Shining Stars

Chapter 22

Pacing the small confines of the office Christine wondered what was taking the lawyer so long to return from his meeting with the judge and the prosecuting attorney. What were they discussing? The only thing she had caught from Enrique's hurried words was someone named Jesse. Was that another policeman? A doctor with new evidence on the murder? She didn't care. One way or another, this trial had to end. Every cell in her body screamed out to her that Richard had killed a man, the widow's husband. There was no longer any doubt in her mind.

A drunken man, looking for quick money, had killed Franklin J Parker; that drunk was her brother. End of story. She knew it, Franklin's widow knew it, the media knew it, and the world knew it. Why couldn't the judge let the jury decide already? Why did this trial have to drag on for another day? What more was there to be said? What else was there to be admitted as evidence that wasn't yet in the already enormous pile of it?

"I need some air, I'm going up to the roof," she announced to the room, reaching for the doorknob.

"I'll come with you," Kat said, reaching for her purse as she stood to leave with Christine. In the hallway, door shut behind them, she saw Christine's look and held up her hands to stop the words. "I know, you don't need to be babysat, but I made a promise to George that I'd stick with you and I'm not going to be the one to tell him I didn't. You're stuck with me."

Nodding she led the way down the hall, away from the reporters being held back at one end of it. Though a part of her registered the clicks and snaps of camera's and the questions being yelled at her from the other end of the hallway Christine ignored them the same way she had the other three days. Almost to the elevators she saw a young boy, no older than six, sitting on a wooden bench outside the judge's chamber, struggling to get off to retrieve his toy from the floor. Absently she reached down and picked it up for him, handing the young boy his plastic friend.

"Here you go, sweetie," she smiled softly. "Be careful with him, he looks pretty important."

The little boy nodded. "My Daddy gave him to me when I was a baby."

"Then he's pretty special, isn't he?" she replied. The boy nodded. "Where's your daddy now? Shouldn't you be with him?"

The little boy shook his head, his big brown eyes solemn. "My daddy's dead now," he whispered.

Her heart breaking for the little child she was interrupted by the door next to them opening and Enrique stepping out, his words preceding him into the hallway, "Jesse, why don't you come in now?" Seeing Christine staring back at him he stopped in his tracks.

"Jesse?" she whispered, her wide eyes moving from the boy to the defense attorney in rapid succession as a connection was made in her mind. "He..." she stammered. "He had a son?"

Getting down from the bench the little boy, Jesse Parker, moved to stand next to the woman who had appeared in the doorway behind Enrique. "Two, actually," she answered.

Seeing the widow from the trial Christine's gaze fell downward to the rounded stomach of the woman in black. Reality hit with a force that knocked the wind from Christine's chest. Taking a step backwards she couldn't stop staring at the round front of the woman and the young boys face that stood next to it. Her entire body began to shake, hands trembling uncontrollably as the full truth seeped into her mind and heart.