Author's Note: My story, "Accidents Happen," is based on the wonderful "Gilmore Girls" television series and the amazing characters created by…not me! Just an FYI: This chapter is a lot longer than the previous chapters because it covers a lot of information. I debated making it two chapters, but I couldn't decide where to split it up. If all goes according to my plan, there will be five more chapters. I hope you enjoy this one as much as you have the previous chapters.
Accidents Happen
Chapter Fifteen: The Circus is in Town
The press had a field day when the DA of Hartford County, Connecticut announced that they wanted to speak with Logan Huntzberger, son of multi-million dollar publishing mogul Mitchum Huntzberger, as a "person of interest" in the investigation of a near-fatal hit and run accident involving his former girlfriend.
"We have no reason to anticipate that Mr. Huntzberger will be anything but cooperative in this investigation," District Attorney Anthony Monroe stated at the end of his press conference as he was flanked by Hartford County Sheriff's Department investigators and deputies who had been involved throughout the investigation.
Almost instantly, a gaggle of Huntzberger family funded lawyers and publicists started spinning their version of the story and were set on issuing statements on behalf of Logan and the Huntzberger family, promising cooperation and assuring nothing short of Logan's complete innocence. In the two days between the DA's press conference and the arrival of Logan Huntzberger at the Hartford County Sheriff's Department, there were no statements issued by any of the Huntzbergers' personally.
Newspapers, television news, and tabloid publications alike set up a camp in the outskirts of Stars Hollow, hoping to catch a glimpse of the unknown Rory Gilmore. Some were set on portraying her as a woman scorned by a painful break-up with Logan while others were shooting for the sweet and innocent angle. A lot of the press was negative toward Rory, but the majority was being extremely fair. No one questioned that Rory had been hit by a car, but most questioned how she could remember details of the accident, namely that it was Logan who hit her, when it had happened so many months earlier and had caused her to be unconscious for such a long time.
Throughout the media circus that surrounded the investigation, Rory remained silent and her silence mystified the press. They assumed that she would want to get her story out just as the Huntzbergers were proclaiming Logan's innocence everywhere, but their assumption couldn't have been farther from the truth. Rory trusted the legal system and, more importantly, she trusted herself and her memories of the truth about what happened the day of the accident.
Rory's family and friends respected her and kept their mouths shut also. It was difficult for some, like Kirk, but their love for Rory trumped the glitz and glamour of the press and entertainment news people. Stars Hollow closed ranks and kept outsiders where they belonged far more efficiently than ever before. Taylor Doose was in his glory as town selectman making new laws and requiring multiple permits for everything under the sun. There was no place for the press to stay as there was no room at the inn, the Dragonfly Inn, specifically. Gypsy made price gouging into an art form and Luke refused to serve anyone who he hadn't known for at least seven years. Lorelai was having the most fun with the frustrating situation of anyone in Stars Hollow. She was leading the press on a wild goose chase as they tried to land the biggest scoop of the moment, mainly an exclusive interview with Rory Gilmore. She would lead the press on, letting them believe that she was on the phone with Rory or on her way to see Rory, and then leading them into a series of false leads and dead ends as only Lorelai could. Only a select few in Stars Hollow knew where Rory actually was, and no one was willing to open their mouths to share her whereabouts.
Jess helped Rory keep a low profile by keeping her tucked safely away in Philadelphia with him and by keeping himself as far from Connecticut and Huntzberger as he could. He wanted to kill him for what he did to Rory and he wanted to tell those reporters exactly what had happened. He knew that he couldn't, which is why he kept himself and Rory away.
Rory got a part-time job writing freelance articles for an online literary magazine out of New York City. Rory figured that her Huntzberger connection may have had something to do with getting work, but she needed a decent job and a paycheck. So, she used a pen name for her byline: Lorelai Hayden. She wanted people to read her articles for the stories, not for her connections. What was nice about the job was that she didn't have an office to go to and she could write from anywhere and she submitted her essays via email, so she could be in her pajamas in Philadelphia or at Luke's Diner.
Two weeks after the DA named Logan Huntzberger a person of interest, a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was charged with reckless driving, assault with a deadly weapon, and leaving the scene of an accident. The DA's office was still investigating charges of withholding and tampering with evidence against Logan and his father, Mitchum Huntzberger. The grand jury voted unanimously that there was enough evidence presented by the prosecution in the case to bring Logan to trial. Through his attorneys, Logan plead not-guilty during his arraignment. Bail was set at $500,000 due to the seriousness of the case and the fact that the accused was a flight risk. The judge also agreed that Logan would surrender his passport. The trial was set for three short weeks later following the selection of the jury.
The media was having a field day. All of the press, ranging from mainstream newspapers and television networks to small tabloid rags, continued with their free-for-all in the weeks leading up to the trial. Logan had been forced to come back to the Huntzberger fold. He moved back into the family fold and into the Huntzberger compound and he let his lawyers speak for him.
The press got their first glimpse of Rory as she entered the courtroom for the opening statements at the courthouse in Hartford. Jess was beside her with her hand held tightly in his as they both walked proudly into the courtroom. If it hadn't been for the completely scary fact that Rory would be testifying and will have to face Logan again for the first time since she had turned down his proposal, and since he had hit her with his car and left her on the side of the road for dead, she would be all over Jess. He looked so hot in his suit, very James Dean, but she couldn't think about that now. All her energy was focused on her testimony.
Rory knew that she needed to testify to what she knew to be the truth, both in her mind and in her heart. She knew, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Logan Huntzberger had committed a crime. She knew that Logan hit her car and hit her. She knew that Logan had left her for dead on the side of that road. It didn't matter how much she had loved Logan. It didn't matter that, until the moment that she remembered and realized what had happened, she had still loved him. None of that mattered any longer. It had taken three years for Rory Gilmore to learn what was real, and it wasn't Logan Huntzberger: it was her, the real her. It was her future, and it was her one true love. It was and always had been Jess Mariano.
Rory felt like she was a celebrity being chased by the paparazzi with flash bulbs going off and questions being fired off fast and furious. She did her best to ignore the crowds of people as she walked proudly and confidently into the courtroom. Lorelai and Luke, Richard and Emily, Sookie and Jackson, and Christopher followed them into court to lend their support to Rory and show that Rory had people, too. Rory had her family and Rory had her Stars Hollow family.
A few minutes after Rory and her entourage entered the courtroom, the prosecutors came in along with the main investigators that had been assigned to the case. Moments later, the press went wild as it was apparent that the defense team had arrived. The doors burst open and Logan entered with his crew. He stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the aisle as soon as he saw Rory. At first, he was quiet and appeared to look sullen and upset, but quickly the real Logan appeared.
"Hey, Ace," Logan said quickly. "How's it going?" Logan's attorney quickly grabbed his arm and lead him away from the seats where Rory and her family were sitting.
"Step back, Logan," Luke advised wisely as he tightened his grip on Lorelai's hand both to hold her and himself back. He also put a hand protectively on Jess' shoulder to hold his nephew back. Luke knew that if Jess made a move, he would have to follow.
"I'm just saying hello to her, Luke," Logan replied, ignoring his attorney. "I can talk to her, can't I?" he asked sarcastically.
"No," Christopher said, protective of Rory and threatening to Logan. "You can't talk to her, Logan. You've done enough already."
"Rory, can I just talk to you? Please?"
"No," Rory said quietly before finding her courage and her voice. "You told me everything I needed to hear the day you hit me with your car and left."
"That's enough," Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Oliver said quickly. "Mr. Huntzberger, Miss Gilmore told you that she's not interested in speaking with you. It would be in your best interest to respect her wishes. Mr. Linsner, I suggest that you remind your client that he shouldn't be associating with the prosecution's witnesses in the courtroom."
"Come along, Logan," Mitchum Huntzberger said sternly, taking his son by the arm and lead him to the opposite side of the courtroom. "It's nice to see you again, Rory," Mitchum said over his shoulder. "You look great!"
Rory felt herself flush with embarrassment. She knew that she didn't look great. She still walked with a cane and a limp.
Jess squeezed her hand tightly in his. "You look beautiful, Rory. He wasn't lying about that."
"That pompous ass," Richard Gilmore said through gritted teeth. It took every ounce of self control, as well as Emily holding tightly to his arm, to keep him in his seat. "The nerve of him to even speak Rory's name."
"Richard, please calm down," Emily said softly. "Please, don't make a scene."
"All rise," the bailiff called loudly, bringing everyone in the courtroom to attention and their feet. "Court is now in session for the case of the State of Connecticut versus Logan Huntzberger. The honorable Bruce Ellis presiding."
"Have a seat, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Huntzberger, you have previously plead Not Guilty to reckless driving in the first degree, assault with a deadly weapon in the second degree, and leaving the scene of a crime in the first degree. Do you wish to change your plea on any of these charges before we begin?
"No, your honor," James Linsner said, rising to his feet.
"Very well then. Are we ready to begin, Ms. Oliver?"
"Yes, we are, your honor," Jennifer Oliver said quickly, remaining on her feet. She walked from behind the prosecution table to address the jury with her opening statement.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," she began. "A terrible crime was committed that we will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, was committed by the defendant, Logan Huntzberger."
Rory tuned her out as she thought about the fact that she was scheduled to testify first for the prosecution. Rory's testimony was supposed to be short and sweet. She needed to talk about what happened leading up to the accident and what she remembered about the events that followed it. Rory's testimony would be followed by Lorelai's and then by a huge slew of police investigators, forensic technicians, crime scene specialists, and doctors were scheduled.
Rory's testimony was quick and easy. No one argued that she had been hit by a car, so the defense only asked her questions regarding what she remembered following the accident. The lawyers tried to trip her up, providing her with false information, but none of their tricks worked. Rory knew what happened and she trusted her memory.
Following Rory's testimony, she stayed in the courtroom for the entire trial with her family and Jess by her side.
The prosecution presented their case for three straight days before resting their case for the defense. The defense called rebuttal witnesses to contradict the testimony of the forensic and medical evidence. The defense also tried to introduce alibi evidence for Logan, who had been in San Francisco seven hours before the accident and in London fifteen hours following. The investigators for the prosecution had found, however, a large hole in this alibi. When the defense rested, without calling Logan to testify in his own defense, the prosecution requested a recess to prepare for rebuttal.
The prosecution first called an airline employee to provide rebuttal testimony to discredit Logan's alibi. That airline employee testified that Logan Huntzberger's flight from San Francisco had landed at La Guardia in New York City and that he left the airport, which was evident from airport surveillance cameras. There was also video of Logan returning to the airport for his flight to London, just seven minutes before the flight boarded. This testimony was contradictory to the alibi evidence provided by the defense. The airline employee testified that Logan had told her that he had car trouble and had to take a taxi. She also testified that she smelled alcohol on Logan's breath and that his clothing was dirty.
The investigators for the prosecution tried to find the taxi driver, but they failed. The accident had happened so many months ago and there were so many taxi companies that could have been called to drive from Connecticut to La Guardia.
The judge ended that day, requesting that closing arguments and jury instructions to be delivered the following morning at 9 am.
"It's almost over," Jennifer Oliver said to Rory after court had been dismissed for the day. "I just wanted to tell you that you've done great, Rory."
"How do you think things are going?" Lorelai asked.
"I've got a good feeling," Jennifer told her. "We have a strong case and our evidence was supportive of our testimony. Plus, finding that airline employee was a blessing!"
"Thank you again for all of the hard work you've done," Rory said with a tired smile, shaking Jennifer's hand. "We'll see you tomorrow."