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It's All About You – Chapter 15
"He just…rolled over?" Charlie blinked, "Just like that?"
Gina nodded; smiling as Smithy appeared, telling him the same thing.
"How did you do that?" Smithy asked suspiciously. "He just volunteered the names? I hardly think-"
"A little gentle persuasion." Gina moved her gaze back to Charlie. "Nothing to worry about."
"Gina?" Charlie frowned, looking as suspicious as Smithy. "What have you done?"
"Nothing." Gina chuckled a little. "Just trust me."
"Your honour." Jonathan stood up and approached the bench, stopping in front of the judge. "I'd like to submit a new line of evidence…"
Smithy's arm snaked around Charlie's back and he drew her to his chest, holding onto her.
Charlie watched the exchange between Jonathan and the judge, glancing across at where Gina was watching, her eyes fixed in Jonathan's direction.
The judge raised his gavel, "Court is adjourned for an hour whilst I peruse new evidence put forward by the prosecution."
"What's taking so long!" Charlie eased herself into the chair behind her, watching Smithy pace nervously.
"S'just double checking, ain't it." Mickey shrugged, stretching out on the seats the other side of the corridor. "If anything goes wrong, or the judge thinks that they're just covering…."
"Gee, thanks Mickey." Charlie narrowed her eyes, folding her arms across her chest.
"Anytime." Mickey glanced up, grinning.
"Smithy!" Charlie scowled, "Stop marching, you're not in the army now, you're making me nervous!"
Smithy looked sheepish, before moving back towards the chairs, sitting beside Charlie.
Charlie sighed and rubbed the top of her head. "I'm sorry." She turned her head to look at him, kissing his cheek.
Smithy shrugged and draped his arms over the backs of the chairs either side, one hand resting on Charlie's shoulder.
"What happens next?" She asked softly, wringing her hands together. "If he accepts that whoever wasn't manipulated…"
"If he accepts it as the truth, then it's put to the jury for deliberation…if they believe it-"
"Then we can get out of here?" Charlie swallowed.
"Let's just see how it goes…" Mickey added.
"They have his DNA!" Charlie insisted, "They have a confession from whoever – what can there be to deliberate?"
"Just calm down." Smithy kissed her forehead.
"Calm down!" Charlie blinked and opened her mouth to continue before the door opened and the Judge, barristers appeared, with Gina and Neil not too far behind. Gina looked at Smithy, nodded quickly, before following the others back through to the court.
"He's accepted it." Smithy whispered, standing up with Charlie.
Mickey frowned at Charlie's stricken expression, picking her bag from the side as Smithy ushered her through.
"I ask you to take into consideration that PC Rogers had been drinking the night previous to the accident."
Charlie flushed and bowed her head. "Remind me never to drink or have a social life again." She muttered bitterly.
Smithy tightened his grip on her arm, squeezing her hand.
"I also ask you to take into consideration the new evidence put forward by the prosecution, and the DNA found at the scene. I put it to you, members of the jury that this is a seemingly cut and dry case, the defence's case seems a little lacking in conviction…." The judge continued summarising the case, before dismissing the jury.
Charlie's eyes widened and she sank back against Smithy, "I can't wait…" she almost whimpered as he lead her out the courtroom. "If they don't find him guilty…"
"They will!" Smithy insisted, pulling Charlie to him.
"They've arrested the others involved." Gina appeared behind Smithy and Charlie, placing a hand on Charlie's back. "Roberts gave us the names and addresses of the group who were on the landing, and we have him and two others in custody already."
"T-thank you…" Charlie swallowed, squeezing Gina a sad tight smile, before hiding her head back in Smithy's chest.
Mickey glanced up, draining the dregs of his coffee as they were called back to the courtroom. Smithy had been trying to persuade Charlie to eat, Charlie had chewed thoughtfully on the crusts of the sandwich in front of her to shut him up, and pushed the plate towards Mickey once Smithy had gone to the bathroom, who'd been only too happy to help, ignoring Gina's glare.
Smithy returned to the small cafe, having heard the call. "…Ready?" He asked softly.
Charlie pulled herself up, nodding slowly, smiling tightly as Smithy's hand closed around hers, walking towards the court room, hand in hand, Gina and Mickey following behind them.
"I love you." Charlie whispered as they waited to be let in, tilting her head up to Smithy.
Smithy smiled and looked down, leaning forward to kiss her softly. "I love you too." He whispered.
"You're not gonna do that all day are you?" Mickey wrinkled his nose, pulling a face, before beaming innocently as Charlie turned her head to look at him.
"Piss off Webbo!"
"You say the nicest things to me!" He grinned, squeezing her free hand.
Charlie rolled her eyes and flashed him a genuine, if weak smile, following Smithy inside the court, sitting beside him. Mickey glanced at Gina, before sitting in between the two women, squeezing Charlie's hand gently as her fingers closed around his, holding tight.
Gina glanced to her left as the jury filed back in, standing as they judge returned, waiting for him to start.
"May the jury foreman rise."
Charlie looked down as she felt Smithy's grip tighten, turning her head to look at him, unable to face looking at the foreman.
"Have you reached a verdict to which you are all agreed?" The judge asked.
"Yes your honour." An elderly man nodded, one arm crossed over his stomach, the other clutching an elegant cane.
"On the charge of attempted murder, how do you find the defendant, Craig Benson?"
"We find him guilty."
Charlie released a long sharp breath that she hadn't even realised she'd been holding, and collapsed back against the back of her seat, a faint gasp leaving her lips as she listened to the other charges being given, all having the same verdict. Guilty.
"Shhh…" Smithy stood outside the court, holding Charlie's trembling form in his arms, stroking her hair. "Shhh….it's all over now…."
Charlie grabbed at Smithy's shirt, sobbing hard as she clung to him. "He….he's gone!"
Smithy kissed her forehead, moving one hand to cup her face, gently brushing her tears away with his thumb. "You're safe now." He whispered, kissing her forehead. "I won't let anyone hurt you."
Charlie took a shaky breath, looking up at him, trying to force a smile. "We did it.." she forced, her voice loaded with emotion. "….We did it!"