Chapter 17 - The Verdict
The jury deliberated for less than four hours.
When they filed back into the courtroom, the tension was suffocating. I held Sarah’s hand tightly. Her palm was sweaty, but her grip was like iron.
"On the charges of money laundering and racketeering, we find the defendant... Guilty."
Mark closed his eyes.
"On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder against Detective Elena Vance, we find the defendant... Guilty."
"On the charge of aggravated domestic assault against Sarah Davis, we find the defendant... Guilty."
The judge, a stern woman with zero tolerance for abusers, didn't hesitate.
"Mark Davis, you used your wealth and influence to terrorize your wife and corrupt this city. You are a predator," the judge declared. "I sentence you to forty-five years in federal prison, without the possibility of parole."
Forty-five years. It was a life sentence.
May you like
Mark collapsed into his chair, weeping openly as the US Marshals dragged him to his feet. He looked back at Sarah one last time, begging for a mercy he never showed her.
Sarah simply turned her back on him. The heavy oak doors closed, and the monster was finally gone.
