Page 58 of Raymond's Forever

She opened the paper, stood tall, looked at the paper, and in a clear voice, started speaking. “We the jury find Dr. Reuben Perkins in the case of defamation of character, guilty of all charges.” When the other side erupted, the judge had to banghis gavel several times to get order in the court, the bailiff even stepped forward.

“Continue,” he said to the forewoman.

“We the people find Dr. Alexander Ervin, in the case of defamation of character, guilty of all charges.”

Again, the other side erupted, and several uniformed police officers had to step up behind them to try to control them. The judge also banged his gavel several times to get their attention.

“Order in the court!” he yelled. It took almost a minute to get them under control, and then they finally looked at him. “I’m going to give my sentencing now. With the guilty verdict, I find that Dr. Reuben Perkins will pay Dr. Amelia Johnson the sum of thirty million dollars.” He didn’t stop, as he continued, “In the case of Dr. Alexander Ervin, I find that you will pay Dr. Amelia Johnson the sum of twenty million dollars.” He lifted the gavel to bang it down to end the trial in its entirety, but someone spoke from the back.

“Your Honor!” the man said, and started toward the front. He didn’t stop until he was before the bench, and he handed the judge several blue tri-folded papers. With a scowl, the judge took them, read them, and Amelia would swear under oath that his eyebrows went to the back of his head.

The judge studied the man before him, who only nodded and produced a badge. The judge nodded again, and handed them back to him.

“Go ahead,” he said, and watched as the man walked over to the table where Perkins and Ervin sat, and called their names. When they nodded, or verbally said they were who he asked for, he handed them the papers.

“You’ve been served,” he said, then went over to stand on the other side of Amelia’s table, close to the jury.

Everyone held their breath as the doctors opened the papers, read them, then looked at Amelia.

“You fucking bitch,” Dr. Perkins screamed at her, and tried to lunge for her, but Amelia found herself surrounded by bodies that she would later learned were there to protect her.

“You’ll regret this!” Dr. Ervin called out as he shook the papers at her. “You’re fucking done! I will destroy you!” Both of them said then, and everyone jumped as the judge banged the gavel down.

“Bailiff! Restrain them!” He didn’t speak again until the handcuffs were on them, then the lawyers picked up the papers and read them, before looking at the judge.

“On what charges.”

“Contempt of court, making threats, thirty days, and a ten thousand dollar fine! Each!” He banged the gavel, jumped to his feet, and disappeared through the door behind the bench.

Amelia sat there in shock, and no one on her side of the court said a word as Perkins and Ervin were led away in cuffs, swearing and threatening the entire way. When counsel disappeared with them, that left her and her own team, along with Shay, who had come back for the verdict, and several other men in suits.

“What the hell just happened?” Amelia demanded as she looked around wildly.

“I don’t know,” Raymond said, and his expression said he was just as confused. “Willis?” He then turned to Amelia to make introductions. “This is Detective Brent Willis, he’s with the white crimes unit for Colorado Springs police department.” He looked at Willis with a frown and a shake of his head. “What papers did you serve them?” He looked at Amelia. “Someone is going after them.”

“The lawyers for the clinic they worked at are suing them for their billing practices, then the patients that died, their families are suing them for wrongful death.” He looked at them, then grinned. “Nine counts, each. Oh, and because of the results ofthis lawsuit, their bank accounts were frozen. Once this court case is finalized and the ruling registered, Dr. Johnson’s money will come out of their accounts, and what they are left with will be for the next case.”

“Wait,” Amelia said. “Why wrongful death? Why not murder?”

“Because,” a man said as he and several others walked up to them.

“Mr. Tallman?”

“Yes, Dr. Johnson. Perkins and Ervin have been under investigation for several months. We didn’t want to serve them with the papers until after the outcome of this case. The hospital lawyers will be getting with you and your counsel soon, but you’re going to be one of our key witnesses.”

“How?”

“Because in the wrongful death cases, we’re going to rely on you, and others in your field, to read the files of the patients that either died on the table, or lost a limb due to their negligence.”

“How soon before we go to court?”

“Not for at least six months to a year. As you heard and saw, they were sent to jail for thirty days, and I’m in the process of working with the medical licensing board to have their licenses suspended until the outcome of the new trial. I’ve already revoked their privileges from both the clinic and hospital.” He waited until the shock wore off, then sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose, before he looked at her sheepishly.

“You wouldn’t happen to want to come back and work at the clinic would you?”

“Absolutely not,” Amelia was quick and firm in her answer.

“I thought you would say that. How would you feel if I refer patients to you at your new office?”