Chapter 8 - The Arraignment
Three days later, I was discharged from the hospital.
I did not go back to the Hamilton estate. I went to a high-security gated community where Marcus had arranged a rental property for me and the children. We had private security.
Daniel and Lorraine were formally arraigned the following morning.
I attended the hearing via a secure video link from my new living room, sitting on the couch with Rebecca tucked tightly against my side. Ethan was sleeping in a bassinet nearby.
The screen showed the sterile, wood-paneled courtroom.
Daniel looked atrocious. He was in a standard orange county jumpsuit. His hair was greasy and unkempt. The arrogant sneer was gone, replaced by the terrified realization that his money and his name could no longer protect him.
Lorraine stood beside him, also in orange. She held her head high, clinging to the last shreds of her dignity, but her hands were trembling in their cuffs.
The judge, a stern-faced man who looked entirely unimpressed by the Hamilton name, read the charges.
"Daniel Hamilton and Lorraine Hamilton, you are charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, forgery of medical documents, fraud, and child endangerment."
Daniel’s high-priced defense attorney stood up. "Your Honor, we request bail. My clients are prominent members of this community. They are not flight risks."
The prosecutor stood up immediately. "Your Honor, the state vehemently opposes bail. We have evidence that Mrs. Hamilton possesses offshore accounts and multiple foreign passports. Furthermore, Daniel Hamilton is facing extreme financial distress and has every motive to flee the jurisdiction to avoid both criminal prosecution and civil debt collection. They are a danger to the victims."
The judge didn't even hesitate. "Given the severity of the charges and the premeditated nature of the crime, bail is denied. The defendants will be remanded to county custody pending trial."
Daniel’s knees literally buckled. He grabbed the edge of the defense table, looking wildly at the camera, knowing I was watching.
"Eleanor!" he screamed in the courtroom. "Eleanor, please! I’m sorry! I’ll give you everything!"
The bailiff grabbed him by the arms, dragging him backward. Lorraine merely closed her eyes, finally defeated.
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I reached out and clicked the laptop shut, cutting off his pathetic screams.
The silence in my living room was peaceful.
