PART 12

 

By Friday morning, Nan was able to be up so that she could attend the trial that afternoon.

 

Nat left Nan with Michaela at her clinic and went over to the sheriff’s office to see Dan before getting in a few hours of work at the Gazette that morning.

 

He walked into the office.  Dan saw him come in, “Hi buddy,” he said to Nat.

 

“Hey, Dan.”  Nat looked over into the jail cell.  Hank was sitting on the cot, his head buried in his hands, looking rather dejected.

 

“How’s Nan feeling?” Dan asked Nat.

 

Nat turned back toward his friend.  “She’s feeling much better as far as the arm goes.  Arm’s healing up nicely, but it’s still in a sling.”

 

“That’s good.  Hey, I heard that she’s expecting a baby,” Dan slapped his friend on the back. “Is that true?”

 

A huge grin formed on Nat’s face, “Yeah!”

 

Before Dan could reply, Hank spoke up from the cell, “I didn’t do that either,” he grumbled.

 

“Why don’t you be quiet?” Dan told him.  Surprisingly, Hank obeyed.

 

Nat didn’t, though.  He walked over toward the jail.  “Why?  Why did you try to kill my wife?” he asked in a low, but angry voice.

 

Hank didn’t say anything.

 

“Nat, leave it alone.  He’s getting a trial this afternoon.”  Dan walked up to Nat and pulled him away from the cell.

 

“How can you be so calm about this, Dan?”

 

“Because he has no case.  He’ll get what he deserves.”

 

Nat looked at Dan then back at Hank.  He turned back to Dan and said, “You’ve always been a good friend, Dan.  I need you more than ever right now.  I’m glad you’re here.”

 

“I’m glad I’m here too, Nat.  Everything’s going to be fine.”  The two friends hugged.

 

“Thanks, Dan.”

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Later that afternoon, everybody was in the Colorado Springs courtroom waiting to begin the trial.

 

Dan led Hank in by handcuffs to the front of the courtroom.  Everybody sat quietly while they walked to the front of the room.  Dan sat Hank down on the front row, right side of the room next to his lawyer, Jacob Hatch.

 

The judge slammed his gavel down on the table in front of him to call the trial to order. “Now that everybody is here, let’s begin.” Judge Thomas proclaimed.  Everybody got completely quiet, and the trial began.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

“I’d like to call Dr. Anthea Blake to the stand, please,” Matthew Cooper said to the judge.

 

Nan slowly walked up to the front to take a seat next to the judge.

 

“Dr. Blake,” Matthew began.  “What happened that day you were shot?”

 

Nan looked down at her arm that was still in a sling, and then looked back up to Matthew.  She explained again that Hank had followed her, was drunk, had threatened her, and then shot her.  Matthew sat down after questioning her.

 

Jacob Hatch, Hank’s lawyer, stood up to question her.  “Dr. Blake, did you actually see Hank pull the trigger of the gun?”

 

Nan was hesitant.  She hadn’t really been looking at the gun.  “Well, no I couldn’t see that, but he was the only one there.  There was no one else around.”

 

“Are you sure there was no one else around?”

 

“I didn’t see anyone else,” she said.

 

“Was there anything around that someone could have been hiding behind?”

 

“There were only trees, bushes, and the creek around me…”

 

“So someone could have been hiding behind a tree or bush?”

 

“Objection,” Matthew said.  “That’s only speculation.”

 

“Sustained,” Judge Thomas said, “unless this mysterious person has a name.”  The judge said to Mr. Hatch.

 

“No further questions, your honor.” Mr. Hatch said and sat down.

 

“Matthew, any further questions?”

 

“No, sir.”

 

“You may sit back down, Dr. Blake.”  Nan went to sit back down next to Nat.

 

“Is there anyone else you’d like to question, Mr. Hatch?”

 

“Yes, I’d like the defendant to take the stand.” Groans came from the audience.

 

“Mr. Lawson,” the judge said.  “Come on up.”

 

After Hank took the oath and sat down, Mr. Hatch began, “Your side of the story Hank.  Tell it to us.”

 

“I was upset,” Hank began.  “I loved Emily.  I didn’t know what to do.  I thought Nan killed her.”  Tears began to form in his eyes, “I know I was wrong.   Deep down, I knew it all along.  She couldn’t save her.  I had been drinking, and I wanted to go threaten her a little bit.”  He stopped to look over at Nan.  “I wasn’t going to kill her.  I swear I wasn’t.  I didn’t pull the trigger.  I didn’t shoot her.  Someone else did.  I never saw anyone, but someone else did.” He pleaded.

 

“Is there anybody else that may have wanted to kill Dr. Blake?”

 

“I don’t know,” Hank said quietly.  “All I know is I didn’t shoot her.  I could never take another person’s life.”  Hank said feeling defeated.  “But what’s the use.”  He looked over at the judge and back to the crowd gathered in the room.  You’re all gonna hang me anyway.”  There was a quiet groan among the people in the room.

 

“Ahh, come on, we can’t hang him,” Loren Bray, the storekeeper, said.

 

“The man’s just trying to get sympathy,” Robert E said.

 

“There was obviously nobody else around.  He shot her,” another man said.

 

Everyone started debating on whether he was guilty or not.

 

“Order,” the judge yelled.  “We will have order in this room,” he slammed his gavel down five more times on his table.

 

“Mr. Cooper, are you done?”

 

“Yes, Judge Thomas.”

 

“You may sit back down in front, Mr. Lawson.”  Hank went to sit back down.  To the crowd of onlookers he said, “we will take a ten-minute recess, and I will come back with my decision.”

 

 

Part 13