✯ North Star ✯

Part 10

We all sit in the court waiting for the judge to speak.
"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." He says then strikes the gavel. People start to whisper around the room as JJ stand up
"Your Honor he's 17" JJ yells
"Stop" Sarah tells him
"Quiet in the courtroom" the judge says
"He's 17! Are you kidding me?" JJ says
"You're good." Pope says trying to calm JJ down
"Bailiff!" the judge yells
"Hey John B we're gonna figure it out" JJ tells John b
The bailiff starts to take John B away
"John B! John B! John B! No!" I yell running forward but a deputy stops me. Sarah and Kie following behind me
"Stel!" Sarah yells
"Stop! Don't touch her!" Kie says to the deputy
But no matter what was going on around me I couldn't take my eyes off of John b
He turned to look at me one last time before they took him away. We keep eye contact until John b is forced to turn back around
"Let's go Stel. Let's get out of here." Sarah says grabbing my arm

We all walk out of the court room still in shock
"Is this a joke? Like are we in hell or...?" Kie asks
"I should have never come home" I say
"They're gonna kill him guys. I know it" JJ tells us
"Sorry for what you and your family have gone through. Thank God the system works." I hear my dads lawyer say to him
"Can you please shut up? Of course you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you." Kie yells
"He'll have his day in court. A jury will decide" the lawyer says
"He shouldn't even be in court! You should cause you're a murderer. You have a lot of nerve showing up to court." Kie says pointing at my dad
"I know you're upset. I understand you're upset okay?" Dad tell her
"Upset?" Kie asks
"I know he's got you fooled. He's got you all fooled" Dad says
"No I'm not just upset!" Kie yell stepping forward but Shoupe stops her.
"Show some respect!" Ward yells
"Muzzle your goddamned dog!" JJ says pointing at Thomas
"Get off her!" Pope yells
"Murderer!!" Kie yells at him
"Why don't you take the Kooks down for a change Shoupe?" JJ asks
"You wanna get arrested? Get out! You need to go." Shoupe tells us
"This is bullshit" Kie says
"Come on. Look it's not worth it" Sarah tell kie
"Sorry you shouldn't be going through this"
Plumb says to Dad.
"Thank you" Dad tells him
"Have a good night" Plumb tells them
"Get out of here" Shoupe says to all of us
I look at shoupe then at dad
"It's not a coincidence that both your daughters aren't sitting with you" I tell him keeping eye contact then keeping eye contact with shoupe before walking off

We all head back to the Château sitting on the porch as it rains
"I'm gonna testify under oath. I was there. I just need to get a hold of my sister" I tell everyone
"Sister?" JJ asks
"Kie do you have your phone?" I ask her and she gives it to me
"Wheezie is the only other person that knows Rafe wasn't home that day." I tell them
"Wheezie?" JJ asks
"I don't know what else to do JJ. It's my fault we're in this mess. So I'm gonna do my best to get us out." I tell them
"Wheezie? Yeah that will work. Well she's right about one thing. We gotta do something. Our boy is a PO-dub right now okay? He's held captive by the enemy right now maybe even scheduled for execution. Are we just gonna sit here?" JJ asks
"What's the plan? We start by kidnapping Shoupe?" Kie asks him
"Maybe like that's not the worst idea actually"
JJ says
"Oh it's not?" Kie asks him
"No!" JJ says
"That is actually the worst idea I've ever heard"
Pope tells him
"It's pretty bad" Sarah says
"You know what? Please just stay out of this. Okay Pope look we've been doing everything your way and how has that been working out?" JJ asks him
"Okay okay so what's your plan? You gonna storm a jail guns a-blazing?" Pope asks him
"Look Pope all I'm trying to get you to understand is they got our boy. Are we just gonna sit here and do nothing? No! We're gonna go get his ass. We're gonna do something about it!" JJ says
"JJ we're not storming a jail. It's not happening" Pope tells him
"No fine man. Sit in your comfy chair. Do nothing. I'm gonna see what I can do. Make something happen even if I have to do it by myself" JJ says walking off
"Okay" Kie tells him
"Should we be worried?" Pope asks us
"Definitely" I answer him
"Look I'm gonna hit my parents and I'm gonna see if I can get money for a lawyer" kie tells us
"John B has a public defender. He doesn't need that now" Pope says
"Are you crazy? Justice costs money" Kie tells him
"You're right. So I'm gonna dig in hard into anything I can find out about this key because that tape Limbrey has that's exculpatory evidence. That can exonerate John B." Pope tells us
"Yeah we gotta try" Kie says
"I'll try and get in contact with wheezie and I'll let yall know" I tell them before running after JJ

"JJ wait!" I yell before he drives off
"You can't stop me Ella" he tells me
"I'm not going to. I know you're going to go see him. Can you relay a message for me?" I ask him
"Yeah I got you" he smiles
"Just tell him I'm sorry I got him into this mess and that I'll do whatever I can to get him out." I tell JJ
"I will. But just know it's not your fault Ella" he tells me
"Yeah" I say fake smiling as he drives off

I take out my phone and text wheezie. Thankfully she answers and I set up a time for her to meet me at the docks.