Mystery and Crime Fiction posted January 21, 2025 Chapters: 2 3 -4- 5... 


Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level
The jury give their verdict
A chapter in the book Convicted

Convicted - Chapter Four

by Jacob1395




Background
How can Stacey prove her son's innocence when she's the only one who believes in it?

My back is aching. It’s approaching three p.m. It’s been another day of evidence, from the defence and prosecution. I’d listened to the detective in charge of the investigation, a bit of a fancy man, in my mind, Detective Inspector Dominic Hitchens, talk, about the crime scene, and how Joshua behaved when he was first interviewed. He might as well have just said, he was a shifty bugger, knew right from the moment I clapped my eyes on him it was him. Once every so often, my eyes had flickered over towards the jury, and studied their deadpan faces as they listened to the evidence being presented. I’d searched for any signs they didn’t believe a word that was being fed to them, but found none.

The court room around me is silent. Someone coughs nearby, I tense. The jury are filing back into the court one by one. Some of them are dressed like they're about to attend a funeral, black jacket, black trousers. I hold my breath. They haven’t been long, an hour. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. My heart races. I fix my eyes on the dark haired woman standing with the jury at the far end of the box. Even from here I can see the freckles on her cheeks. She's caught the sun recently, perhaps she's been away. There’s something in her face, something I can’t quite work out. I swallow.

‘Would the foreman please stand,’ the usher says, her voice echoing around the room. A red haired woman stands, clasping her hands together. She's so thin this woman. I can tell she's had plastic surgey, her lips are far too big for one. Every pair of eyes in the room swivels round to her. My son’s gaze remains fixed on the judge ahead of him. He glances down at the floor and then back up at the judge, a middle-aged woman with blue eyes and deep lines in her forehead. The courtroom holds its breath. ‘Madam Foreman, on this indictment have the jury reached a verdict upon which you are all agreed?’

The woman nods, and coughs. ‘Yes, we have.’

‘On count one,’ the usher continues. ‘Do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?’

I harden my stare on the woman, say a silent prayer, please, please, please, see through the lies, listen to your conscience. My heart beats hard.

‘Guilty.’ There’s no hesitation in her voice. My mouth drops open. Alex’s mother lets out a soft whimper and her daughter hugs her tight, rubbing her back. I want the ground to open up. The public gallery is alive with murmurs. This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening. Tears well in my eyes.

Everything the judge says next doesn’t make sense to me. I want to get out, without anyone seeing me. I eye the back of Alex’s mother’s head. She’ll be thinking the exact opposite I am. She’ll feel vindicated. But those feelings won’t bring her daughter back.

My son manages to keep his composure together standing in the dock. He's being so brave. I'd be screaming, I'd be yelling at the judge, telling the jury they're wrong. Inside he’ll be crumbling. His whole world's been snatched from under his feet. He’s led away by two guards. He doesn’t once look up to the public gallery. He keeps his head down, focused. I wipe my eyes. This shouldn’t be happening. Alex’s sister whispers something to her mother and she turns round and faces me, her eyes widening. No. She wants to say something to me. It's there in her cold stare. If it wasn't for where we were, I'm sure she'd shout something expletive at me. 

I leave the courtroom fast. There’s no way I want Alex’s family collaring me. I dive out of the Old Bailey and back into the bright sunshine. The news Joshua’s been found guilty will be filtering through now to news stations. People around me will be getting news alerts on their phones.

Outside, DI Domnic Hitchens is giving a press conference to the waiting journalists. He’s got such a smug smile on his face. I want to tear his eyes out.

‘I am pleased to say that the jury reached the right decision today,’ he says. ‘And that justice for Alex Rivers and her family has been served. We will be giving no further updates at this time.’ He runs his hand through his hair, turns, and saunters back towards the court.

There’s a chorus of clicks and shouts from the reporters. Thank God they haven’t spotted me. I race across the road, hot tears building behind my eyes. I can’t let anyone see me crying here. They’ll work out who I am.

I head straight for St. Paul’s, dodging out of the way of an Uber Eats driver on his bike. I pass through into the station, drinking in gulps of hot, grimy air. Perhaps Rebecca was right, perhaps I should’ve saved myself from the heartache of coming today.

I lumber through to the platform, holding my hand to my mouth and take in big deep breaths. There’s a small crowd of people waiting, looking down at their phones, air pods plugged in. At least I should be home before rush hour. Joshua’s face fills my mind. He’ll be trying to work out what happens next. There must’ve been some glimmer of hope inside him that he wouldn’t be found guilty. What the hell can I do now? Not even Michael and Rebecca want to listen to me. The tears fall.

The train rockets into the station and I stand aside to let people off first. They brush past me. I dive onto the train and sit in the available seat ahead of me. Thank God I don’t have to stand this time. The doors whisk shut and the train lurches forward. I loll my head against the yellow pole to my right and close my eyes. I need to do something. I can’t let this be the end. I open my eyes. There’s a woman standing ahead of me, scrolling on her phone. She has dark glossy hair. My mouth drops open. No she can’t be. I blink rapidly. The speakers announce the next stop and the train slows. She’s . . . she’s the woman I saw standing with the other members of the jury. Her phone buzzes in her hand and she answers the call. I sit back in my seat, and glance further down the carriage. I don’t want her to think I’m watching her.

‘It was a bit of a slog,’ she says. She must be speaking to her partner, or someone else close to her. I resist the urge to study her face. ‘In the end I had to agree.’ I can’t help it. I flick my gaze back to her. She had to agree. What the hell does she mean? ‘I know, I know, well, I’m on my way back home now so I’ll see you this evening. Love you.’

She ends the call, placing her phone in her pocket. My heart beats hard. What the hell was she talking about when she said, she had to agree? I bite my lip as the train hurtles back to Liverpool Street. I can’t believe she hasn’t noticed me sitting here.

The train comes to a halt at the station, and I stand up. I’m practically standing behind her. I can smell her perfume, something lemony. The train doors open and I follow her out. She breezes through the station, a little emptier now than it was this morning. I follow her, keeping my focus fixed on the back of her head. What the hell am I doing? I glance at the timetable above me, a pigeon crosses the screens and lands on the floor above. My train is in ten minutes. I need to be on it, otherwise I’ll be waiting another half an hour for the next one. The woman’s walking towards a different platform to me. I swallow. I’m going to lose her. My heart presses hard against my chest. She’s getting further and further away. A couple of police officers walk beside her, chatting. I bite my lip and follow her.




Recognized


Characters:

Stacey - Protagonist
Joshua - Stacey's son
Alex - murder victim (Joshua's girlfriend)
Rebecca - Stacey's daughter
Michael - Stacey's ex-husband
Lydia - jury member
Ruth - journalist
Rose - Alex's mother
Detective Inspector Dominic Hitchens - police officer

Pays one point and 2 member cents.


Save to Bookcase Promote This Share or Bookmark
Print It Print It View Reviews

You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.


© Copyright 2025. Jacob1395 All rights reserved.
Jacob1395 has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.