Chapter 16- Closure
Emma sat in the courtroom where she had been mere weeks before. This time joined by her attorney Albert, her father and the district attorney Belle French. Belle is a fiery young woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes. She seems a little young to be in a District Attorney position, but Emma could tell she got the job because she knows her stuff.
"Alright Ms. Nolan," Belle sat next to Emma, resting her hand on her shoulder. "We have most of the evidence, but your testimony will help solidify everything. Just be as honest as you can, and once your testimony is over you are free to leave if you would like to."
"Thank you, Belle." Emma smiled, "But I think I will stay to see the result of everything."
"Understandable." She smiled back. "This is a closed hearing due to the violent circumstances, so only a few additional people will be allowed here."
Regina was sitting in the courtroom behind Emma next to Killian. Since he was with David when he found Emma, he got special permission to be allowed in.
A new bailiff, a young man named Phillip, walked in Walsh, Zelena, Her Henchmen, and Graham all in orange jumpsuits and handcuffs to sit alongside Walsh's attorney Mr. Smith. David could hear Emma hold her breath and he patted her knee in silent support.
"All rise!" Phillip called out. "The Honorable Judge Archibald Hopper residing."
Archie took his place in the stand and his breath caught when he got sight of Emma's injuries. Swallowing down his panic, he moved forward with the hearing.
'Well Mr. Oz, it's as if you were just here a mere few weeks ago. I thought I had made it very clear in the previous hearing that I did not tolerate any nonsense."
Walsh remained silent but glared at the judge.
Archie continued, "District Attorney French, you have the floor."
"Thank you, your honor." Belle stood and began her testimony. "Three days ago, as Ms. Nolan was investigating a call near the Townline on the South end of Storybrooke. She was abducted. Her cell phone was found in the woods near where she was responding to by Sheriff Nolan and Mr. Jones…"
Emma listened quietly as Belle recounted the hell she had endured the last few days. She was tired, she wanted to go home. She wanted this hell with Walsh to end to be able to move on with her life.
"And that was when Sheriff Nolan and Mr. Jones found Ms. Nolan in the caves in the north woods. Ms. Nolan had broken ribs, internal bleeding, and a mass amount of bruising. All photographs and medical examinations are included in exhibit A."
Archie looked at the provided files and nodded to Belle to continue.
"In exhibit B, you will see the collected evidence of Ms. Nolans cellphone and the red hair of Ms. Oz, the cell phone that Ms. Nolan used to alert Mr. Jones of her whereabouts, the weapons of Mr. Oz and Ms. Oz, as well as photographic evidence of where Ms. Nolan was kept. The DNA of the assailants is on this evidence as well your honor."
Archie nodded as Belle concluded. "Thank you, Ms. French. Ms. Nolan, can you take the stand please?"
Emma nodded and rose from her seat. David walked her to the stand and stood a few feet away with the bailiff. She looked up and met Killian's gaze. He smiled and nodded at her, giving her the silent support she needed at that moment. Belle approached the bench, giving Emma a warm smile. She could do this. She had to do this.
"Ms. Nolan, in your own words, can you tell the court what happed with Mr. Oz please?"
"Yes," Emma took a deep breath, "I was responding to the town line that was called in as an animal attack when Mr. Jones called me. We were discussing our dinner plans when i heard a stick break behind me. I dropped my phone, and I turned to the noise with my firearm drawn, I was ambushed by the two men helping Mr. Oz. They wrenched my gun out of my hand, setting my gun off and the bullet grazed my arm."
Killian's jaw tightened as Emma recounted her story. This is the first time he's heard this as she hasn't wanted to talk about it but, the more she explained the angrier he became.
"The men helping Mr. Oz hung up my phone and smashed it into the dirt. They started to drag me away and I did everything I could to get myself loose. I clawed at the dirt, the trees, anything I could get my hands on. Because I wasn't going quietly, I felt a blow to the back of my head, and everything went black. The next thing I remember was waking up in the cave with my hands bound and my mouth gagged…"
Emma continued on recounting her story, and Killian and Regina kept sharing glances. Hearing Emma tell the horrors again made them both angry, agitated and wanting Walsh and Zelena behind bars.
"And how were you able to alert Mr. Jones of your location?" Belle asked gently.
"One of the men working with Ms. Oz dropped his phone. When I was in the cave alone, I saw the screen light up and used the phone to contact Mr. Jones. It was 3:30 in the morning and I knew he wasn't going to be asleep."
"Thank you, Ms. Nolan. No further questions."
"Mr. Smith," Archie addressed, "Do you have any questions for Ms. Nolan?"
Mr. Smith cleared his throat, "Well, considering the evidence and the testimony from Ms. Nolan I have no further questions, your honor."
Archie nodded, "Thank you, Ms. Nolan. You may step down."
Emma gave Archie a small smile and took her father's hand as she stepped down and returned to her seat.
Archie continued, "I would like to call Mr. Jones to the stand please."
Killian looked just as surprised as everyone else did. He slowly rose from his seat and approached the stand and sat down.
"Mr. Jones," Archie stated with a small smile, "In your own works can you tell the court what happened with Ms. Nolan."
"Aye your honor," Killian cleared his throat. "I called Ms. Nolan to see what she wanted to do for the evening as I was driving home from work. She told me that she was responding to a call on the town line. Mid conversation Ms. Nolan went silent, I heard a gunshot, her scream and the line went dead. I immediately called Sheriff Nolan."
"And what followed the call to Sheriff Nolan" Belle inquired.
"The Sheriff and I went to the sight where Ms. Nolan has responded to the call. We found her car on the side of the road with the hazards on. We entered the woods and found claw marks in the dirt and on the trees," Killian paused for a moment to compose himself. "We found Ms. Nolans blood on a few trees, and I assisted the Sheriff in collecting the evidence. The sheriff sent the blood to get tested against his DNA to confirm the blood was indeed Ms. Nolans and one sample was and the other belonged to Ms. Oz,"
As Killian told everything on his side of things, Emma had to hold back tears. This wonderful man of hers has been through hell. She had no idea what happened, Killian and her father wouldn't talk about it and now she can understand why. The scene they saw, the sight of Emma's blood spread in the forest. She can't even imagine what she would have done if she was in Killian's shoes.
"What happened after you got the call from Ms. Nolan?" Belle asked.
"I alerted the Sheriff immediately. We went to the station with the others to figure out the plan to rescue Ms. Nolan and that's when we heard Graham on the phone with Ms. Oz"
"Thank you, Mr. Jones." Archie stated. "Nothing further needed, you may step down."
Killian gave the judge a small nod and returned to his seat next to Regina letting out a huge breath he did not realize he had been holding. Emma turned and looked at Killian, eyes brimming with unshed tears. She mouthed "I love you" to him and he smiled and winked at her, they would discuss this more later.
"Well," Archie cleared his throat. "Do either attorney have anything further to add?"
"No, your honor" Belle quipped.
"No, your honor." Mr. Smith sulked.
"Then I will proceed." Archie stated, "After review of the evidence, the testimonies and speaking with the Sheriff, I find Walsh Oz, Zelena Oz, Nick Richards, and Harvey Richards guilty for attempted murder and kidnapping."
Zelena started crying and Walsh shook in anger.
"Ms. Oz, you will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at the Maine Correctional Women's Center."
Zelena started to wail harder.
"Mr. Oz, Mr. Richards, and Mr. Richards, you will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at the Maine State Prison," Archie paused, "As you Mr. Allen,"
Graham looked up at the judge.
"Mr. Allen you are being charged with aiding and abetting in a felony crime. You will be sentence to 3 years at the Maine State Prison"
Graham looked down at his hands.
"Bailiff, please escort the prisoners back to jail to await the prison transfers. Court is adjourned."
Sheriff Nolan and the bailiff escorted the prisoners out, Zelena wailing the entire way. Emma jumped from her seat and jumped into Killian's waiting arms.
The nightmare with Walsh was finally over.