Chapter Sixty Five

Stephen

The day after my wife’s hearing and dismissal, we’d gone to Clint and Mia’s to pick up our kids. We’d spent some time discussing what was next. So, when Benji and Lachie called me the next day, asking me to meet them without Trinity, I was nervous and unsure of what to expect.

The worst part was that they’d put me in a position where I had to either lie to my wife or leave out part of the truth. We’d promised never to do that again. So, I decided to be honest with her, knowing she’d be worried. I wanted to talk it through with her before I left.

Once the kids were settled in the living room, I sat my wife down in the dining room and explained that they’d called and asked me to meet them alone. What I loved most about my wife was her pragmatism. Even when I expected her to rant or worry, she always calmed my nerves.

So, I shouldn’t have been surprised when she took it well. She reminded me that we’d all been defendants in this case at some point. They were probably trying to avoid a situation where the prosecution could argue we’d been colluding after her dismissal.

Every time I found myself faltering, this woman gave me the strength to keep fighting. She pulled me from the depths of self-destruction and continued to hold me up, even in her darkest moments. She reminded me every second why I kept fighting. I kissed my wife and kids goodbye as I grabbed my keys and headed out to meet Benji and Lachie.

We were meeting at Benji’s safe house because they were still trying to keep it low-key that Maddie was in witness protection and still very much alive. So, when I arrived and knocked before heading in, I was surprised to see Clint and Mia already sitting there.

“Springing a surprise on me, Benj?” I asked.

“Haha, no mate. We needed to talk to you three about your upcoming trials,” Benji replied.

“I figured given the gravity of the discussion, and being that it affects all three of you, you should all be here to make an informed decision,” Lachie added.

“Okay,” I said, taking a seat at the table. I gave Mia a quick kiss on the cheek and patted Clint on the back.

“You want a drink, mate?” Benji asked.

“I wouldn’t say no to a coffee,” I replied.

“I’ll get it. You guys start. Anyone else want one?” Maddie offered.

Everyone said yes before we turned to Lachie and Benji, waiting for them to start.

“Okay, so we all understand based on the previous situation you had all plead guilty to the shooting, which clearly isn’t possible, thus leaving the Prosecution scrambling to identify the true shooter,” Lachie began.

We all nodded.

“Now I need you to clearly understand the ramifications of Trinity’s verdict here before you jump down my throat when I proceed. Yes, I predominantly mean you, Stephen,” Lachie continued.

“Okay,” I said. I’d decided earlier to hear everything and process it before reacting, a trait my wife was better at than me. She was good at listening, processing, and then compromising. It was something I should have learned from her, but I was still learning from her every day, if I’m honest.

“As long as Trinity is declared in a court of law legally unfit to assist in her own defense—”

“Which she was, to be clear,” Benji interjected.

“Of course, she has now been found Not Guilty,” Lachie continued.

“This means, she has been tried in a court of law for the crime,” Benji added.

“She cannot be retried,” Lachie said.

“Ever?” I asked.

“No. It would fall under Double Jeopardy. You cannot be retried for a crime you have already stood trial for,” Benji explained.

“So, she is free? This is over for her?” I asked.

“Yes, Stephen, this is over for her,” Benji confirmed.

“Really? You aren’t messing with me right now, are you, Benji?” I asked.

“I promise you, Bro, she is free from this,” Benji assured me.

Before I could control it, I felt the tears start rolling. I was aware of Clint reaching out and pulling me into a hug. Clint knew the only other time I’d cried like this was the night I thought I’d lost Trinity forever. The night she found out about who I was and my world nearly crumbled. Now, I felt like I might finally be getting the chance to have the life with her I’d promised her.

Once I composed myself, I apologized to everyone. Maddie brought out the coffees, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and a squeeze on the shoulder. I thanked her.

“I needed you to clearly understand that before we proceed to the next part,” Lachie said.

“Okay, I understand,” I said.

“We all do,” Clint added.

“Good, because now we come to your testimonies on trial,” Benji said.

“You will be asked on the stand who shot Mike Suarez, alias of Daniel Rodriguez,” Lachie said.

“I know in the past we had all agreed that you would all say I did and make them do the work, but that plan has now changed in light of these new developments. And I have already brought Arlo up to speed on it and he is getting everything ready,” Benji explained.

“Okay, and the new plan is?” I asked.

“You will all answer Trinity did,” Benji said.

“I don’t know, man, I really don’t feel comfortable about this,” Clint said.

“What do you need from me to prove to you one hundred percent this is foolproof and your most successful chance so we can proceed to the trial of taking these corrupt fuckers down?” Lachie asked.

“Nothing,” I said.

“Nothing? Are you saying you are okay with this, Stephen?” Benji asked.

“Yes. Trinity and I have spent extensive time in the past looking into everything so we could have a better understanding of what was going on also when we had difficulty processing it all. And I know my wife, I know what she would say right now,” I said.

“She would tell us to do it,” Mia said.

“Family. One in, all in,” Clint added.

“Exactly. So if this is the play, Lachie and Benji, this is what we do,” I said.

“Thanks, Bro,” Benji said.

“I know you, man, and if you say this is it, this is it,” I said.

“Good, then that brings me to the final point of the day,” Lachie said.

“What’s that?” Clint asked.

“Your trials commence next week,” Lachie said.