Chapter 20 Joshua's deputy

Chapter 20     Joshua's deputy

Abraham walks in quietly into the darkness of the bedroom and watches Michelle's sweet face with a smile. She is sleeping soundly and looks as if she's dreaming sweet dreams. The blanket only covers her partially and the sight of her chubby stomach only adds grace and beauty to her sexy inviting body….he quietly and gently slinks into the bed, presses his body to her back and start kissing her soft neck sensually. Suddenly Michelle wakes up, her body tenses up and retreats. She sits on the bed and watches him reproachfully.

"What are you doing, Abraham? Why are you waking me up like this?"

"Michelle…darling…I didn’t think it would anger you but I'm horny… we haven't slept together in sol long…isn’t it time?"

"I'm sorry Abraham…but don’t forget that I'm pregnant with your baby and the doctor asked us to refrain from making love because I'm under observation".

Abraham pouts

"I promise to be thoughtful and gentle. I've also heard about a lot of couples that slept together freely when the wife was under observation…and …stop obsessing about this baby".

Michelle's face contorts with rage and she screams in his face

"If you don’t like it…you can go out and fuck whomever you like…OK? I understand that its hard on you but my baby is more important that you"

Abraham feels Hammers of shame and humiliation go off in his head and his blood boils in his veins. His fingers tighten around her throat and he screams at her

"I'm sick of you and the baby … you got what you wanted, right?? You got me and you got a baby…and now I'm being screwed by you! I wish I never got you pregnant…it would be better if you miscarried the fucking baby"

"Go to hell!! You disgust me!! I don’t want to accompany you to the trial and don’t come near me anymore, you filth!"

Michelle watches him in despise and lies back down as she desperately. Abraham leaves the bed, gets dressed and moves towards the door throwing back at her

"You're just like all the other women who humiliated me! Like my mother…like my teacher…like my ex-girlfriends…and the worst of it all is that you remind me of my mother and Eve…Satan's women! You were all looking for someone to fertilize you, to satisfy your diabolical needs and found me! God put a mark on my forehead…I am your victim…you only need my sperm…must be pregnant to have Satan's babies!"

Michelle's shocked and terrified look follows his figure as he slams the door and disappears. Late, in the early hours of the morning, Michelle wakes up, turns around towards Abraham but he is not there. She leaves the bed and despite her unkempt appearance she searches for Abraham in the apartment. Finally she notices his shadow in the yard. He sits on a rickety chair, sipping from a bottle of whiskey and by his side is an old lantern that's barely working. She stops in her place at the sounds of crying coming from his direction as he looks through a picture album of Isaac. He cries and mumbles in a broken tone

"Forgive me Isaac! I miss you! This shouldn’t have happened!!Why did Eve leave you with me?? Why??"

He throws the album down with rage and continues to sip from the bottle and cry. Michelle thinks about coming up to him and hugging and consoling him but she can't and she doesn’t understand why that is. She quietly returns into the apartment. Judge Wall's face is stuck in a book…those present in the courtroom are silent and await his words impatiently. He peeks at the defense table through his glasses.

"I'm sorry Mr. Stein…I quote from Dr. Ben Feeling's book: in the case 37584/91, people versus William Small! The defendant's claim for a re-check of the evidence material does not annul the fact that the defendant demanded an additional interrogation of the hostile witness who tries to overlook evidence discovered by the location where the armed robbery took place!! A re-check of the evidence will be approved and executed only if new evidence be brought before the court which points without reasonable doubt to the innocence of the defendant and its goal is the acquittal of the defendant! In the case before us Mr. Stein, no new evidence has been brought and your demand for a re-check of the entire evidence body, or part of it and for the consideration of the deteriorating health state of the defendant caused by the violence he incurred in prison has no legal or medical standing and therefore is rejected! We continue to hear this case according to the letter of the law from the place we stopped…in regards to the violence in jail, if the defendant has proof and solid evidence that point to negligence by the guards…or god forbid in the worst case scenario where you can show malice from prison officials and its employees let him sue the state for a large sum of money and nail the state as they say".

All those present burst out laughing along with the prosecution as the judge looks at the court case allowing them to take a break. Joshua seems apathetic and David Stein pales and looks like a dog that’s been beaten. A dog that was sure he was going to get a juicy bone from its ungrateful owner but gets a surprise kick in the head. Mickey and Wally who are in the courtroom for a short visit notice Abraham jumping from his seat in excitement yelling "Yes!!" and hugging Mike his best friend and Helen his friend who do not understand what all the fuss is about.

"Why is everyone laughing, Abraham? What did the judge mean by nailing the state?"

They ask curiously. Abraham watches them in amusement and says cockily

"I don’t expect you to understand anything having to do with legal matters so I'll explain it shortly…David Stein, whose job is to defend the defendant just tried to call a mistrial and save the defendant with dirty tricks called legal demagogy but he forgot that on the bench sits a very wise canon who rejected the attempt and nailed their asses".

Mike hugs Abraham and mumbles

"I wish Michelle came…what happened? She would have enjoyed seeing you happy every time another nail is being put in this brutal killer's coffin…this monster, Joshua".

Abraham's face contorts in dislike

"Forget that idiot…she thinks that because she's pregnant I don’t exist".

He whispers to Mike.

"Michelle is starting to annoy me! Maybe its better she and her fucking baby disappear from my life. I need you, my friends, not Michelle".

Mike stares at Abraham as if he's a stranger…he doesn’t understand him…he's worried about his thinking

"I understand you've had it with Michelle, but I told you before you married her that she's a hard woman for you!! But what about the baby? Don’t forget it's your baby too!! Why should he suffer because of the two of you?"

Abraham seems preoccupied but he suddenly looks at Mike and says coldly

"take me as an example…leave your life the way you want feel like it…as soon as things get tough…destroy whatever you had and start over…I'll probably kick her out of my house if she doesn’t have an abortion".

Wally, who's been watching Abraham and Mike the whole time, tries to guess what they're talking about and asks Mickey curiously

"Who are those two? Do we know them? Were they on the tapes we got from Abraham and Eve?"

Mickey looks at him in amusement

"I remember them…they're Abraham's colleagues. What's the matter with them? Are they your suspects in Isaac's murder? Or maybe José is your suspect? Or maybe that Dr. Gideon guy? Do you still believe Joshua's lies that he's innocent and that the police are framing him?"

Wally seems embarrassed and humiliated.

"I still don’t know who the killer is…but I continue to believe Joshua's claim that he's innocent"

He says angrily

"Tell me I'm stupid or psychotic or an idiot but my intuition says Joshua is not our killer".

He adds excitedly

"Maybe there was something on those tapes we didn’t notice…I can feel it in my gut that the key to solving that murder is going to be on those tapes and if we just…."

Mickey has had enough and his nerves start to shake…he takes a sip from the flask quickly and angrily responds

"What's the matter with you? Is your brain fucked up with this intuition crap? Our killer is sitting right here so stop screwing around"

Wally would rather bury himself in the ground or disappear into thin air and he mumbles

"I'm sorry Mickey…I'm tired…worn out…confused!! This murder has killed my spirit…and my brain along with it"

Mickey hugs Wally fondly like a father comforting a son

"Come on Wally!! Enough!! I get it!! I suggest that when we leave here today, I'll go back to the office and you go home and rest".

Wally tries to refuse and argue but Mickey snaps

"I don’t want to hear it!! Watch it!!"

Wally smiles in gratitude, mumbles a quiet "OK" and dozes off! At the center of the courtroom sit a group of about 15 men and women wearing robes, sandals and from their look it is obvious they are some of the cult members who have come to get an impression of things. Some of those present in the courtroom chatter and wag their tongues continuously and the rest show signs of fatigue. Some are even closing their eyes but the judge notices this worrying phenomenon and bangs his fist on the desk.

"Excuse me!! What is all of this?? Sleep lab? I'm warning all of you to remember that we are in the process of a court hearing and not the thanksgiving parade!"

Everyone sit up.

"Mr. Stein, would you like to call your witnesses?"

"Yes your honor…I call to the stand Mr. Jerome White".

Out of the group of cult members rises a man and approaches the witness stand. He's an older handsome man with a groomed beard, wearing a robe and sandals. He stands by the witness stand and smiles at Joshua who smiles back at him. The court bailiff hands him a bible

"Jerome White…do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth or else punishable by law?"

"I swear to only tell the truth"

"Mr. White…who are you? How long have you known the defendant and to what extent?"

David asks pleasantly and watches the prosecution from the corner of his eye as they whisper. Abraham watches the witness in worry.

"Your honor. My name is Jerome White and I am a bible disciple cult member. I've known Joshua Solomon for two years now from the time he started the cult and became its spiritual leader! After Joshua founded the cult he appointed me his right hand man and fill in when necessary! Our cult numbers about 60 men, women and children and we reside in the woods near the Anderson corrections facility".

The witness is silent and the judge watches him curiously as David continues hastily.

"I repeat my last question…what is the extent of your relationship with the defendant? Describe the relationship between you please"

"Well…I help Joshua with the cult matters such as buying food and groceries… the members schedules…dealing with problems or disagreements that are usually solved by Joshua, contacting different institutes to help make life within the cult easier.. arranging jobs for the members, founding an infrastructure of education and culture that are uniquely suited for the cult, receiving new members and all according to Joshua's decision, gods will and guidance".

Abraham contorts his face and whimpers to his friends

"A real decent…nice…sweet group of people…except their leader is a vicious killer"

The judge watches Abraham threateningly and Abraham shuts up. David stands before the witness and asks shortly

"But what was your relationship with Joshua? How would you describe him?"

Everyone are alert…David moves to side a little to allow the witness a view of Joshua to give him some understanding and support

"Joshua is a person who will help anyone who asks…even those who are not members of the cult...he is a sensitive thoughtful man who was always interested to know if anyone was in need of something, defended the weak…I always knew I could turn to Joshua in time of need and he'd solve whatever problem there was. He loves everyone!"

Everyone start whispering again, betting how the testimony will affect the defendant's situation! Mickey and Wally freeze and watch each other fearfully. Abraham pales. He would gladly cut of the witnesses tongue and pour boiling oil over him so that he'd stop sucking up to Joshua and start ripping of Joshua's masks and revealing the crazy killer's true face.

"Thank you Mr. White. Your honor the defense is through with this witness".

David Stein watches everyone smugly from his chair. He is sure Gold is putting him on the shoulder proudly and smiles enjoyably at the prosecution's depressed faces. He is sure he won the crazy chance he took when he invited Jerome to testify about Joshua's character and personality. Jack Jones whispers to Anita McCoy

"This witness is going to bury us alive…do you want to ask for a break so we can figure out a strategy?"

"Don’t worry Jackie boy…He's just trying to win but he's in for a surprise"

The judge seems pleased and amused that the adrenalin has started pumping and electricity can be felt in the air

"Ms. McCoy, Mr. Jones…the prosecution may now cross examine the witness"

"Thank you your honor. We would be happy to do so"

Anita approaches the witness and stands in front of him trying to block his line of sight with Joshua. She smiles at him.

"Mr. White…You've said some very nice respectful and touching things about the defendant…but you're lying right? You want to help Joshua and show the world what a dear and beloved man he is but you're lying without a choice…maybe because Joshua is forcing you to testify? Maybe because Mr. Stein coached you well"

David bangs his hand on the table in anger and jumps up

"I object your honor…she is badgering the witness…this is contempt…Mr. White is not on trial and I demand this be stricken from the record"

The judge bangs his gavel and tries to silence the light commotion and arguments that erupted between the cult members and those who dislike Joshua. He is amazed to see it doesn’t help and raises his voice in anger

"Shut up!! Or I'll put you all in lock up for contempt of court".

This time everyone shut up quickly and judge turns to the prosecution

"Ms. McCoy…you can't accuse the witness with perjury and don’t treat him as if he's a defendant in this trial…please rephrase your question or leave the witness alone and let him leave the stand".

He turns to the jury

"I ask you not to take into account the prosecution's last words"

He turns to the bailiff

"I want the prosecution's last words stricken from the record…you may continue Ms. McCoy"

Anita smiles in embarrassment but continues as if nothing happened

"I apologize your honor"…

She stands before the witness again and hides his view of Joshua.

"Mr. White…we tend to believe you testimony stems from the goodness of your heart and moral decency!! But can you really say that you knew Joshua well? Are you sure beyond any doubt that you knew him and his personality?"

"Of course Ms. McCoy…I was his second in command…I was always by his side…like the cat with the cream…like the hunter and its prey"

Anita shakes like a leaf, she rubs her hands together and her look is that of an animal trapped in a cage…the feeling in the courtroom is that she's taken a hit and feels embarrassed and humiliated and doesn’t know how to continue. Suddenly she snaps

"Mr. White…I think you've forgotten one small matter…an inconsequential issue…do you know what I'm talking about?"

The judge interrupts

"Stop talking in riddles…if you have something to ask, ask...otherwise…"

"I'm going to, your honor…"

She leans over the tired worried face of the witness

"You've made it very clear that nothing was hidden from you while you were at his side, right? You talked…thought…planned and executed everything together, right? But what did you know about the defendant when he wasn’t by your side? All those minutes and hours the defendant was alone? Could you have known what he was thinking? What he was planning? What he was doing? What he was hiding? We understand Mr. White you couldn't have know anything! I ask again, Mr. White! Could the defendant have thought…planned and executed and even conceal forbidden things…harmful acts…while you were not there?"

Abraham feels electricity through his body and smile the smile of a boxer who just knocked out his opponent…Wally smiles and nods his head in assent and satisfaction…Joshua understands where Ms. McCoy is headed and holds his head in despair…David Stein quickly yells out before the witness lands the guillotine on Joshua's neck

"Don’t answer that Mr. White…you can't answer that…"

He stands up and waves angrily towards the judge…

"I object, your honor. The prosecution is badgering the witness! They are trying to tongue tie him and humiliate the witness in a mean and vicious way!"

Anita McCoy yells at David

"Shut up Stein! This is contempt of court! The defense is interrupting and trying to disrupt this questioning…I ask that your honor ensure the defense does not interrupt me"

The judge's gavel hits the podium threateningly. He stands up and waves his finger and screams

"Mr. Stein, Ms. McCoy…has you lost your minds? Soon you'll start hitting each other…where do you think you are???"

The crowd can't contain themselves anymore and burst out laughing but the judge continues yelling

"Quiet in the courtroom…if anyone continues to interrupt they'll be watching this trial from their TV".

He turns to the witness

"Mr. White, you will answer the last question – could the defendant have thought planned, execute and conceal forbidden harmful acts while you were not at his side? Please answer the question".

Jerome who understands he has no choice is pale. His eyes tearful and he hangs on to the witness stand with his shaking hands

"It's true…while I wasn’t by his side the witness could have done what he wanted… and conceal it too".

The witness is getting ready to leave the stand but jumps at the sound of Ms. McCoy's voice

"Answer the question please!! Could the defendant have hurt others while you weren’t at his side?"

"Yes!! The defendant could have hurt others while I wasn’t there"

"Is the defense interested in re questioning the witness or can he steps down?"

David Stein answers in a weak voice

"No, your honor…the defense rests"

"Thank you Mr. White. You may step down and return to your seat…"

He turns to the crowd…

"The court is adjourned and the hearing will precede tomorrow at 10 am…thank you all!"

"All raise… the honorable judge Stephen Walls is now leaving the courtroom"

The judge leave quickly without glancing back...the TV cameras follow the reactions of the crowd and focus on the main characters. Mickey pats Wally's shoulder and looks satisfied. Wally shakes his head in disagreement.

"it seems like this trial is going to end quicker than we thought and we'll finally be rid of this scum…this creep, Joshua…by the way Wally…I'm going to return the tapes to Abraham and eve…do you still need them?"

Wally says apathetically

"Don’t return them yet, I'll take them home with me…I feel like watching the tapes again…especially the wedding one and the bloopers on it"

Mickey looks at him forgivingly. He doesn’t understand what the point is of watching the stupid tapes. He waves his arm in dismissal and mumbles

"OK Wally…if that's your cup of tea…enjoy!"

Wally smiles in satisfaction. Mickey smirks and offers him a sip of the flask. They both drink covertly and smirk. Joshua and David's faces show despair and helplessness… they know they've suffered defeat…and that another nail has just been hammered in Joshua's coffin! Abraham happily hugs Mike and Helen and approaches the prosecution lawyers as the camera's focus on them and shakes their hands forcefully

"Thank you…Thanks!! Ms. McCoy…you were great… congratulations… I always knew I could count on you…you're the best"…

He turns to the cameras…

"Shoot…Shoot her….she is a national treasure…she seeks justice and thanks to her the killer will pay for his actions…"

He watches Joshua in hatred and points towards him…

"The vicious cruel killer standing there deserves the death penalty!"

Anita McCoy tries to stop the cameramen from filming Abraham and to stop him from talking

"Don't shoot him…Abraham you can say things like that…stop it now"

But Abraham pushes her to side and smile to the camera in despise and in from of Joshua's eyes he yells

"This is divine justice…an eye for an eye… a tooth for a tooth".