Chapter 9: Convicting A Criminal
Noah's POV
The judge's eyes shifted to me with a glare that looked like he could shoot lasers from them.
I could sense the anger my intrusion had caused.
Shit, maybe shouting in a courtroom wasn't the smartest decision. The nitwit, Jason, turned to me with a confused, sheepish look.
The idiot was really just going to let the accused off the hook. "Noah," Marley said in a small whispering tone, I knew what he meant, but the deed was already done, and to be honest, I was pissed.
The judge took one more look at me and slammed his hammer. "We'll take a quick break, hopefully by that time the prosecution will have its decision in order."
With that, he stood and exited the courtroom. Johnathan stood and left the court with Marley and I behind him.
"What in the world was that, Noah?" Johnathan asked, rubbing his temples.
"I should be asking you that. What is that rookie doing out there? He wants to let that criminal off on the grounds of an abusive home and trauma." I could sense the anger in me rising. "After all the effort we put into finding that ass." I blurted out.
"Effort? We hardly did anything, Noah." Johnathan's brows creased. Marley gave me a warning look and instantly started laughing.
Oh, that was right, my organization was a secret after all. To Johnathan, all we did was wait for the cops to catch him, but I knew better. I knew the pressure I put on my hackers, the strings I had to pull to make it happen.
"You know how he gets when he's preparing for a case, he's talking about the paperwork." Marley came up with a lie on the spot, and it seemed to do the trick.
"Get that rookie out of there, Johnathan." I said sternly, I was so close to going back into the courtroom and giving Jason an ass whooping.
"I can't, not when the trial is writing now. Do you know how impossible it will be to get someone else to represent us unprepared?"
"I'll do it." I was fully prepared to take on the trial, that was my plan from the start, so I was the best option. He looked back at me with unsure eyes, waiting for Marley to say something contradictory, but luckily Marley kept his mouth shut.
He also understood the gravity of the situation, there was no way I was going to let all this end like that.
"Okay." He agreed eventually, and a smile crept onto my face. I walked back into the courtroom, grabbed my briefcase, and walked to where Jason was standing, looking like the clueless duck he was.
He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before anything could come out of his mouth. "Scram." Without any resistance, he packed his stuff and scurried off. I was satisfied with the outcome.
My eyes met with the accused when I looked up—those seemingly remorseful, dark pools of evil.
A murderer like that didn't deserve mercy, and he sure as hell wasn't getting it.
The judge came in soon after, and he didn't look at all surprised when he saw me instead of Jason.
"Your turn." he said, motioning to me. I pulled out all the pictures from my briefcase, exhibits showing all the heinous crimes that the serial killer had committed, and distributed them to the jury.
One look at their faces, and I could tell they all had the same question on their minds, "What sort of monster would do something like this?" It was exactly what I needed them to think.
"The defendant claims his actions were a result of past trauma in his childhood and early teen days. He claims that the reason he so brutally took all those people from their loved ones, from their families was because of something as fickle as having daddy issues...." I noticed Marley grinning, and it almost made me smile as well.
"I suppose we should just tell the mothers and fathers of those children that their beloveds are gone because one man couldn't find his way to a therapist's office." By the time I was done talking, I could tell no one was going to buy into the defendant's pleas, and the judge looked extremely relieved as well.
The jury went in to decide, and everywhere went stiff with anticipation, What would be the decision? And how severe would his punishment be?.
The judge was handed the verdict, and my eyes moved to the serial killer, strangely, he was staring at me too.
"The jury finds the accused...guilty, and he will be receiving the maximum sentence and punishment for his crimes...." It happened like a blur, the once remorseful look on his face seemed to just melt off, leaving a dark, cold, emotionless expression—maybe not completely emotionless because I couldn't sense the nonchalance in his eyes.
It was almost like he had realized there was no reason to put up an act. Either way, I felt a flame of satisfaction light up in my heart. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I watched the guards escort him out.
"You did good." Marley hugged me when we got out of the building. "Of course I did; who do you think I am?" I said smugly. "The golden lawyer." He laughed, It was an epic victory for both of us.
My phone rang in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see my head maid, Lucia's caller ID, on display.
"Everything okay?" Marley asked. I shrugged my shoulders and put the phone to my ear. "Lucia, is everything okay?" She knew not to call me when I was at work.
"Mr. Gold, I'm calling about your erm... visitor."
Visitor? Oh, she probably meant Rayna. She hadn't even crossed my mind once throughout the trial.
"Are you referring to the woman?"
"Yes."
"What about her?"
"Well, she arrived here some hours ago and..."
"And what? Did she try to leave?"
"Yes."
I smiled, I wasn't surprised. "That's not a problem, Lucia, the guards will be sure to keep her on the premises. Is that why you had to call?."
"Well...she almost tried climbing out the window, but I suppose she realized how much of a death attempt that would have been and now, she's locked herself inside the room, she refuses to eat. What would you like me to do?" I couldn't help but laugh. I had chosen the room upstairs for her, and going out that window would have been a sure and painful way to die.
"It's alright, just leave her there; I'll be home in a minute."
"Okay sir." I ended the call and put my phone away.
"We're not going to celebrate?" Marley asked.
"Apparently no, it's too early to celebrate anyway."
"It's never too early, what was that about anyway? I heard a woman."
"It's Rayna."
"The Salvatore's girl?"
"Yeah." I stopped at my car and reached for my keys.
"She's at your house, that's an interesting development. I'm so stoked to see how all this pans out." He chuckled as I got into my car.
"Get a life, Marley." I turned on the ignition. "I have one."
"Not one that rotates around your mom."
"Ouch." He smirked "See you later."
"Sure thing." He stepped aside as I drove off.
*********
I got home to meet Lucia looking a bit worried, Lucia was the elderly and kind type of house help. She was the one who made sure my meals were healthy for consumption.
"Where is she?" I asked,
"Still locked up, she still hasn't eaten anything. The poor child looks quite starved." That was why she was so concerned. I rolled my eyes and reassured her that I'd take care of it and she could go back to whatever she was doing.
I made my way up to the room and knocked. No response. I knocked again.
"Please leave me alone; I don't want food; I just want to leave." Rayna's tired voice came from the other side of the door.
"Open the door." I said calmly. I could hear her gasp when she realized I was the one behind the door.
"What do you want? Go away." Her tone rose.
"I won't ask again, open the door."
"No." She said and remained silent. I pulled out the spare key for the room and put it into the hole. With two clicks the door came open and I stepped into the room.
She was seated by the bed, hands cradling her knees with her big round eyes looking up at me.
"What are you? 5?." She dropped her hands and cautiously shifted back, it was almost infuriating.
What exactly would a few centimeters of distance do? If I wanted to do anything to her, I could do it without her having a say.
"Get up." I ordered, and surprisingly, she did. Maybe it was the irritated tone of my voice, or she just knew she didn't have a choice in the matter. I covered the distance between us.
"You tried to go out the window?, I thought I said not to try anything stupid. Do you really think I'm someone you can mess with?."
"I'm sorry." She squeaked nervously.
"Don't give Lucia a hard time, do as she says, understood?" She nodded slightly.
"Speak!!" I shouted, which wasn't necessary. Her body trembled at the word, like a rabbit about to be slaughtered, there was something alluring about her vulnerability.
"Yes."
"Downstairs now." She didn't wait for me to say it a second time and hurried off.
As she sped past me her scent filled my nose, she smelt very different compared to her sister.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone