Third person POV
Lucy was up next to be questioned. Her trial was just the same as Harry's, just with her answers instead. They were slightly different and by the end of her time, she was fed up. The room was still stuffy and crowded with too many people who just want to go home. And this was only the first case. There is still another one to do.
Lucy had spotted Danny walking late into the room after she had finished her turn. He looked distressed. He didn't look like the same Danny you saw judging the Voice. Had he heard the news of his daughter he never met?
Julia stood up and took her place on the stand. Harry had gotten the best lawyer he could find. But from what he had seen so far, Julia's was better. He was annoying and makes everybody agitated. They want to smack him in the face to see if that smirk would disappear.
"Good evening, Ms Days, my name is Bob." Harry's lawyer started off. He wore a black and white stripped suit with brown dance shoes that did not go. "I have a few questions to ask and if you would co-operate, it would do us all a favour."
Julia stood up straight, head up and hair grouped into a tight bun to show sophistication. "Why should I not do that? I am of course, under oath." She replied.
A game played by the coach, ran by the student. This is how Bob saw it. "What may be voiced, might not be the truth." Bob said, the edge of his lips curled upwards slightly. The same actioned was copied on Julia.
"That's for me to know, and for you to not. I would appreciate it if you could ask me those questions now, please, nobody has all day."
"What did you see in Lucy when you first took her?" Bob didn't wait to get straight to the point. There is no time left for breaks.
"I didn't take her." Julia said, bluntly.
"Let me rephrase that then. Why, out of all the people in Britain, did you set your eyes on Miss Mai?" Bob leaned against the stand, looking laid-back and relaxed.
"She had something. She had potential. And, it was never my choice she came to me for help. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have been in this mess. As for Harry, he was the same. I never expected him to be there." It was all true. If Lucy hadn't of gone off and had just listened to Mya, all this might not have happened.
"According to my clients, they said you threatened to kidnap Daniel Howell and force rape on both him and Miss Mai. What do you have to say about that?" Bob gave a quick glance to Harry and Lucy back in the stand. They looked tired. They don't want to go through all of this again. Something bad is going to happen, they can feel it.
"It was a meer threat. I was only joking." Lucy could not believe it! That cow! How dare she say that after everything she put them through!
"Joking or not, it is a serious matter. Moving onto the people you have taken before, what made you chose them? Especially those who could get you arrested." Bob is curious. But as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.
"I didn't choose them, my boss did." After that answer, no one dared to move. This was an organisation. There were more people then just Julia doing this.
Bob cleared his throat. "What is your boss's name? Remember, you have to tell, you are under oath."
"Harry knows him very well. Like family. Loves him like an Uncle." Julia said. And something clicked in Harry. Uncle. Like family. Uncle Si. He's done too much already to Harry by hurting Lucy and now he's done more!
"Simon Cowell." Harry yelled out and gasps of astonishment echoed. "It's Simon."
At last, it all links up. Simon must've told Julia about Lucy at the start. They have been working together to get at Lucy. Was the robbery planned as well? Is there a reason why they've targeted her?
"Thank you, Mr Styles. How do you know him, Julia?" At last, they were getting somewhere.
"He is my child hood friend."
Julia was finished questioning and next was Danny. Harry hadn't seen him since Halloween, and even then, he had been happier. All Danny's questions revolved around his time in captivity. And then a few weeks before and after. He was in distress and didn't want to be here more or less then Harry and Lucy. But they all wanted to see justice served. As long as Julia and the gang of drunks were behind bars, they would be able to sleep properly at night.
But the way Julia and Jack were going, they seemed as innocent as children with lollipops and halos on their heads. Judge Mary had a hard case this time. Of course Julia will be punished some how. But not with bars. Community service maybe, or just let go. It's Darren and his gang who are going to be locked up.
"Mr O' Donoghue, what is your view on all of this?" Asked Bob. The case has been going on so long, that everybody knows the murder case shall have to be postponed.
"Julia needs to learn what is right in the world and that she can't take people from their lives. She is psychotic. No human would do this to other people. And if Simon is involved in this, he needs to be the same. I don't want to ever see Julia again." Danny said with confidence.
"Very well. What was your reaction when you had found out that your daughter was dead? Would it be the same if you had known her or would it be worse?" Bob said. Danny didn't want to answer that but he knew he had to. This had nothing to do with the case. Nothing!
So why does Bob want to know?
"At first, I didn't know what to think. I had never seen a picture of Lily. I didn't even know she was alive. I just wanted to move on. And now that I know she was alive and healthy, it makes me feel worse."
She was alive.
Not she is alive.
It grew louder and louder in Lucy's head. Lily would still be with Julia or might have returned to Danny if Lucy and Harry hadn't taken her. But she's not and that cannot happen. Why think of all the happiness Danny and Lily might ave been in if reunited? There is no point.
"Do you know if Lily was your only child? Say, the lady had twins, triplets even!" Bob was onto something. There still might be another child. Maybe this child was taken away. Or, well, given away.
Julia tensed. Lucy and Harry grew with hope. Danny was confused. Why would there be another child? Surely Julia would have kept that one as well. But it could be possible. Anything like flying pigs could be possible at this moment!
"I don't know. After I had been allowed to go, I never kept in contact with Emma," Danny said.
"Who is Emma?" Bob asked.
"She's Lily's mother." Danny answered. After all these years, nearly 6, he had remembered her name. What a gentleman.
"Do you know where Emma is now?" Bob had been making up a plan in his head. He was just hoping that if Julia or Danny knew where this "Emma" was, that she might be able to help see what had gone on it that room.that forced them to finally give in.
"As I said, I had not kept contact with her. We were stuck in that room for about 3 weeks. I had left before Emma. I didn't exactly be told I had to go. I was drugged and when I woke up, I found myself in hospital." Danny recalled the torturous memory.
"Why did you have to go hospital?" Danny gulped. He hated what had happened. He hated how Julia had treated him and Emma.
"For the first two weeks, Emma and I hadn't co-operated, so Julia took the matter into her own hands. She use to drown us for the fun of it. To the brink of falling unconscious. Then..." Danny took a deep breath. The court was in silence again. Julia is done for now. There is no way in hell can she escape it this time. "Then she would starve us. We went one of the weeks without a single crumb of food. She would cut open our arms with a knife. I'm surprised that we didn't bleed to death." He tried to chuckle but his attention and gaze was diverted to the floor. He is too ashamed to even look up.
"Anything else?" Bob asked softly and Danny shook his head. Lucy looked to Harry. That might've happened to them if they didn't do it. Lucy was crying silently while Harry hugged her. He was too shocked to do anything else.
"Thank you for your time, sir," Bob finished. Danny nodded and walked off. To the side of the room Julia stood proudly. She had broken Danny once before, she can do it again without telling a word.
There was a break now. It was the only break there shall be before the jury's decision. Ten minutes before she is either let loose or locked up forever. Harry and Lucy had found Danny in the small canteen drinking a coffee and staring off into space. He looked worse closer up.
"Hey Dan..." Harry said. Lucy stood back a little bit, she knew that Harry and Danny were closer than she was.
"Hey Harry" Danny sounded fed up this time. Not of talking. Not of people. Just plainly, fed up.
"I'm sorry." Harry said.
"It's not your fault, is it?" He asked after a sip of hot coffee. The burn of his throat felt good to him. It released some of the anger he held inside him.
"No, what I meant was-" Harry was cut off by Danny letting out a small, sour chuckle.
"I know what you meant, Haz. All I want to see is Julia behind bars." Danny said.
"Ditto. Oh by the way, this is Lucy." Harry introduced the two. Lucy stepped forward slightly and smiled.
"Nice to meet you." She said and shook hands with him.
"You are an inspiration to a lot of people, you know that? Thousands of people look up to you. You are a strong girl, Lucy." Danny said instead of a simple "hello."
"Thank you." She smiled. "As a kid I use to listen to your songs. Before the incident that is. I love your song so much."
"That means a lot to me, Lucy." He said. "Now come on, we've got to go back in."
"Yeah. Fun." Harry muttered as they walked back into the court room.
"Jury, have you come to a verdict?" Mary asked when everyone was settled.
"We find Ms Days guilty," the small petite woman said. Relief swam through everyone. They were happy.
"Ms Days, you are charged with the captivity of 6 people, abuse and neglect. Therefore you are sentenced to 37 years in prison." Mary slammed down the hammer and made it official.