A Jewel Whodunnit...
SADIE'S SCANDAL
PART TWO:  DEATH TO THE OLD LIFE

Chapter Eleven: Amber

"And so, as a result of these tests, Sadie Monahue has been dropped from our list of suspects in the Ridley murder case."
DI Fields concluded his press statement, a look of preoccupation in his eyes as he faced the eager, beady eyed reporters, all clamouring for the latest word on what was being dubbed the 'Sadie Scandal'. It was two days later and the second round of DNA tests had proved even more conclusive than the first, so the police department had had no choice but to rescind their accusations against the guitarist and the band were released from their impromptu confinement. Jetta was in good spirits and the band had greeted the press with smiles and waves and assurances that they had always known Sadie was innocent.
But Sadie herself was quiet. There was no triumph in the test results now, not now she knew what had really happened. Glad as she was to have her own name cleared, she was more than a little anxious about her sister. Jewel would leave Kent in the next week, after rescheduling their delayed tour dates, and then she would be too far away to reach Georgia should the teenager need her help.
"She was always a stubborn brat." She told herself with a sigh, as she posed for photographs, pasting a false smile on her face as she did so. "But this isn't one of those times to play independant. Maybe she is that scared that she can't face a policeman at the moment. I don't doubt Grey will do his best to keep her safe, but all he's doing is getting himself wound up in the trouble as well. Concealng evidence, harbouring a suspect...I'm sure the police will come up with plenty once they find the missing link in the chain."
"Hey, Sadie!"
As the press began to clear, Sadie heard a familiar voice call her name and she turned, the vague smile being replaced by a genuine one as she recognised Amber. The Teenangel was alone, nonchalantly leaning up against the wall as she waited for the melee to clear, and Sadie made her way over to join her, glad to escape the public attention for a moment or two.
"Congrats on clearing your name." Amber sent her a grin. "I figured I'd come down here and say it, since I can't reach you by phone."
"Thanks." Sadie sighed. "It was nice,by the way, when we got the paper and you were quoted as having blasted the police department as incompetant. Gave me encouragement to know someone was in my corner."
"You don't sound all that thrilled." Amber narrowed her gaze. "What's the deal?"
Sadie bit her lip, then she linked arms in the older girl's, leading her further from the crowds of people and cameras.
"It's not quite so simple." She murmured, then slowly she explained everything, from the events the night of Neal's death to her sister's halting confession. She knew she could trust the teenangel not to betray Georgia's secret, and somehow she knew she needed once more the 'big sister' type guidance the clever redhead had given her in the past.
 Amber let out a low whistle.
"That does rather screw it up." She observed. "The kid refuses to listen?"
"I think she's too damn scared to." Sadie admitted. "She was talking about leaving town or something - her and Grey both - but I don't know as they'll be able to. Simone's a beady eyed witch and she'd see anything strange going on like that. The police would be on it in a second and let's face it, it can't be all that long before they realise that Alyssa and Sadie aren't the only Monahue girls."
"True." Amber looked thoughtful. "Still, there ain't much more you can do, if she won't take your advice. You can't drag her kicking and screaming across town to the hotel, that wouldn't work."
"No, though I was sorely tempted." Sadie looked wistful. "I feel so helpless, though. So much of this is my fault."
"It's not your fault. Georgia was a damn idiot for falling into the trap you fell into, that's all." Amber told her firmly. "And if the kid won't be helped, well, you can't help her."
"I know." Sadie sighed. "It just bugs me, that's all."
"Well, look. Tell you what." Amber considered. "We have a gig tonight not far from the old estate. I'll make a detour, see if I can find Grey and bang heads together. Perhaps if I spoke to Georgie it might have an impact. After all, kid's damn scared of me."
"Can't blame her." Despite herself, a cheeky smile touched Sadie's lips. Amber grimaced back at her.
"You want my help or not?" She demanded.
"Of course I do." Sadie nodded. "I was teasing. I don't know, though. She wouldn't listen to me, no saying whether or not she'll listen to you."
"Well, I'll give it a go. For the sake of an old friend's sanity." Amber winked at her. "Give it my best shot. Hey, I'll speak to you later, whatever happens. Okay?"
"Sure." Sadie nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate the effort."
"Hey, Sadie! We're going for ice cream - wanna come? We wanna celebrate!" At that moment Sylva descended upon them, casting Amber a grin.
"Ice cream in January? Only Sylva could think of that." Amber laughed.
"Hey, in Cali we eat ice cream all year round." Sylva shrugged. "And anyhow, we need something to celebrate with...it's too early to go out drinking and in any case Jetta's told us no drunken riots, so-o-o-o..."
"Okay, I'm coming." Sadie nodded. "Bye, Amber. Talk soon, okay!"
"Of course." Amber winked. "Have fun...don't freeze yourselves!"
"What was she doing here?" Sylva asked, as the two girls rejoined Copper and Nancy.
"She wanted to congratulate me on clearing my name." Sadie responded. "Well, if we're having icecream...shall we go?"

*********************************************

"It feels good to be back to something close to normal."
Sylva set her glass of lemonade down on the table, casting a satisfied glance over the front pages of the local paper with a smile. "We're hot news again, for the right reasons, and the cops admitted they made a mistake. We're cool to go and our tickets are selling out once more! Jewel are back!"
"Sadie...the other night you said you knew who did this." Nancy remembered, toying with her own drink as she did so. "You and Copper hared off out and neither of you have said a thing since. Did something happen?"
"Well, I do know who did it, but I made a promise and I won't break it." Sadie said quietly. "I know it's concealing evidence, you guys, so I'm not going to tell you and get you into any situation whereby you could be collared for that too. Copper knows, and I'm kinda sorry she does for that reason, but we're saying nothing. As far as the police know, that conversation never happened, okay?"
"Well, it's fine by me." Sylva shrugged. "I don't care who killed old big nose creepazoid. He's dead, he probably deserved it and we can get back to normal. Let the police find out who did it. They've put us through enough hell."
"Besides, they won't lay into Copper unless they have no choice. Mom already threatened them with the American Embassy." Nancy remembered. "It's cool, Sadie. I was just curious."
"It's not something which will happen again." Sadie assured them. "Neal's death was an accident...so I don't feel like I'm creating a problem keeping it a secret like I am. And that's all I'm saying...so drop it now, huh? I want to relax."
"I think we all want that." Copper nodded. "It's been a hell of a time for all of us."
"You know, though, I think it's been kinda good too." Nancy looked thoughtful.
"Good? Nancy, you a sadist?" Sylva demanded. "How was it good?"
"Well, not actually good...I didn't mean that." Nancy looked sheepish. "But think about it. When we flew out here, Sadie wasn't really feeling like she belonged with us - were you, Sadie? You were nervous and remember, when the article broke you shut yourself away in your room, away from us. Now...we're much more of a unit. Don't you think?"
"I guess you're right." Sadie looked startled. "I hadn't thought of it, but I think I do feel more comfortable with you lot now." She blushed. "Truth is, I felt like I was Topaz's friend and you were all tolerating me because of her."
"Well, now you know it's not true." Sylva told her. "We like you because you're you and you're one of the gang."
"Syl's right." Copper grinned.
"Topaz will be relieved we've all gelled at least." Nancy mused.
"Yeah. I promised to phone her if anything major happened, so I gotta tell her Sadie's clear - if she doesn't know already." Sylva responded.
"I'll probably have some explaining to do to her and Phyllis when we get back." Sadie bit her lip. "But Jetta's on my side, at least. That's something."
"Mom likes you." Nancy told her. "I don't know for sure, but I think she thinks of you being like her...taking your chances in a new country and all of that, without much money behind you. Taking a gamble on a one way ticket to America in search of work...it was like that for her, too."
"Yeah." Sadie agreed. "Without Jetta I'd be lost, too...so I'm glad she's part of this."
At that moment there was a knock at the door.
"Guess I'll get it." Sadie, who was closest to the door got to her feet, undoing the catch and swinging it open. "But if it's press I swear I'll hit them right between the eyes."
"Charming." The girl on the other side observed with a wry smile. "That how Jewel greet all their guests?"
"No, only the most important." Sadie laughed. "Hi Amber. I'm sorry...we've had a lot of hassle tonight. You wanna come in? We got lemonade."
"Sure...but I'm not alone. Someone...came with me." Amber moved aside and Sadie let out an exclamation.
"Georgie!"
"Hi Sadie." Georgia met her sister's gaze hesitantly. "Amber...well...will you still help me?"
"Of course I will!" Sadie responded. "Come on in, both of you. No Grey?" She cast a questioning look at Amber as she said this, but Amber shook her head.
"Grey's packing up Georgie's stuff. He'll bring it by here tomorrow." She said. "We didn't want too much fuss."
"Why the change of heart, Georgie?" Sadie asked as she ushered them both inside, much to the bewilderment of Nancy and Sylva.
"Amber said that you...you tried to protect me." Georgia said softly. "When they first laid into you, you...you didn't tell them about that night because Spyder had mentioned me and you wanted to keep me out of trouble. You...could have gone to jail because of it, I know that. I...I guess I realised that I can trust you, and I..I do need your help."
"Well, you got it." Sadie hugged her. "So don't worry. We'll sort things out."

Chapter One: An Uncertain Reputation
Chapter Two: Reaction
Chapter Three: Questions
Chapter Four:  Back Home
Chapter Five: Complications
Chapter Six: The Net Closes
Chapter Seven: Jetta Demands
Chapter Eight: Startling News
Chapter Nine: An Unlikely Suspect
Chapter Ten: The Truth
Chapter Eleven: Amber
Chapter Twelve: Final Verdict
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE
Copper, Nancy, Sylva, Anna, Blade, Raesha, Sirena, Topaz, Aaron, Sophie, Justin, Elliot, Rosita, Luis and any other characters in this fiction which do not appear in the animated Jem series are copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley) as of January 2002 <unless otherwise specified> and are not to be reproduced without permission ANYWHERE. Jetta, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, Raya and all other original Jem characters are the copyright of Hasbro Inc, Sunbow, Christy Marx and the other writers of the Jem series. The future world of Pizzazz, Raya, Jetta, Roxy, Stormer, Clash, Synergy, the fate of Jem and her memorial are all copyrighted to me. The future world of Kimber and Shana is copyrighted jointly to myself and Gemma Dawn.
The concept of 'Jewel' is entirely my own, and any apparent link with any fictional or actual person or persons of this name is entirely coincidental. Equally the characters in this fiction are not based on any real life individual.
The concept behind the future world of Danse, Aja and Craig, the idea behind Jerrica's futureworld and the split of the Holograms is copyrighted to Gemma Dawn, whose Teenangel Outsiders fiction is directly twinned with Just a Dream. The character Sammi and any of the other Teenangel Outsider characters mentioned in this fiction are entirely copyright to Gemma Dawn and appear here only with her permission.
Pay her page a visit!