Chapter 58

George was retrieved from his room and escorted to the dining room after what seemed like days, though it was just six or seven hours. He took his seat and looked around the table at all of the men that he had spent his entire career working with and getting to know. It reassured him that there weren't any strangers in the room so he figured he could charm his way out of the situation.

"So, tell us about your dealings with Mr. Roja, from the beginning please." Arthur said, though his tone was harder than with any other witness so far.

George launched into his story from the beginning, spinning the story of him doing his very best to be friends with Josiah from the very beginning. He told them how at every turn Josiah shut him down, and cut him out of deals in his territory when Josiah overstepped his territory. He told them how when confronted, George's son had been murdered to send a message to George to not mess with Josiah. The Dons let him go on and on about one perceived slight after another.

"So, you're not denying that you kidnapped Mrs. Roja?" Arthur clarified once he told them about the plan to make sure the marriage arrangement went through.

"I had it on very good authority that they were going to back out of the deal." George said testily.

"Do you understand that it is well within their rights to cancel the agreement at any time?" Peter demanded, his tone was incredulous at the nerve to kidnap a Don's wife and the fact that George wasn't even trying to deny it.

"We both needed that deal to go through to secure peace between us. I wasn't going to let the hormones of a pregnant woman that wasn't even part of this life to ruin things!" George snapped, angry for being questioned about his motives.

"It takes two to start a war. If the mother doesn't want the marriage arrangement to go through, then it shouldn't. It would be your choice to be offended by that, or realize that arranging a marriage between your infant daughter before she's even born isn't something that every parent would choose to do!" Peter snapped back at him.

"Enough. We're not here to argue with each other. We're here to find out everyone's side of the story and find out if there was malice intended toward Mrs. Roja or her unborn child." Arthur said.

"I think we've heard enough to make a ruling. I think it is time to release George back to holding and discuss this matter between ourselves." Peter said though he was giving a dirty glare to George the whole time he spoke.

George was forced to get up from the seat he'd been told to sit in and escorted back to the room he had been held in for the day. Once George left the doors to the dining room were closed so the Dons could discuss the case and come to a decision about what to do about George. Jake went to the entertainment room to update Josiah, Rossalyn, and Sarah that the testimony was over. They looked at each other and started pacing the room nervously.

An hour later Jake returned and asked for them to follow him into the dining room to hear the results of the trial. When they entered everyone who had testified was lined up along the walls of the dining room and George was standing next to the door. Rossalyn was guided to the one free chair in the room so she could be comfortable while they gave their ruling.

"We've heard everyone's testimony about what all happened and what has led up to the choices that were made on both sides of the issue. Besides the expected inconsistencies, there were notable differences between what Josiah's witnesses have claimed and what George's witnesses have claimed, specifically George himself." Arthur said, giving George a narrowed look of disapproval.

"With that having been said, George's testimony significantly detoured off the path of what Josiah, Rossalyn, and every witness on both sides have said. This tells us that George has lied about what all happened, why he did the things he did, and what his intentions truly were regarding Rossalyn and the baby." Arthur said then stopped speaking to allow the murmuring of the room to calm down.

"I did not lie about anything!" George thundered starting to move towards the table in anger but was instantly restrained by the two guards on either side of him.

Arthur simply stood and let the room settle, refusing to even acknowledge George's outburst of denial. Once he had the attention of the room once again he continued speaking, "Because he felt the need to lie about what happened between Josiah, Rossalyn, and himself, we have ruled that he is guilty of what they claimed. He shall pay for what he has done with his life."

Rossalyn gripped Josiah's hand hard and shared a triumphant look with Sarah while they once again let the room settle down from the outburst of the witnesses on George's side of the argument. It took much longer for them to settle down than before but eventually, they were able to be settled.

"The sentence will be carried out immediately. Do you want to be present, Mr. and Mrs. Roja?" Arthur asked as if he was asking them if they wanted a cup of tea.

"I....I....uh...no. I don't need to be present for that." Rossalyn answered, covering her belly with her hands as if to protect the baby from even hearing the suggestion.

"I would like to be present. I want to know without a doubt that I don't have to worry about him coming after my family again." Josiah said.

"That is completely understandable. Let us get on with it then." Peter said and stood from the table.

Josiah helped Rossalyn to her feet and then led her and Sarah from the dining room. He took them to the entertainment room and gestured for them to take a seat.

"How long will this take?" Rossalyn asked nervously, looking from him to the door where Arthur was standing to wait for Josiah.

"It won't take long once we get to where they're going to execute him. It won't be on our property. We'll witness them do it then the cleaners will take him and dispose of him somewhere no one will know where. That way we have plausible deniability just in case." Josiah said.

"We should be back before morning, dear." Arthur put in, clearly overhearing the question.

"Thank you for letting me know." Rossalyn said though she gave a nervous glance at Josiah.

"We've got to go. I'll call you as soon as I can but I'm sure it won't be until I'm on my way back home. Try to get some rest." Josiah said then leaned down and kissed her.

Hours later Josiah stood over George's body contemplating the death George had received. If Josiah had been in charge of delivering it, it would have been far more drawn out and painful. But he could appreciate the fact that they made it quick and relatively painless for him. The several men that were there all started heading toward their vehicles to go back home. They hadn't traveled so far away that he had a long trip home so he decided to go home and wake Rossalyn up, if she was even sleeping to start with.

Once he got home, he found the lights downstairs still on so he knew there was an excellent chance that she'd still be in the entertainment room. He couldn't blame her inability to sleep, nor was he surprised by it. After all that he put her through he was sure she needed the reassurance that he was gone and dealt with for good.

"I'm home." He said as he opened the door to the room and found both Rossalyn and Sarah sitting on the couch watching some television show about angels and demons. He unsuccessfully stifled his laugh when his words made both women jump out of their skin.

"You could send her into early labor!" Sarah admonished angrily, though her hand was clutching her chest as if her heart was beating out of her chest.

"I'm going to pierce your feet with bells like a cat I swear." Rossalyn griped as she hit pause so the television stopped playing.

"We could get a little yappy dog so that you'll always have a heads up." Josiah jokingly offered as he took a seat in the armchair next to the couch.

"It's over now. He's on his way for disposal and we can move on with our lives now." Josiah said giving a smile to both of the women in his life.