The Defendant (34 page)

As if suddenly registering his presence, Daniel jerked toward him. Chase reached out and prised the bat out of the child’s hands. Daniel’s hands tightened momentarily and then he seemed to realize this was best and he released it without a word.

Chase took the bat and wielded it with purpose in the direction of the intruder’s head. He advanced on the man and something in his expression must have given the other man pause. He looked from Chase to Josie and then back to Chase and with a curse, climbed off her. With the knife still in his hand, he half turned away from them and spat on the carpet.

“Put the knife down.
Now!”
Chase yelled and waited and counted the seconds, praying the man would comply. The two of them stared at each other for long moments, before the intruder appeared to give in.

An instant later, the man feinted to the left and then to the right, all the time slashing with the deadly blade. Chase kept his gaze narrowed on him and did his best to dodge the glint of steel. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and prayed that both Josie and Daniel had the sense to run. He didn’t dare turn his head and find out if his prayer had been answered.

The man came at him again, a glimmer of triumph in his eye. It was obvious he knew how to use the blade and either didn’t care or didn’t believe that Chase was a police officer. Chase sidestepped another vicious swipe, but not quite quickly enough. Fire seared through his left bicep and he gritted his teeth against the pain.

Glancing down, he saw blood quickly well up in the cut and drip down onto the floor. Dripping, not pulsing.
That was good
. It meant the prick hadn’t sliced through an artery. With fresh anger burning through him, he advanced on his attacker with icy determination. With deadly accuracy, he swung the bat and landed a hefty blow across the other man’s forearm.

The intruder screamed in agony at the same time Chase heard the distinct sound of breaking bone. The knife fell to the floor from useless fingers. For good measure, Chase swung the bat again and caught the man across the shoulders. The intruder went down in another moan of pain, cradling his injured limb close to his chest. Immediately, Chase advanced upon him and grabbed his uninjured arm. He hauled him to his feet.

Finding rope and duct tape in the man’s pocket, the realization of what he’d planned came rushing at Chase and the implications made him almost lightheaded. With gritted teeth, he thrust the terrifying thoughts aside and secured the man’s good arm to the steel frame of Josie’s bed.

Leaving him there, Chase pulled out his phone and called for the police and the ambulance and then turned his attention to Josie. She stood just outside the doorway with her arms tight around Daniel. Tears streamed down both of their faces. It was hard to know who was doing the comforting.

Dark purple and red bruises lined her throat. The sight of them infuriated Chase, but he swallowed his anger. He’d save it for the scum on the bed.

He closed the distance between them. He pulled them both into his arms and hugged them hard. His chest tightened and he was so choked up on emotion, that for long moments, he couldn’t speak. They stood in a silence that was only broken by the occasional quiet hicuppy-sob.

“I-I-I…”

Chase pressed a kiss against Josie’s hair and tried to offer her comfort.
“Shh
. Don’t talk. It’s all over. You’re safe. I’m here and so is Daniel. We’re fine. Everyone’s fine. No one’s ever going to hurt you again.”

She lifted her head and the expression of utter devastation in her eyes shook him to the quick. She turned to gaze at the boy by her side.

“Daniel,” she croaked.

He ducked his head. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner, before—”

“But you…you did. You
did.
You stopped him. You’re my hero, my very, very brave boy.” Her voice caught on the last words and fresh tears coursed down her cheeks.

Chase could see Daniel was trying hard not to cry again. The tears welled up in his eyes and his breath hitched on a sob. With a sigh, the boy seemed to give up the fight and buried his face against Josie’s chest.

Chase took a moment to check the wound on his arm and was relieved to discover the bleeding had almost stopped. He tightened his arms about Josie and Daniel like they were a life raft on a stormy ocean. It wasn’t until he heard the faint sound of sirens in the distance that he loosened his grip.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Despite the hot air that blew from the courtroom vents, Daniel shivered. The day outside was cold and dreary, mirroring the day of his mother’s funeral. The feelings that weighed him down inside were just as dreadful, and a deep cold penetrated his bones. In a few short minutes, the judge would hand down his sentence and the final scene of the tragedy that had become his life would play out for all to see.

Despite the excellent representation provided by Blake Harton Jr nearly a month earlier, and the expert evidence given by Doctor Leonard Heather, the judge had found Daniel competent to stand trial.

When the announcement was made, he’d sucked in a breath, the judge’s words pounding in his gut. While the decision wasn’t entirely unexpected and his lawyer had warned him it was a real possibility, the totality of the judge’s had words hit him like a ton of bricks.

When he finally could breathe again, he’d snuck a look at Josie who sat close by and wanted nothing more than to reach out and offer her comfort. Her expression was one of utmost sadness and desolation and tears sparkled in her eyes. Her reaction set off one of his own and he blinked hard in an effort to hold his tears. Now, the day of reckoning had arrived. In a few short moments, his sentencing hearing would begin.

He glanced around the courtroom. Despite the fact his case had made national headlines, the public gallery was sparsely filled. He guessed it had a lot to do with the fact he was a minor and the judge had ordered a closed courtroom, keeping all but family and approved spectators outside.

Josie and Chase sat side by side with their hands entwined, seeming to take strength from one another. Daniel’s lawyer had inadvertently told him Chase was footing Daniel’s legal bill. He’d been nearly overwhelmed with surprise and gratitude. His father, while always being a good provider and hard worker, could never afford to pay for the likes of a Blake Harton Jr. It was just another thing he was grateful to Chase for. Over time, since the attack on Josie, the three of them had cemented a bond and Daniel was pathetically pleased to see them here.

His aunt sat near the back, on her own. He wondered, distractedly, how his grandmother was faring. His gaze drifted to the chairs directly behind him and he was overwhelmed to see his father and little brother there, their presence a reminder that he was loved and despite today’s outcome, he’d always have a place in their hearts. His father offered him an encouraging smile that wobbled at the edges, but that wasn’t what choked him up. The fact that his father was there was all that mattered.

Daniel’s gaze shifted to Jason and he gave his little brother a wink. Jason’s expression remained solemn and Daniel understood. There was nothing funny about the likelihood he’d be sent to jail. It was just that he didn’t know of any other way to cope. If he didn’t make light of it, he’d likely fall apart, right there, in front of everyone. He had to stay strong and make out it didn’t matter. It was the only way he could survive what was to come.

The rap on the door behind the bench signaled the arrival of the judge, and the clerk asked everyone to rise. Daniel stood on shaky legs, glad that at least half of his body remained hidden behind the high wooden enclosure of the dock. His lawyer shot him a sympathetic glance and Daniel gave him a nod of reassurance. He was fine. He’d get through this. If he thought that often enough, it might just turn out to be true…

The judge took his place at the bench and everyone took their seats. To Daniel’s surprise, the judge then looked across at Blake Harton Jr and asked him to call his first witness.

Daniel frowned and glanced around him to ascertain whether anyone else found this turn of events odd. He thought the giving of evidence was over.
What was this all about?
When Harton Jr called his father, Daniel was even more confused. He leaned forward and called out to his lawyer in a loud whisper.

“Mr Harton, what’s going on?”

Harton turned to face him and then bent his head low. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I forgot to tell you. We’re allowed to call witnesses at your sentencing hearing. The prosecution’s entitled to call them too, but in this case, they’ve declined.”

“What are the witnesses for?”

“To assist the judge in making his decision, insofar as punishment is concerned. I’m hoping once he hears from your dad, your counselor and Doctor Munro, he’ll be more inclined to listen to my pleas for clemency.”

“You mean, I might not get sent to jail?” Daniel did his best to keep the hope from flooding his voice. The possibility was nothing short of the feeling he got when he thought of winning the state cross country championship.

Harton shook his head and lowered his gaze. “You pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Like I said before, I don’t have any real hope the judge won’t impose a custodial sentence, but I’m going to do my best to ensure you’re given the absolute minimum.”

Daniel nodded and then sat back in his seat, prepared to face whatever came next. He’d pleaded guilty against his lawyer’s advice, but it had been the right thing to do. He couldn’t imagine pretending otherwise, despite the fact he now faced going to jail.

The sound of his father taking the oath and informing the court of his name and place of abode, snagged Daniel’s attention and he fixed his gaze on the only parent he had left. Harton got to his feet and methodically began to ask his questions, with a command that would make anyone pay attention.

After covering his childhood and the times when they’d go hunting and shooting and fishing, Harton asked what Daniel’s father thought about the events that led them there this day. Daniel sucked in a deep breath and held it, almost too nervous to breathe.

“I’ve never been more proud of my son,” Trevor Logan stated, his voice firm and clear. He stared directly at Daniel. Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat and blinked back a surge of tears.

“What do you mean by that, Mr Logan?” Harton asked.

“I mean that he did what any man would do in the circumstances, only he wasn’t a man. He’s just a boy. Not yet thirteen. How can we hold him accountable? He did what he could to protect his mom. He was only following instructions.”

“Would you like to clarify that, Mr Logan?” the lawyer asked.

“I was a line haul truck driver. I spent a lot of time away from home. Away from my wife and kids. Whenever I was leaving for my next run, I’d kiss my wife and my boys and tell them good-bye and then I’d turn to Daniel, and I’d tell him to take care of his mother and brother. ‘You’re the man of the house while I’m away. Look after them.’ I said it every single time.”

His father’s breath hitched on a sob and then his shoulders began to shake. Daniel’s chest was gripped so tight, he could barely squeeze through a breath. Hot tears burned his eyes and no matter how hard he tried, there was no holding them back. They slid down his cheeks in a watery path of pain and there was nothing he could do.

“Are you saying Daniel acted the way he did because he thought that’s what you meant when you told him to take care of his mother?” This time, the judge made the enquiry.

Daniel’s father lifted his head from where he’d lowered it to his chest and eyed the judge through his tears. Grief ravaged his face.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. It wasn’t Daniel who killed that man, it was me. Daniel might have been the one who pulled the trigger, but I’m the one who taught him how to shoot. I’m the one who applied for his gun license and though I never told him the combination to the gun safe, I knew he was there beside me every time I went to open it.

“Did I ever imagine he’d one day take a gun and shoot a man who was raping his mother? Not once. Not ever. But I can’t say I’m sorry. He did what I would have done and now he’s being punished.”

Trevor lifted his arms and then lowered them back down in a helpless shrug. “The law is the law, or so I’ve been told. It’s just the way it is. He shot and killed a man. I’ve been told he has to be punished, but I feel my son’s been punished enough. His mother…”

When his dad turned to stare at him, Daniel couldn’t drag his gaze away. His heart pounded so hard he could barely hear what his dad said.

“I want you to know son, no matter what happens, I’ll never stop feeling proud of you and you’ll never know how grateful I am that you did what you did.” His dad’s tears came faster and Daniel bit down hard on a sob.

“I love you, son. I’m so darn sorry it’s come to this.” He gestured toward the courtroom and its occupants. “The police, the lawyers—everyone tells me punishing you for shooting the man is the right thing to do, but it feels so fucking wrong. I’m sorry, son. I’m sorry. There’s nothing else I can say.”

Daniel’s tears streamed down his face until he was openly sobbing, but he was way beyond caring. He pushed away from his seat in the dock and opened the gate that led out into the courtroom. The corrections officers guarding him made a half-hearted protest, but Daniel wouldn’t be deterred. His dad stepped down from the witness box and closed the distance between them at a jog.