Chapter 9 - The Verdict and Justice
"Will the defendants please stand," the judge commanded.
Richard and Eleanor stood up, trembling. My mother was clutching a tissue, her body shaking violently. My father looked numb, his eyes staring blankly at the mahogany table in front of him.
The jury foreperson, a stern-faced military veteran, stood up and held the paperwork.
"On the count of felony child abuse and endangerment, how do you find?"
"Guilty, Your Honor."
"On the count of grand larceny?"
"Guilty."
"On the count of criminal conspiracy?"
"Guilty."
Every single count was a unanimous Guilty. The gallery erupted into whispers, and reporters began furiously typing on their laptops.
The judge didn't waste any time moving to sentencing, citing the overwhelming evidence and the severe psychological harm inflicted upon a young child.
"Richard Vance, Eleanor Vance, you have shown a complete lack of human decency, morality, and parental responsibility," the judge said, his voice echoing like thunder through the courtroom. "For the crimes against your daughter and grandson, crimes aggravated by your attempts to flee justice and conceal financial fraud, I sentence you both to the maximum penalty allowed by law: twenty-five years in the Nevada State Prison system, with no possibility of parole for the first fifteen years."
Eleanor shrieked and collapsed to the floor, her legs giving out completely as court bailiffs stepped forward to carry her out. Richard didn't move; he was frozen in shock as the reality of spending the rest of his natural life in a concrete cell finally set in.
As they were led away through the side door, Richard caught my eye one last time. I didn't look at him with anger. I didn't look at him with triumph. I looked at him with absolute indifference. They no longer had any power over me. They were nothing.
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Major Miller clapped me on the shoulder. "Justice is served, Captain. It's over."
"Yes," I said, a massive weight finally lifting from my chest. "It’s finally over."
