Cascade (50 page)

“
The jury insisted on
staying all night.” Honey’s voice was fast and excited. “The
victim’s advocate said they reviewed every bit of evidence,
everything. She got the call this morning. The jury has reached a
decision. That’s what she said. ‘The jury has reached a decision.’
What did Ann say?”

“
Pretty much the same
thing. Ann said she was sure they would stay the weekend. After all
the befuddling counter testimony and everything else, she and the
DA thought the jury was confused and would want the weekend.
But…”

“
The victim’s advocate
said this was good news.”

“
Ann said a quick verdict
is usually a guilty verdict.”

The women beamed at each other.

“
We made it!” Jill
exclaimed.

Honey nodded.

“
Ann said that sentencing
would be in a couple weeks.” Jill bit at the skin on the edge of
her thumb. “She said that the jury may make a recommendation but
since it’s not a capital case, the judge decides on a
sentence.”

“
I hope she’s put away for
life.”

“
At least,” Jill said.
“We’d better get dressed! We’re supposed to be there at seven. They
want Katy and Paddie there too. Oh, I need to call
Colin.”

“
Jill?”

“
Shoot I don’t know if
they’re in town,” Jill continued her nervous chewing on her
thumb.

Honey put her hand on Jill’s arm. She pulled
Jill’s thumb from of her mouth. Jill looked down at Honey.

“
Congratulations!” Honey
beamed. ”We made it through three weeks of hell!”

“
Congratulations to you,”
Jill said. “You’re amazing!”

“
I’m so excited to get
back to work and my regular life,” Honey said. “Oh and guess
what?”

“
What?”

“
The doctor said MJ and I
can try for a baby again next month,” Honey beamed. “Can you
imagine? Done with this crap and a baby. I hope I get pregnant
right away.”

Jill leaned over to hug Honey. She kissed
her cheek.

“
Now let’s go get
dressed!” Honey said.

Honey spun in place and wheeled off before
Jill could say another word. Jill took the stairs to the loft two
at a time. Leaning against the door, she couldn’t help but
smile.

The trial was almost over.

~~~~~~~~

Friday morning — 8:25 A.M.

The Castle

Delphie wandered through the main Castle
living room. Today, by some act of the Goddess, everyone would be
gone from the Castle until after dinner time. After her miserable
night, Sandy was working today. Noelle and Nash were at school and
work until they went to see the baby this afternoon. Honey, MJ and
Jill plus Jacob, Katy and her little friend, Paddie, were at the
trial. Delphie even thought most of Jill’s family was going to be
there to hear the verdict. Sam was covering for Jacob, and Aden. He
left early and would be home late. Valerie and Mike weren’t due in
from Prague this evening. Rosa and her cleaning team had arrived
early and finished their weekly scouring of the Castle. Even the
dogs were at the groomers today.

Tonight, they would have a lot of
celebrating to do – Valerie was home; Mike’s art show opened on
Sunday; the awful trial was over; Aden and Pete had survived the
night and seemed to be gaining strength; and a new baby to love for
Sandy, Noelle and Nash. As always, dinner would be a loud, laughing
party.

But for now, Delphie had her Castle all to
herself.

After months of longing for the solitary
peace and quiet of the empty Castle, she felt a little lonely. She
straightened a pillow on the couch. Patting the cushion, she
decided to take a bath in Sam’s big tub. She was almost to the hall
when she heard a noise. Turning, she gasped in horror and stepped
back.

Johansen stepped into the living room. The
demon from her childhood had arrived to take her back.

“
Hello Chastity,” he
said.

Raising his hand, he used his psychic powers
to grip Delphie’s mind. She fought him off as she and Jacob had
practiced since Christmas. She was barely able to defend herself.
Invisible to the naked eye, the two powerful psychics were locked
in a battle of will and mind. Feeling a burst of his energy,
Delphie panicked. She forgot all she’d learned and took off running
toward Sam’s room. Johansen caught her at the door.

He wrapped his hands into her bottle bright
red hair. He smashed her forehead against the door to stun her.
Using both of his hands, he pressed his will into her mind.

“
You’re mine,” he
said.

~~~~~~~~

Friday mid-day — 12 noon
York Street Club

“
My name is Enrique.” His
anxious voice came out in a croak.

“
Hi Enrique,” the men in
the room said.

“
Among other things, I am
an alcoholic. It’s been two days since my last drink.”

Sitting outside in his car, he’d almost
thrown up from the terror of simply walking into this AA house. Now
that he was here, he felt all right, nervous, but almost as if he
belonged. Enrique sighed with relief when the man next to him
introduced himself.

One day at a time.

That’s all he had left.

~~~~~~~~

Friday early afternoon —
1:15 P.M.

“
Mr. Blanchard, are we
ready to hear the verdicts?” the Judge asked.

After arriving early, they had spent the
morning waiting for the defendant. She and her attorney had
attempted to renegotiate her plea bargain. Today! After three weeks
of nonsense, she’d decided she wanted the plea. The victim’s
advocate said she was abusing the victims. Their office filed some
special form on Jill, Katy, Paddie, and Honey’s behalf. The
District Attorney was furious. Listening to the Judge, Jill could
tell that the Judge was angry too.

“
Let us proceed,” the
Judge said. “Have you reached a verdict?”

“
Yes, your honor,” the
jury foreman stood. He gave a piece of paper to the
bailiff.

Jill watched the tiny slip of paper move
across the room. Jacob grabbed her hand. Sucking her thumb for the
first time since last summer, Katy snuggled further into Jill’s
lap. The little family braced for the verdict.

The Judge’s dark fingers made the piece of
paper seem bright white. The Judge gave a small nod.

“
I’d like to poll the
jury,” the Judge said. “Do you agree with this verdict?”

One at a time, the jurors stood to say,
“Aye.” When the last juror sat down, the tension in the courtroom
raised a notch.

“
To the charge of assault
with the intent of murder, the verdict is…”

Jill thought she would pass out.

“
Guilty!”

Jill wanted to cheer and scream but she knew
she’d get thrown out of the courtroom. Breathing deeply to control
her excitement, she heard:

“
Guilty.”

“
Guilty.”

“
Guilty.”

“
Guilty.”

“
Guilty.”

“
Guilty.”

The step-sister was found guilty on every
single charge!

EVERY CHARGE!

MJ covered Honey in a hug. Jill and Katy
hugged Jacob until Paddie begged to come up. With Katy on one hip
and Paddie on the other, Jill hugged her brother, Steve, and
sisters, Megan and Candy, and mother, Anjelika, until she ended up
back in Jacob’s arms.

The Judge pounded her gavel to gain order.
Finally, everyone sat back down.

“
The jury has requested
special circumstances,” the Judge said. “Even though I am not a fan
of the death penalty, I’m sorry to say that special circumstances
are not allowed in this case. Somehow Honey Lipson managed to
survive, so we are unable to entertain the death penalty in this
case. That said, I will determine sentencing in two
weeks.”

With another pounding of her gavel, the
Judge adjourned the court.

“
Let’s celebrate,” Honey
said.

“
Let’s!” Jill
replied.

“
I guess that’s our cue,”
Jacob patted MJ on the back.

The happy group left the courtroom to
celebrate their victory.

~~~~~~~~

Friday afternoon — 2:35 P.M.

The Castle

Sitting on the edge of Sam’s bed, Delphie
conserved her strength. She’d endured hours of psychic
interrogation as a young child. She could endure it now that she
was strong, well loved, and experienced.

But she was starting to lose track of her
answers. His questions had become wild, crazy and off centered. She
said whatever came into her mind. If her answers were vague or
unclear, he would hurt her either use his psychic powers to squeeze
her mind or hit her.

She’d do almost anything not to be hit. She
had hated being hit as a child. She hated it now.

Why hadn’t he taken her back to Leadville?
What was he waiting for?

When he was hungry, he dragged her into the
kitchen by her hair to demand that she make his lunch. He used to
only like restaurant food, expensive fancy food. But today he only
wanted a sandwich. That was all a sandwich. They ate and he
returned to his crazy interrogation.

Thank the Goddess that age had taken any
sexual urge from him. While she was certain she would survive
whatever he dished out, she just didn’t want to have to endure him
today.

She’d become so accustomed to being loved,
respected, and cared for. These hours with Johansen were almost
more humiliating than when she was a child, when she didn’t know
better. Every time she was ready to give into her despair, she saw
Celia near her. Celia’s support helped her through the worst of the
day.

“
I need a glass of water,”
she said.

“
You may get one from the
bathroom, Chastity,” he said. “I’m going to take a nap. If you
leave, you will die. Your mind will break into pieces. You know
this. No Marlowe can save you now.”

“
I will take a bath while
you nap,” she said.

“
Fine,” he
said.

Taking off his ancient dress shoes, he lay
down on Sam’s bed. His scarecrow limbs made him look like more like
a coat hanger person than the demon he was. When he closed his
eyes, she went into the bathroom. She filled the tub with warm,
rose scented, foamy water then stepped in. When her entire body was
in the tub, she dared to reach for the bathroom telephone. As
silently as she could, she picked up the receiver.

No dial tone. Johansen must have cut the
lines. She’d never used a cell phone. Jacob bought her one but she
couldn’t figure out how to use it. It sat, uncharged, on her
dresser. She cursed her stupidity.

For the first time, Delphie gave into her
hopelessness. She slipped below the suds and wept.

~~~~~~~~

Friday afternoon — 3:40 P.M.

Lipson Construction

“
Sorry, honey, I can’t
join the party,” Tres yelled to Tanesha over the loud music in the
background. “It’s awesome, really wonderful news.”

“
So why aren’t you joining
us?” Tanesha asked. “Heather and Blane are taking care of Molly’s
kids today. She won’t be there.”

“
It’s not that,” Tres
said. “My brother needs some help moving in. He’s going to stay
with me for a while.”

“
Enrique?”

“
Yeah,” Tres
said.

“
But I thought he owned
his house,” Tanesha said.

“
He does,” Tres said.
“He’s ending it with Calvin. Calvin said he’d move out at the first
of the month. Enrique doesn’t want to throw him out…”

“
Like he did
Blane?”

“
Well, yes, that’s exactly
what he said,” Tres said.

“
Huh.”

“
Huh is right,” Tres said.
“He quit his job today too.”

“
Wow, better find out
what’s going on with him.”

“
That’s what I thought,”
Tres said. “Sorry I’ll miss the party.”

“
It’s all right,” Tanesha
said. “I have to work at seven anyway. I think they have a family
dinner this evening. I just thought you’d have fun if you
came.”

“
I would have,” Tres said.
“Thanks for the invite. I’ll be with Enrique the rest of the
night.”

“
Ok, I’ll catch you
tomorrow,” Tanesha said.

“
Tomorrow.”

Tres smiled when he set down the phone.
Since they’d had their big talk, he and Tanesha seemed to be
closer, more honest. She was becoming his best friend, maybe the
best friend he’d ever had. Grabbing his coat, he went out to his
car.

What the hell was going on with Enrique?

~~~~~~~~

Friday afternoon — 4:45 P.M.

19
^th
Avenue
Medical Building

“
I told you, Nash! I’m
going to have a sister,” Noelle’s loud voice echoed off the
elevator.

“
No!” Nash yelled back.
“We just didn’t get to see. He’s shy. Like me!”

The kids had gone back and forth since they
left the doctors office.

“
You tell her Sandy. I’m
right aren’t I?” Nash said.

Not wanting to get in between the arguing
kids, Sandy put one hand on Noelle’s shoulder and the other on
Nash’s shoulder.

“
Sandy?” Noelle
asked.