The Judge

“Want McDonald’s?”

“Not this time, let’s go to a French restaurant, like Jacque in ze Box.”

She actually found a French restaurant, not Jacque in ze Box, where we had a dreamy lunch sitting next to each other, thighs

touching. After lunch I had her drive me to a good jewelry store where I had her pick out the ring she wanted for an

engagement ring. She chose one moderate in price but one she said she loved. From there, when we got back in the car,

Vivian drove out towards her house but continued on past the usual turnoff.

“Now, I’m really getting curious. Are you taking me to a house that you want to buy for me?”

“Something like that.”

A few miles further on she turned onto a side road and drove about a mile to a small cottage on a lake.

“I have the key and this is ours for the weekend if we want to use it.”

“Whew! Does your mother know?”

“She got the key for me. It belongs to her brother, who rarely uses it. She told my dad we needed some time alone and he

didn’t object. He even said, ‘I suppose it’s time for them to get better acquainted.’ So you see, he’s under-standing too.”

When we went inside I was impressed. On the outside it looked like an ordinary summer cottage. The inside, though small,

had many good features. There was a fairly large living room, fully equipped with all the modern electronic toys now on the

market. Also, a well furnished kitchen, a bedroom and a loft, with a stairway leading to it. Vivian said there was room to sleep

six, if they were friendly.

“Is this where we are we going to set up housekeeping?” I asked.

“This is where I’m going to seduce you,” she replied, and then turned very red in the face.

“I didn’t intend it to come out quite like that,” she said and threw her arms around me. “Oh, Charlie, I love you so much. I’d like

to make love, right now.”

I showed her the box of condoms and joked, “I came prepared.”

She gave me another one of those looks and replied, “Do you think we’ll use that many?”

Still joking I parried with, “Not tonight, perhaps tomorrow.”

“Charlie,” she stretched out my name so it sounded like ‘Charleeee.’ “Let’s go to bed.”

“I’m sorry, I was teasing you. Let’s go.” We went into the bedroom and tore off each other’s clothes off. She gasped at my

erection and I gasped again at her breathtaking body.

We lay on the bed, “I’m prepared too; I have my diaphragm in place. Show me what a condom looks like, I’ve never seen

one.”

I got one out of the box and, in a raspy voice, said, “You can put it on me, if you like.”

She turned red again but managed to roll it on without any problem.

The love making was superb. I tried being gentle as I knew she was still virginal but Vivian wanted none of the gentleness.

She wanted me right now and I gloried in her wildness.

We fell asleep still coupled but I woke with a start a few minutes later remembering that condoms sometimes had a way of

sliding off. Vivian lay there sleeping, with a happy smile on her face. I kissed each of her breasts and pulled a sheet over her.

I pulled on my pants and while she slept explored the house. The refrigerator was well stocked, including a few bottles of wine

and an assortment of food that would last several days.

In about an hour I heard her stirring in the bedroom and shortly she came out yawning, with an almost transparent chemise

almost covering her. I pulled her to me and murmured, “God, you’re beautiful.” I opened her robe and planted another kiss on

each breast.

Vivian gasped and whispered in my ear, “I love you, Charlie Ashton.”

“Would you like a glass of wine to celebrate the occasion?”

“I would love that,” she replied.

I sat her on the sofa and opened a wine bottle, noting that it had a label that said, ‘Happy Virgin Winery.’

“Is this for real?” I asked. “Or did you make a new label for the bottle?”

She laughed and then answered, “It’s for real; I saw a commercial on TV and tracked down a local dealer.”

“Let’s see if it’s as good a happy virgin as you are; were", I corrected.

She laughed again and said, “I’m a very happy ex-virgin.”

The wine wasn’t bad; it had a light fruity taste. I would have preferred a little more body, but considering the occasion, it didn’t

matter.

I sat on the sofa next to Vivian, put my arm around her and pulled her to me.

“You’re a happy ex-virgin are you?”

“Mmm,” she said and kissed me passionately.

I looked out the window and said, “That lake looks good for swimming, but I didn’t bring my swimsuit.”

“We’re not going skinny-dipping now,” she replied. “There are too many people out there even if it is Friday.”

“Let’s hope the people and the mosquitoes have gone to bed by the time it gets dark.”

Early that evening I prepared steaks on the barbecue while Vivian baked potatoes in the microwave and made a salad. We

topped the meal off with another glass of wine from the ‘Happy Virgin’ bottle on which I had scrawled an ‘ex’ in front of

‘Virgin.’

When Vivian noticed it she said, “Charlie, I love your weird sense of humor.”

“Love me, love my weird sense of humor,” I retorted.

After dinner we sat on a swing on the porch, holding hands, no mosquitoes.

“That’s encouraging,” I said. “Maybe we’ll be able to go in the water, after all.”

“Let’s hope nobody here has night glasses,” she replied. “Many of the people here know my family.”

While sitting there Vivian began humming a tune which I tried to recognize, but couldn’t. “What are you humming?” I asked.

“It’s from ‘The Music Man,’ it’s called, ‘Till There Was You.’ The words begin, ‘There were bells all around, but I never heard

them ringing, no I never heard them at all, till there was you.’ That’s the way I feel all the time I’m with you.”

We kissed and then decided to try the skinny-dipping as it was dark and there was no moon, as yet.

As we expected, the water was cold and made us shiver. After five minutes we called it quits. We showered together and

went to bed early, where we made love in a slow, rhapsodic rhythm.

Saturday morning we drove to Vivian’s house where her family had planned a family barbecue so I could be introduced to

other family members who were coming from several different areas for the occasion. Of course, Vivian had to show off her

ring.

People began arriving about noon, the arrivals continuing to about 1:30 P.M. I was introduced to each family member when

he or she arrived. In all there were 11 adults and 4 children. One of the men was Vivian’s uncle, the one who owned the

cottage Vivian and I were using. Also present was her maternal grandmother, Marion Reed, who was 75 years old and

widowed.

She was very frank. “So you are the young scoundrel who is trying to steal my granddaughter. Have you violated her yet?”

I felt like I had been ambushed, but I tempered my response. “I love your granddaughter very much, Mrs. Reed, and I will never

violate her.”

“Well, you’re outspoken, anyway.”

“All I can say is what I’ve already said; I’m very much in love with Vivian and want her to be my wife more than anything I’ve

ever wanted.”

“You sound sincere. I think you will take good care of her.” Here, she kissed me on the cheek.

The other relatives were open and friendly, but didn’t get into a prolonged conversation with me. They talked more with Vivian

as some of them had not seen her for some time.

For the barbecue we gathered in the back yard at 2 o’clock and sat around tables previously set. At about 4 we were asked

to take our folding chairs to the music room as Vivian was going to play for us.

Vivian had me put my chair next to the piano facing the other family members. This way, she said, she would be able to look

into my eyes as all the music she was going to play was for me. “I’m going to sit Grandma next to you so she can see the love

in my eyes as I look at you.”

When she sat at the piano she went right into a medley of romantic show tunes, smiling at me throughout the performance. As

she played the last two numbers she sang the words, in a voice as good as her piano playing. The songs were: ‘People Will

Say We’re In Love’ and ‘They Say That Falling In Love Is Wonderful.’

Everyone was mesmerized and looked at me in a way that showed they thought me a lucky guy. Of course, I felt the same

way.

At about 11:30 the last visitor left and Vivian and I headed ‘home.’ When we arrived Vivian said, Can we just cuddle tonight?

I’m bushed.”

“It has been a long day, hasn’t it?” I replied.

She had her teeth brushed and was in bed before I made it to the bedroom.

“Do you always sleep in the nude?” I asked when I saw her naked body lying there, waiting for me.

“Only when I’m with you,” she replied, followed by a huge yawn. I crawled into bed with her and we immediately rolled into

each other’s arms.

Sunday morning we decided to go into town for breakfast and to find a sporting goods store where I could buy a swimsuit.

Vivian drove us to an IHOP where we both gorged ourselves on blueberry pancakes. We found a swimsuit for me and

returned to the cottage.

We sat on the porch for an hour or so, doing little talking, content to just be together. In mid-afternoon we went for a swim,

cavorting in the water for an hour before going inside to make love.

In the evening we watched TV for a while, talked about Vivian’s move to New York the next weekend. We made love again,

knowing it might be some time before it happened again.

Monday morning, Labor Day, we drove back to Vivian’s house to visit with the family before Vivian took me to the airport that

afternoon.

Mrs. Randolph, who asked me to call her Elizabeth, found time to talk to me alone and made the comment, “Whatever you

two have been up to it has Vivian glowing. I’ve never seen her so radiant. She’s no longer my little girl, she’s become a

woman.”

I blushed at this; Elizabeth put her hand on my arm and said, “I’m happy for both of you.”

It was a teary goodbye at the airport. Vivian again promised she would call me regularly, but probably not every night. “Mother

and I will work out an arrangement where we can get together after I get settled.”

I returned home to find a note from Judge Summers asking me to be ready to leave at 8 in the morning.

* * *

Court convened promptly at 10 on Tuesday, with the jury selection the first item on the agenda. Before selection began Judge

Summers gave strict instructions to both the prosecution and the defense that this was to be a no nonsense trial. “I will be

quick to cite contempt to anyone who exceeds the bounds that I require.” After this stern opening Judge Summers gave the

motion to proceed.

A panel of 20 prospective jurors was seated and the voir dire began. No objections were raised, no dismissals occurred

during the first six panelists. When the seventh person, a white man in his 40s was questioned, his answers were given in

such surly tone that it raised Judge Summers’ hackles.

“You will show more respect for the court,” the judge roared, “or I will hold you in contempt.”

At this the man sneered, causing the defense attorney to rise and say, “Your honor, as this man has so little respect for the

court, I ask that he be dismissed.”

The prosecutor agreed, which led to the only dismissal.

By this time, as it was nearly noon, Judge Summers called a break for lunch, with the court to reconvene at 1:30.

The afternoon went quickly so that, by 4 o’clock, twelve jurors and two alternates had been selected and the rest dismissed.

Wednesday morning Judge Summers gave instructions to the jury regarding the importance of paying close attention to the

evidence presented by both sides, to remain impartial, and to not discuss the proceedings with anyone, including other

jurors. “If there are any variations from this it might be necessary to sequester you, which I do not wish to do.”

Court was then adjourned for the day, with the trial proceedings to begin in the morning.

Thursday morning both the prosecutor, Sean Gallagher, and the defense attorney made their opening statements.

In his opening statement Gallagher thanked the jury for giving up time in their lives to see that justice was done. “That is what I

wish also. I want justice to be served by proving that the defendant, Vance Buckley, is found guilty of the dastardly crime of

murder. I believe I can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, through evidence provided by the police, and other investigators,

that Vance Buckley, on April 10th of this year, murdered his business partner. I trust you will wish to see justice done and find

him guilty.”

Craig Lewis, the defense attorney, followed with his opening statement: “Two statements have been made by the prosecutor

and by His Honor, Judge Summers, that should be defining statements in this trial.

“Judge Simmons gave directions to you members of the jury that you must listen carefully to every word in every statement

made. Our illustrious prosecutor made the statement that you have to be certain, beyond a reasonable doubt, that my client is

guilty, or you must render a verdict of not guilty. I hope to show you enough flaws in the evidence, as it is presented, so that

you will doubt the accuracy of the evidence.”

After recessing for lunch the prosecution witnesses began their testimony. This testimony, with cross examination by the

defense, continued through Tues-day, after recessing for the weekend.

Three witnesses were called by the prosecution. The first witness, Detective Samuel Green, testified that he and his partner

received a call from the dispatcher at 2:35 P.M. on April 10th to investigate a disturbance in an office building at 3226 South

Main Street. A person in an adjoining office had called it in, describing the disturbance as loud shouting that lasted

approximately 15 minutes.

When he arrived at the office he found the body of Gabriel Scott lying on the floor. He had been struck by a blunt instrument

that was not found at the scene but was found an hour later in a dumpster in a nearby garage. The weapon was a golf trophy

which had been awarded to the defendant Vance Buckley, the previous year.

A second witness, Ms. Barbara Wynton, a member of the police forensic team, testified that the only clear prints on the trophy

were recent ones placed there by the defendant.

The testimony of these two witnesses could not be shaken by the defense cross-examination.

A third prosecution witness, Donald Sawyer, was an accountant commissioned by the police to examine the bank records of

Buckley and Scott and to open up a secret file on Scott’s personal computer.

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