While Kofi headed to the courtroom, I stayed behind and took a few breaths. I paced the small area and looked up at the ceiling.
“Ain’t nobody fucking with you… you did what needed to be done. Choke that emotion down and go out there with that stone face on and bring that man home.” I said to myself, as I looked at myself through the two-way mirror.
Recommendation: Listen to Temptation by Joey Bad$$
I grabbed my briefcase and exited the room, heading straight to courtroom six. There was no legal team. Kofi trusted me, and it was a blessing and a curse. There wasn’t any team to take the fall with me if this shit went left.
Every step I took was in slow motion as I swiped my hair over my shoulder. The door was held open for me and I walked in. I happened to turn my head and almost lost my footing when I saw Goo sitting there.
He winked.
Khaos was beside him. On the other side, Capone, Kincaid, Quasim, and Quameer were seated. I concealed my smile but felt all warm and fuzzy. As I bypassed them, I saw Capri sitting with Skyler. She must have pushed whatever she had to be here.
She stood up and walked over to me, leaning to whisper in my ear. “You know you got this in the bag… my bestie not to be fucked with… show ’em.”
I nodded and went and sat next to Kofi who kept rubbing his hand across his lap. “Stop.”
He rested his hand on the table as we waited for Kora to come out. “All rise. Court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Kora Case presiding,” the bailiff announced, and we all stood up.
Kora, with the same poker face that Menace taught both of us, entered from the back and sat down. The only sound that could be heard was her heels until she sat.
“Closing arguments… does the defense want to go first?” She looked at me.
I stood up. “No, your honor. We’re fine with letting the prosecution proceed first.”
“Very well. Any objections to that?”
Court had been delayed because of the murder of the original prosecutor. This stand in was shuffling through his papers and had us all looking at him.
“Yes. I have no problem with that.”
I wanted to close my eyes desperately, and I knew Kora did too. She kept her eyes between looking at the prosecutor doing his closing arguments and then looking down. I just knew she was playing a game on her phone or online shopping.
He had been talking for thirty minutes, and he kept saying the same exact things. “So, I ask you all to think about that federal agent’s family when you go into that room. He was murdered in cold blood doing the job he had sacrificed so much for. Thank you for your time.”
I shook off the sleepiness and stood up. My gray double-breasted suit made a statement before my mouth could. The wide legs whisked over my heels as I walked over toward where the jury was.
“Good afternoon, or morning. I lost track with how long the prosecution’s speech was.”
“Objection.” He jumped right up.
”Counselor, proceed or lose the chance to have a closing statement,” Kora said, uninterested in both of our shenanigans.
Sadly, I missed the dead guy.
He gave me my shit back and went toe to toe with me. Now he was maggot food, and I can’t say I felt sad about it.
“A black billionaire. Need I say more? A billionaire who has been on the receiving end of many threats. Not even safe from the police… the very people that are supposed to protect us. I mean, sheesh, if we cannot depend on the people that should protect us, who can we depend on?” I locked my hands in front of me as I slowly walked along the jury. “His daughter was asleep on the couch on the lower level… inches away from the front door where shots were let out through his door. No announcement, no badge shown. All Mr. Maze saw was a man at his front door with his gun drawn. No cars in the front… no sirens or lights. He saw a man at his front door while his daughter slept on the couch, falling asleep after watching her favorite cartoon.”
I paused, allowing the words to sink in.
“A bullet… a bullet entered his door, going into the vase that was near his daughter’s body. Mr. Maze pulled out a registered gun and protected his family and his home. He didn’t go on a murder spree for cops like the media is painting it out to be. This is a man who came from nothing and made that into something. The media had painted the picture of the slain agent. Give me five seconds to do the same for Mr. Maze.”
Kora was no longer bored; she was locked in to my closing argument. “Mr. Maze is a father. A man that has never gotten in trouble, has given back to charity. Is in the middle of rebuilding community centers in his old neighborhood. Our very own prosecutor was just found murdered in his own home. That very well could have been Mr. Maze had he not protected himself. Everything good for you is bad eventually. I love organic candy, but it’s not good for you. We can love the authorities but realize not all of them are good for us. When you go back there, I want you all to think about yourself. Don’t think about Mr. Maze. Think of what could happen to anyone of us for protecting our own lives. Thank you.”
I turned on my heels and went to sit back down. Kora watched me the entire way there and touched her chin as she looked at the prosecution.
“Members of the jury, you’ve heard the evidence and closing arguments. I’ve instructed you on the law and how it applies. It is now your duty to deliberate and reach a unanimous verdict. You may now retire to begin your deliberations… court is in recess.”
