Law and Morals

I ran from my car as fast as I could up the steps of the county jail. The downpour of rain-soaked me through and chilled me beyond the bone. The fact it was the middle of the night did not help one bit. My umbrella and trench coat did not help one bit as I hoped they would. My brown hair plastered to my face. I yanked open the door and was happy to feel the warm air hit my face.

The officer behind the counter looked at me like I was the biggest shock in his life. At this time of the night, I probably was. I gained my composure from my running with a shake of my head and walked up to the desk.

“Hello, officer I am Mrs.Chambers I am a lawyer for one of the men here they called me and told me to come urgently.”

“Name of the man?” 

“Matt Brown officer.”

“Please wait a moment we will get him and come back for you.” He said getting up from his chair and moving to the back room.

I sat in one of the waiting chairs bouncing my foot up and down. The trial was tomorrow I do not know what Mr.Brown could possibly want at this hour. We spent hours today discussing our tactics and all the information we were going to present. My mind swirled I worried if he may have found something out that the prosecutor knew and we had not known. My leg continued to bounce and I went into deep in thought. No that is not possible he is in a jail cell all day. Where would he possibly get information? Plus Mr. Brown is innocent in every way of the word a boy jumped into the street in broad daylight while Mr.Brown was going the speed limit and sober. Unfortunate accident but not his fault. What could he possibly want at midnight?

“Mrs.Chambers?”

The officer looks at me concerned. I assume that was not the first time he had called my name. I have a very bad habit of getting lost in my own head. I looked up at him and smile. He looks even more confused but also glad he has my attention.

“Mrs.Chambers we are ready for you to come this way.”

I follow him to the room me and Mr.Brown were in earlier today and I have gone to multiple times before with him and other clients. He sits there looking glazed over his hair very unruly. Jail does not look well on him.

“I’ll leave you two alone take all the time you need.”

“Thank you, officer.”

Mr.Brown finally looks at me and his brown eyes lock on mine. It is uncomfortable I have not seen him with those eyes until now.

“I am sorry I needed you so late.”

“All is well Mr.Brown are you nervous?”

He then gets a confident smug look on his face he knows as well as I do we have this in the bag.

“I told you to call me Matt so formal using my last name Jackie Chambers. No, I am not nervous. I called you for a different reason.”

“Please do tell MR.Brown. If this does not pertain to the trial I am not sure why I am here?”

“Cause you’re the only one who will keep my secret MRS.Chambers. You see I can not stop thinking about the crash. You and I both know I did not do it on purpose but I just can not help thinking-.” I cut him off rude yes but I have heard this before most people can not stop thinking it was there fault and they could have changed something. In most cases, they could have not this one.

”This is normal to think like this there is nothing you could have done. I can call you a therapist-.” He then cuts me off.

“I can not stop thinking about it because I enjoyed it.”He says over top of me.

 I jump up from my chair and back away from the table. In all my years I have never heard those words uttered in such a cruel and twisted way. His eyes begin to shine and his smile becomes a dangerous one. My mind swirls no this can not be happening this is just before trial jitters. I must have heard him wrong no one could actually enjoy taking a life. But I did hear right he keeps talking. I am captivated like I was seeing a train crash.

“I did not intend to do it but having the power be able to do something that big. Being the one to look over a dead body and said I put you there. Taking all the power away. To hear their last words be screams. I can not stop thinking about that way I just can not stop myself it is so beautiful.”

I was lost for words I began to pace the room. Staying far away from him and that dangerous smile and dreamlike eyes. I pinch myself to wake up. Come on Jackie its a dream you’re asleep next to Edgar and the man across from you is asleep too. I finally look him dead in the eyes.

“Why in the world, heaven, and hell would you tell me this?”

He kicks his feet on the table and I back further away from the metal table. Eyes wide with horror. My back pressed to the wall.

“Because my dear Jackie. There is nothing you can do about it and I needed to tell someone it was like having the juiciest gossip. Tell the police and it looks very bad for your career and even if you did I am still innocent. I’m not being charged with whether I liked it or not I’m being charged whether I did it on purpose and we both know and the prosecution know I did not”

I think it’s sound. How on earth is that sound? This is a horrible loophole. I think of ways to get him but there is no proof I should have recorded the conversation and there is no working camera in this room. The police would be going off my word and the sickening feeling hits. He is not being tried for liking. Regardless I am telling the police. Maybe I could do it anonymously save me a career and they know who Matt Brown really is. But to no avail, he would have to commit another crime. Will he commit another crime?

“What will you do when this is over,” I ask hugging myself. I want to help to not look scared but I can't.

He takes his feet off the table and doesn’t respond for a moment.

“Try to forget how much I like it.”

A fearful voice comes from I have never heard before from myself.

“What if you can’t Mr.Brown?”

I swear to everything I have ever believed in that moment the devil-possessed that man’s smile. The derangement on that face was not human. It was demonic.

“Don’t worry I’ll be calling someone else. It won’t be your problem. ”

I ran out of the room I could not take looking at his face anymore. I could not hear his voice any longer. I now hear him laughing from the room and a tear slides down my face. I cover my ears hoping no officer sees me. After what seems like an eternity he stops. An eternity later I gain my composure and scribble a note to the police. The policeman walks towards me and the door to hell.

“All done Mrs.Chambers?”

“Yes I am done I will be seeing you”

I walk-run down the long hallway to the officer's desk and put the note on top of a bunch of paper.

Matt Brown did not kill Adam Lockwood on purpose but he sure did enjoy it

I should have written more but I could not be in that place any longer and I ran to my car in the still down pouring rain and drove. Luckily my home was not far away or I feared my emotions would take over and I would wreck. On the other hand, I wish my home was farther away from that monster. I had thought him innocent. I fumbled the keys and open the door and fell on my knees. My husband Edgar woke up and ran to me. He closed the door and held me in his arms and I sobbed and cried for a long while. I held on to him like he was the last thing keeping me to this earth and not in hell. I finally met his blue eyes full of concern.

“Jackie, what happened? Are you hurt? Who hurt you?” 

I began to cry again I could not get the words out for another long while. He patiently held me. Finally pressed against him my mind worked long enough for me to give a coherent thought.

“I’m protecting a monster, Edgar.” Then through my tears, I told him all that had happened and all that the horrible thing the man demon concoction had told me. I fell asleep crying in his arms all for the rest of the night. I hoped the morning would never come I would have to see the thing again.

                                                         The next morning

Wishes dashed the morning did come. Edgar took the day off from work to attend the trial. There was no way I’m not going. I would lose everything and never get a client again if I didn’t go. I combed my hair and buttoned up my shirt and collected my papers and my thoughts. I told myself to act like last night had never happened that I was still protecting the innocent Matt Brown. For the first time in my life, I prayed to God I would lose this case.

Edgar drove us to the courthouse and kept looking me up and down as if I was a porcelain doll. I can not blame him I am the wife that came home crying in the middle of the night. I wish he did not look at me like that though.

“I am right here Jackie just got to get through this and then we will be home for dinner and you will never have to see that horrible man again. You are getting so much baklava after this. ” 

I tried to smile at him but I could tell it did not work and kept walking. I breathed in and then out looking at the huge wood courthouse doors and entered the building. 

The trial went on like any other trial. I said everything I had intended to say 24 hours ago. I refused to look at Mr.Brown in the eyes. I feared the moment I look into them that I would be lost and shout out all I wanted to. Luckily the trail was short the prosection really had nothing going for them.

“This man still killed a youth. On purpose or no, he should be punished I leave you with that decision jury. That is all I have to say on the matter.” Said the man on the prosecution with blonde hair and suit.

The judge then stared down at me. I feared he could read my mind and my soul.

“Any more from the defendant?”

“No your honor.”

“Very well then jury please make your decision.”

The jury then left the room and went to go decide Mr.Browns fate. He then tapped my foot and it took all the courage I could muster to look at him not in the eyes but only at his nose. I will never be able to face him in the eyes.

“Home free Mrs.Chambers thank you. Couldn’t have done it without you.” 

I turned to look at Edgar who was glaring at Mr.Brown and I was relieved to see his face no matter how angry. He eventually caught my eyes and nodded my way. It was an excruciating hour to sit and wait for the jury but finally, they reached a verdict. My heart pounded in my chest and my foot began to bounce. 

“All rise. Has the jury reached a verdict?”

An older man with red hair and a collared long sleeve t-shirt answered

“We have your honor we find the defendant innocent of charges.”

“Then this court is now adjourned. Congratulations Mr.Brown.”

The room then felt a little lighter with the smack of the mallet but I did not Mr.Brown shook my hand without me shaking and practically skipped out the room I fell in my chair. I could not believe the scene around me. Edgar came to my side and walked me out which got me curious glances. I was the defense I was supposed to be happy. We got the car and I looked blankly at the sky. Edgar started driving. I could not stop thinking of how I just let a could be a murderer on the streets.

By the law, I did the right thing. By law, he was an innocent man.

By morals, I did the wrong thing. By morals, he is a guilty man.

If I had more then just I few hours maybe the outcome would have been different.