INNOCENT (Gabe's Trials)

In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

      "Thank you, your honour! Now, as I was saying..."My eyes travelled back to Lila's client of their own accord and I found him watching me intently. It was as if he was undressing me with his eyes and I was so hot I was practically burning. My cheeks were flushed -I was sure of that- and my teeth were digging into my lower lip, the slight pain helping me to not get sucked into his pools of lust. His mouth slightly parted as he inhaled deeply and slowly, the rise of his solid chest sending me dizzy. "All things considerred, I hope that by the end of the trial, I will be able to prove you Gabriel Shaffer's implication with this case and his connection with the mob, because God is my witness that no other innocent soul should get caught up in the middle of a drug dealing gone wrong. And it is people like the defandant to blame for those sort of horrible deaths. Thank you, your honour!" I nodded my head and as Cacy sat back down, Lila decidedly stood up, harshly pulling at her clothes.

      "Your honour, my client has been accused of some horrible crimes today, none of which have been proved to be commited by him." A mocking laugh went past her lips as she glanced back at Cacy. "Unfortunately -or quite the contrary, depending on how you look at it- my esteemed collegue, Ms Lindon, forgot to mention the fact that Mr Shaffer is not even the principal suspect in the case, but a mere witness; a person with morals, who tried to help another person and got caught up in the middle of events..." Cacy stood up abruptly and I suddenly felt as if I was watching a tennis match.

      "Objection, your honour! Mr Shaffer has been put under the charges of murder and drug dealing two days ago."

      "That happened at the request of..."

      "The district attorney." Cacy completed Lila's sentence.

      "Your honour, my client has been put under these charges without enough evidence to incriminate him, due to the lack of other suspects and with the promise of getting some so called witness's testimony in what concernes his implication with this case."

      "And if you just allowed me, your honour..." Oh, God! My head was hurting like a bitch and they just wouldn't stop arguing. Well, something had to be done.

      "Enough!" The entire room went quiet, everybody giving me worried looks. "Objection sustained, Ms Lindon. Ms Mathews, please go on!" Lila sighed and her eyes softened.

      "I know that this situation makes it hard to believe that my client is in fact innocent, and that he had nothing to do with the entire case, but it shouldn't matter what it looks like. Let's keep in mind that the deadly wound on the victim's body was caused by a gun and that my client was carying no gun when the police found him at the crime scene, making it impossible for him to be the murderer. As for the crack found on the lapels of his jacket, that must have come from the victim's clothes, from when Mr Shaffer tried to help him." Lila frowned and stopped for a moment before talking again. " I would normally say more, but right now, it would probably be useless. The proofs and witnesses will say everything that there is to be said." My friend looked deeply into my eyes. "Bottom line, your honour... Gabriel Shaffer is nothing more than a tax paying, american citizen, who was in the wrong place, at the wrong time and he doesn't deserve to rot in jail for that, as none of us do. Thank you!" And I'll be damned if she didn't make me believe her...

                                                                                                                        $$$

      My headlights blinked as I unlocked my car but just as I was about to climb inside, a short laugh resonated through the parking lot. I imediatelly turned on my heels and looked around me, but nothing seemed to be out of place. Well, nothing except for...

      "You've never told me you were a judge." Somebody whispered into my ear, making me jump.

      "How the hell did you...?" I could still see his smirk in spite of the darkness surrounding us.

      "I'm a sneaky son of a bastard." He whispered again. "Now... You've never told me you were a judge."

      "It must have slipped my mind during our two brief encounters. Just like you've never told me you were a murderer."

      "I'm not..." He whispered lower still, slightly bending his head towards my neck. I slowly turned my lips to his ear.

      "I don't believe you..." I whispered as well.

      "I know you don't. You're too smart for that." I didn't try to analize his words, afraid of what meaning I might discover in them. I just stepped back.

      "I have to go." Taking his hand to the inside pocket of his suit jacket he pulled a small piece of paper out.

      "Here! In case you change your mind about the car..." I reached for the card he was holding out to me and grabbed it.

      "Thank you for the offer, but I think I'll pass. I'm not doing criminals." The bastard grinned.

      "Then why did you take the card?" I blushed and looked at the hand that was indeed holding his card. "Don't worry, judge! I won't tell..." He invaded my space some more and extended his hand to me. I took it. "If it makes you feel better, I'm not normally doing judges either, but for you I'm willing to make an exception..."

        And then he left... Just like that... 

                                                                                                                           $$$

       Walking into an empty flat was always the worst part of the day to me. It made me realise just about how lonely I actually was.

       My phone beeped and buzzed inside my bag and I pulled it out.

       Lila: Got us a double date for tomorrow evening and I've got one word for you : HOT!!! You're coming!

      I sighed and texted Lila back. Saying 'no' to a 'HOT' date was not an option...