The Warden's Daughter

The Verdict Is...

 COULDN'T RESIST SO HERE IS AN EARLY UPLOAD. :)

            “The jury find Noah Fain…Guilty of first degree murder of the victim Antonio Bucatti.” The judge says. My heart skips a few beats and I feel like a can’t breathe. Did she just say guilty. The room erupts with protest and a lot of people gasp in surprise. No, this couldn’t be happening! Suddenly my future with Noah no longer existed. How was I supposed to raise this child on my own? Peter squeezes my hand tightly.            

            “Noah Fain, you will serve twenty-five to life without the possibility of parole at the Louisiana Maximum Security State Prison.” The judge says and then people start yelling and it is insane. I just stare down at the grown and tears form in my eyes. Jonathon did something! I know he did. There was evidence and reasonable doubt about Noah committing the murder. How could you argue with such evidence like that. I look over at Ben and he has his hands on Noah’s shoulder. Ben said that he had this in the bag.

            I wanted to run to Noah and hug him but I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be appropriate and I had to wait until everyone left. I look over at Jonathon who has a sick smile on his face. A fire burned in my belly. Now I know he fucking did something. People start emptying out of the court house and Noah is still sitting in his chair unmoving. I can’t even imagine what he is feeling. This was something that my father couldn’t face. This was the law and the jury made their decision.

            “Nora, it will be okay.” Peter says. I shake my head and pull my hand from his. I see the judge is talking to the bailiff. I get up and walk out of the pew. I had to say something. Surely she had to know that Noah was an innocent man. I walk up to the judge and she looks at my face and then my belly.

            “How could this happen? He is innocent.” I whisper fiercely. She looks at the bailiff and he steps aside a few feet away. She steps down from the high table and stand in front of me with her black robe.

            “Come to the back with me.” She says. I look over at Noah. He was eyeing me with a sadness that I couldn’t bear. None of them were going anywhere anytime soon. Not with the press and all that. I follow the judge into the back room. She takes her robe off revealing a sharp suit.

            “Look kid, I have no idea how this happened. That evidence was concrete.” She admits. I put my hands on my hips.

            “Jonathon Maggiano is what happened.” He framed Noah and now Noah would have to pay for what that asshole did. The judge bites her lip and she grabs my forearms.

            “My bailiff tells me that Jonathon spoke to the jury. I don’t know what he said, but he did something.” The judge says. I shake my head. I knew it! How could I fix this? I was only a nineteen year old girl with a baby on the way and a boyfriend who was set to go to prison for the rest of his life.

            “Can’t you do something?” I ask her. She shakes her head.

            “I had to distribute proper punishment or I would have been fired. The only thing that Mr. Fain can do is file for a re-trial.” She tells me. I wipe my eyes to keep the tears from escaping. I had to do something and I was not going to sit and just accept this news.

            “Look, Noah won’t be moved for a few days. He will be at the prison your father works at…” She says and she pauses. What the hell was she saying? Wait…did she want me to—help him escape prison?

            “You want me to help him escape.” I say. She shrugs her shoulders. I could go to jail for doing that. Noah would get an even harsher sentence if we were ever caught.