Chapter 18: The Plea Deal
Chapter 18: The Plea Deal
The ink on the federal plea agreement was barely dry when Julian’s defense attorney, Harrison Croft, requested an emergency private conference with Eleanor Vance outside the courtroom. Julian was trapped in a legal vice from which there was no escape. The criminal indictments carried a cumulative sentence of nearly twenty years, and his personal accounts had been entirely frozen by court order.
Croft approached Eleanor in the marble-lined hallway of the federal courthouse, his usual swagger completely replaced by desperate compliance.
"Ms. Vance," Croft began, lowering his voice as he clasped his hands together. "We’ve reviewed the government's sentencing memoranda. Under the terms of the plea deal, Julian is prepared to surrender every remaining dollar of his personal assets to satisfy the civil judgment and government restitution."
Eleanor adjusted the lapel of her jacket, looking down at the harried lawyer with cold amusement. "His assets already belong to the court, Mr. Croft. He has nothing left to bargain with."
"He has one thing left," Croft countered quickly. "His pride. Or whatever is left of it. Julian will sign over his remaining equity, surrender his real estate holdings, and accept a blanket ten-year federal sentence without appeal. But he has one non-negotiable condition for the civil settlement."
"Mr. Pierce is in no position to dictate conditions," Eleanor said flatly.
"It’s not for him," Croft clarified. "It’s for the public record. He wants to settle the civil defamation suit completely out of court, but in exchange, you require only one thing: a recorded, unedited video apology. A public confession admitting that he broke the champagne tower, that he lied to protect his ego, and that he deliberately tried to scapegoat an innocent seven-year-old child."
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Eleanor paused. She thought of Lily, who had long since returned to her normal routine of schoolwork and drawing, but whose initial terror remained a quiet catalyst for justice.
"Tell Mr. Pierce he will record that video from a holding cell," Eleanor replied, her voice dropping into an absolute register. "And every single word of his confession must be broadcast unedited. Only then will I sign off on the civil settlement."
