CHAPTER 59 - CHOICES...THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE PAINFUL
MICHAEL
I watch them move along the row and then walk out! I am about to call to them when the Judge clears his throat.
“As I was saying, the restitution to Jerry Grayson’s family, how is this to be paid?”
“I am going to jail, surely that is payment enough?!” I declare, and throw a filthy look over my shoulder at the hecklers in the crowd saying no it frigging isn’t!
“Silence! But, as they have rightfully said, it is not enough. You may have admitted your guilt and culpability, but it is clear to me that this was done under duress and…”
“So we can go to retrial?” I butt in.
“No, of course not! Under duress and for selfish reasons. Now, I understand that you have a residence whose assets can be liquidated?”
“What am I going to live in when I get out?!” I clutch the table to steady myself.
“You are not to be in residence in Pittsburgh.” I start to sway. “It is my understanding that Mrs Grayson wishes to return to bring her son up nearer his uncles and for him to study in school and maybe college.”
“So…”
“So the restraining order will prevent you from living near them. I understand that one of the uncles, a Ted Schmidt, is already making enquiries as to transfers etc.”
“Ted is doing what?” I can feel my face start drain of colour and turn to look at him. He merely shrugs and smiles. “But what happens to the house?”
“That is for another court to decide. The sentencing with regards to this case is complete. I believe you have an attorney meeting scheduled, Counsel?”
“Yes, Your Honour.”
“Good luck with it.”
“Thank you, Your Honour.” Jezza crawls on his belly like Grima Wormtongue from Lord of the Rings!
“Thank you?! You are thanking him for this absurd and disproportionate sentencing?!” I swallow down my nausea and fear as the 16 years, which is thousands of days, stretch out in front of me. “Do you realise how long that is in terms of days…”
“Which is why we give the sentence in years and not days. Speaking of days, would you like around another 180 for contempt?” The Judge starts to sit back down and there is a gasp of...of what? Hope?
“No, no, Your Honour.”
“Pity.” Someone mutters, and laughter ripples around.
“All rise!” The bailiff demands.
After the judge leaves, the court is still full. “Right, let’s go.” A guard comes towards me with cuffs.
“You don’t need them.” Jezza stops him, finally doing something right! “He’d never get through the first bank of benches before he’s body slammed...again.” He snickers.
As I follow the guard out, I can hear I Will Survive being hummed louder and louder.
MEETING ROOM 6 - TWENTY MINUTES LATER
Fear and the need to scream, cry, or both! Those are the only feelings I have at the moment. I look across at Jeremy and he has a funny expression on his face, well what I can see of his face as he is doing something on his laptop. I clear my throat, but he holds up a finger.
“I think we should appeal the sentence.” I ignore the held up finger, this causes his head to whip up and he stares at me for a second before returning to his head bowed position. “I said I think we should…”
“I heard what you said, and the answer is yes, you can appeal.”
“Oh great. So what…”
“But not with me representing you.”
“What?!” I explode. “Why not?!”
“Une fois mordu deux fois timide.” He stops working on his laptop then looks very chipper for someone who has just lost a case. “Now that I have restored our reputation, our association is mercifully fini!”
“What language is that?”
“It’s French, and it means once bitten twice shy. Oh, and finished!”
“Thanks for the language lesson, but back to the matter of my freedom or lack thereof for the next 16 years!”
“Like I said, speak to another attorney. Now, with regards to your bill. I…” He is interrupted in his abandoning speech by his laptop pinging and that makes him smile wider. “...well, I’ll be damned! It is just not your day, is it?” He closes his laptop then stands up.
“Where are you going? I thought you were going to mention your bill?!” I rave. “Well you are going to be waiting a long time as…”
“Has been settled. Goodbye, Mr Grassi.” He sweeps out of the room leaving me confused, shocked and horrified.
“He’s in there!” I hear him shout to someone, and I watch for whoever to come in. “Thanks again!” He calls out to them as he pushes the door open.
“You’re welcome!” Uncle Vic replies smiling, this drops off his face as he comes in, followed by Ma and Emmett. They sit down and regard me in silence. “Well what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive, eh? Bet you weren’t expecting that?!”
“Of course not! And what’s this about you being married to that cop, Ma?!”
“It is as I said, Mr Grassi, I am Mrs Horvath now, and you should be thanking me for that bit of my DNA that binds us.”
“Thanking you for what? Lying to me?!”
“And how long did you make her pay for that when you found out?!” Uncle Vic seethes. “Years!”
“We did not lie to you on this. We are also not beholden to you. Chyna was the one that, to quote her, ‘got you to fess up’.” She admires her tawdry ring for a few seconds, smiling like a simpleton. “But back to the DNA. I paid the fees for your attorney, and we are in negotiations with the realtor to buy your house…”
I sigh in relief. “So I could use that money from the sale to launch my app…”
“...then give the money from that to Jeremy to put in trust for Dylan.”
“Who the hell is Dylan?!”
“Either you’re part goldfish or all heartless!” Emmett barks and stands up. “Do try to remember the prison rules while you’re in there and you may survive it!” He shakes his head at me in disgust. “What happened to you?”
“What happened to me?!” I shriek. “What happened to me is people never gave me what I wanted when I wanted it, so I took it! Don’t get me wrong, I am sorry that Jerry is dead, but that was his choice not mine, like Ma lying to me about my father was her choice and not mine! And…”
“How you reacted to all of it is your choice!” Uncle Vic interrupts my justification.
“As a matter of interest, why Brian and Justin?” Emmett sits down again. “You had no chance, so why try and land a whale with a sprat for bait?”
“Sprat for bait?! I am more a mackerel, thank…”
“I have seen you, Michael, like your sense of responsibility and compassion those weren’t the only things that didn't grow.” He hi-fives Uncle Vic and then Ma. “So back to my question.”
I fume at their antics. “I deserve to have a Brian. Justin could have anyone, why aren't you asking him why he gunned for Brian?!”
“Because I don’t need to. They were hot for each other since that first kiss in the forest and then the sauna.”
“When they were naked in the sauna...that picture.” Uncle Vic leers. Oooh mama...Chyna was so determined to get them together.”
“Chyna! That fucking freak of nature! Again, she’s interfering where her wide-ass nose had no fucking right to….owww!” I rock back and clutch my eye where Emmett punched me. “Guard! Guard!” I scream and back up against the wall.
“What’s going on?!” He demands as he bursts through the door.
“I punched him.” Emmett replies before I can say anything.
“What for?!” He retorts taking out his cuffs.
“Jones…” I recognise that voice instantly. “...I’ll deal with it.” My new daddy steps into the room. “Mr No...Grassi, do you wish to press charges against this gentleman for assaulting you?”
“Yes. It was unprovoked!”
“Shall we go, Detective?” Emmett asks calmly, gathering his things. “Can someone call Drewsie? I think he will have to bail me out. It depends on the yarn J.R.R. Tolkien wants to spin.”
I consider my options, these meetings are only recorded at the request of the defendant or attorney. Touching my swelling eye, I glance briefly at Ma and Uncle Vic. “Like I said, it was unprovoked. I would like to press charges.”
“Like we said, your choice.” Ma gets up as does Uncle Vic. “We choose Emmett, Chyna and The Avenue. Bye bye bye, bye Mr Cockulorum.”
57TH PRECINCT - FORTY MINUTES LATER
DREW
I watch the corridor for signs of Emmett. I hear him before I see him. I stand and he walks into my open arms. “What now?” I ask Debs and she sighs.
“We've given our version of events, but because Emmett admitted it instantly, looks like a fine at the very least.”
“Could he go to jail?!” I try to keep the panic out of my voice as he is beginning to tremble.
“No.” Det Horvath comes down the corridor holding Emmett’s jacket. “You forgot this.” He drapes it over his shoulders. “Combined with the statements, the mitigating circumstances and his behaviour in court, he should avoid it but it will be a nasty fine. They can't make an example of one and not the other.”
“Whatever the fine, I will pay it. Can I take him home now?”
“Yeah, of course, Mr Boyd.”
“Call me Drew. And Debs, the party will be at my house, I insist.” I help an about-to-cry Emmett into his jacket. “After all you have done, it's the least we can do. Now come on, Ems, the car is outside.”
INSIDE THE CAR - TEN MINUTES LATER
DREW
He has soaked my shirt and we have run out of tissues! “You don't have to do that.” He mumbles. “Oh my god! I am going to have to close the business!”
“Close the...why?!”
“Pay the fine and nobody is going to want to work with a convict.” He starts to cry again. “But what he said was so…”
“Borderline racist and transphobic?” I supply, feeling some relief that I wasn't nearby when he said that. Chyna is my good friend, and great at everything she does, and if she’s not good at it the first time, she works on it until she is - something that dickhead needs to learn!
So, it's not for nothing that she’s going to be the Ironmen’s new trainer, they both respect and fear her in equal measure - she knows how a man’s body works and what it can take, but also has the evil side of being a mean-ass-bitch, her very proud words! It took a lot of persuading to get her to agree, as Babylon is her first real love, but when this hits the media it is going to be huge. “And I think it is time that he finds out what a true backlash feels like!”
“You're not going to order a hit are you?!” He looks just a tiny bit hopeful.
“Of a kind.” I wait for the call to connect and he rests his head on my chest. “Hi, Noel. Need Naomi.” He looks up and frowns. “Sometimes you need the right woman to fight your battle...and she’s the right woman!”
NOEL’S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER
STUDY
NOEL
Freak of nature?! Interfering wide-ass nose out?! I reach for the phone again, now that I am calmer, and start to dial. Humming I Will Survive, I listen to the melodious tones of the one man that I know will make sure that Michael Grassi does not!