Trent (Season Two: The Ninth Inning #4) (25 page)

The reporters are still
throwing questions at us about Junior Mints blog post, but not as
many. The lawyer has been a big help and I’m glad I listened to
Trent.

I step out of my car and head
into the courthouse. Several reporters try to stop me, but I brush
past them with a no comment. I find the courtroom and take a seat
behind my brother’s attorney. I don’t want to sit by Trent, even
though I
want
to sit by him. He needs all the support he can
get. I’m at the end of the row, up front, closest to the aisle. The
room begins to fill up, and I catch a glimpse of Trent taking a
seat behind the District Attorney’s bench. I want to say something
or maybe catch his glance to give him a smile.

The side door opens and
Dominic is brought in. He looks...okay. His color is well. His hair
looks freshly cut and he seems to have been working out. He sneers
at me as he sits down.

“All rise.” The bailiff’s
voice booms and everyone stands. The judge comes in and tells us
all to sit.

“Mr. Mickerson. District
Attorney Lange. We are here today to sentence Dominic Davis who was
found guilty by a jury of his peers.”

Both lawyers stand and answer
yes
.

“Let’s begin with Mr. Davis’
family.” The judge shuffles a few papers on his bench.

“Scarlett,” Mr. Mickerson,
Dom’s attorney, calls my name quietly and I lean over. “Are you
going to speak?”

I shake my head.

“Told you the bitch wouldn’t
help,” Dominic says loudly, and a couple people gasp.

The phrase
the straw that
broke the camel’s back
makes complete sense to me now. I’m
done. I did everything to help him, and this is how he repays
me.

“Mr. Mickerson, I’ll speak,”
I firmly say.

“Your Honor, Mr. Davis’
sister, Scarlett Knowles, would like to say a few words on his
behalf.”

I stand and Trent’s face is a
mix between fury and hurt. I shoot him a small smile, but he
doesn’t return it.

“Ms. Knowles, you have the
floor,” the judge says as I sit in the witness stand.

My heart is in my throat and
my eyes are on Trent. He needs to hear this. He needs to know too.
I look at Dominic and clear my throat. “I’m not here to speak on my
brother’s behalf. Sure, I can tell you some stories about when he
was five and was a good person, but he isn’t five anymore. He’s
twenty-six, and as an adult, I believe in being responsible for
your actions.

“At fourteen, he started
doing drugs with our mother. It was their bonding or whatever you
want to call it. Shortly after that, he was arrested for
shoplifting with our mother. However, he was young and the judge
gave him a second chance. His second chance lasted two months, and
he went back in. And the cycle continued. When our mother died, I
did the best I could. I borrowed against my house, my 401(k), and
even took out two personal loans to put him in rehab six times. He
would get out and he’d repay me. He repaid me by breaking into my
house and robbing me of my TV, what little bit of jewelry I had,
and stealing my car, which he crashed and I had to pay for that
too. He would come to my previous job and throw these outrageous
fits until I just threw cash at him to get him out.

“The night I got the call and
saw the tape, I didn’t shed one tear for him. I cried for the
Bakers. I cried for the heinous act Dominic did to that poor,
innocent mother. I stayed up for months, unable to sleep because I
couldn’t fix it. I tried to figure out a way to turn back time and
give Dom more money, or send him away, or anything else I could
think of so he wouldn’t harm Mrs. Baker.

“So, I say, your Honor, give
him the maximum sentence. He needs to be locked away because he’ll
do it again. I know in my heart he will. He doesn’t have conscience
or a soul to even understand what he’s done to not one but two
families, and he deserves to wake up every single day for the rest
of his life in prison.”

Dominic’s mouth is hanging
open and his eyes are filled with tears. I’m not sure if he’s
faking or not, but I don’t care anymore. An elephant of heartache,
pain, and stress has been lifted off my chest. I wipe my tears. I
didn’t even know I had been crying.

“I’m finished. Thank you,
your Honor,” I cough.

“You may step down, Ms.
Knowles.”

I nod and leave the witness
stand. I think of just walking out, but Trent’s eyes are wide with
shock. I take my seat and try to control my breathing.

“Mr. Mickerson, is there
anyone else?” the judge asks.

The attorney stands. “No,
there’s no one else.”

“Okay, I’m going to call for
District Attorney Lange to present his list and then Mr. Davis may
speak on his behalf. Mr. Lange.”

“Yes, your Honor. Mr. Trent
Baker, the victim’s husband, would like to speak.”

“Mr. Baker,” the judge calls
for Trent.

Trent stands and holds his
head high as he walks to the witness stand. My throat feels as if
it’s closing as he adjusts himself in his seat.

“Mr. Baker, you have the
floor.”

“Thank you, your Honor.”
Trent’s voice is clear and firm. He takes a deep breath and looks
at Dominic. “I never thought, in all my wildest dreams, I would
ever have to explain to my five-year-old that her mother had been
murdered for forty-two dollars. Forty-two dollars is what she
handed you. You shot my wife, the mother of my child, my best
friend six times for forty-two dollars.

“Deborah was a saint. She was
a volunteer to underprivileged children to help them read and learn
math. She was the first to stand up and organize events for any
team I played with. She wanted a houseful of kids, but put it off
for me and my career. She never complained when our lives had to
pick up and move off to a new city. She’d smile and say we’re off
on another adventure.

“When our daughter was born,
Deborah was the world’s greatest mother. My daughter wanted for
nothing. They were each other’s best friend and loved each other
more than anything. You took my world away and my daughter’s. You
took the sunshine out of my life. I didn’t know how I was going to
wake up or even know how to breathe anymore because Deborah was the
reason for those things.

“I’ve never hated anyone in
my life, but I hate you. I hate everything about you, and I don’t
think your life is worth sitting in a cell for you to live on when
my wife will not be at any of my daughter’s school functions,
graduations, wedding, or the birth of her children.

“You had a sister who loved
you, who helped you, and you threw it all away for forty-two
dollars. You let the drugs rule you and now you’re a murderer. You
took an innocent life and you’re going to hell for it. And that
makes me happy.”

I look at Dominic and a
single tear rolls down his cheek. My face is saturated with tears.
Trent’s voice is calm and it’s scary to listen to, but he’s right
about everything. The judge dismisses Trent and he goes back to his
seat.

“Is there anyone else, Mr.
Lange?”

“No, your Honor.” Mr. Lange
stands to answer him.

“Okay, Mr. Davis.” Mr.
Mickerson tugs on Dom’s arm for him to stand. “You may speak on
your behalf.”

Dom glances at me and then
flicks over to Trent before turning back to the judge. He shuffles
from foot to foot. He’s nervous. Then he squares his shoulders and
speaks boldly, “It wasn’t forty-two dollars. She gave me sixty-two
dollars, but I grabbed something to eat; that’s why there was only
forty-two dollars when I got pinched.”

I gasp at his words and turn
to Trent, who looks like he could murder him right there on the
spot. Hell, I could kill him right now, too. I thought we might
have reached him, but he doesn’t care at all.

“Mr. Davis, according to the
Tennessee State Law, having been found guilty of the murder of
Deborah Baker, you are hereby sentenced to life in prison without
parole or mercy.” The gavel slams down and I jump.

Dominic turns and the bailiff
begins to lead him out of the room. Our eyes lock, and he isn’t my
brother anymore. He’s a murderer who’s going to prison for the rest
of his life.

I rush away from the
courthouse without talking to Trent. I need a moment to myself and
I’m glad I took the day off. When I walk into my house, I don’t
stop until the wine bottle is open and a glass is poured.

Then I hear the knock, and I
know it’s going to be him.

“Hi, Trent.”

“Hey.

“I can either ask how your
day is or I can give you a beer? You pick.”

“I’ll take a beer.”

He follows me into the
kitchen, and I grab a beer for him. We walk over to the table and
sit. “Are you okay? I know it’s the world’s worst question, but are
you?” I know it’s trite, but I have to ask him.

“Yeah, I guess so. I’m glad
it’s over. Are you okay? After everything that happened?”

“Surprisingly, I feel good. I
know I shouldn’t say that to you, but I do. He may not have
listened to anything I said, but I needed to say it for myself. I
just wish it was under different circumstances.”

“Me too. Glad you were able
to do that for yourself.”

“I’m glad you did it too. I
wish I could've supported you, but I wasn't sure if you would've
wanted me to sit by you or not.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure
where I wanted you to be either.”

“I understand. I told you our
past would come back and haunt us. I guess today is that day, huh?”
I think back to the last time he was in my house and our kiss.

“That was a nice I told you
so. We all have our bad days and this was definitely one of them. I
think I should get going. I want to see my daughter, but I wanted
to check in on you.”

“Thank you for checking on
me, Trent. You’re kind.” I pause to compose myself. “If you don’t
ever speak to me again, I want you to know that I really like you.
I think you are the world’s greatest father and Kaelyn is going to
grow up and be just as amazing as Deborah. I have really enjoyed
our time together.” The tears fill the corners of my eyes at the
thought of never seeing him again.

“Thanks. You’ll do great with
your new position, and I’m positive you’ll find lifetime kind of
happiness.”

The first tear escapes. “I’ll
know you will find the same. I’ll show you out.”

He doesn’t hug me or even
look back as I watch him stroll to his car. The moment I can’t see
his car anymore, I slam my door shut and fall to my knees,
sobbing.

Trent is gone.

I’m about to leave the office
when my cell phone begins to ring. I stop gathering paperwork and
stare at the display in awe.

Trent.

“Hello.” I’m apprehensive as
to why, after two weeks, he’s calling me.

“Hey, Scarlett. How are you?”
He sounds frantic, but holds off on going any further into the
conversation.

“I’m okay. Are you okay? You
sound frazzled?”

“Not really. Is there any way
you can do me a really huge favor? My grandmother is out of town
and my nanny has gotten sick. I’m boarding my flight in a few
minutes to come home, but I need someone with Kaelyn until I can
get there. I’m hoping that someone can be you.”

“Um...sure.” Is he serious? I
guess he’s very desperate if he’s calling me “I can do it. Where is
she?”

“She’s at her dance lessons.
I can text you the address of the place. I hate that it’s all last
minute, but she needs to be picked up in twenty minutes. You’ll be
a lifesaver if you can do this for me.” I can hear the relief in
his voice. He was really worried I wouldn’t do it.

“It’s not a problem. Call the
dance teacher and let her know I’m coming. I doubt Kaelyn remembers
me though, but I can take her to my place, or where do you want me
to take her? It’s raining so I can’t take her to the park or
anything.”