Chapter 9 - REED'S FIRST COURT APPEARANCE
Reed appeared in court wearing the same calm expression he used in interviews.
No silver watch.
No tailored jacket.
Just county-issued clothing and a defense attorney.
Maren watched remotely.
She was still recovering.
The prosecutor outlined preliminary evidence.
Known severe peanut allergy.
Emergency medication removed.
Contaminated meal.
Delayed emergency call plan.
Audio recordings.
Life insurance.
Financial transfers.
Reed’s attorney argued the recordings lacked full context.
Context again.
Maren almost smiled.
Then came bail.
The attorney requested release.
Strong community ties.
No prior convictions.
No flight history.
Then prosecutors disclosed one more fact.
Reed held a second passport.
Issued through another citizenship.
And a private aircraft reservation had been made for the following morning.
Destination.
Cayman Islands.
The reservation was under a shell-company account.
Reed’s face changed.
Bail was denied.
Maren turned off the screen.
She expected satisfaction.
Instead, she felt tired.
Evelyn asked.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Maren looked at her.
Evelyn smiled sadly.
“If you felt good watching the man you loved lose everything, I would worry.”
Maren looked toward the empty space beside her bed.
“I loved a person who may never have existed.”
“No.”
Evelyn said.
“He existed.”
“He also did terrible things.”
“Do not let his crimes steal your right to remember whatever parts were real.”
May you like
That was harder than hatred.
Maren suspected her mother knew that.
