Chapter 5 - The Arraignment Battle
The Reno Municipal Courthouse was packed the next morning. The media had picked up the story, and headlines like "Desert Cruelty: High Society Couple Abandons Military Daughter and Child" were plastered across every local news site.
I sat in the front row of the gallery, flanked by Major Thomas Miller, a sharp military lawyer from the JAG corps who had flown in to assist the civilian district attorney.
Richard and Eleanor were led into the courtroom wearing orange jail jumpsuits. The luxury tuxedos and perfect makeup were gone; they looked haggard, tired, and deeply humiliated. Their attorney, Arthur Pendelton, stood beside them, looking confident but annoyed by the massive media presence.
"Your Honor," Pendelton began, addressing the judge. "My clients are upstanding members of this community with zero prior criminal history. This entire incident is a tragic family misunderstanding brought on by a domestic dispute. We ask for a reasonable bail of fifty thousand dollars each, which my clients can pay immediately, allowing them to prepare their defense from home."
The District Attorney stood up, but before he could speak, Major Miller stood up beside him.
"If it pleases the court, Your Honor," Miller said, his voice booming. "I represent the United States Air Force Legal Command. Captain Avery Vance is an active-duty officer. The suspects intentionally deprived a military dependent—a young child with a chronic respiratory condition—of his life-saving medication in sub-freezing temperatures. We view this not as a 'family dispute,' but as a targeted attack on a service member's family. The military requests that bail be denied entirely, as the suspects possess immense financial resources and represent a severe flight risk."
Pendelton scoffed. "Flight risk? My clients own millions in local real estate!"
"And they also own a private Cessna aircraft parked at the Reno-Tahoe airport, fueled and ready to go," I whispered loudly enough for the judge to hear. The DA immediately passed a document to the bailiff, who handed it to the judge. It was a flight manifest showing that Richard had called his private pilot from the jail's phone system just hours prior.
The judge’s face turned into stone as he reviewed the document. He looked down at my parents with pure disgust.
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"Mr. and Mrs. Vance, your actions as caught on video are nothing short of monstrous," the judge said, slamming his gavel. "Given your substantial wealth, access to private aviation, and clear attempt to coordinate travel while in custody, bail is denied. You will remain in the Washoe County Jail until trial."
Eleanor let out a choked gasp and collapsed into her chair, while Richard glared at me with pure, unadulterated hatred. I didn't flinch. I just smiled.
