Sympathy for the Devil

sympathy for the devil: did you mean it? (one shot)

5 MONTHS LATER...

In the summer heat, the staunch smell of piss and rotting trash permeated outside the courthouse. Star had been quiet all day but Bill understood it wasn't anything he had done. Today was day two of court proceedings for Stan. Star had gone up the day before, giving her testimony and she had been a mess since leaving the court. It took everything in Bill to not kick Stan's asshole lawyer's ass as he doubted her and twisted her words and made her seem like an unreliable witness. She cried all night until Bill let her get so stoned she eventually fell asleep in his arms.

Parked in his car, Star picked at her long nails. He could feel her anxious energy crowding the car and he wished he could do anything to put her at ease but in all honesty, he was feeling the same dreadful feelings she was having.

They stepped in the courthouse where their lawyer, Mr. Hornbeck, was waiting just outside the courtroom door. Bill had insisted and urged Star that the smartest thing they could do was to have his lawyer represent the both of them. She tried to stubbornly decline but for a case this big she knew a shotty public defender wasn't going to help her case. Today, was Bill's turn to bat on the stand. He was called on by the judge to testify against Stan and to defend Star's claims. Thankfully, he knew what to expect after what Stan's lawyer put Star through.

"They don't believe me," she choked out the night before. Her face flushed and wet with tears.

He softly rubbed her back telling her that they did. Though inside he wasn't so sure. He felt just as defeated leaving the courthouse yesterday. Working undercover gave Bill rights and leeway for his drug-addled actions. He was protected and being a cop sure helped a ton. He only wished it was him that saw Stan that Thanksgiving night. It would have made this case open and shut.

"Ready?" He asked Star before they stepped into the courtroom.

She nodded. "Are you?" She asked softly.

He took a deep breath, "Gotta be."

Stan was already seated with his lawyer, the both of them whispering in each other's ear, it was still dreadful to see him. Yesterday, Bill and Star froze reaching for each other's knees in comfort when he stepped into the courtroom after not seeing him for months after he was arrested. Today on their way to their seat Star hid behind Bill walking in step with him to block her view of Stan.

Stan's lawyer had to have been an even bigger asshole than he was. Mr. Parker quizzed Bill and questioned him about where he was, what he was doing, and why he was at Randi's loft the night he "allegedly" saw Stan at. He asked questions that were relatively the same to trip him up and to get him to second guess but Bill wasn't taking the bait.

"And what makes you so sure that Miss Esposito, saw my client at Randall Jacobson's party," Mr. Parker questioned.

"Like I said, I was at the party too. But I'm sure because I know she wouldn't lie. She's not a liar."

"You are aware of her criminal record, right? She was working as a Criminal Informant under your supervision, correct?"

"Yes," Bill nodded once.

Mr. Parker wiped his sweaty upper lip with the back of his portly hand as he turned around for a file given to him by his assistant. "So you know, about her many soliciting charges, indecent exposure, theft, and her latest from fall of last year, possession and conspiracy to distribute narcotics, specifically cocaine?" He said looking up from reading off a list from his file.

"I don't see what Angela's record has to do with anything?" Bill could feel anger bubbling within him. "None of those charges tell me she's a liar. When I worked with her not once was she dishonest with me."