High Tide // JJ Maybank

Chapter 20

The judge strikes the gavel against the block, signifying she'd made a decision. She looks up at the crowd of people, then to John B.

John B stood next to his lawyer at the table, his hands shackled together. He was still covered in bruises from a few days before. He was a disheveled mess. My heart broke for him.

"John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the North Carolina statute section 14, you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty." The judge strike her gavel again.

I feel my breath catch in my throat. My hands immediately start sweating. I grip onto JJ's hand tight, fear coursing through my veins. "Oh my god." I breathe out. "They can't do that, can they? He's still a kid."

JJ stands, gesturing to John B with his hand. "Your honor, he's 17."

"Stop." Pope tells him, pushing down his hand.

"He's 17! Are you kidding me?" JJ continues. Pope keeps pushing JJ out of the row of chairs, trying to quiet down the boy but he keeps yelling. "Hey, John B, we're gonna figure it out." Pope pushes the boy again so he's facing the doors.

I turn around as Sarah steps forward as she starts calling for the boy. "John B! John B! John B, no!"

I reach out to her, grabbing her shoulder to pull her back toward me. "Sarah, come on." A deputy steps towards us, pushing us backward. "Get your hands off of her!" I tell him. "Come on, Sarah, we gotta go." I pull her towards the exit with me.

"Is this joke? Like are we in hell or...?" Kiara asks as we walk down the stairs.

"I should have never come home." Sarah states.

"They're gonna kill him, guys, I know it." JJ adds.

I look over to a man I could hear talking to someone else. "Sorry for what you and your family are going through." He was talking to Ward Cameron. "Thank God the system works."

Kiara starts talking before I can say anything. "Can you please shut up? Of course you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you." I step back, knowing it would get ugly with her being the one to lash out on him. I stand at least a couple meters back, trying to just wrap my head around everything.

"He'll have his day in court. A jury will decide." The man tells her.

"He shouldn't even be in court! You should 'cause you're a murderer." Kie points at Ward. "You have a lot of nerve showing up to court."

A group of sheriffs and deputies make their way over to our squabble, knowing it walk likely to get out of hand.

"I know you're upset. I understand you're upset, okay?" Ward says to her, in a condescending manner.

"Upset?"

"I know he's got you fooled. He's got you all fooled."

"No I'm not just upset!" Kie talks over him, walking towards him. JJ, Pope, and Shoupe reach out, grabbing the girl, pulling her away from the man. Shoupe and the other cops step between us, separating the two groups.

"Show some respect!" Ward yells at us.

"Get off her!" Pope yells at the sheriff.

"Why don't you take the Kooks down for a change?" JJ asks Shoupe.

"You wanna get arrested? Get out! You need to go."

"This is bullshit." Kie seethes.

Sarah grabs onto the girls shoulder, starting to lead her away. "Come on. Look, it's not worth it."

"It's not a coincidence your daughter is still sitting with us!"

JJ walks over to me, grabbing my hand. "Are you okay?" I shake my head at him. "Let's get out of here."

"He's gonna die for real this time." I tell JJ.

"Come on, baby, you know we'll figure something out. We always do."

I shake my head at him. "What if we don't this time? What if we can't? JJ, I don't know what else there is to do."

"I know, I know baby."

Pope makes his way over to us. "How you holding up, Kat?"

"I don't know." I say honestly.

Pope gives me tight lipped, sympathetic smile before pulling me into a quick hug. "I'm sorry, Kat."