ODDS OF LOVE - SEASON THIRTEEN

Episode 112

" Hey , dead boy , what are you doing here? ," Scott Sands said with a laugh as he sipped a cup of lukewarm coffee from the vending machine while waiting with the other print and media reporters outside the courtroom of the Angeletti trial.

Aiden Norris tried to ignore the crime beat reporter of the Washington Reign, the same newspaper that he also worked. Of course he was just obits. Always just obits. But that wasn't where he planned to remain. He was getting tired of doing the death beat. Awards or no awards he was tired of it. Main reason that he had accepted the job at the DC based newspaper from Ohio was his desire for a change. He wanted to branch out even if everyone else just saw him as Dead Boy. Which was why he was there at the courthouse that day. He planned to write an indepth feature article on the verdict as well as the case and the attack on the defendant. And he wanted it on the front page not locked away in obits. Rebel seemed willing to let him try his hand at something new but that Reese...... Reese Malden seemed to have taken a dislike to him for some reason. Of course maybe it wasn't really him the man took issue with. After all, his mind conceded as he turned away from the too arrogant Scott , the Golden Boy of The Reign , Reese Malden had just suffered a tragic loss of his own not that long ago.

He couldn't resist murmuring to the man though," Same as you, Sands. Following a news story. "

Scott merely laughed as he got a text message notification on his phone. His eyes glinted greedily as he read it. According to the person he had planted in the courtroom the jury was seated and the show was about to begin.

                ---------

Joe Jacobs stood up from his seat in the jury box and , with an irritated pouty face , said precisely," Your honor, Judge Norland , I am afraid we can not reach a verdict. "

The people gathered in the gallery began to stir themselves with much pent up energy and curiosity as they whispered among each other.

Paul Paterson sighed as he sat at the prosecutor's table.

Claire Lowen resisted a smile as she sat beside Marcus Simms at the defense table.

Richard shook his head at the jury foreman. " Then I'm going to send you back in that room until you can reach one. "

Joe glanced at the other members of the jury and then at his husband Winston who was seated silently in the gallery behind the Duncan family ( Jeremiah, Keisha, Justin and Nicole). He sighed loudly and  shook his blond curly head. " I'm afraid that you could send us back a million times and we will not be able to reach a verdict. It is that impossible. We all just want to go home. "

" You want to go home ! "

That outburst came from the gallery and twelve year old Nicole Duncan who stood up with outrage on her young brown face.

" Nicole, sit down," Keisha hissed at her only daughter as Richard banged his gavel and said sternly," Young lady , please take your seat and remain quiet or I will have you removed from this courtroom. "

" Fuck you ! ," the young girl shot out wildly as she rushed from the gallery close to the jury box and the judge's bench. Jeremiah stood up to follow his niece as the balliff approached her gingerly.

" Nicole ! ," Keisha yelled at her with frustration. " Come back here now! "

" No ! ," Nicole shouted as she grabbed at the gun in the balliff's holstered belt and pulled it out much to everyone's horror and astonishment. She held it up and pointed it at Richard directly as he stood up from the bench.

Jeremiah said sharply," Put the gun down, Nic ! This is not helping Jamal ! "

Nicole said coldly ," None of this is helping Jamal ! He's different than he was before. He can't remember stuff. He can barely read like he used to. Mom cries every night. So does Granny ! My family is messed up now and all anyone cares about is that bitch ! I don't care what happened to her. She's still alive and she's going to be punished for what she did to my brother ! Nobody is going home until you all punish her ! Nobody !"