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Chapter 7: Tears of the Innocent
For the first time in 2 months, Kate finally felt clean. Her attorney had picked up clean clothing and asked the guards to let her shower before her trial date. She wasn't exactly in a good mood but she was in the best mood she could be in considering the circumstances.
"All rise," the bailiff said as the judge walked into the room.
After sitting back down in her chair, her attorney leaned over and began whispering to her.
"I saw you and Mr. Sawyer on the news the other day. I pulled some strings and found out what I could. It seams as though the other side doesn't have much on him. The case is looking in his favor."
Kate could have kissed him. She didn't of course, but she could have. She thanked him politely and looked up at the prosecution. The man was going on about the gun that had Kate's prints on it. Kate didn't care. She knew it wasn't her gun.
The prosecution attorney sat down and Kate's attorney stood up and walked to the bench where a police officer was sitting.
"Do you recognize this gun?" he asked, holding up the gun for the officer and the jury to see.
"Yes," the officer replied.
"How many sets of finger prints were on this gun when you tested it?" the attorney asked.
"At least four," the officer answered, leaning too far into the microphone and causing it to squeak loudly.
"Where most of the prints that of my client?" the attorney inquired, smiling slightly as he moved closer to the officer.
"No. Most of the prints we found belonged to the man we found at the crime scene."
The prosecution continued to focus solely on the gun and Kate's attorney continued to get her out of every situation the prosecution thought up. Near the end of the trial, one of the officers who had been chasing her when she was escaping from the hospital was called to the stand.
Kate immediately got nervous. It didn't take long for the prosecution to make her case sound impossible. She was feeling like she had no hope when her attorney went up to question the witness.
"Who was first on the scene when the car crashed?" he asked.
"I was," the officer said calmly.
"What did you see in the car when you got there?"
"The man was dead and she was gone."
"What did you see just before you reached the car?"
"The woman shook the man," The officer replied.
"Anything else?" the attorney said, grinning.
The cop rolled his eyes and shifted in his seat, "She kissed him."
Kate smiled. She knew what her attorney was doing. He was trying to prove that she hadn't meant to kill him and that she had loved him.
The attorney continued, "Did you notice something else? For instance, was she crying?"
"Objection!" the prosecution attorney cried.
"I apologize," Kate's attorney said softly, "I will rephrase the question. What was the emotion on Miss Austin's face?"
Again, the officer shifted uneasily, knowing he had been cornered, "She was crying."
Kate's attorneys smiled and looked at the judge, "No further questions your honor." He walked back to his seat and sat down. It was all over now. All she could do was hope the jury was on her side.
It was a full hour before the jury returned to the courtroom. They walked in, not looking at anyone. The judge asked if they had come to a unanimous decision. They said yes. He then asked them to read the verdict.
Kate's eyes filled with thick tears when she heard the verdict. Her attorney had done it. She was free to go. She couldn't help herself. She hugged her attorney hard. She knew he had done extremely well. She smiled, thanked him, and headed for the door.
She was less then two steps out when she saw him. Sawyer was being lead to the courtroom, hands cuffed behind his back. He was wearing a black suit and he had shaved. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't move. She was just so glad he was ok.
Kate started over to Sawyer just as he rose his head and their eyes met. She gave up walking and ran to him, wrapping her hands around his neck. She felt his warm breath on her neck as she held him.
"Hey there Freckles," He said softly, "Any luck?"
Kate nodded into his shoulder. She could feel it was still bandaged but it didn't seam to be hurting him so she paid no mind.
"Common, We're going to be late," came the voice of Sawyer's attorney.
Sawyer slowly pulled away from Kate, watching her as he walked away, "Don't worry Freckles, this shouldn't take too long." With a grin, he walked into the courtroom, followed by his attorney.
Kate stood there for what seamed like forever. He had seamed so confidant. She just hoped he hadn't been faking it. He attorney came up to her and led her out of the building.
