Chapter 7 - THE PLEA BARGAIN
Six months after the wedding night incident, Frank Mercer stood in the Cook County Criminal Courthouse to face formal charges of felony battery, witness intimidation, and tax fraud.
Dressed in a ill-fitting suit, his hair white with stress, Frank looked nothing like the muscular bully who had slapped Claire twice in the narrow hallway of his condo. His wife, Diane, sat in the front row of the gallery, sobbing quietly into a tissue, while Brittany and Tyler sat beside her, staring at the floor.
The District Attorney, working closely with Sarah Jenkins, offered Frank a final plea bargain before the jury selection began.
The terms of the plea deal were brutal:
Frank Mercer would plead guilty to misdemeanor battery and felony tax fraud.
He would serve ninety days of active incarceration at the county jail, followed by two years of supervised probation.
Mercer Construction would be dissolved, with its remaining assets liquidated to pay $110,000 in back taxes, worker pension restitution, and legal fees.
Frank and Ryan would pay Claire $45,000 in civil restitution for stolen funds, property damage, and pain and suffering.
A permanent five-year restraining order would be issued, barring all members of the Mercer family from contacting Claire.
Arthur Gable pushed the document across the defense table to Frank.
"If we go to trial, Frank," Gable warned in a quiet whisper, "the jury will see the photos of her bruised face and hear that voicemail. You'll get three years in state prison. Take the deal."
Frank looked at Claire, who sat in the front row of the prosecution side, surrounded by Sarah, Maya, and her supportive friends. She sat straight, her head high, her face entirely healed, radiating confidence and grace.
With trembling hands, Frank signed his name on the plea agreement.
When the judge officially sentenced Frank to ninety days in county jail, the bailiff stepped forward, unclipped a pair of handcuffs from his belt, and clicked them around Frank’s wrists.
Diane let out a loud, wailing cry from the gallery. "Frank! No!"
Frank was led out through the side door, his head hung low, taking his first steps toward a prison cell.
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Ryan sat at the defense table, his head resting flat against the cold wood. His father was going to jail, his family business was destroyed, his reputation was ruined, and he was left with a criminal record as an accomplice to tax fraud.
Claire stood up, adjusted her blazer, and walked out of the courtroom into the bright afternoon sun, completely free.
