The League of Twelve (a companion to A Different League)

“I hope how thinks don’t to be out we start decent cookies today trust that three o’clock yes thanks.”

“Okay, okay. Everyone quiet down. Can everyone stop talking and sit down please?”

“Who wants coffee?”

“Oh, please. Always need a coffee to start.”

“Okay. Get your coffee or whatever and we’ll get started”

“Cookie?”

“Yes, please. It’s a while until the sandwiches and muffins”

“Now. Let’s have another vote to see if we’re all of the same mind as yesterday’s finish”

“I’ll do the whiteboard again”

“Let’s start here”

“Not guilty”

“Not guilty”

“Guilty”

“Not guilty”

“Guilty. Not guilty. No, not guilty. Oh, I don’t know”

“It’s the same every day with you. Just choose one for God’s sake”

“Alright. Guilty. No, Not Guilty. Definitely not guilty.”

“Guilty.”

“Don’t know”

“Not guilty”

“Not guilty”

“Not guilty”

“Not guilty”

“Not guilty”

“So that’s eight not guilty, two guilty and two don’t knows. I’m counting you as a don’t know”

“I do know I need another cookie”

“Can you bring them over to the table? Thanks.”

“So, we’re no different to yesterday then? You all know we have to have a consensus. A majority just won’t do it. So as the majority think it’s not guilty let’s see if we can try, again, to convince the guilties and don’t knows “

“We are all agreed that Appleton raped her over nine years ago and left her for dead”

“He was a nasty evil piece of shit”

“But, as the DA pointed out, that gives her motive. And it was a one-off. There’s no record of any previous convictions. We don’t know what she did to provoke him.”

“Oh, for God’s sake. Get yourself into this century. There’s no provocation that can justify rape. Let alone the beating.”

“He’s so cocky and self-assured. I don’t like him and wouldn’t want to be alone with him. I bet he’s done it before. We all know his dad has pulled strings to get his developments approved and built. Who’s to say he doesn’t have some sway in other areas too? Maybe even to someone in this room?”

“Now that’s just pure speculation. There’s no suggestion or evidence that his dad has even tried that”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true though. It may be something that they decided to keep from us”

“We need to move on from that. We can’t convict, or acquit on speculation.”

“Remember. He sought her out. How did he even get her address?”

“And that beating. She must have thought that he was going to kill her. I know I would. Self-defence is the only logical explanation.”

“But there was no intent to do her harm. We know that from witnesses. He told his girlfriend and several associates that he wanted to meet her to try and make amends and pay something towards raising the boy.” 

“Girlfriend? I think the defence has cast doubt on that. Nothing of hers has been found at his apartment, and there’s no record anywhere of them being out together in restaurants or events. The only people who have corroborated that she is his girlfriend are those same associates.”

“Again, just speculation. We don’t have any witnesses saying that she isn’t his girlfriend, do we?”

We only have her testimony that he broke in during the blackout. That they argued, he started hitting her and ‘fearing for her life’ she fought back with the candle and stone based trophy.” What would Holden have said? And we’ve heard nothing from the boy.”

“You seem to have conveniently forgotten about the busted safety lock.”

“The boy? Yes. The judge won’t allow him to testify”

“But what was he doing all that time? She says he was asleep but there must have been noise. Why didn’t he wake up? And why, after she made the nine one one call, did she put a load of washing on that contained his pyjamas? The ones he was wearing were clean on apparently.”

“Don’t forget the trophy?”

“She’s bashed him to death. We all saw the photos. His face was smashed in. She must have been feeling traumatised and in some pain yet she wiped the base of the trophy. Which is why there were no fingerprints. Why no fingerprints””

“There were only two blood types found and the splatter was consistent with a beating and bludgeoning.”

“Look you can speculate about that all you like but the undisputed facts are. He had previously raped and beat her, he sought her out, things went bad and he ended up beating her again. She thought that she was going to die so she killed him in self-defence. There’s no question, in my mind that that is what happened and, even if you’re not sure, there’s definitely reasonable doubt”

“Okay. Another vote before the mid-morning break.”

“Vote, vote, vote. That’s all we do. I’ve got kids to collect from kinder at three o’clock. If my husband has to collect them again there will be hell to pay”

“That bruise? Was that him?”

“No. Of course not. I told you; I fell off the running machine”

“If ever you need to talk”.

Save that for later. Let’s get the vote.”

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Not guilty”.

“Guilty”

“Eleven to one. That’s a step in the right direction. Maybe we will get our lives back today”

“No, it isn’t. It’s a step in the wrong direction. Look at this. It’s a press release from London in the nineteen eighties. Her mother was allegedly raped by Johnny Appleby, but it never went to trial. Some technicality with missing evidence”.

“Where did you get that? It wasn’t in evidence. Did someone give it to you?’

“That doesn’t matter. It’s something pertinent that was kept from us.”

“So, she might be Appleby’s daughter? Holden’s sister?”

“No. She was a baby at the time”.

“So, knowing that doesn’t it all seem a bit of a coincidence? Johnny’s son raped the daughter of the woman who accused his father of rape? The whole thing, from the start, could have been revenge. Maybe she didn’t mean to kill him, but when he showed up unannounced it was more than she could stand so she attacked him, he fought back but she got the upper hand with the trophy base?”

“Or, knowing what his dad did, he targeted her in some sick twisted father-like-son thing. The Appleby never falls far from the tree”.

“Now that’s bad even for you.”

“Hi. I’ve just come in to let you know it’s break time. You all look like you need some fresh air.”

“My God, the muffins were truly awful today”

“Is that all you think about? Food?”

“Anyone on the whiteboard? Let’s have another vote. I’m sad to say it may be a little different now”

“Don’t start that or anything. I’ve come back in to tell you that the judge needs all of you straight away. Leave everything here and come with me now”

“All stand for Judge Caivano”

“Thank you. Be seated. It has come to my attention that during the break the Sherrif noticed a compromising document on the table in the jurors’ meeting room. Given this development, I have no option but to dismiss the jury and call a mistrial. Thank you for your service. You will all be questioned about this matter before you leave.”

“What just happened? What’s going to happen now? To me and Paul?”

“There may be another trial”

“What. Not all this again. I’ve had enough. I can’t get rid of that man even when he's dead”

“Look. It favours the defence. The prosecution will need to bring more evidence and, given that this has been driven largely by Johnny Appleby, the DA might not have the appetite to pursue this further. For now, I’ll try hard for bail and you can go home and look after your son.”

“I owe you so much for fighting so hard for me. I know this will probably damage your career. So, whatever happens, thank you so much.”

“It depends on whether it’s a career chasing the truth or glory. Everyone knows the Applebys are crooks. I’m sure that the DA will now have a great excuse to let it drop and you can get on with your life.”

“What about Applby? What will he do next? He will never forgive the death of his only son. I hope that his reach doesn’t extend all the way to England, because that’s where I’m going when this is over.”

This dialogue can be read as stand alone, or before or after reading A Different League which was submitted to the "Technical Difficulties" competition #184.