Sara

3

Sara looked at the district attorney blankly. "I don't understand. Darius is getting a plea deal?"

The attorney, Kara Maxwell, nodded. "Yes, Miss Lark. On reviewing the charges and the evidence, Mr. Madden has consented to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter."

Voluntary...what?

"But he committed first-degree murder," Sara said, brow furrowed. "He shot her. I don't understand."

Kara sighed. "Miss Lark, your brother-in-law has admitted to killing Leah Madden; however, he was able to present a witness who testified that your sister was cheating on him. He was so incensed on finding out that he couldn't contain his emotions and the gun was close at hand. Before he could think, he had shot her."

A wave of shock and anger washed over Sara. Leah, cheat? Never. Not in a million years, not Leah. "My sister didn't cheat on Darius. He's lying. His witness is lying."

The attorney shrugged, a sympathetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Miss Lark, but we have testimony that she did."

"Who's the witness?" Sara demanded. "What do they know about my sister and her relationship with Darius?"

"The witness was your sister's boyfriend," Kara said, pointblank. "Eugene Michaelson. He testified that he had been with your sister that night, and that Darius had found them there. He then immediately proceeded to shoot Leah Madden."

"Why didn't he shoot Mr. Michaelson?" Sara asked, wrestling with her fury. "If Darius was so angry that he went and shot my sister, why didn't he kill her lover, too? The reason she was cheating on him? Huh? Why didn't he?"

"As soon as he pulled the trigger, Mr. Madden experienced regret and horror for what he had done," Kara explained patiently. "Mr. Michaelson attested to that. He saw Darius' expression change and he immediately tossed the gun away from him. Due to the evidence of the murder being done in the heat of the moment, we've offered Mr. Madden the chance to plead guilty to a lesser count of voluntary manslaughter, and he has agreed."

"For what? To avoid justice for Leah? Because she didn't cheat on Darius, I know that, and Darius murdered her in cold blood and should pay for killing her!"

"Miss Lark, I'm very sorry," Kara said. "But the victim's family has no say in the legal process. It is the state of Virginia versus Darius Madden, and the state is charging him with voluntary manslaughter."

"So you're telling me you believe his story, his lies? You believe the oh so trustworthy Darius Madden who just damn shot someone over the actual evidence and truth? He shot my sister! My sister, who never would have cheated on him to save her life, and he shot her! I don't care if he actually does regret it, he should still pay! His life for hers. Eye for an eye, right? He at least should spend the rest of his miserable life in jail for what he did to my sister!"

The attorney pursed her lips. "Miss Lark, I'm sorry, but he had a witness –"

"Witnesses can lie," Sara said. "It's called perjury, and it's why there's a crime against it in the first place, because people do it."

"He had a credible witness who was at the house at the time of your sister's death," the attorney stated, her voice becoming strained. "He was a married woman's boyfriend; what incentive does he have to lie?"

"However much Darius is paying him," Sara retorted.

"Miss Lark, he is getting this plea deal, no matter how much shade you try and cast on it."

"How much time will he serve?" Sara asked dully, her head pounding. Leah's not getting justice Leah's not getting justice Leah's not getting justice.

"That hasn't been decided yet."

"Give him maximum," Sara ordered, standing. "Or there will be hell to pay."

"I understand you're upset –" the attorney began, but Sara turned and stalked out.

[----]

Leah's tombstone looked cold and wet in the snow-covered cemetery as Sara stood by her grave, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. The justice she had been hoping for, counting on, had fallen through, disintegrated, melted like snow in spring, and now she had nothing left.

Leah wasn't getting justice for her wrongful death.

Darius wasn't going to pay.

Voluntary manslaughter.

Sara gritted her teeth. She had looked up the charge as soon as she left the attorney's office and found that those convicted of it got anywhere between one to ten years in prison. Darius should get all ten years, but Sara doubted that would happen. Leah wouldn't get justice and Darius wouldn't pay. Not enough.

Sara shoved her hands into her pockets, staring at Leah's tombstone. Leah Lark Madden, beloved daughter and sister. Not wife. Darius hadn't loved her enough to warrant mention on her tombstone. He had killed her, killed her in cold blood, and no amount of testimony or regret would change that.

Someone needs to get justice for Leah!

The realization dawned on her. There was nobody left to get justice for Leah, nobody willing to get justice, except for her, Sara Lark.

She would have to get justice for her sister.

She would have to make Darius pay.