Chapter 14

CYNTHIA CORVILLE

Cynthia Corville hadn't sat down in hours. Maybe days. She wasn't quite sure at this point.

Between following the Trinity's trial and the media circus that went with it, Delta's removal from Waverwell government and the subsequent backlash from his lawyers, and Danzig's near-completion of a treatment for the disease but the rigorous testing it had to complete even expedited to the maximum, Cynthia wasn't entirely sure when the last time she slept was, and she certainly didn't know when she had last sat down.

Her feet ached as she walked down the hallway with Seven Valentine.

"Gabriella's working with lawyers," he said. "The defamation suit is likely going to trial. It's beyond just his removal from Waverwell government. I don't think this will settle out of court. A-although that's just my personal opinion."

Cynthia exhaled. "I doubt it will settle out of court either."

She didn't want it to go to trial. The outcome couldn't be controlled. Who knew which side a jury would listen to and believe?

"You... you did the right thing, you know," Seven said cautiously. He glanced up at her.

"I know," Cynthia replied. "I'm not questioning myself, and it's been a year. I'm just annoyed he's making this whole thing into a fight. I'm not surprised though."

Seven shrugged. "There are rumors going around on what happened in that room. It was only you and him and Gabriella Torres."

Cynthia paused for a moment. She wanted to make sure she chose her words right and didn't overstep her boundaries.

"What types of rumors?" Cynthia asked.

Seven chewed on his lip for a minute. "Rumors about what exactly happened. It's not exactly a secret you and Gabriella didn't get along with Delta. I firmly believe you were right, but I've heard a lot of chatter that perhaps it wasn't the case and there was some kind of set up or something."

Cynthia felt her expression flatten.

"Yes, it was only myself, Gabriella, and Delta in the meeting room when I removed Delta from his position in Waverwell government. It is true that Gabriella and I were not particularly close with Delta, but we had a work relationship and things remained professional and there were clear expectations on what's expected of a Waverwell government official. However, as for the story on what happened exactly, you would have to speak with Gabriella. It's not my story to tell. What I can say, though, is that Delta crossed lines with Gabriella, and I removed Delta from Waverwell government after asking about what happened."

"I don't doubt you," Seven said.

"I appreciate that."

When they reached the President's Room, Cynthia bid Seven a quick farewell. He returned it and left, leaving Cynthia standing in the doorway.

Once the door was closed, she leaned back against it, taking a deep breath. She gave herself a moment to breathe and let her thoughts settle so she could focus.

She had a few minutes before Gabriella was going to arrive. Cynthia had asked her to stop by.

Gabriella came to the President's Room wearing another of her dresses and matching heels. Ruffles lined her shoulders, and her dark hair curled in loose ringlets.

"Hello," Cynthia said as Gabriella closed the door behind her.

"Hello. I wish we could be meeting under better circumstances." Gabriella took a seat across from her. She looked tired.

"I do as well. How are you doing?"

Gabriella looked off to the side and sighed. "I'm handling it. Delta's reaction was to be expected. He doesn't like hearing no, but no is part of life. I'm just frustrated. I knew he would get angry, but I didn't expect him to lash out with a defamation lawsuit. I wish I could say I am surprised." She drummed her nails on the armrest of her chair. "Working with the lawyers helps, though. I'm working to do something about him, and I'm working toward an end goal."

"Charlotte said he's been targeting you on Muse."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Yes, he has."

"I can contact Muse to make them stop."

"I can as well, but it's just him digging himself a bigger grave and acting like a child. I can handle it, because it's more evidence against him."

Gabriella took a deep breath. "I can handle it."

Cynthia took a breath herself.

xxxx

Night fell sooner than Cynthia would've liked.

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The melting clock on the corner of her desk told her it was inching steadily closer to midnight, and exhaustion pulled on her eyelids.

Cynthia sighed. She wanted to reread through Danzig Sterling's reports on their research into the disease and the treatment they held cautious hope for to find all the details, but the words blurred as she read them and she couldn't focus.

She needed sleep and knew it.

Cynthia could return tomorrow. Then she could perhaps truly start to let herself imagine managing the distribution of the treatment Danzig was working on with their instructions and how that might play out. First, though, the treatment had to make it past testing.

Cynthia returned the reports back to their folder and set it aside. That folder, along with new ones, would be waiting for her in the morning.

She stood up and straightened out her desk so everything was in its place, then headed out of the President's Room and back to her bedroom.

The trip didn't take long, and when Cynthia entered she saw Charlotte seated up against the headboard of their bed, a book in her lap and the bedside lamp shining softly on her.

"Hey, Sin," Charlotte said. "Glad to see you here."

"Char," Cynthia replied, letting the door close shut behind her and crossing the room so she could place her hands on her wife's cheeks and pull her in for a kiss.

"It's late," Charlotte murmured. "Go get ready for bed. I'm ready to sleep and was just about to drag you from your office."

Cynthia laughed and made her way over to the closet. She made quick work of her bedtime routine, falling into habit and brushing her teeth before putting on pajamas. She buttoned up her pajama top, then joined Charlotte in bed. The two lay next to each other on their backs, and the city was silent.

It was the first time Cynthia felt she could maybe catch her breath and truly just stop for just a moment. She knew work waited for her and she knew the stack of folders on her desk would grow by the time she got up in the morning, but for now she let herself find Charlotte's hand under the covers.

Charlotte gave her hand a squeeze that she returned.

Cynthia took a deep breath, letting the air slowly fill her lungs, then exhaled just as slow.

"How is research going for Danzig?" Charlotte asked when they were both still wide awake after close to half an hour.

Cynthia rolled over, pillowing her cheek on her folded arm. "It's going well. Really well, I think. They're testing a potential treatment. It's giving mixed results, but Danzig says they're optimistic."

"I heard Freya Fisk was trying to get in contact with Danzig. Is that true?"

Cynthia frowned. She hadn't heard of that.

"I don't know," she replied. "I haven't heard anything about that."

Charlotte hummed, tracing a knuckle down Cynthia's cheek. "Maybe I'll hear something more in the morning. We'll see. Let's go to bed though, alright? I haven't been sleeping well, and I know you haven't either so don't try to tell me otherwise."

"Bossy, are we?" Cynthia chuckled.

"Go to sleep or I'm hogging all the blankets." Charlotte pressed a gentle kiss to Cynthia's mouth, running her fingers through her hair and tugging on the end of a lock. "Sleep, Sin. I know you need it."

"Goodnight, Char," Cynthia murmured.

xxxx

The Trinity's trial was going to take weeks.

Cynthia had guessed as much after getting an update on the trial from Seven.

The prosecution had mountains of evidence they were going to connect into a story for the jury that proved why Mayil, Brenley, and Ander were guilty of murdering Ashley Baok and Alaska Wendell March. The three defenses found the middle ground between saying their client was innocent because it was really the other two and also pinning Ashley's murder entirely on Chad and Lazarus. He had admitted to wanting Ashley dead and knew things only someone involved would know, and Lazarus was still missing. The Trinity had not admitted to anything and claimed their innocence in it all.

The same couldn't be done for Alaska's murder. Jason Starr had been arrested for hiring the Trinity, but he hadn't admitted to it and had been working during the time she had been killed, an alibi the Corville Precinct had thoroughly vetted.

Cynthia wanted to be there in the courtroom to watch. She wanted to see the trial for herself, but she couldn't.

She had other work that had to get done. She had done her part in the case against the Trinity; she had let Larson and everyone investigating have whatever they needed. There was nothing more she could do. She was not a detective, nor was she a lawyer. She didn't have a place in the courtroom, and she had other things that required her attention.

So instead, she focused her attention on what she could do. She could help keep Delta out of Waverwell government and do everything she could to ensure he could never hold any form of office again, she could make sure Danzig and the medical research team had everything they needed to put a stop to the disease, and she could stay updated on the trial.

In the end, Cynthia was right: The trial did take weeks.

Weeks of the prosecution calling witnesses to the stand, experts to tell the jury about the crime scene and the significance of every aspect and details they might otherwise overlook, family members like Kristin to tell the jury about who Ashley and Alaska were, witnesses like Felix and Sprague who saw important things no one else did.

Cynthia sent Seven to attend it so she could stay updated beyond what was released to the press.

Kristin Baok and Charlie Springs were called to the stand to tell the jury about who Ashley was and what they each remembered from the day of Ashley's murder. The defenses questioned their recollections, but both spoke the truth and explained what the supply runs entailed and how Ashley frequently spent the night in Moonfall but was always back by the morning.

Felix Fisk spoke about driving along Myway Highway, hearing the screams, and then making the decision to stop. He told the jury about how he witnessed the murder of Ashley, hiding until the Trinity had left, and then running away. He said that the Trinity later kidnapped him and held him hostage. He connected the masks the Trinity wore, recognizing them the night they murdered Ashley and again at the Trinity's house in between the Underdown and Cat's Cradle.

The prosecution didn't call Sprague Fetch to the stand. Law enforcement had deemed him to be unwillingly cooperating with the Trinity and Lazarus, who had been manipulating him. What he needed was help. Prison wouldn't do that. He hadn't intentionally done harm. While he knew a lot about the Trinity, he wasn't the most trustworthy in the eyes of the jury.

Cynthia understood. Sprague had the closest connection to the Trinity. He knew the most about them on an individual level, but he also had worked with them. He had assisted in Ashley's murder— he led Ashley to the Trinity.

But the defense did call Sprague to the stand. Brenley's attorney called him to the stand later in the trial and attempted to shift some of the blame away from the Trinity and on to Lazarus and Chad.

"Tell me how you think it went," Cynthia said to Seven after the defense finished calling their witnesses.

Seven shifted on his seat across from Cynthia. "I don't know. I'm not a lawyer."

"I know, but what is your opinion."

He looked at her with wide eyes, but then narrowed them in a thoughtful expression. "I don't think it was a slam dunk for either side. I think the jury has points to deliberate on. I hope the jury finds them guilty. I think they did it."

"I hope so too," Cynthia replied.