Chapter 8 - The Criminal Charges
The criminal justice system moves slowly, but when you have undeniable video evidence, full confessions, and the backing of a pissed-off federal agency, things speed up considerably.
The District Attorney was ruthless.
Chloe Vale was charged with three counts of felony child abuse, false imprisonment, and assault with a deadly weapon (the stiletto heel).
Julian Mercer was charged with felony child endangerment, criminal negligence, violating a protective order, and breaking and entering.
Because Julian had no money left to make bail, he sat in county lockup for six months awaiting trial. The stress stripped away his handsome exterior. His hair thinned. He lost weight. He looked exactly like what he was: a weak man who had let a monster into his home because of his own vanity.
During those six months, I focused entirely on Maya.
I took an indefinite leave of absence from active field duty, transferring to an instructor role at the academy. It meant a pay cut, but the trust fund meant we never had to worry about money. We spent our days doing art therapy, taking long walks by the sound, and baking.
May you like
I fired the entire household staff that had been present during Julian's reign. Anyone who had turned a blind eye to my daughter's suffering was gone. I hired a specialized trauma nanny and brought in a golden retriever puppy.
Slowly, the light returned to Maya’s eyes.
