Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Clips of the silver-haired fox working permissible magic were shown on television stations around the country, but nothing compared to having a front row seat to the spectacle. Porsche attended every day of the trial. She had a special permit to be in attendance, and had also testified on Nikolai’s behalf. Additionally, Captain White corroborated everything she stated, despite the hefty consequences coming his way. He’d been essentially alienated for standing on the side of the truth, but made it clear that he had no regrets. And she was proud of him. Nikolai was no longer attempting to destroy Captain White personally, even though he’d meant everything he said.
In fact, he’d already filed the papers. As soon as this was over, he was suing the police department for mishandling of information and evidence which may have led to his brother’s arrest before more victims met the tally. He was also suing for unlawful interrogation practices, and a litany of other complaints and grievances. In all of the commotion and mayhem, she was finally at least able to meet Mark and Nicholai’s father, Rurik Raven. Both seemed rather somber, and she couldn’t quite blame them. They’d regained a son and brother, and lost another in the process.
Due to the insurmountable evidence that Dmitriy Raven was a serial killer who’d been active for a now confirmed six years, there was nothing left to do but free Nikolai. The prosecution dropped the case mid-way through. There was no point in going forward.
Public outcry definitely helped, too. There were protestors with signs, demanding Nikolai’s freedom. They marched and stood outside the jail in support of a man who’d been wrongly accused and dragged through hell. Things had happened so quickly, Nikolai was never transported to prison. There was talk of charges brought against him for kidnapping and false imprisonment, but those, too, were dismissed. Her favorite part of the court proceedings was given to her by the man of the hour himself. Nikolai Raven.
Porsche was able to obtain Nikolai’s phone, per his attorney, and she and members of the police department were able to access the videos and recordings. The shocking and graphic conversations and the rantings of a lunatic, his brother, were enough to convince even the most skeptical person in town of Nikolai’s innocence. There he was, casually speaking to his brother, and Dmitriy was telling him, in great detail and with immense pleasure, about all of the people he’d murdered and how. It was sickening—worse than anyone may have fathomed. Photos of some of the dead men had been taken by Dmitriy himself and placed in his little box of horrors.
There was not one drop of concern from this evil fiend. Not a bit of remorse. He did in fact state that if he got the chance, he planned to snap Nik’s neck then go on a killing spree so he could go out in a blaze of glory. Despite him having so much to say while being secretly recorded by his brother, he was quiet as a church mouse in court once the evidence came pouring out, showing who the real demon was.
Dmitriy was still not talking, but he didn’t have to. The footage, the red book of whispers with a detailed timeline of many events, his fingerprints all over the items that belonged to the victims, Nikolai’s father’s emotional and tearful testimony regarding all three of his children and his culpability in the whole matter, the grainy footage of him fighting on the beach with his brother, and Dmitriy’s teeth marks in one of his victim’s neck proved without a shadow of a doubt that he was the true face of evil. He was currently in a mental institution, but the prosecution made it clear they’d be going after a life sentence in prison for him. The death penalty—unfortunately according to Nikolai and the victims’ families—wasn’t legal in Maine.
Dmitriy had been charged and had trials scheduled also in California, Vermont, Nevada, and several other states in the country. This, not including a few cold case murders that had since been reopened due to the new evidence that had been uncovered. Charges against Ethan regarding the homicides had been dropped, though he was out on bail for the assault of his now ex-girlfriend, his legal troubles were ongoing.
“Hey, you!” Porsche waved as Nikolai finished speaking to the press, and was led out to her car accompanied by several armed men. It had been a media frenzy and spectacle of indescribable proportions. Some people had Nikolai’s face printed on their shirts, with the word ‘HERO’ written above it. Her heart swelled with pride as he quickly raced to her as if his life depended on it. He jumped in the car, slammed and locked the door, and pulled her in his arms to seal his happiness with a searing kiss.