Chapter 14 - The Final Verdict
The following morning, the courtroom was packed to absolute maximum capacity.
The security around Cook County Courthouse had quadrupled overnight following Harrison Croft’s attempted hit from prison. Federal agents sat in every row of the gallery.
Judge Reyes took his seat at the bench. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"
The jury foreman, a tall man with a stern expression, stood up. "We have, Your Honor."
Madison Cole stared straight ahead, her face completely drained of color. Caleb Westwood sat beside his counsel, tears rolling down his pale cheeks.
"In the charge of First-Degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder in the death of Claire Westwood, how do you find the defendant, Madison Cole?"
"Guilty," the foreman announced clearly.
A collective gasp echoed across the gallery.
"In the charge of Grand Embezzlement and Corporate Fraud, how do you find the defendant, Madison Cole?"
"Guilty."
"In the charge of Subornation of Perjury and Solicitous Homicide, how do you find the defendant, Caleb Westwood?"
"Guilty."
Madison suddenly shrieked, slamming her cuffed hands against the wooden desk. "No! No! Caleb did it! Caleb paid the mechanic! You can't do this to me!"
"Order in the court!" Judge Reyes slammed his gavel down repeatedly. "Remove the defendants!"
"Adrian! Help me!" Caleb sobbed frantically as two heavy security officers grabbed him by the arms, dragging him away from the defense table. "Adrian! I'm your brother! Don't let them take me!"
Adrian stood in the front row, his posture straight, his expression calm and unyielding. He watched as his brother—the man who had helped murder his wife for gambling debts—was dragged out through the heavy steel doors.
He turned his gaze toward Margaret Westwood in the gallery.
Margaret was staring at her son in absolute shock. The Westwood family name—the untouchable empire she had spent her entire life building— lay completely ruined in front of the world press.
She reached out a trembling hand toward Adrian as he walked down the aisle toward the exit. "Adrian... please... he's your brother..."
Adrian stopped beside her row. He looked down at his mother with cold pity.
May you like
"You traded Claire's life to save your reputation, Mother," Adrian said softly, his voice loud enough for the nearby reporters to hear. "Now you have neither."
Without another word, Adrian turned his back on her and walked out of the courtroom into the bright winter sunlight.
