'Black and White' - The White Bridge Crime Series 2 - LGBT, manXman

Epilogue

Eli reached blindly for Rex's warm hand as the jury started filing back into the room.

Tyler Dougherty was sat beside his lawyer, looking pale and clammy. Almost as ill as Eli felt, in fact.

"They've only been gone three hours," Eli whispered to Rex. His voice was shaking. "How can they have decided already?"

"I don't know. But it looks like they have." Rex squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"What if-"

"Walk before you run, rabbit," Rex said calmly.

Eli exhaled heavily and clung to Rex's hand as though it were a lifebelt.

The bailiff stood and spoke to the judge for a moment, before turning to the jury.

"Members of the jury, have you reached a decision upon which you are agreed?" The judge asked solemnly.

"We have."

The foreman of the jury, a short, skinny man who looked like a banker or an insurance salesman, was on his feet, looking serious.

"The defendant will rise." The judge ordered.

Dougherty got to his feet. He had regained some of his composure, and was glaring at the jury foreman.

"For the six charges of the murder, how do you find?" The bailiff asked.

"We find the defendant guilty on all counts." The foreman replied.

Eli took a deep, shuddering breath.

"For the charge of the sexual assault of Eli Shan, how do you find?"

Eli squeezed Rex's hand so hard Rex couldn't feel his fingers.

"We find the defendant guilty."

"For the charge of the attempted murder of Eli Shan, how do you find?"

"We find the defendant guilty."

The foreman sat down again.

"Your honour," the lawyer got quickly to his feet. "Might we hear the individual verdicts?"

The judge nodded, and one by one, the jury rose and all pronounced a guilty verdict for all the counts.

The lawyer sat back down beside Dougherty, looking defeated.

"A verdict of guilty has been given for all of the charges laid against the defendant." The judge said formally. "I now pass this trial along to the sentencing judge, who will decide upon the sentence to be served in three weeks. I will also pass along my recommendations that you, Mr Dougherty, feel the full extent of the law upon your sentencing. You shall be behind bars for as long as we can legally allow it, for these heinous crimes. You have shown no remorse for doing what you did, and I can only hope that your victims and their families can take some comfort from knowing that you will be a very old man when, and indeed, if, you are ever released from Her Majesty's custody."

The judge rose and left the courtroom, leaving Tyler Dougherty to be taken away by two burly court officers.

Eli sagged in his chair, feeling his entire body relax completely for the first time in many, many months.

"It's over." He whispered. "It's finally over."

"It is." Rex kissed his hand gently.

When Eli looked up at him, he saw there were tears in the smaller man's eyes.

"Thank you," Eli said, wrapping his arms around Rex's neck and hugging him tight. "Thank you for getting me through this. You've been so good to me."

"All in a day's work, rabbit," Rex said lightly, returning Eli's hug.

When he drew away, however, his face was serious.

"Now... Dom and Adrian, in their usual form, have dinner and drinks waiting. Would you care to join me in getting thoroughly drunk?"

Eli managed a shaky laugh, and got to his feet.

The courtroom was slowly emptying around them.

"Let's go out the back way. I don't want to talk to the journalists."

Rex nodded and led Eli through the back corridors of the courthouse and out through a side door.

They got into their car and drove over to The Dinner Table.

Eli was silent as they drove, until they parked in front of the restaurant.

"It's funny, isn't it?" He said suddenly.

"What is?"

"How... the worst thing a person can go through, can actually lead them to the best thing."

Eli smiled at Rex.

"I can wish all I want that I was never attacked... but it led me to you. In some ways, I feel like I should almost be thankful to Dougherty. He brought us together."

Rex nodded slowly.

"I guess you're one of the family now, rabbit," he said, looping his arm around Eli's waist and kissing him.

"One of the family..." Eli said slowly. "I like the sound of that."

~ The End ~