Chapter 131 Verdict
CAITLYN'S POV
Three days later we got the call. The jury had reached a verdict. They were going to read it in an hour. Jason and I rushed to get ready. Sarah came over to watch Emma. We drove to the courthouse as fast as we could.
The courtroom was packed. Every seat filled. Media everywhere. We found seats in the second row behind DA Walsh. Detective Rourke was there too. He nodded at us when we sat down.
"How are you feeling?" Rourke asked quietly.
"Nervous," I said. "What if they find them not guilty?"
"They won not," Rourke said. "The evidence was too strong. Your testimony was too powerful."
"I hope you are right," I said.
The judge came in and everyone stood. Then sat back down. The defendants were brought in. All five of them in handcuffs. They looked nervous. Good. They should be nervous.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked.
"We have your honor," the jury foreman said. He was an older man. Maybe sixty. He stood up holding a piece of paper.
"On the charge of racketeering how do you find the defendants?" the judge asked.
"Guilty," the foreman said.
I grabbed Jason's hand. Guilty. They said guilty.
"On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder how do you find the defendants?" the judge asked.
"Guilty," the foreman said.
"On the charge of drug trafficking how do you find the defendants?" the judge asked.
"Guilty," the foreman said.
The foreman kept reading. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. On every single charge. All five defendants. Guilty on all counts.
I started crying. Could not help it. Relief washed over me. They had been found guilty. Justice had been served.
Jason pulled me close. "We did it," he whispered. "We won."
"We won," I repeated.
The judge thanked the jury and dismissed them. Then he looked at the defendants.
"Sentencing will be scheduled for next month," the judge said. "Until then you will remain in custody. Court is adjourned."
The defendants were led out. They looked defeated. Broken. Like they had finally realized they lost.
DA Walsh turned around and smiled at us. "Congratulations," she said. "You did it. Your testimony made the difference."
"Thank you," I said. "For everything. For fighting for us."
"It was my pleasure," DA Walsh said. "Justice was served today. That is what matters."
We left the courthouse and reporters swarmed us immediately. Shoving microphones in our faces. Shouting questions.
"Mrs Cross how do you feel about the verdict?"
"Do you think justice was served?"
"What message does this send to other victims?"
"No comment," Jason said. He put his arm around me and we pushed through the crowd. Got to our car and drove away.
"That was intense," I said when we were finally alone.
"It was," Jason said. "But we did it. They are going to prison. All of them."
"For how long?" I asked.
"Probably decades," Jason said. "With all those charges they are looking at serious time."
"Good," I said. "They deserve it."
When we got home Sarah was waiting with Emma. I told her about the verdict and she hugged me.
"I am so proud of you," Sarah said. "You were so brave. Both of you."
"Thank you," I said. "For being here. For supporting us."
"Always," Sarah said.
After Sarah left I sat on the couch with Emma. Just held her and cried. Relief. Joy. Exhaustion. All of it hitting me at once.
"You okay?" Jason asked. He sat next to me.
"I am more than okay," I said. "I am happy. Really truly happy. They are going to prison. They cannot hurt anyone else."
"They cannot," Jason said. "And you made that happen. Your testimony. Your bravery. You did that."
"We did that," I said. "Together."
"Together," Jason agreed.
We sat there for a while just being together. Being a family. Celebrating the victory.
But then reality set in. This was just the first trial. There were four more to go. Four more times I would have to testify. Four more times I would have to relive the trauma. Four more chances for something to go wrong.
"Jason?" I said.
"Yeah?"
"Four more trials," I said. "I have to do this four more times."
"I know," Jason said. "But you can do it. You proved that today. You are strong enough."
"I do not feel strong enough," I said. "I feel exhausted. Drained. I do not know if I can keep doing this."
"You can," Jason said. "And you will. Because those people need to pay. And you are the one who can make that happen."
"What if I cannot?" I asked. "What if the next trial is too much? What if I break?"
"Then we take a break," Jason said. "We talk to DA Walsh. We figure out a way to make it easier. But we do not give up. We keep fighting."
"Keep fighting," I repeated. "I am so tired of fighting."
"I know," Jason said. "But this is worth it. Justice is worth it."
"You are right," I said. "It is worth it."
Emma started fussing so I fed her. Sat there nursing my daughter and thinking about the future. About the four more trials. About the testimony I would have to give. About the questions I would have to answer.
It was overwhelming. Exhausting. Terrifying. But it was also necessary. Those men needed to pay for what they did. And I was the one who could make that happen.
"When is the next trial?" I asked Jason.
"Six weeks," Jason said. "DA Walsh said they are scheduling them every six to eight weeks. Gives everyone time to prepare. Time to recover."
"Six weeks," I said. "That is not a lot of time."
"It is enough time," Jason said. "Enough time to rest. To spend time with Emma. To get ready."
"I hope so," I said.
"It will be," Jason said. "And each trial will get easier. You will know what to expect. You will be more prepared."
"Or each trial will get harder," I said. "Because I will be more tired. More traumatized. More done with all of this."
"Then we deal with that when it happens," Jason said. "But for now we celebrate. We won today. That matters."
"We won today," I said. "That does matter."
I looked down at Emma. She was falling asleep while eating. So peaceful. So innocent. She had no idea what her parents had just accomplished. What justice had been served.
But one day she would know. One day I would tell her about this. About how we fought. About how we won. About how we made sure the bad guys paid for what they did.
And maybe that would matter to her. Maybe that would make her proud.
"I love you,"
I said to Jason.
"I love you too," Jason said.
We sat there together. Our little family. Celebrating our victory. Preparing for the battles ahead.