by: Courtney
Chapter 7
Laugh at tyrants and the tragedy they inflict.
Such men welcome our tears as evidence of our subservience,
But our laughter condemns them to ignominy.
~ Dean Koontz, Laura Shane's Endless River
The courthouse looked positively ominous in the light of this Chicago morning. March 14th, Carol has dreaded this day. Why is it here so soon? Facing Greg Powell again is not her idea of a good day. In fact, this day couldn't be much worse. Well, it could be a little worse. It would have been a lot worse if Doug weren't there. She looks to her left at the man beside her.
Doug Ross is dressed in a dark blue suit with a starched white shirt beneath it. He's wearing a tie and his hair is combed neatly in place. He looks very handsome but that's not what has Carol's attention. It's the look he's giving her. It's truly remarkable. She is so unsure that she'll even be able to make her feet move up those steps before them and enter the courthouse, but Doug seems to know just by looking that she will be more than capable. His eyes reflect the immense confidence and faith he has in her, even as his lips remain silent. It's his certainty in her that propels her forward towards the courthouse steps.
Once inside, they see people milling around everywhere. They put their bags through the metal detects and state their business here today before they are permitted past the entryway. "I think it's this way," Doug says as he leads her down one of the large corridors. Sure enough, there in the hall are Detectives Grayson and Fleming.
"I'm glad you two could make it," Sonya Fleming smiles at them.
"So are we," Doug says, giving Carol's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Are we ready to go in?" Joe Grayson asks.
Doug looks at Carol and she nods weakly. "We're ready," he says.
They all enter the room and Carol's eyes are drawn immediately to the defendant's table. It's empty. Powell isn't here yet. She and Doug slide into one of the benches and wait for the hearing to begin. It's a closed hearing so very few people are there. Besides Doug and Carol and the detectives, only 5 or 6 others are present. One of the women keeps looking over at Carol. "Who is that?" Doug asks, indicating the woman.
Carol looks over at her and shrugs. "I don't know. Why?"
"She keeps looking this way. I thought maybe you knew her," he says.
"No, not that I know of."
After a few minutes, the woman gets up and approaches the couple. "Ms. Hathaway?" she says.
"Yes?" Carol looks up at her with curiosity.
"I'm Ilene Dunning," she says as she extends her hand. Carol accepts it and shakes the woman's hand but still has no idea who she is. Ilene senses Carol's confusion and further explains who she is. "My mother was his first victim."
"Oh . . . oh, I see," Carol replies.
"I just wanted to thank you. You're the reason they caught him," Ilene says.
"I don't know about that. He'd have probably been caught eventually," Carol says.
"But he's not going to have the chance to hurt anyone else now and that's all thanks to you," Ilene tells her.
"Well, I appreciate your saying that," Carol says with a small smile. "How's your mom doing?"
"She's having a rough time but she's getting better," Ilene says. "She didn't come today. She just couldn't face it. You're very brave for being here."
"Thank you," Carol says quietly. "Send her my best wishes."
"I certainly will," Ilene assures her. "Well, there's my husband. I should get back. I just wanted to be sure and thank you." She looks from Doug to Carol and says, "It was nice meeting you both."
"You too," Carol smiles and Doug nods at the woman as she walks back to her seat across the room. "That was nice of her," Carol comments when Ilene is gone.
"She's right you know, you are very brave to be here today," Doug says.
Carol leans back into the fold of his arm as it drapes across her shoulder. "I'd never be this brave if I were by myself."
Doug tightens his embrace just slightly and says, "Well, then it's a good thing you'll never have to worry about that."
"All rise, court is in session. The honorable Judge Francis Perkins presiding," booms the bailiff's voice. The judge walks in as everyone gets to their feet. He's an older man, maybe fifty, with thinning brown hair that is gray at the temples.
"Thank you, you may be seated," he announces to the unusually small gallery as he takes his seat. Greg Powell has not been brought in yet. His lawyer is the only one sitting at the defense table. "Bailiff, you may bring in the defendant," Judge Perkins says.
Carol feels her throat tighten at this command. She takes a sharp, inward breath and waits with huge, frightened eyes for Powell to appear. When he does he looks quickly around the courtroom until he picks up her gaze. He remains focused on her as he makes his way to his seat. She doesn't breath or move, she just stares. Doug keeps his arm around her shoulders and looks at Powell with a look that comes just short of killing him dead in his tracks.
"Mr. Powell, if I could have your attention?" the judge says in an impatient voice. Powell's head jerks back around front.
"I apologize your honor," he says. Carol can't help but notice he is as charming as ever. It's a clever ruse that has served him well thus far.
"Now, let's begin," the judge commands. And so it begins. There is a short rehashing of the many crimes Greg Powell is accused of and he listens attentively, glancing back every so often to stare at Carol. She tries to ignore him. Finally, the judge asks him how he pleads to these charges.
Powell stands up and faces the judge. "I plead . . ." he waits for a moment as if trying to decide what he's going to say. He makes the decision in an instant and says, "not guilty." Though the crowd here today is small, it becomes very vocal as Greg Powell makes his unexpected announcement.
The judge bangs his gavel and calls for silence. "Order! Order in this courtroom!" he yells above the voices. Everyone settles down and the judge turns his attentions back to Powell. "Now, are you telling me you've changed your mind? You want a trial?"
Greg nods. "Yes, that's what I'm saying. I am not guilty of these crimes," he insists.
The judge nods and looks to Powell's attorney. "I'm sure you understand, Mr. Finch, that your client has a lot of evidence against him. Perhaps you'd like a moment to talk this over with him before we adjourn?"
"Yes, your honor, I would appreciate that," the man says.
"Very well then, we will recess for 15 minutes." The gavel sounds again and Powell and his attorney exit the room together. The judge goes back to his chambers.
The two officers come over to Doug and Carol. "What in the hell was that?" Doug demands as they approach.
"Got me," says Detective Grayson in bewilderment.
"So, what now?" he asks them.
"Well," Det. Fleming begins, "if his lawyer can talk him out of this then we can still wrap this up today."
"And if not?" Carol asks.
"Then we'll have to go to trial."
"That's what I was afraid of," Carol says.
"How can he do this? There's so much evidence . . ." Doug says.
"Yes, but there is also a lack of victims to stand up against him. Carol's the only one here today and, well, frankly, he's probably assuming you wouldn't testify," Sonya says.
"Will you? If it comes to that?" Joe Grayson asks.
"I . . . I don't know," she says. The detectives both nod, knowing it's a hard decision for Carol to make in one moment. The judge reenters the room and calls the court back into session. He orders Powell and his lawyer back inside and asks what decision they have reached.
Mr. Finch, Powell's attorney, stands up and faces the judge. "Your honor, unfortunately, my client has made a last minute decision to change his mind about a trial. It seems we will be . . ."
"Wait!" comes a voice from behind them. Every eye in the room turns to see Carol as she jumps from her seat.
"Do you have something to say miss?" the judge asks, slightly irritated by the interruption but more irritated at the way things are going on the whole.
"Yes, I . . ." she stammers. She looks down at Doug and he smiles at her and nods just a little. It urges her on. "I would like to say something before . . . before he makes his final decision," she looks pointedly at Greg as she speaks.
"Mr. Finch, any objections?" Judge Perkins asks.
"No, none your honor," Finch says.
"Very well, you may proceed," her tells Carol.
She stands a little straighter and looks at the judge. She clears her throat and starts to hesitate but catches herself. She has to do this. She pushes forward. "About a month ago, I was raped," she says. Everyone in the room sits in rapt attention watching Carol. She continues. "It was the most terrifying and wholly awful experience of my life. I was afraid for weeks to be alone, to be around too many people, to get on with my life. But, I am through being afraid. I'm here today to let the person that did this to me," she looks Greg right in the eyes, "know that I will not run away anymore. I will stand up and fight and do everything in my power to make him pay for what he put me through. I will not hide from this. I refuse to spend one more day like that. I'm no longer going to be a victim."
She looks back at the judge. "Thank you, your honor," she says and sits down beside Doug again.
The judge nods at her and she thinks she sees a smile but she can't be sure. He turns back to the defense table. "Mr. Finch?"
Powell is whispering fervently in his attorney's ear. Finch is hissing something back to him but neither man's words are clear.
"Mr. Finch?" the judge says again, growing tired of this.
Finch stands up. "You're honor, my client would like to reenter his plea," he says.
"Alright then, stand up Mr. Powell," the judge instructs. Powell follows the order. "How do you plead to the charges?"
"I plead guilty your honor," he says. He doesn't turn around to meet Carol's eyes this time. He continues to face forward.
The judge nods, satisfied. He continues on with the hearing, sentencing Greg Powell to a minimum of 7 years for each rape he has pled guilty to. This will put him behind bars for at least the next 35 years.
Doug and Carol get up together after the judge has dismissed the court. "Carol, just a second," she hears behind her. She turns to see Sonya Fleming.
"Yes?" she says.
"Thank you. You made him change his mind. You let him know he wasn't going to get away with this," she says.
"I only did what I had to do," she says.
"I'm glad you did," she says.
"Yeah, me too," Carol smiles.
"So," Sonya says as they all walk out of the courthouse together, "how well do you two know Mark Greene?"
"I was very proud of you today," Doug says as he and Carol stand together in his kitchen.
Carol smiles, "I have to say, I was just a little proud of myself," she says.
"You were great."
"I wonder if Sonya called Mark?" Carol says as she chops carrots for their dinner salad.
Doug is washing the lettuce. "I'd say that's probably a yes," he grins.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he called here to thank us while you were in the shower," Doug laughs.
"Oh, I see," Carol laughs.
"You know, I love to see you laugh," Doug says.
"Yeah, I haven't laughed enough lately," she says.
"Well, we need to fix that then," Doug says. He sets the lettuce aside and turns to grab her waist and tickle her. Her laughter can be heard throughout the room.
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Created by Courtney Stovall © 1998
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