Page 171 of Wicked Little Secret
“Objection!” the lead prosecutor says, rising out of her chair. “He’s attempting to lead the witness.”
“Mr. Adler, get to the point.”
Theron smirks. “Of course. Can you clarify one last thing—were any of the victims, including Samson Wicker—found to have DNA evidence of the person who killed them?”
“No. No DNA evidence whatsoever.”
“Excellent. Thank you, ME.”
I breathe a sigh of relief on day eleven when each side makes their closing arguments and Theron knocks his out of the park. He’s managed to cast doubt on several witnesses, most of all Officer Brewster, while also proving the evidence against him is flimsy at best.
“No murder weapon, that’s good, right?” Theo asks, seated beside me on the sofa. Peaches is curled up in her lap dozing away.
“It’s very good. They have no direct evidence tying him to these murders. The boulder doesn’t prove he murdered Samson; it just proves he got into a past altercation. He’s cast enough reasonable doubt that I’m not sure the jury can convict.”
“Unless they’re biased like Brewster.”
Jury deliberation arrives in the coming days.
I’m a nervous wreck for every hour they’re in deliberation. It lasts for over a day, where I can’t eat, sleep, or do anything but frantically check my phone for any updates. Finally, a breaking news banner scrolls across the screen early in the morning, announcing the jury has reached a verdict.
Theo races over to the apartment so we can watch together.
“And how does the jury find the defendant?”
The older woman, who’s stood up to announce the results, takes in a deep breath and then says, “We have found the defendant not guilty on all five counts of murder in the first degree.”
The courtroom erupts in an array of different reactions. Families of the victims break out in hysterics, crying and screaming about the grave injustice. The prosecution looks floored, conferring among themselves about the verdict that’s been delivered. The media in the room snap into reporting mode at once, rushing to update their audience.
And then there’s Theron, who sits coolly where he is, as if he hasn’t been delivered the best news of his life.
My pulse races watching him, so impressed and relieved I can barely remember to breathe.
“He’s not guilty,” I whisper. Then I beam at Theo, who’s jumped up and whooped the air. “He’s not guilty! That means…”
“He’ll be coming home. Charges cleared!”
I cover my face with shaky hands and release a delirious-sounding laugh.
Thank God.
Because if hewasfound guilty, I’m not so sure I wouldn’t resort to breaking him out of prison myself…
36
THERON
TRUE LOVE WAITS - RADIOHEAD
“Alright, Adler, you’re a free man.”
There’s a deep grimace on Officer Brewster’s face that his silver walrus mustache almost hides. His discontent with the verdict drips off him as he stands in front of the iron bars of my jail cell and rests hands on his wide, rounded waist. His gut hangs over the front of his belt, barely contained by his starched uniform shirt.
He’s one of many.
Just about the entire Castlebury Police Department is openly dissatisfied with the not guilty outcome.
My acquittal causes a real problem for them. The decades-old serial killer that has plagued the community either remains at large or they’re allowing him to walk out the door a free man.