The Judge

Chapter 4

*Later on that day*

We all watched as Judge had his finger prints marked and his mugshot taken. Glen has driven us down here, along with Hank and Dale. Hank and Judge has to sign some documents before we were let out, walking to the car. I heard a car pull up and two angry people step out," You killed him!" Mrs Blackwell shouted, walking across the road." Oh shit, that's Mrs Blackwell." Glen said, behind all of us." Alright, Alright. Go straight to the car. Straight in, there you go." Glen said, getting into the drivers seat.

"When my lawyers are done with you, I'll be living In your house." Mrs Blackwell said, approaching Judge." We're sorry for your lost ma'am." I said, closing the door behind Judge and following Hank around the car." Sorry? You will be!"
"Cadie, Hank come on!" Glen said, starting the engine." And you can shove all that 'ma'am' shit!" Hank opened the car door," Y/n let's go." He said, looking at me." See, I recognise you. Your no innocent kid." I ignore her and get into the car, along with Hank who shut the door behind us. I saw Mrs Blackwell walk back around the car and spit on the window before Glen drove us away.

I placed my head on the back of the chair and let out a breath." You ok?" Hank asked, making him look at me." I'm fine." I said, looking at the road." Why were those people so mad?" Dale asked, looking at Glen. Both me and Hank looked at each other, knowing why they were mad." She spit on the window." Dale added, looking at Hank." Look, dads a Judge, you know? Sometimes, I mean, he has to make difficult decisions."
"There was a girl." Hank said, butting in." W-What was her name?" Dale asked," Hope Stevens." I said, looking at Dale." There was a guy, Mark Blackwell. He was a senior, like Glen. Hope was his girlfriend, and Cadie's best friend. Just turned 16." Hank continued, making Dale look at me.

"He took A. 38 to her house, shot the place up."
"Can we talk about something else?" I asked, looking at Hank." I don't get it. W-why-" Dale began until Judge cut him off." He shot out the bedroom windows, angry over whatever kids get angry about when they've been dating, Uh, for what- six months? Now, you listen to me. He stood in court and wept like a lost child. Said he was a drunk, would never do it again. If he meant to hurt her, he would have. I believed him! I believed him. I believed him." Judge looked over to me before looking back at Dale." I gave him the minimum of thirty days. I remember the morning he got out. Glen and I were in the backyard, tinkering with his breaking ball. Pitching scouts had started to come to his games, from Cincinnati, St. Louis."

Dale looked over to Glen," But, Uh... God help us, while we did that..." he sighed before Hank carried on," Blackwell... Drug her down to a spill pond-" he began until I cut him off," It was about 50 yards behind her house. And he hauled her into 2 feet of water and kneeled on her chest until he drowned her." I look down, clenching my jaw and playing with my hands." Judge gave him 20 years. He got out in April." Glen said, looking at the road still." Stop the car." Judge said, putting his hat back on." Dad, Come on." Glen said." Shit- for- brains, am I speaking Korean? Stop the goddamn car!" Glen pulled over the car at the side of the road," I need my walk." Judge said, leaving the car.

"Leave the scene, blood evidence, motive. Biggest mistake of your career, and you just happened to run him over?" Hank said, looking at Judge." I could convict you over coffee. But, no, no routines are important. Close the door, go." Hank said, turning to the road." If the blood matches, and I have no reason to doubt it does, then I must have clipped him. I don't remember any of that."
"The 'I don't remember what happened' defence doesn't fly but the corpse. We need to establish a firm defence. We got to get the charges dropped and make it all go away at the preliminary hearing. We never go to trial." There's no 'we' here Henry. This was an accident, period. Any decent lawyer can argue this easily. And by decent, I mean honest. Someone from here. Someone with the integrity that an Indiana Judge will respect. I retained one of that breed this morning. All right? I wish I liked you more." Judge said, closing the door and walking away.