Chapter 11

Natalie sat stiffly in her seat as the jury filed into the jury box, taking note of how many avoided looking at her.

Swallowing, she stood as directed, holding her breath as the foreman read the verdict:

GUILTY.

The word reverberated in her head as she recoiled as if she had been physically slapped as opposed to just being hit by a single world shattering word as her balance slipped. She leaned shakily against the table, closing her eyes as she fought against the rising panic as the judge spoke.

Sentencing to be announced on Monday.

She could remain home until then.

The words didn't make sense.

And yet they did.

She slid back into her chair, conscious of Evangeline never looking at her.

Conscious of the lack of reaction from her family.

How none of them came over to her, even when the room started clearing out.

How they just left.

"We'll appeal, right?" she asked wearily.

"There's no use in it," Evangeline answered as she packed up her briefcase. "The prosecution had too good of a case."

"Whatever," Natalie sighed as she pushed away from the table and looked around the empty room. "I gotta get out of here," she added hurrying towards the door, only to stop short as Bo and John appeared.

"What happened?" John asked as he took in her anguish.

"Why don't you ask your girlfriend?" she snapped as she pushed pass them.

John looked over to Evangeline perplexed for a second before turning to leave. "No, I'll go," Bo stopped him as he went after his niece.

Crossing the courtroom, he went to his girlfriend, "'Vang?"

"They convicted her."

"Damnit. This shouldn't have happened!"

"John, we both did all we could. There was too much evidence."

"No. I should have testified."

"With me handling her case and your past history with her, you had no choice but to let Marc testify."

"Yeah, well. . ."

"There was a lot of evidence, John."

"Most of it was circumstantial."

"Perhaps," she hedged, trying to hide her annoyance.

"When's sentencing?"

"Monday."

"Then I guess I have a lot to do this weekend."

"John?"

"She didn't do it, and I'm going to prove it," he replied walking out.

Shaking her head, Evangeline watched him go, "I can't believe that even convicted she has a hold on him!"

Bo caught up with Natalie as she was descending the courthouse steps. "It didn't go your way, did it?" he asked.

"No. It didn't."

Bo looked away from her for a second, "officially, my hands are tied, but. . ."

"But what? Nothing's going to fix this, not in time."

"We'll buy time. You'll appeal."

"Evangeline doesn't think I have a case for appeal," she rebutted, watching him frown. "I did. . . there's another lawyer. . . but, they're in Pine Valley."

"When can they be here?"

"That's the thing. They can't."

"You can't leave town, Natalie."

"I know."

Bo sighed at the dejection in her voice: "Maybe. . .look, I'll talk to Nora, maybe I can arrange for someone to take you."

"I'd appreciate that."

"I'll see what I can do. Right now, you better go get some rest."

"I'll try," she sighed as she turned and walked away.