Chapter 5 - The Bail Hearing
The county courthouse was packed with reporters by eight o'clock the next morning, alerted by the shocking arrest of one of the city's most prominent financial benefactors.
Clara sat in the second row of the courtroom, flanked by Viktor on her right and her younger sister, Sophie, who had flown in on the first morning flight from Chicago.
Sophie, a cybersecurity analyst with sharp eyes and a fiercer temper, held Clara’s hand with a grip that refused to let go.
"If he looks at you, I'm going to throw this oak bench at his head," Sophie muttered under her breath.
"Focus on the judge," Viktor whispered back, his eyes fixed on the door where the bailiff was leading Julian into the courtroom.
Julian wore a navy prison jumpsuit, a stark contrast to his tailored suits, but his chin was raised in defiance as he surveyed the gallery.
When his gaze landed on Clara, his eyes narrowed, sending a familiar, cold shiver down her spine.
Judge Eleanor Vance—known for her no-nonsense rulings on violent offenders—adjusted her glasses and read the preliminary charge sheet.
"The state requests remand without bail, citing extreme flight risk and documented, repetitive physical danger to the victim and an unborn child," the prosecutor stated.
Arthur Vance stood immediately, gesturing toward Julian with open palms.
"Your Honor, Mr. Hartmann is a respected community pillar with extensive local ties and no prior criminal history," the defense argued.
"We request bail be set at two hundred thousand dollars with electronic home monitoring."
Judge Vance looked down at the tablet provided by Detective Keller, watching five seconds of the bedroom footage before turning her screen face down.
"Mr. Vance, I have presided over this court for fifteen years, and this is one of the most calculated displays of domestic brutality I have ever seen," the judge said coldly.
"Your client's community standing only proves he is skilled at deception."
Julian’s hands twitched against the defense table as the judge raised her gavel.
"Bail is denied," Judge Vance declared, the sound of the gavel echoing like thunder.
"The defendant will remain in county custody pending trial, and a permanent, zero-contact protective order is effective immediately."
As the bailiffs grabbed Julian’s arms to lead him back to the holding cells, he twisted his head toward the gallery.
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"You can't hide from me, Clara!" Julian snarled, his polished mask finally shattering into rage. "That house is mine! That baby is mine!"
Viktor stood up slowly, blocking Julian's line of sight with his broad, uniform-hardened frame until the metal doors slammed shut.
