Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen
I woke refreshed, despite the tossing and turning from the night before. I was anxious to hear from the jury although I knew anything could happen. I couldn’t imagine a jury letting John McKinley go. I thought about other people who had paid a price to bring him to justice. My friend got killed because of me and her mom being attacked and beaten. 

Todd said they got word that the jury reached a verdict. I didn’t know if anyone could predict the outcome based on how long they were out but I doubt that was a dependable science. The verdict phase would resume in an hour so we prepared to go back to the courtroom. Todd would drive me back to the courthouse and protect me while I was there. Lincoln and my mom would stay in the house and wait for me to return.

It was an anxious time. I was nervous waiting for the verdict and caught the defendant staring at me a couple of times. I didn’t know if any of his associates would come to his defense or not. I was just waiting to see justice. If that was even possible in this case. 

Everyone had come back into the courtroom. The defense team and the defendant, the prosecutors, the spectators in the gallery, the bailiff and finally the judge came through the door and the bailiff announced for us to “all rise” along with his name but that is all a blur now. I don’t remember his name and in fact I don’t remember much of the event until the judge asked the jury foreman if they had reached a verdict. 

The foreman responded, “Yes, your honor we have”. The rest of his words blurred together until I finally heard the word guilty. He was found guilty of kidnapping and sex trafficking. They hadn’t tried him for murder yet, preferring to save it just in case but since he was found guilty the prosecution intended to try him on murder charges as a separate case. 

The defendant was taken into custody, the judge had already left the proceedings and several officers maneuvered John out away from the courtroom back to a cell where he would wait until he received his sentence. We would all be present again as we listened to the judge pronounce that sentence. While the crowd filled the courtroom trying to exit, Todd took me the back way out of the courthouse, in fact we saw the defendant being led down the hallway, also out the back way.

While we were in the hallway there was a loud bang and I saw the defendant clutch his chest and fall to the floor while the officers were scrambling to figure out what happened. The first thing I thought of was the gang silenced him, but as I looked down the hallway I saw the little girl victim’s dad standing there holding a gun. 

The officers called for an ambulance for the defendant and they surrounded the shooter. He dropped the gun and waited for them. He got his own justice and I felt sorry for him. I knew he hurt from what happened to his wife and daughter. If I had my way they would charge him with discharging a firearm in the city limits, give him a ticket and we would all go home.

Todd grabbed my hand and led me away. I didn’t know what the future would hold for me. I wouldn’t have to go through another trial and that sounded good but I didn’t know if I would still be in danger. I didn’t know if the gang would still be after me, especially now that the murderer had also been murdered. 

Todd maneuvered through the courthouse crowd that had assembled after hearing the gunshot. You could hear a few screams, some “oh my god” and other expressions of shock. The fact that the victim’s father had made it into the courthouse with a loaded weapon meant some security officer had messed up. 

Todd got me out of danger quickly and we drove back to the house. I didn’t know what the days ahead held for me but I don’t think Todd knew either. Todd told us he would have to wait and see what his superiors told him. They would have to assess the danger and see if I would still need protection. 

The defendant was dead and he wouldn’t be talking to anyone. That would leave the gang pretty much intact. The case was ended and without the defendant there wouldn’t be a murder trial. The next case would be a murder case against the father. I was told that since I was a witness I would be called to testify. 

Todd told me, “You are wanted downtown to tell your story about what you saw. I have to appear for questioning too. I don’t know how much our testimony is needed, they have cameras all over the courthouse.”

I asked, “When do we have to go?”

Todd replied, “We have an appointment tomorrow. They will spend today interrogating the suspect. They will also be reviewing the surveillance videos. They will question us tomorrow and compare our story to the videos and the story they get from the suspect.”

When we got back to the house Bryntley had already begun cooking for dinner. Todd had already called her with the news of what happened at the courthouse. We didn’t have any plans or anywhere to go. I would still be a witness but the case would be different. I wasn’t excited about being a witness in this case, I felt like John McKinley had it coming. 

It would be a relaxing night. The police didn’t think I needed any protection from the girl’s father, they were still concerned about John McKinley’s gang. I found out from Todd that the police had been watching the house in case any gang members showed up looking for anything. That was in addition to our US marshal detail.

Bryntley announced that dinner was ready and we all gathered at the table and Lincoln asked when I would be through testifying. Bryntley helped me explain the current circumstances.

Bryntley said, “Since the original defendant is dead the case is now shifted to the father of the victim.”

I asked, “What was his name anyway?”

Bryntley replied, “His name in the original trial was protected because he was the father of a minor victim. Since his daughter is not involved in this case they may publish his name. We will know that at his arraignment.”

I asked, “What happens to us in the meantime?”

Todd answered this one, “In all likelihood since the defendant in the old case is now deceased, you will probably not need our services anymore.”

I asked, “You don’t think we are in danger anymore?”

Todd replied, “You really ask short questions. The truth is, we have been doing danger assessments at your old apartment building and the store where you worked. No one has been looking for you. Since the defendant was killed, the gang itself had no connection to you, you just happened to get suspicious about items he bought. The gang is going to be more interested in distancing itself from the defendant and from the town as much as possible.”

I said, “That is just an educated guess, you don’t have anything to base that guess on. They killed my roommate looking for me.”

Bryntley answered that inquiry, we have done some research since then that tells us that the gang stopped looking for you as soon as the defendant was killed. They no longer feared he would implicate them in any way. The father of the victim actually indirectly helped the gang.”

I said, “I have been wondering something. I am thinking I might want to write a book sometime about this case. Would I be able to access the transcript from the trial?”

Bryntley said, “You can file a request for the transcript through the open records act. You can get some things from the lawyers if they want you to. You simply have to ask them.”

I knew the prosecutors pretty well since I testified for them and since the case was over they shouldn't object to me getting a copy of their research. 

The first thing I had to do was to try and get my old job back at the store. Then I could concentrate on other things. Making a living was one of the first things I had to do.

Bryntley said, “You will be given a choice. We can take you back to Santa Fe and you can assume that identity we have prepared for you or you could stay here and go back to your old life.”

I replied, “I have noticed that both you and Todd have been calling me Susan since we came back. I guess it is time to bury Rita Watson for good.”

Bryntley said, “It will take a few days to change the old paperwork back. You and your family can stay here till we get that done. You won’t be able to get a job till we get you a social security card. In the meantime we need you in court for the arraignment.”

I said, “Thank you for everything, I will be available to testify.”

Bryntley said, “I have also filed for you to get access to the transcripts.”

Bryntley had been a good friend and I didn’t have many of those since my roommate was killed. I didn’t figure that she would be hanging out much with civilians, but she was the closest thing I had to a friend at the moment. We all settled in for the evening, eating the dinner that was prepared and getting ready for bed. We were told that the arraignment hearing would be in two days. I would be ready.