Chapter 7 - The Trial of Shadows
The courtroom was a cathedral of wood and cold air.
Arthur and Margaret sat at the defense table,
surrounded by a team of high-priced lawyers.
They looked smaller than they had in the mansion.
The orange jumpsuits had been replaced by conservative suits,
but the effect was gone.
The jury was a mix of men and women who looked at the defendants with visible disgust.
Silas sat in the front row,
his presence a constant support.
The prosecution started by showing the photo.
The large screen in the courtroom displayed the porcelain bowl.
A collective gasp went up from the gallery.
One of the jurors turned her head away,
tears in her eyes.
The expert witness,
a veterinarian,
testified about the DNA.
"The animal was healthy,
well-fed,
and showed no signs of aggression,"
he stated.
"The method of death was quick,
but the intent was clearly for consumption."
Margaret let out a sob,
but it sounded fake,
calculated.
Arthur just stared at the floor,
his hands trembling.
Then,
it was my turn.
I walked to the stand,
my heart a steady drum.
I didn't look at the lawyers.
I looked at Arthur.
"Tell the court about the night of the dinner,"
the prosecutor said.
I told them everything.
I told them about the note.
I told them about the smell in the kitchen.
I told them about the way Arthur smiled when he said he 'handled' the dog.
"Did they know the dog was a service animal?"
the prosecutor asked.
"They knew he was her life,"
I said,
my voice echoing in the hall.
"They knew she couldn't live without him."
"They didn't kill him because he was a dog."
"They killed him because they wanted to prove they could destroy her."
The defense tried to cross-examine me,
trying to paint me as an unstable mother.
"Isn't it true you've had conflicts with your in-laws before?"
the lawyer asked.
"Yes,"
I said.
"Because I refused to let them abuse my daughter."
"And isn't it true that the dog was a financial burden on them?"
"No,"
I said,
staring him down.
"The dog was paid for by a federal grant."
"The only burden was the fact that they couldn't control him."
The lawyer sat down,
his face red.
But the most powerful moment came when Sophie took the stand.
She was in her wheelchair,
a small,
brave figure in the center of the storm.
She didn't cry.
She just looked at her grandmother.
"Why did you do it?"
she asked,
her voice cutting through the silence.
Margaret looked away,
unable to face the child she had tried to break.
"I loved him,"
Sophie said.
"And he loved me."
"You didn't just kill my dog."
"You killed my best friend."
The jury reached their verdict in less than two hours.
Guilty on all counts.
The sentencing was set for the following week.
As they were led out,
Arthur finally looked at me.
May you like
There was no more anger in his eyes.
There was only the realization that he was going to die in a cage.
