South of Justice by Joni M Fisher

Author:Joni M Fisher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indie Author Project
Published: 2016-05-16T00:00:00+00:00

15

On Thursday, April 1st, the State of North Carolina versus Elijah Blake Clayton launched its first day of trial in Asheville. Blake’s parents and his brothers’ wives, sat directly behind him in the Buncombe County Courthouse. Terri was conspicuously absent. According to the defense attorney, Blake’s brothers were prohibited from attending the trial because they might be called to testify. Blake did not have the stomach to ask which side had asked them to testify.

While the attorneys presented their opening arguments, Blake worried about Terri. For months she had stayed in New York to work. Conditions of his bail did not permit him to leave the state. He had called her every day, and every day she had asked if he was ready to tell her about the death of Curtis Frank. Every day he declined on the advice of his attorney. He would not have blamed her for staying away from the trial.

He missed her desperately. Was she really catching up on work? Or was she staying away because she was angry he hadn’t told her everything? His attorney warned him not to discuss the case with anyone, because his life was on the line. Maybe she was shopping for a divorce attorney. It crushed him to imagine losing her. Last night’s text message from Terri was a reservation number for a suite in the Vanderbilt wing of the historic Grove Park Inn and Resort near the courthouse. Had she reserved the suite for two or for one?

The District Attorney’s deep voice rolled across the quiet, packed courtroom. “And we intend to prove, based on forensic evidence and eye-witness testimony, that on the night of October twenty-ninth, nineteen-ninety-four, the defendant Elijah Blake Clayton kidnapped Mr. Curtis Frank from his residence.” The prosecutor mentioned the volume of evidence and witnesses marshaled to prove his case.

Blake cringed. His attorney had warned him about Sweet Sally Henson’s statement to the FBI as part of a plea deal. Blake tried to remember Sweet Sally, but that night he had not been paying much attention to that old hag. She had a plea deal with the DA related to charges in Florida. After sixteen years, what did she remember? What would a desperate hooker say to save herself?

A protest group outside carried signs denouncing the Felony Murder Rule. Blake’s attorney called them the April Fools and warned him not to speak with them, look at them, or even think about them. He explained that they had their own agenda and attracting media attention would not help Blake in any way.

His mind swirled with thoughts of fear and doubt. At night, when the world quieted and his fears filled the room, he choked up in panic. In the daytime, he feared losing his freedom, his wife, and his mind. He doubted his attorney could refute both forensic evidence and an eye-witness. He doubted the jury’s sympathy for him. They probably considered him a pampered rich kid who never had to work for anything. Even back

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.