Southern Lights

Chapter 17

Sam, Jack, Alexa, the judge, the public defender, and the families of the victims waited through another long day, while the jury deliberated, with no results. They were all about to leave so the jury could be sent to a hotel for another night, when the foreman sounded the buzzer in the judge’s chambers that announced they had reached a verdict.

Court was immediately reconvened, and the defendant was brought in.

The elderly man who was the foreman of the jury stood up and looked at the judge.

“Have you reached a verdict, Mr. Foreman?” the judge said formally, as the man nodded.

“Yes, we have, Your Honor. The jury has reached a unanimous verdict.” Alexa heaved a small sigh of relief. No hung jury. No retrial. Whatever it was, it was over. They had all done their jobs, the jury as well.

The judge instructed the defendant to stand at the defense table and then turned to the foreman again.

“And how do you find the defendant on eighteen charges of rape, Mr. Foreman?”

“Guilty, Your Honor,” he said clearly, as Alexa glanced at Sam. They hadn’t won yet, but they were halfway there. There was an intake of breath in the courtroom.

“And how do you find the defendant on eighteen charges of murder in the first degree?”

“Guilty, Your Honor,” the foreman said, looking at the judge, but not at Luke. Guilty on all counts.

There were shouts and screams and crying in the courtroom from where the family members sat, and a moderate amount of pandemonium, as the judge rapped his gavel and called everyone to order. Alexa noticed Charlie and his mother hugging and crying as the judge thanked the jury for their hard work and civic responsibility, and many weeks of their time, and they were led from the room immediately, as was Luke, this time in both handcuffs and leg irons, which they had ready for him. She couldn’t help herself, Alexa watched him go. He turned toward her as they led him away and in the most venomous tone he could muster, looking like the killer he was, he spat “Fuck you!” at her, and was gone. Judy had tried to comfort him before he left, and he had pushed her away, and she was sitting in her seat, stunned. Alexa went across the aisle to her to shake her hand.

“You couldn’t win this one, Judy. You never had a chance. The case was just too tight. He should have pleaded.” She looked up at Alexa with sad eyes.

“I don’t think he did it. That’s the awful part,” she said as Alexa looked at her in silent disbelief. The awful part was that she believed a man who was a stone-cold killer and a sociopath. Alexa said as gently as she could, “I think he did.” She hoped Judy would never see him again after the sentencing. She was sorry she had to see him again then herself.

The judge rapped the gavel again then and said that sentencing in this matter would be held on July 10th, and both prosecution and defense were expected to be present, and the defendant. And then he thanked everyone, dismissed the court, and disappeared into his chambers. It was seven-thirty at night, and he wanted to go home. And so did Alexa. All she wanted was to see Savannah now. She hadn’t seen her in a month.

It took ten cops to get her through the wall of photographers on the steps this time. They were pushing and grabbing and wanted comments from her and interviews, and she just smiled at them and hurried down the steps to the patrol car as they ran after her.

“What do you have to say? How does it feel?” They were calling her name, and she turned to them just before she got in the car and smiled. “Justice has been served. That’s all that matters. The murderer of eighteen women was convicted. That’s what we’re here for. That’s our job,” she said, and the police drove her away.

Savannah called her on her cell phone before she got home. She had just heard the news, and what her mother said.

“I’m so proud of you, Mom.”

“I’m proud of you, sweetheart. I’m sorry it took so long.”

“Everyone thinks you’re a hero, and you are to me.”

“You’re my hero,” Alexa said, relaxing for the first time in months. She was going to enjoy every minute she could with Savannah over the summer, to make up for lost time. “I’ll fly down tomorrow, sweetheart. Are you ready to come home?”

“Right after graduation, Mom. It’s just another week.”

“I know.” Alexa had already agreed to it. “And then you graduate here. I have to be at the sentencing in July, but I thought we could go to Europe then for a few weeks. I need a vacation!” She laughed.

They chatted for a few minutes, and Alexa promised to be there the next day. She was a free woman. It was over. Luke Quentin would be in prison forever. She still had two detectives protecting her for the next month, but life could become normal again. And Savannah could come home at last. She was smiling broadly to herself when she let herself into her apartment. She had done her job. And it was a great feeling knowing she had done it well. She was flying.