Sorry for the long wait. The muse was busy. Actually he's kind of in overload, but hey, thats the fun of writing, so many ideas, so many stories to work on, so little time. But here is Chapter 8. Short, I know, I know from M! Hard to believe, and maybe not enough, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :) M.
Truth or Lies
Chapter 8
Taking a moment to look around her courtroom, Judge Marks started her perusal with the Prosecutors table, her eyebrow rising slightly as she saw Emily Yokas sitting beside her parents, not because she hadn't been told she would possible be there, or was surprised to see her, but because she knew what possibly was coming, and was not looking forward to it. Nodding as she shuffled some paperwork around on her desk, to the ADA she then moved her gaze to the Defendants table, now both her brows rose, and a small smile came over her face.
"Well," she nodded to Bosco, "Officer Boscorelli I'm presuming?" At his "Yes, Your Honor, I am," she replied, "Nice to see there's an actual face now to go along with the name." Bosco simply smirked nervously but kept silent.
"And, do you have clearance's for me?" she asked PD Thomson, "Bring them here please." Holding her hand out as if she expected nothing to be missing or delayed as the Officer of the Court retrieved them and delivered them to her waiting grasp.
Glancing over them quickly she nodded, seeming pleased, "Very good," glancing back to Bosco, "You're feeling okay, no memory loss or anything that would keep you from participating fully?"
"No your Honor," Bosco assured her quickly, "I feel fine, and the only things that are still fuzzy are parts of, well," glancing quickly towards Emily, unsure of how much to say, not wanting to upset her, "um, you know, what happened."
Judge Marks gave him a small scowl, her eyes having gone to where he'd glanced, "No, Mr. Boscorelli, I don't know, please answer the question, parts of what are fuzzy?"
"Um," hesitating, he looked at the PD Walker who simply gave a slight shrug, nodding, answering finally in a lower voice, "the night I was attacked in lockup."
"I see," she mused glancing again at Emily, "and is that expected to be permanent?" Holding her gaze on Emily while she waited for his answer, "What other injuries besides the head injury did you suffer from, and are there any problems you still suffer from, anything permanent?"
Bosco was at a loss as to why she was asking these questions in front of Emily, but at PD Walkers quiet, "Maurice, you better answer, she's got the papers in front of her," he swallowed hard, "Well, Dr. Sommers said that its possible it could all come back, but they can't be sure. My arm was broken, but the cast is coming off in a couple of weeks, I um, lost a couple of teeth, but that was fixed before I knew what had gone on," he missed the look of horror on Faith's face, or Fred lowering his head his eyes wincing shut a moment, Emily sat rolling her eyes as he continued his list for the judge, who was watching Her intently.
"I needed some stitches, a few cuts, but those are healed now, just a scar that needs to be fixed I guess," pausing he glanced to the PD who nodded for him to continue, and missed Judge Marks quickly passing look of anger as Emily now glanced at him, a smirk breaking over her face as she saw the scars on his face.
"I'm still getting a few panic attacks, but mostly they're controllable," though he could feel one tying to grab hold now, he fought it down and continued, "couple more weeks and my ribs should be fine. I guess that's about it." Finished he wiped his mouth, the sweat from having to talk about this in front of everyone rubbed away, he pushed his hand up under his jacket's bottom edge, shoving his hand inside his pants pocket to dry it off as Judge Marks looked over the papers now.
"How long were you in the hospital before you regained consciousness after you were beaten in that cell Officer Boscorelli?" Judge Marks continued, her voice gentle, even caring, "How long exactly was it before you were able to get around without help, eat solid foods, take care of yourself instead of having a nurse or someone else do it for you?"
"Um, your Honor," Bosco frowned, his eyes flashing no small bit of fire mixed with confusion now, he tried to keep his tone level, "I'm really not seeing the need to discuss this in front of a child, I'd rather not if you don't mind."
"But I do mind," her voice hardening slightly, she challenged him, "I mind very much. Its my duty to make sure everyone has a clear understanding of the consequences of their actions revolving around the charges in this case. I can ask any question I want here. Unless your lawyer Mr. Thomson, or Ms. Walker object, and I'm not hearing any objections, so, I'll say it again, answer my questions, please."
Fuming, Bosco replied sourly, "It was a couple of days before I woke up, I guess, I didn't really worry about asking, and I guess it was a week or two before I could get around decent after that. As far as the 'other stuff', that's too personal, your Honor, I'm not answering that, sorry."
"Fair enough," she gave him a soft smile, "I see here you have or had some slight vision problems, are those gone?"
"Yes, for the most part," he nodded feeling on safer ground again, "Doc said it was just the swelling around my eyes, when it went down everything got okay again."
"Good," she nodded her voice friendly again, "I'm very glad to hear that you are doing so well, I must say when I first saw you, I would never have believed anyone could be so stubborn as to appear in my court as injured and ill as you were, thinking any judge would allow it, and I can see for myself that you are much more coherent and capable of participating in your defense. Do you even remember being here before?"
Giving a small shake of his head, "No Mamm, not really," Bosco smiled back at her, "thank you for not letting me hang myself that day your Honor."
A few chuckles broke out in the gallery, Judge Marks giving a light laugh, "You're welcome Officer Boscorelli. Do you need anything?" At his complete look of shock and confusion, she sweetly smiled asking, "Water, a cushion for your back rest, I saw the paperwork that you had some pulled muscles because of the attack, anything you need, just ask, I'm sure I can get Dickie here to bring it for you," now Bosco was gaping at her, along with his lawyer, and Emily as turning to face the rest of the court more directly she began, "Now, if anyone else has anything to say before we begin, say it, I only offer once people, then everything is by the book."
Emily stood straight up, shouting, "WHAT?" Faith made a halfhearted move to stop her, Fred just watching, muttered, "Em" in a warning but not too serious tone as she continued, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU'RE BEING NICE TO HIM?" Jerking away from Faith as Judge Marks simply schooled her face to 'yes, I'm listening' and the ADA Walker watched.
Bosco and PD Thomson, having no clue as to what or why this had turned into "Bosco took drugs and that's why he's having this weird ass dream and took his lawyer with him" moment simply stood in shock as Judge Marks, the Officer of the Court Dickie and everyone else went insane, and just let her rant.
"YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE MAD AT HIM! NOT ASK HIM IF HE WANTS WATER OR A DAMN PILLOW FOR HIS BACK!" She saw no one was stopping her, but didn't pause to think why, and moved into the asle as Fred and Faith had let her sit on the outside seat, "HE HAS TO PAY FOR WHAT HE DID! I WANT HIM TO GO TO JAIL!" Whirling on him now, "I'M GLAD THEY HURT YOU BOSCO! I WISH YOU HAD DIED! YOU NEED TO PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!"
Now Judge Marks softly interjected, as Bosco stepped back from Emily's fury even though there was no way she could reach him, "Pay for what Ms. Yokas?"
"FOR MAKING MY MOM AND DAD SPLIT UP! FOR MAKING MY MOM STAY AWAY FROM US SO MUCH," she was crying, and now looking at the judge, "IT'S HIS FAULT! IF HE DIDN'T GET MY MOM SHOT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN DIVORCED!"
She turned back to Bosco, snarling, "I'm glad I said you raped me, if you had a brain you'd have told FAITH what happened, and not tried to be my 'friend' and cover up for me." a harsh laugh as he grew pale, "you did it to yourself Bosco, how stupid are you, trying to talk to me about not teasing guys, how dangerous it is? Oh my GOD if you knew how much I was laughing at you that day, my DAD already told me all that stuff, and you just made it so easy, making me 'promise'", her voice sarcastic now, "not to drink again or you'd tell Faith and Fred about it. Pushing me away when I tried to kiss you, and when I grabbed your crotch, holy shit the look on your face!" she was cracking up, "Grabbing my hand like you wouldn't let go, then asking me if I liked teasing guys and how it could hurt me! But the best part was when you pushed me away, turning around and doing math problems out loud? Man, my friends got a good laugh out of that one, oh and don't forget making me coffee and telling me you'd wash my blouse so Faith wouldn't find out I'd been drinking! I was laughing so hard, when you left," mocking his voice now, "Now, EM I'll keep this secret if you don't do it again, you have to promise me EM," laughing again, "I'm glad you have scars, I hope they can't fix them and you have to know who made you get them FOREVER! And I hope Faith and Fred hate you forever too, I like seeing them miserable and getting what they deserve for letting you break up my family."
Bosco stood silent, his head dropping forward, he was looking at the floor long before she'd finished, tears in his eyes as she finally did stop her tirade, shock and hurt and misery all vying for space on his expression.
Only when she'd finished did it occur to Emily that the entire room was silent, swallowing hard she now felt a kind of numbness take over her, glancing at Fred and Faith she saw them looking away from her, Faith crying silently and Fred watching his hands as they clenched together in his lap. Even the ADA Walker was looking down at the papers in her hand instead of at her, Swersky and the few others in the room staring at her, some in anger, some in sorrow. Trying desperately to remember exactly what she'd said, Emily looked to the judge, stuttering out, "He did do it, just not that day, he came back later..."
"Emily," Fred warned, "stop, now, before you make it worse for yourself." Standing up, he stood before his daughter, "We know he didn't do it, Em. We knew before we came here today, we just needed to hear it from you."
Faith stood up, "Your Honor?" Stopping as Judge Marks held up her hand.
"Mr. and Mrs. Yokas, I've heard enough," she gave Faith as sad smile, "no need for you to say anything at this time," glancing at ADA Walker she nodded.
"Your Honor, based on the admissions of Emily Yokas, the State is dropping the charges against Officer Boscorelli, and has no objections against his being immediately released," she tapped the papers in her hands onto the table before dropping them into her briefcase.
"I agree," Judge Marks replied, "so granted." Turning to Bosco, a gentle smile to him as he stared at her now, still in shock, tears on his face, "I would like to say one thing to you first before I release you. Next time you decide to help out a drunken distraught teen, make sure you have someone with you? You used poor judgment in this situation, even if your heart was in the right place, I know you were just trying to help her out of a potentially bad situation and you should have been thanked, not punished for it. I'm sorry for what we did here without warning you, but both Mr. and Mrs. Yokas seemed to feel that if you knew about it, you would not want to put Emily through this, and would not cooperate out of some misguided need to protect a child, at least misguided in this case. I hope you are aware that if you had forced the issue the last time, that arraignment and bail hearing would most likely have convicted you down the line. I'm very glad you came through my courtroom and not someone else's."
"Yes your Honor," Bosco muttered, then looking directly at her, "Thank you, but I wish there had been another way besides..." his voice breaking, she nodded replying, "We tried, it didn't work, and you are welcome," smiling at him more openly now, "NOW, Officer Boscorelli, you are free to go, if Mr. Walker and you would follow your escort, you have some papers to sign, then 'go home'."
He turned to look at Faith and Fred, but Walker stepped in front of him, pushing him slightly to turn him back, quietly telling him, "Later," he made him follow the Officer out of the courtroom, "they'll be plenty of time later Maurice, don't piss her off, you made that woman smile, take it while you can get it."
As they exited, the door closing softly behind him, he heard her begin to address Emily, and from the tone in her voice, decided perhaps his lawyer was right.
TBC...