In the belly of the detention center in New Castle, Vichy looked down at the bay of glass walls and telephones. “Entrepreneur Paul” Atkinson had been recused from the case. He picked up the receiver on the other side of the glass.
“What is it this time, Cal’? You ran out of money so you sold a cache of machine guns to a state policeman?”
Vichy looked down and up. “You’ve gotta believe me, Paul, I know for a fact that I’m not guilty of what they say I did.”
“The prosecution is saying otherwise. They could put you away for 30 years.”
Vichy looked down again. Broken and still fighting somehow, his brother just peered at lost potential.
“Whatever happens, we will always share the same mother.”
Vichy raised his head and smiled. “How is mama?”
“She’s in a home. She doesn’t even know who she is anymore.” Vichy’s head dropped again.
Atkinson cleared his throat. “You may have wanted to see her sometime, but that seems nearly impossible, now.”
Vichy squirmed, his mind functioning like a high performance vehicle with no wheels attached to it; he possessed a powerful engine with means to go anywhere.
“I can tell you this. You’ve got a strong defense team. Lean on them and they might be able to give you a few breaks,” Atkinson mentioned. He almost muttered it but he instead spoke as clear as spring water.
“I think if I just keep going with the way I stated in my not guilty plea….”
“They’ve got the evidence. They know it was you, Callman. Just stick with your team. There are no bodies. No one was hurt. You may get a reduced sentence. Don’t forget about time already served appeals. Hell, you might even get a pardon.”
Callman brightened some.
About the Creator
Skyler Saunders
I will be publishing a story every Tuesday. Make sure you read the exclusive content each week to further understand the stories.
In order to read these exclusive stories, become a paid subscriber of mine today! Thanks….
S.S.
Keep reading
More stories from Skyler Saunders and writers in Chapters and other communities.
The Weight of Witnessing: What Elizabeth Smart Taught Me About Survival
When I first saw Elizabeth Smart speak publicly years after her kidnapping, my reaction was complicated. I remember expecting to see the story I’d absorbed through news coverage—a headline made human. Instead, what I encountered was something rawer and more intelligent: a young woman who refused to let the worst thing that had happened to her define her entirely. It wasn’t bravery in the cinematic sense. It was measured, articulate defiance—a clarity that cut through the media static that had always circled her name.
By Trend Vantage2 days ago in Chapters
Comments (1)
A tense and emotional chapter - Callman’s inner turmoil is so vividly captured. That final flicker of hope makes you wonder if redemption is still possible