the courthouse today.” She spoke more to herself than to her jailer.
The woman laughed again. “It’ll take more than the proceeds from selling eggs and garden produce from your farm stand. Bail for felonies can run into a couple hundred thousand dollars.”
Abby set the fruit cup back on the tray and stared in disbelief. Her appetite vanished while the food in her stomach started to curdle. “Then I guess I’ll be staying here until the trial. We don’t have that kind of money.” Her calm tone of voice belied her inner turmoil.
“Nobody has that kind of money. That’s what bail bondmen are for.” She glanced at her watch and then over her shoulder. “Look, I can’t spend any more time jawboning with you. I need to supervise the breakfast room so no food trays
accidentally
hit the walls. Your lawyer will explain about bonding and bail money.” She walked out carrying Abby’s tray but reentered within a couple minutes. “Here are your regular clothes,” she said, handing Abby a plastic sack. “They want you to appear in court looking normal. You can wash up at the sink and change outfits. There’s no time for a shower. If I finish up early, I’ll stop back to explain more of the goings-on so you won’t be afraid.”
Abby glanced up to meet the jailer’s gaze. “Thank you for breakfast, and for your kindness in speaking to me today.” She didn’t mention that knowing what would happen did nothing to alleviate her fear.
“Sure thing. For what it’s worth, I’m on your side. There are too many laws telling us what to do in this country. They take away every personal freedom we once had in an effort to protect us from ourselves. Doesn’t make sense to me.” She marched out the door, shaking her head. At least no bolt clicked behind her as it had last night. Abby hated the thought of being locked inside a room. What if there was a fire?
She washed, changed clothes, and then tried her best to pin up her hair without benefit of a hairbrush. The guard’s words swam through her mind like bees around a hive, making her more agitated by the minute.
Be still and know that I am God.
One of her favorite Scriptures helped to calm her nerves. As she contemplated the events at the Fisher farm, preparing to explain her actions to the judge, there wasn’t a thing she would have done differently. If she was a woman faith, she needed to show some now as she waited for the hearing. Opening her Bible, she turned to the book of Genesis. “Might as well start at the beginning,” she whispered and began to read.
By the time the deputy arrived to take her to court, God had created heaven and earth in six days and rested on the seventh; Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit and lost paradise; Cain had slain his brother Abel; a great flood had covered the earth; the Babylonians had erected the tower of Babel, separating people forever by language barriers; God had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; and the faith of the great prophet Abraham had been tested by the Lord. While walking the corridors of the Justice Center, Abby’s problems seemed minor by comparison.
She walked into a courtroom filled with people, while many more stood along the back wall. She spotted Daniel and Dr. Weller but recognized no one else. “Who are all these people?” she asked the guard. “Have all of them come to hear my case?”
The question seemed to take the man by surprise. “No, ma’am. The judge will preside over many cases this morning—some to set bail, some to request continuances, while others informed their lawyers they wish to enter or change a plea. But this sure isn’t your lucky day. Judge O’Neil is sitting on the bench. He can be a tough one. Sit there, ma’am. You’re next on the docket.”
Abby did as instructed, wondering about this Judge O’Neil, who looked no different than most English folk to her. She stole a glance over her shoulder at Daniel. Dark circles beneath his eyes made him
The woman laughed again. “It’ll take more than the proceeds from selling eggs and garden produce from your farm stand. Bail for felonies can run into a couple hundred thousand dollars.”
Abby set the fruit cup back on the tray and stared in disbelief. Her appetite vanished while the food in her stomach started to curdle. “Then I guess I’ll be staying here until the trial. We don’t have that kind of money.” Her calm tone of voice belied her inner turmoil.
“Nobody has that kind of money. That’s what bail bondmen are for.” She glanced at her watch and then over her shoulder. “Look, I can’t spend any more time jawboning with you. I need to supervise the breakfast room so no food trays
accidentally
hit the walls. Your lawyer will explain about bonding and bail money.” She walked out carrying Abby’s tray but reentered within a couple minutes. “Here are your regular clothes,” she said, handing Abby a plastic sack. “They want you to appear in court looking normal. You can wash up at the sink and change outfits. There’s no time for a shower. If I finish up early, I’ll stop back to explain more of the goings-on so you won’t be afraid.”
Abby glanced up to meet the jailer’s gaze. “Thank you for breakfast, and for your kindness in speaking to me today.” She didn’t mention that knowing what would happen did nothing to alleviate her fear.
“Sure thing. For what it’s worth, I’m on your side. There are too many laws telling us what to do in this country. They take away every personal freedom we once had in an effort to protect us from ourselves. Doesn’t make sense to me.” She marched out the door, shaking her head. At least no bolt clicked behind her as it had last night. Abby hated the thought of being locked inside a room. What if there was a fire?
She washed, changed clothes, and then tried her best to pin up her hair without benefit of a hairbrush. The guard’s words swam through her mind like bees around a hive, making her more agitated by the minute.
Be still and know that I am God.
One of her favorite Scriptures helped to calm her nerves. As she contemplated the events at the Fisher farm, preparing to explain her actions to the judge, there wasn’t a thing she would have done differently. If she was a woman faith, she needed to show some now as she waited for the hearing. Opening her Bible, she turned to the book of Genesis. “Might as well start at the beginning,” she whispered and began to read.
By the time the deputy arrived to take her to court, God had created heaven and earth in six days and rested on the seventh; Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit and lost paradise; Cain had slain his brother Abel; a great flood had covered the earth; the Babylonians had erected the tower of Babel, separating people forever by language barriers; God had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; and the faith of the great prophet Abraham had been tested by the Lord. While walking the corridors of the Justice Center, Abby’s problems seemed minor by comparison.
She walked into a courtroom filled with people, while many more stood along the back wall. She spotted Daniel and Dr. Weller but recognized no one else. “Who are all these people?” she asked the guard. “Have all of them come to hear my case?”
The question seemed to take the man by surprise. “No, ma’am. The judge will preside over many cases this morning—some to set bail, some to request continuances, while others informed their lawyers they wish to enter or change a plea. But this sure isn’t your lucky day. Judge O’Neil is sitting on the bench. He can be a tough one. Sit there, ma’am. You’re next on the docket.”
Abby did as instructed, wondering about this Judge O’Neil, who looked no different than most English folk to her. She stole a glance over her shoulder at Daniel. Dark circles beneath his eyes made him
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