Shining Stars

Chapter 23

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you are dismissed to confer and reach a decision."

Dismissed, the twelve jurors stood from their seats and filed out of the courtroom to discuss their thoughts and opinions while the audience was dismissed as well. Sitting in the first bench behind the defendant's table Christine stared at the door her brother had been escorted out, watching his disappearing back. She knew in her heart that he was going to be found guilty; there was no chance that he wasn't. Her brother would go to jail and she would be left out in the world, wondering if there was ever going to be a chance for them to regain the relationship that they once had, one that was based on love, not hate. That was one question she needed to have answered before it was too late.

The judge was getting ready to leave when Christine stood suddenly and called out to him. "Your Honor?"

Stopping he turned to look at her. "Yes?"

"May I see my brother? I'd like to talk to him, please."

Thinking it over for a moment he nodded and motioned for the bailiff to escort her to her brother. Telling George and her parents that she would meet them in the office Christine followed the bailiff through the door before she lost her nerve and saw her brother seated at a long wooden table, his hands handcuffed, his face blank. Sitting down across the table from him Christine folded her hands and looked at Richard, the man she called her brother. She hadn't spoken with him alone since the night he'd entered her apartment. Anytime they'd seen each other since it was a visit between the entire family.

"So did you come here to stare at me or was there actually something you wanted to lecture me about?"

Silent for another moment she asked the question that had been on her mind. "What happened, Richard?"

Snorting laughter in disbelief and contempt he glared at her. "I think the evidence speaks plainly enough don't you?"

"I'm not talking about the trial," shaking her head. "What happened between us? Where did we get so off track?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. You were always a mutt."

Not letting him get under her skin Christine did the best she could to remain calm and unaffected by his words. "Do you know what I remember most about you?" Not giving him a chance to snap off a reply she continued. "It was those nights when the house was pitch black; Mama and Daddy were gone, the servants were in bed, and you came into my room with a flashlight. We'd spend hours exploring the house in the darkness with only a flashlight; you'd tell me stories about how it wasn't a house but really it was a cave filled with hidden passages and trap doors."

"Every morning we'd wake up to hear one of the maids swearing up and down that we'd been robbed, that there had been a burglar with a flashlight traipsing through the house the night before. So Mom would spend the entire morning going over everything in the house to make sure it was accounted for. We'd spend the entire day listening to the servants tease the poor maid about seeing things until she got fed up and quit. We went through so many maids; until Poppette finally caught on and turned us in."