Deadly || Sweet Pea [2]

1

Chapter 1 || Courtroom Drama

Sitting between Veronica Lodge and Josephine McCoy was awkward for two reasons; I no longer hated the Lodge girl, but I did despise Josephine McCoy. Sitting in the sauna-like courtroom should be the last place to think about past relationships- especially when a friend was on trial for a murder- but I couldn't help myself. The smug looks Josie sent my way as she and Sweet Pea fanned each other to try and keep cool were irking me to my core, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe the stupid smirk off her face.

"Breathe, Kitty." Veronica whispered to me, fanning me slightly. The gust of somewhat cool air distracted me from my heated thoughts and I snapped my eyes forward, focusing on the redhead in front of me rather than whatever was going on beside me.

"Right, yeah." I nodded, whispering to my new friend. "I'm here to support Archie."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," The prosecuting attorney started, beginning her closing argument against Archie. "The evidence and testimony that was presented in this court tell a dark story. That Mr. Andrews has a history of violent behavior. That he started not one, but two masked vigilante groups. That he assaulted an innocent boy who was helpless with two broken legs."

"Innocent, my ass." I muttered under my breath, earning nods from both Mr. Andrews and Veronica.

"That he went 'wilding' in the Southside of town and threatened to shoot a young man and woman in the face." The prosecuting lawyer continued, eyeing me and Sweet Pea. I rolled my eyes at her and shook my head. "That while partying with his friends in the town of Shadow Lake, Mr. Andrews ran into the woods and shot the victim, Cassidy Bullock, point-blank in the head. Now, Mr. Andrews claims that it was his girlfriend's father's doorman who shot Mr. Bullock. A shot Mr. Andrews claims to have heard, but not seen. Who knows the truth of what happened that terrible night in the woods near Shadow Lake? I'll tell you who. That man."

She pointed an accusatory finger at Archie and I bit back profanities I wanted to hurl at the blonde. I shared a look with Veronica and took a deep breath.

"Archie Andrews may be a varsity athlete and he may be a sensitive musician," The lawyer pressed, addressing the jury closely. "But he is also... a cold-blooded... killer."

The prosecuting attorney sat, wrapping up her closing argument. Mrs. Andrews stood, ready to give her closing arguments in defense of her son. I grabbed Veronica's free hand and squeezed, both supporting her and looking for some support from her. The prosecuting attorney's closing argument, albeit totally false, was strong. I could only hope that Mrs. Andrews' argument would be stronger.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Mrs. Andrews started. "We know for a fact that Archie Andrews constantly puts the needs of others ahead of his own. We know that he helped to solve the murder of Jason Blossom. We know that he offered both friends and enemies shelter when they had nowhere else to stay. We know that he punched through a river of ice to save the lives of his classmate Cheryl Blossom, and childhood friend Katarina Jones."

Eyes from everywhere landed on me, but I ignored them, paying attention to Archie's body language and the facial expressions of the jurors.

"Let me remind you that there were no witnesses to the actual killing." Mrs. Andrews continued. "There was no murder weapon. There was no motive. At the end of the day, all the prosecution has is cloudy testimony from unreliable people."

Archie glanced back at Veronica and I, and I offered him a small and hopeful smile.

"Now, it is my solemn duty as a mother to protect my son." I nodded at Mrs. Andrews statement. Tug at their heartstrings, Mrs. Andrews. "But, as an attorney, it's my duty to adhere to the facts, to the evidence. There is nothing here that proves that Archie Andrews is anything less than an innocent boy. Thank you."