Chenford

Chapter 15

Wesley : okay, so first of all Lucy, did Tim tell you about your kidnappers ?
Lucy : No, why ? He knew ?
Tim : well yes, but I didn't want to disturb you, I was waiting for the right moment to tell you but I never had the courage
Lucy : it's okay Tim, I understand, you wanted to protect me *she smiles at him as she sees his worried look*
Angela : Tim, do you want me to explain her ?
Tim : yes please
Angela : okay so, the 2 men who kidnapped you are Chris and Caleb. They work, or rather worked for Rosalind Dyer.
Lucy : are they...
Angela : they're dead, they killed each other, thinking that because of that, we wouldn't be able to find you. 2 days ago, I went to Rosalind's cell to talk to her about what happened. She admitted her act.
Lucy : but as she's already in jail, we can't do anything
Wesley : I talked with the judge of freedoms and detention, he said that she got a sentence reduction for good behavior. But, if you file a complaint, we could extend his sentence. So, do you want to file a complaint.
Lucy : I'm not sure I'm mentally strong enough for that.
Tim : I'll be there to help you
Angela : Wesley and I too
Wesley : ofc
Lucy : then yes, I wanna file a complaint. How do I do ?

*Wesley takes some papers out of his bag*

Wesley : first of all, do you know some things about law ?
Lucy : not really, just the few things we learn in police school
Wesley : ok, that doesn't matter. Do you have a lawyer ?
Lucy : I thought this discussion meant you agreed to be my lawyer.
Wesley : ofc I agree, but you might have wanted a lawyer who is not your friend
Lucy : I prefer if you take care of my case
Wesley : no problem
Lucy : you'll send me your fees
Wesley : for what ?
Lucy : to pay you ofc
Wesley : absolutely not, as a friend I don't want you to pay me
Lucy : but I'll feel indebted and if I ever have to stop you during my service, which I don't hope, I won't be able to help you.
Wesley : I know that, we don't have the same job, if I can help other people pro bono, I can help you too
Lucy : thank you so much Wesley
Wesley : thank me when we'll have won the trial. So, where were we ?
Lucy : you were gonna explain how the trial works
Wesley : oh yes, well, as Angela said, Chris and Caleb are dead, we can't sue dead people. However, we can sue their boss, Rosalind, on the basis of the article 221-6 of the Penal Code which deals with the partners in crime. We can't sue her for homicide. However, a partner in crime get the same sentence as the person who committed the act. So here, for a kidnapping, in principle, if you had been released within 7 days and no violence had been done to you, Rosalind faced 5 years in prison and $75,000. However, you were not released voluntarily, so Rosalind faces $1,000,000 and 30 years of criminal imprisonment or life imprisonment.
Lucy : how do we know between 30 years and life imprisonment ?
Wesley : the judge will decide that
Lucy : okay

(I'm sorry, this chapter is more legal than the others, it's based on French law because I don't know American law at all)