The Delinquent - Chapter 19

Max smiled softly at her when she took the stand. “You look a bit nervous. Don't be. Just yes or no answers unless I asked for an explanation. You're Carly Wright and you are the best friend of Savannah Striker. Correct?”

“Yes Sir.” She patted her perfect hair down.

“And you gave a statement to the police officers, and I'd like you to confirm that this is your statement, and I'd like you to read the first highlighted section.” He passed a copy of her statement across to her.

“Yes this is mine.” She cleared her throat. “I jumped in the pool and swam around for a bit, and then Savannah and I went upstairs to dry off and get dressed. We were in the main bedroom. Savannah searched the room for a hairdryer for me but we couldn't find one.”

Max smiled. “So Savannah was hunting around the room for you. Going through all the cupboards and drawers and such.”

“Yes Sir. I'm very particular about my hair.”

“I can see that. Can you explain why?”

“I have weak lungs sir. I get sick very easily if I go outside with it wet.”

“Savannah knew this and was trying to help you by searching for a hairdryer.”

“Yes Sir.”

Max nodded at her, encouraging her on. “And can you read the next highlighted section?”

“And then Chad came and joined us and then we left because my dad said he was on his way to fetch us.”

Max retrieved the statement from her, giving her a subtle nod. “But that's not exactly true, is it Miss Wright? Chad indeed joined you, but you left, leaving them alone, isn't it? To find a hairdryer in another room.”

Carly immediately had tears in her eyes. “Yes Sir.” Her voice was shaky and full of emotion. The woman was a born actress, Savannah thought proudly.

“Can you tell me, why a respectable young lady such as yourself would lie in an official statement to the police?”

Carly wiped a tear out of her eye. “Because I didn't want to get my best friend into trouble. She and Chad were becoming an item, but I knew her mom wouldn't approve. So I gave them some privacy, and then I lied and said we were all together in the room. I didn't want Savannah to get in trouble with her mom.” She wiped another tear away. “I'm really sorry!”

Max excused her from the stand and passed her a tissue as she past him by. He called Savannah to the stand and wasted no formalities with her either. “I'm not going to give you your statement to read out. It says the same thing. But you lied too, didn't you?

“Yes Sir. I lied.” Savannah looked at Chad, who had an unreadable expression on his face. He looked confused and angry, but proud and tender at the same time. She couldn't make sense of it.

“You lied to keep out of trouble with your mom. Care to explain why?”

“Chad Denver is a Ward of The State and my mom is looking after him as a temporary arrangement. He was living in our house and if it came out that we were involved together, then my mom could have gotten into a lot of trouble. I didn't want my mom to suffer because of my behaviour.” Savannah added, feeling too ashamed to even look at her mom.

“So you're an item, you and Chad?” Max asked.

“Yes.” She replied simply. Chad smiled at her in response. They'd never actually gotten around to identifying themselves as a couple. It had been one evening of activity and thereafter only moments of understanding and compassion. But from the look on his face, he felt the same as she did.

“Wonderful. Step down Savannah. Chad, would you please take the stand for the yourself?”

Savannah stepped down from the stand and was escorted back to her seat, relieved to be out of the limelight. The judge however was beginning to look very bored and yawned loudly. “Nearly done, your Honour. Promise.” Max said brightly before turning to Chad and smiling while doing his introductory greetings. “Formalities aside, you're a convicted criminal. Served numerous stints in Juvie and have been link and not convicted of several others. You and your brother together. Correct?”

“Yes Sir.”

“So if a crime happens anywhere in the city, and you're near enough to the site, you often get stopped.”

“Yes Sir. Happens all the time.”

“You were arrested once for a mugging. A mugging whereby it was later proved that you didn't commit. But you served six months for it before being cleared of the charges, simply because you were picked up a few blocks away from the incident and were wearing similar clothes to the attackers.” Next to Savannah, both Kat and Andrew sighed angrily, clearly remembering the incident.

“Yes Sir.” Chad replied. “I was arrested on suspicion. Never even given a chance to prove it wasn't me.”

“Do you often get accused of crimes you didn't commit?” Max asked.

“All the time.” Chad answered honestly. “Sometimes it's easier just to blame the kid from Juvie than to find out the truth. It barely bothers me anymore. I'm used to it. Always guilty.” He shrugged to show his indifference.

Max nodded sympathetically. “Now things are a bit different in this case, aren't they? Because you weren't accused. Your girlfriend's fingerprints were found all over the room. Not yours.” Max pointed out. “Not one fingerprint of your own was found. But Savannah, well, her are all over the place. And now Chad, knowing the law like you do, what would happen to Savannah if she were arrested in connection to the crime?”

“First offence, best case scenario, a suspended sentence and a criminal record.” Chad said knowingly, through gritted teeth. “Worst case up to five years in jail.”

Max smiled knowing he had done the right thing by not telling Chad what his plan was regarding his line of questioning. as his reactions to the questions were sincere and genuine. And that made it all the more convincing. “And you weren't about to let that happen, were you?”

“Hell no.” Chad said angrily.

“Because you've been to jail. You've slept in those cells. You're not going to allow someone you love get thrown in jail, are you?”

“Like I said. Hell no.” Chad folded his arms across his chest. “Where you going with this? I said I did it, so just leave her the hell alone already. I'm the one you want.”

Max shrugged. “You could be just covering up for her. I mean, we've got no proof that what they said about looking for a hairdryer is true. Savannah could have been searching for things to steal....”

“You leave her the hell alone!” Chad yelled, point his finger at Max. “Any of you put a hand on her and they'll lose their hand!”

Savannah's heart jumped at him fierce outburst and Max stepped back, his hands raised in mock submission, giving the judge a knowing look, which the judge returned with a raised eyebrow. “No further questions for this witness. Final witness is the accused's brother, Andrew Denver.”