Chapter 20: Court Day II

Alyssa was sitting next to Cole and listened to Eric and Wes's testimonies. "I call Miss Alyssa Enrile to the stand," the prosecutor informed. Alyssa sat still for a second and Cole kissed the side of her head.

"It's okay," he whispered.

She nodded and stood up. She stood up on the stand. She placed her hand on the bible, swore to tell the truth, and sat down. "Miss Enrile, tell me what happened on the fifteenth of July," the prosecutor instructed.

"Well, Cole and I were walking back to his car after we were discussing what we were going to do with the wedding. I saw Cole fall and then I ran over to him. I felt something hard hit me in the head and I fell unconscious. When I woke up, Cole wasn't there. I was chained to a bed in a dark room. I looked up when the door opened and he was standing there," she started.

"Who was standing there, Miss Enrile?" He asked.

"Mr. Henderson was there. He walked over and pinned me down. Then he...then he," she trailed.

The prosecutor placed his hands on the rail looking at her. "What did he do, Miss Enrile?" He asked.

"Then he raped me. He raped me repeatedly for hours. I was only allowed to eat, sleep, and have bathroom breaks. Then, I was strapped down the bed again," she finished.

"How long were this frequent 'visits'?"

"He would come to the room maybe two or three times during the three days I was there."

"Miss Enrile, could you tell us what happened the day Mr. Evans rescued you?"

"Well, Mr. Henderson had yanked me off the bed, he was going to take me somewhere since the warehouse was discovered. His partner came running in and informed him that Mr. Collins and Mr. Myers were there. When he asked about Cole, the partner told him that Cole wasn't there. He ordered his partner to keep me in the room until he told him to bring me out. The next thing I knew, Cole had jumped from his hiding place and knocked Mr. Henderson to the ground. He was about to get me out of the warehouse when Mr. Henderson attacked him. Then, Mr. Myers's wife and my best friend, Taylor came running in and Cole ordered her to take me out of the warehouse. I was then taken out of the warehouse. What seemed like hours later, Cole came out of the warehouse with Mr. Henderson. I hugged him and then he fell unconscious. That was when I saw the knife marks all over him."

She fidgeted a bit once the prosecutor sat down and the defender stood up. "Miss Enrile, how long have you known my client?" He asked.

"I have known Mr. Henderson for two years," she replied.

"Miss Enrile, you told the court that Mr. Henderson hit you over the head and you woke up in a bed chained to it. How do we know that you didn't go with him willingly, wanting to leave Mr. Evans for good. Then when Mr. Evans found you with that man that he attacked you?"

"That's not true..."

"You could've been Mr. Henderson's lover."

"No, that's not what..."

"You were just engaged to Mr. Evans for a trap."

"NO! THAT'S NOT IT! You weren't there that day. I have been raped and the person that did it is in THAT CHAIR! If you want proof, you can ask my friends about how he's been stalking me. He's been watching me since I got my job as a kindergarten teacher. He wouldn't stop stalking me after I started dating Cole or when I became engaged. He wouldn't stop. He just kept following me. Whatever he tells this court will be a lie. He'll do anything to have me. Well guess what, I'd rather die a thousand deaths than have that man put his hands on me AGAIN!"

The defender looked at her in disbelief. Cole sat in his seat and nodded. Alyssa had shown the court what she was truly made of. "No more questions," the defender informed.

"You may step down, Miss Enrile," Judge Johnson informed.

Alyssa sat down next to Cole and held onto his hand. Tears fell down her face and Cole wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I call Mr. Roger Henderson to the stand," the prosecutor informed. Roger stood up and walked over to the stand. He vowed to tell the truth and he sat down. "Mr. Henderson, tell us what happened on the fifteenth of July," the prosecutor instructed.

"I was waiting in the van near the park. I was watching Mr. Evans and Miss Enrile come out of the park. That was my and Miss Enrile's plan. We were going to lure Mr. Evans out in an empty area and knock him out so we could escape. We were going to run away together. Once they were out of the park, I knocked Mr. Evans unconscious and she came with me," he explained.

"What about the spy?" He asked.

"Mr. Taylor was supposed to keep an eye on Alyssa to make sure she didn't get hurt. I told him to use everything to protect Alyssa."

"What about the night you were arrested?"

"Alyssa and I were going to escape because our hiding spot was found. I was about to take Alyssa away when Mr. Evans came bursting into the room and grabbed Alyssa. While his two friends held me back, they made me watch as he beat my poor Alyssa. When he was done beating her, he turned to me and he was about to kill me, but I was able to pull my knife out of defend myself."

"So, did you kidnap and rape, Miss Enrile?"

"No."

"Did you try to kill Mr. Evans?"
"No."

"No further questions."

The prosecutor sat back down next to Alyssa and Cole. He placed a hand on Alyssa's shoulder and watched as the defender stood up. "Mr. Henderson, you said that Mr. Evans attacked Miss Enrile, why?" He asked.

"Because he was jealous," Roger replied.

"Where were you going to take Miss Enrile?"

"We were going to go to Vegas, to get married."

"What about what Miss Enrile said earlier? She told the court that you had chained to a bed and you'd rape her two to three times a day, or is she trying to cover that up?"

"She's trying not to get hurt, sir."

"What about Mr. Evans when he told the court that you tried to kill him with a knife."

"I already told you, I was defending myself. I was trying to save Alyssa."

"Do you love Miss Enrile, Mr. Henderson."

"Yes."

"No further questions."

(Two Months Later)

Cole and Alyssa were walking along the beach with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. "It's unfair, Cole. How could he attack me like that on the stand?" She asked.

"He's trying to get Roger off the hook. However, he's guilty. Too many people are aware of what he did," he replied.

"I never want to see that man again," she whispered.

He kissed the side of her head and pulled her closer as they walked along the beach. "Once he's found guilty, he'll be put in a mental home and he'll never bother us again," he assured her. They looked up when a horn blared.

"Hey, Cole, Alyssa, the jury's got a verdict," Wes announced.

"Already?" Cole asked.

"Yeah, come on," Jen replied.

They got into the truck and went back to the courthouse.

They sat down in their seats and watched as everyone poured in and then the jury came in. "Has the jury reached a verdict?" Judge Johnson asked.

"Yes, ma'am," the lead juror replied.

He handed the clerk a slip of paper and then he handed it to Judge Johnson. "Would the defendant please stand?" Judge Johnson asked. Roger stood up and listened to the verdict. "Mr. Roger Henderson, being tried for the kidnapping of Miss Alyssa Enrile, guilty. For the rape of Miss Alyssa Enrile, guilty. For the attempted murder of Mr. Cole Evans, guilty. You are to be sentenced to life in a mental ward. This case is dismissed," Judge Johnson announced.

"Thank God!" Alyssa gasped.

Cole smiled and embraced Alyssa. Their lawyer, the prosecutor, shook Cole's hand and hugged Alyssa. "Congratulations," he told them.

"Thank you, Mr. Jacobson," Alyssa told him.

"Justice has been served here today," he announced.

Taylor and Jen embraced Alyssa while Eric and Wes patted Cole on the back, congratulating him on their victory. Alyssa looked up when Roger was dragged away and felt a chill go down her spine. Cole wrapped his arms around Alyssa's waist and kissed the side of her head. "It's finally over, Lyssa," he whispered. She nodded and hugged him tight.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he answered.