Judgment Prologue
PROLOGUE
Isla Perry walked into her great aunt’s darkened bedroom and pulled open the curtains to let in the warm glow of the late-day sun.
“It’s time to get up, lazy bones,” she said to Delta, whom she had taken care of for the past three years since the old woman had fallen frail. “You can’t sleep all afternoon, or you’ll never sleep tonight. And then you’ll be cranky.”
“I’m perfectly capable of being cranky after a full night’s rest,” she said in a soft, tinny voice. “I was just lying here in the dark, thinking about the war.”
“The war?” Isla asked.
Isla’s father’s aunt had somehow managed to outlive most of her family, including Isla’s own father, who had died when she was in her first year of college. The old woman was in her late eighties and had been born during World War II, but she had experienced many wars in her lifetime. Each one represented a different and specific time in her long life.
So, there was just one more question to ask her.
“Which war?”
“World War II,” Delta said. “I was raised in London during the blitz. The darkness in here just before you came in reminded me of the war.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand the parallel,” said Isla. “Do you mean it was a dark time?”
Aunt Delta sat up on the side of her bed and raked her long gray hair up in her clip. “I was only four when the war started. And when I was around six years old, we had to black out the house at night because of the threat of air raids. You couldn’t even strike a match in that kind of darkness without risking death. Even a small light could be seen from miles away.”
“You must have been terrified.”
Delta nodded. “We kids were all afraid, but my father really helped us understand. I remember him sitting us down and telling us that the dark would make us safe, and not to be afraid because he and my mother would still be there with us. No matter what. And so, growing up in the pitch dark made me feel comforted somehow.”
“Pitch darkness? Do you mean you couldn’t see anything?” Isla couldn’t imagine living like that. She always needed to know what was going on around her.
“Barely anything, and that’s only if your eyes adjusted. But we couldn’t light a candle or anything for fear that it would show, and that was with the blackout curtains.”
Isla shook her head. “What if you had to go to the bathroom?”
“We had chamber pots back then. No indoor plumbing where I lived.”
“No indoor plumbing at all?” Isla grimaced.
“It’s amazing what you can endure when the alternative is bombs dropping on your head.” Delta shrugged her thin shoulders. “Sometimes life will test you. You won’t want it and you won’t be ready for it but it will happen anyway. All you can do is try to make it through to the other side.”
“You survived well enough,” Isla said.
“I did my best.”
“I doubt I would have fared as well as you,” Isla said, leaning against the wall by the window. “I was always afraid of the dark as a kid. Even now in my twenties, I’m not a huge fan.”
Delta chuckled. “It wasn’t just me standing bravely against the Nazi bombs. My father’s presence made me feel safe. And when I find myself in the dark, I can pretend that he’s still just across the room, rolling a late-night cigarette that he won’t be allowed to light.”
“That’s sweet,” Isla said. “For the record, your presence makes me feel the same way. I’m lucky to know you. You’ve taught me so much.”
“Well, let’s hope I’m not going to be done teaching you anytime soon.” She almost sounded offended, as if Isla was suggesting she wouldn’t be around much longer. The truth was, with some of her family living into their hundreds, she wasn’t giving up on life before her time.
“Oh, I hope not.” Isla couldn’t imagine a world without her in it. There was a warmth to the woman that she had missed from her own mother, who had decided motherhood wasn’t for her. She had disappeared years ago and Isla had no idea where she was.
“Did you get the mail?” asked Aunt Delta, looking over at the table next to her chair.
“No, I’ll go right now. Maybe you’ll finally get your magazines today.”
Delta waved her hand dismissively. “If I don’t, I’m canceling those subscriptions. This is two weeks late at this point. Everything will be out of style, out of the news, and old hat by the time I get them. I don’t know why I bother.”
“Do you want me to get the mail before or after I help you into your chair?” Isla liked to help her as much as she could, even though the woman was still getting around fairly well for her age.
Delta held out a hand. “Help me up so I can go to the toilet. Then you can run and get it. I have a feeling I’m going to need a minute.” She reached for her crossword puzzle and pen. “I’m an eleven-letter word for clogged up.”
“Constipated?” Isla said, cracking a smile.
“There’s my clever girl.”
Delta wasn’t one to beat around the bush and was prone to telling it like it was. And Isla admired that about her.
She had offered her the opportunity to come and live with her and be a live-in assistant of sorts just out of college a few years ago. Even though Aunt Delta had a nurse who would come in now and then to check on her medically, Isla was her aunt’s caregiver and the only person she trusted with her personal affairs.
Among the usual duties of making sure she was fed and the mail wasn’t piling up outside the door, Isla cleaned the house, paid bills, and did anything that Delta needed her to do.
She helped Delta up and walked her to the restroom door. And when she made sure she was safe and situated, she went to go get the mail. “I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time.”
Isla stepped outside on the porch, feeling the cool March breeze blowing through her wavy brown hair, and spotted her neighbor, Desi Sawyer, arriving home from work in her little blue hybrid.
Isla waved to her and walked out to the mailbox.
Desi got out of her car, looking frazzled as usual, and called out to her. “Having a good one?” she asked, waving.
“Can’t complain. You?” Isla pulled out the stack of mail, including two of the long-awaited magazines, and tucked them under her arm. Aunt Delta would be pleased.
“I’m good,” said Desi, who met her on her way back to the porch. “How’s Delta? I’ve missed our morning coffees, but this is just such a busy time at work. People have been sick and I’m covering their listings.”
“Are you showing a lot of houses?”
“Too dang many, and doing open houses. Those are fun to set up, but I’ve done five this week with everyone out. And since I’m picking up the slack, I won’t even make a full commission.” Desi took a deep breath. “Sorry to dump all that on you. It’s just been a lot.”
“You’re nice to help out,” Isla said. “My aunt is good, by the way. She’ll be glad her magazines arrived.” She shifted the small stack of mail, and Desi, noticing it, made a face.
“Oh wow, is that for jury duty?” she asked, gesturing to the stack as she stepped closer.
Isla looked at the yellow notice. Printed in bold letters were the words Jury Summons. “Oh no, looks like it.” She hadn’t ever gotten one of those before.
“For you or Delta?” Desi asked as Isla flipped the notice over.
She read her name on the front label. “It’s for me.”
Desi grinned. “Well, you’re in luck. You take care of Delta for a living. That’s your out. You’re all set.”
“What do you mean?” Isla asked. “My out? People who work full-time do jury duty every day.”
“Right, but you can get excused if you have a good reason. Being a caregiver is an excusable reason. Call the office and talk to someone. You’ll be home free.” Her phone rang in her handbag. “Oh shoot. That’s my boss, Isla. I’ll catch up with you later.”
As Desi hurried away, Isla went into her aunt’s small wood-framed house and headed back to the bedroom, only to find Delta had already made her way across the hardwoods to her chair where she was changing channels on her big screen across the room.
“I would have helped you,” said Isla.
“I know. But I was done, and I wanted my chair.”
Isla frowned. “I would have hurried, but you said you needed a minute.”
“Yeah, it goes quick when nothing happens,” she said. “So, I got up and came back in here. It’s not like I ran or did flips on the way.”
“Are you alright, though?” she asked.
“Yeah, honey. I’m good. That happens at my age. Nothing ever works the way it should. You make sure to eat a lot of fiber in your diet. You’ll thank me when you’re my age.”
“I hope I make it to your age,” she said. “I’ll probably die of boredom by then.”
“You’ll be fine. You just need to get out more. You’ve barely learned your way around Daybrook.”
“I know my way around. This town is asleep at night.”
“Well, if you would go to church, you’d be in the loop,” Delta said. “It’s a social little town if you put yourself out there.”
“I will. In time. But church socials aren’t for me.” She went to her aunt’s church solely to take her. And the cliquish people she met there, she had no care for.
Delta shook her head. “That’s your loss. Now, hand me my mail. I can see my magazines finally came in. They must have heard me say I was going to cancel. If I had known that would work, I would have said it days ago.”
“You did say it days ago, Aunt Delta.” She hoped her memory wasn’t failing her. So far, she had been sharp as a tack.
“Yeah, you’re right. I did. I guess I don’t have that kind of power after all. Thanks for the reminder.”
Isla shook her head and smiled as she reached for the notice. “This one is mine. It’s a jury summons.”
Aunt Delta nodded. “Yeah, I’d recognize that anywhere. You’re very honored, I’m sure.” She gave her a sideward look. “Aren’t you?” She looked as if she expected her to be beaming with pride and happiness.
“Honored? I’m not even sure I’m going to do it.” Isla figured she’d call and get excused.
“Oh no, you don’t. Of course, you’re going. You know, I used to work in the courts as a clerk back in my thirties. That’s where I met Godfrey. He was an attorney and so dapper. He used to give me flirty looks during court. One day, he asked me to go out for coffee. I told him I’d take a milkshake instead. Turns out, he hated coffee, too. We hit it off after that.”
“But you do drink coffee, Aunt Delta.”
“Well, that came with age. Someone told me it would make me regular. Liars.”
“Well, you have a sweet story anyway. I just don’t know if it’s for me.”
“Coffee?” asked Delta, looking confused.
“No, jury duty.” Isla could tell the woman was messing with her.
“Sure, it is,” she said. “It’s your civic duty. Women in this state couldn’t serve on a jury until 1955. Don’t take that right for granted.”
“That can’t be right,” Isla said, furrowing her brow. “1955?”
“Crazy, isn’t it? I was older than you by the time it was legal for me to have a bank account.” Delta shook her head. “My point is, enjoy being able to participate in society like this. Most women haven’t had the same opportunity.”
“Well, when you put it like that, all my arguments just sound petty,” Isla said, her shoulders slumping.
“And you just might enjoy it,” Delta added. “You sure love watching trials with me and giving your opinions. It’s the same thing.”
“That’s way different.” Isla shook her head. “Those are interesting trials. It’s not boring local stuff like which cow crapped on the wrong side of the fence.”
Delta laughed. “Marcus and Henry are still arguing about that. But it didn’t actually make it to court.”
“I’m just saying, nothing interesting ever happens in Daybrook. I’m surprised they have anything to send to trial in the first place.” Isla picked listlessly at a loose thread on her jeans.
Daybrook was a small country town that had enough revivals through the years to keep it alive, and through that time, it had managed to keep its antiquated charm.
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Delta said, her eyes shining. “That really sad case is coming up. Maybe it’s that one.”
“Which sad one?” Isla asked, yanking at the thread.
“The nice young man who killed his wife.” Delta held up her palms. “Allegedly.”
“I haven’t heard about anything like that,” Isla said, looking horrified. “When was that? It must have been way before I was around.”
“Two or three years ago. That’s when you were still in school. I remember it happened back when you were just finishing up and taking your finals. I didn’t want to bother you with it. Such a tragedy.”
“Well, thank you for sparing me the gory details,” Isla said, nodding. “I was fighting like hell to finish up my degree.”
“A lot of good it did. You’re stuck working for an old gal like me.” Delta’s expression clouded over.
“I’m right where I’m supposed to be,” Isla said. “My degree isn’t going anywhere while I’m here.”
“And I won’t always be here. That’s for sure.” Aunt Delta let out a soft chuckle.
“So, what happened with this murder case?” Isla found herself curious.
“Oh no. I’m not telling you anything else, and don’t you try to find out. You might be called to that one. And I don’t want you to miss out because you know too much.”
“You’re no fun.”
“And stay off your phone,” Delta said. “You don’t want to have to recuse yourself. Then you’ll end up on some bull shit case, literally. You don’t want to miss out.”
“Miss out? You make it sound fun.” She couldn’t see it being that interesting.
But Aunt Delta had a different opinion. “It can be. When it’s a case that matters.”
“Well, I wouldn’t get too excited. I’ll get the boring case.”
“Well, we’ll see. Anyway, I think you should go. It’s a great honor to serve your community in that way.”
“Right,” she said. “Most people try to get out of it.”
“Well, you’re not most people, that’s for sure. You’re special, Isla. You should go.”
“But who will look after you? Desi said I could get out of it if I told them that I was a caregiver. That’s probably for the best.”
“You can get out of it,” she said. “But why would you? I don’t want to be your excuse to say no. Besides, you need to take a little break from this place and from me. I’ll have Mavis check in on me. It’s not for a long time. Maybe two weeks tops. Those trials don’t last forever.”
She held her tongue from saying neither do you and sighed. “Two weeks with Mavis, and you’ll be in quite the mood when I get back.”
“If it’s televised, I’m going to watch it, and we’ll have a lot to talk about when it’s over. Mavis won’t have to stay all night. Unless you’re sequestered, of course.”
“Sequestered?” Isla narrowed her eyes. “What does that mean?”
“They’ll make you stay in a hotel away from everyone.”
“Huh? They’ll make me?”
“Yes, the court orders you to be sequestered when there is a big trial. If they think the public attention could affect your deliberations. Anyway, I wouldn’t worry about that. It doesn’t happen that often.”
“But it does happen?”
“Sometimes. But again, not a big deal. Mavis would be glad to look after me.”
“And who is going to look after Mavis?” Isla asked. Mavis was in her late seventies and was one of her long-time friends from church.
“We’ll be fine. You know, back when I worked as a court clerk, I got to see all of the big trials.”
“I remember you telling me that’s why you watch so many trials now.”
“Well, being in the courtroom is much different than watching it on television. These old screens are fine, but you can’t really capture the feel of it all. This is life and death. The stakes are never higher for some people.”
“I’m not sure I’ll know what to do.”
“Sure, you will. You’ll have instructions, and the best advice I can give you is to listen to the evidence, take a few notes when you think something matters, and use your best judgment. But most of all, be fair and stick to your own beliefs. Don’t be swayed by others and what they think.”
“You’re talking as if I’m already chosen. They might not even pick me.”
“I don’t know,” she said, beaming ear to ear. “I think you’ll make a perfect juror. You’re going to love it.”
“I sure hope so,” she said.
