Chapter 19 - THE VERDICT
The jury convicted Eleanor of:
Unlawful imprisonment of Lily.
Child endangerment.
Administering a harmful substance to Emma without consent.
Assault.
Evidence tampering.
Obstruction.
Conspiracy to commit fiduciary fraud.
Several false-statement and fiduciary-related counts.
She was acquitted on:
One more serious poisoning count requiring proof of a higher intent.
One financial count tied to a transaction where disclosure evidence was ambiguous.
One false-imprisonment count involving Emma because jurors could not unanimously conclude the medical transport itself met the required criminal standard given the involvement of licensed providers.
Mixed.
Accurate.
No attempted murder conviction.
No kidnapping conviction for every act.
The law separated what felt like one nightmare into elements.
Eleanor stared straight ahead.
Then looked at me.
I expected hatred.
She mouthed:
Vincent.
I looked away.
Outside, reporters shouted:
“Did your mother try to kill your daughter?”
I stopped.
Not because I wanted to answer.
Because exaggeration mattered.
I said:
“The jury did not find attempted murder. My daughter was placed in extreme danger. Please report the verdict accurately.”
Then I left.
Emma later said:
“You sounded like Rachel.”
Worst insult possible.
Lily did not watch news.
She went to therapy.
Then swimming lessons.
She refused to put her face underwater first week.
Second week:
One second.
Third:
Five.
May you like
No one cheered too loudly.
We learned.
