Chapter 12
We stood as the jury filed in.
Richard stood too. His face was pale.
The foreman stood.
"On the charge of first-degree murder, how do you find?"
"Guilty."
The courtroom erupted.
"On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, how do you find?"
"Guilty."
"On the charge of embezzlement, how do you find?"
"Guilty."
Richard collapsed into his chair.
Melissa, sitting in the gallery, started crying. For real this time.
Victor, in another courtroom, had already pled guilty. Twenty years.
The judge set sentencing for four weeks later.
We walked out of the courthouse.
The cameras were everywhere.
Dad stopped. He looked at them. And for the first time, he spoke.
"Twelve years ago, a good man was murdered. Today, justice was served. David Vance can rest in peace."
Eleanor was crying. But she was smiling too.
"Thank you," she said to Dad. "Thank you for bringing my boy home."
That night, we had dinner at Dad's house.
Just the three of us.
Steak. Potatoes. Wine.
It was the first time in months I felt like I could breathe.
But something was still wrong.
I couldn't shake it.
"Dad," I said. "What happens now? To us?"
He put down his fork.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, my job is gone. My reputation is tied to this trial. I can't go back to real estate. And your shop... it's been vandalized twice."
He nodded slowly.
"I've been thinking about that."
Eleanor looked at both of us.
"I've been thinking too."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a set of keys.
"David's old office. The one above the hardware store on Main Street. It's mine. I've kept it all these years."
She pushed the keys toward us.
"I want you to have it. Both of you. Start something new. A pool company. A construction company. Whatever you want."
Dad shook his head.
"Eleanor, we can't take that."
"You can. And you will. David would have wanted it. He always said your father was the most honest man he'd ever met."
She looked at me.
"And you, dear. You're smart. You're brave. You could run the business side."
I looked at Dad.
He was smiling.
"What do you say, sweetheart? Wilson & Wilson? Pool repair and construction?"
I laughed. Through tears.
"I say yes."
May you like
That night, I slept through the night for the first time in six months.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful.
