words feel just as bad in my mouth as they do out in the air as they enter my ears. But I believe that no matter how bad and as crazy as they may sound, that they're the truth. I believe Evelyn killed Marcus Eaton and Tobias is taking the fall... because he feels this twisted need to protect or to save his mother. Maybe because he couldn't long ago. But Tobias doesn't deserve to lose everything just because his mother came back into the picture. He doesn't deserve to face the consequences of an action she made.

With a sigh, Zeke hops down from my desk. "I guess we're just going to have to prove it won't we?"

Smiling softly up at Tobias's best friend, I nod my head. "Thank you Zeke."

Even with the crushing weight of the evidence against him and the confession he gave up when they brought him in, Tobias still has people rallying in his corner. His friends still have his back, and I'm still here because I haven't given up on him. If Tobias could see the determination we have to free him and clear his name, I know Tobias would give up this whole thing. He needs to know that he has people in his life who aren't flipping on him and are standing strong by his side.

"Let's go get our boy back huh?" Zeke grins my way before turning and walking to his own desk.

I couldn't have said it any better myself. Time to go get Tobias back.

A/N: I wish this chapter was longer, but what are your thoughts on all that's been introduced in this and the last few chapters?? More intense scenes and FourTris moments to come!!🙈😅