A Necessary Evil(44)
Next came a redheaded boy, also rather young, with freckles and pale skin. He was tall and lanky, and his faded jeans and blue t-shirt hung from his frame as if they were two sizes too large. His freckled face was blank, but Collin could detect a hint of excitement in his hazel eyes.
As the others poured in, the two bodyguards set up the tables and chairs. The pierced girl and the redhead sat in two of the five metal chairs opposite the folding table they’d set up near Collin. A third man, the one who’d watched him at the restaurant, brought in a bigger, sturdier chair covered in red leather, and placed in only a few feet to Collin’s right. Franklin thanked the man and took his seat. Collin wondered why the old man was sitting so close to him.
When the others sat with the two young kids, Collin looked them over. What a motley crew of criminals this was. Next to the redheaded boy sat a handsome Hispanic man in khaki pants and a plaid button-up. Beside him was a man with olive-toned skin and jet-black hair that was slicked back with way too much hair gel…obviously an Italian-American, Collin judged. Next was a rather rotund Indian man with a sweaty bald head which he kept patting with a folded white handkerchief. And beside him sat a short man in what Collin assumed was his late fifties, wearing a brown tweed blazer, a red bowtie, round tortoiseshell spectacles, and a very obvious brown toupee. Finally, Bruno took the last seat. His black tribal tattoos stretched out from underneath his too-tight white t-shirt and wrapped around his bulging biceps.
Once they had all taken their seats, Franklin stood again and clapped his hands together once, causing Collin to jump a little. His insides were trembling as he waited to hear what Franklin was going to say next. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Great. Thank you all for showing up. Now, as we previously discussed, I’ll be serving as judge. You folks will be the jury. Except for you, Oliver.” Franklin motioned toward the group, and Toupee Man stood and approached him. “You will serve as the prosecutor. I’ve filled you in on all the horrible details of this man’s crimes. You will present the case to the jury.” Franklin turned back to the group. “The accused will have a chance to plead his case and try to explain his actions, and then you fine people will deliberate and find him either innocent or guilty. You can sit down for now, Oliver. Thank you.”
Franklin turned to face Collin, but he spoke loudly so everyone in the room could hear him. His booming baritone voice echoed through the iron rafters. “If, by some miracle, you are found innocent, I promise to let you go free.” The members of the jury exchanged confused glances. Franklin turned to face them. “Oh, don’t worry, folks. He’ll still have the small matter of the police hunting him down.”
The jurors seemed to be relieved by this detail.
Franklin looked at Collin. “But you’ll be alive, whatever that’s worth. If, however, you are found guilty, the jury will then deliberate your sentence. It will be death. I can promise you that. But it will be up to them to decide exactly how you die. Now, shall we begin?”
Collin looked over at the so-called jury. Everyone nodded.
Franklin sat in the leather chair near Collin and crossed his right leg over his left, revealing silk socks the color of a robin’s egg. “Perfect. Oliver, you may proceed with the prosecution’s case.”
Oliver stood, straightened his tweed jacket, and cleared his throat. He stepped to the middle of the room and clasped his hands together at his midsection. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, as you may know, I normally represent innocent defendants, like our good boss, Mr. Cartwright, here. But I’ve been asked today to present to you the case against this man, one Collin McAllister, who stands accused of the most heinous crime of kidnapping young Mollie Cartwright and holding her prisoner for nearly two days. Not only that…he chained her to a wall, shackled at the ankles like an animal. His plan for her, by his own admission, was to slowly kill her in front of her grandfather, allegedly to avenge his father’s death at the hands of Mr. Cartwright. But I present to you now, there is zero evidence of this man’s horrific accusations against our benevolent boss, who has been so magnanimous to all of us. Instead, it is our position that this man, who also stands accused of the murder of six innocent women over the past two years, is nothing more than a sick, pathetic excuse for a human being. Rather than acknowledging his own sense of depravity, he’s trying to shift the focus and the blame to Mr. Cartwright. We cannot allow this man…” Oliver pointed right at Collin, “…to get away with his crimes. I ask that you consider the evidence that will be presented to you today and render a verdict that is fitting in this case. Find this man guilty on all counts. Deliver justice for Mr. Cartwright and his poor granddaughter, as well as the six other innocent victims this man has taken from this world. I thank you for your time.”
With that, Oliver gave a curt bow and shuffled back toward his seat.
Franklin stood and said, “Does the prosecution rest?”
Oliver turned around before sitting. “Yes, Your Honor. The prosecution rests.”
“This is ridiculous.” Collin tried to mask with false bravado the fact that his stomach was rolling and his hands were trembling.
Franklin turned to him and smiled. “It’s your turn, son. You may present your defense.”
Collin didn’t want to participate in this shit show. It was a farce and held no legal weight whatsoever. And it was pointless. Franklin was going to find him guilty no matter what he said or did. But when Collin shook his head, indicating his intent to say nothing, he heard a gun cock and felt the pressure of cold steel against the side of his head.