pretty terrible guys and none of it mattered because you didn’t follow every single step in the process. The justice system is completely flawed and set you up to fail. Those guys should be in jail right now, and you should be a hero.”
Bobby followed Piper’s lead and kept the chatter going. “The system is there for a reason. I’m supposed to execute it exactly how it’s been laid out so that everyone gets treated fairly. I made a mistake. It’s taken me a little while to own up to that, but I know now that, ultimately, I might have had the right motivations, but those guys deserve the same opportunities you or I would have.” Bobby tried to nonchalantly lean back in his chair to create some distance between them. Kissing Piper felt right in the moment, but sliding the piles of folders off the table and slowly peeling off her clothes didn’t seem as appropriate.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Piper was completely annoyed now and it was obvious all over her face. “I’d imagine you know where all those guns go. They’re involved in robberies, homicides, and drive-by shootings every day. Those guns kill children. The drugs they push ruin people’s lives. If I had my way, those guys would have been begging to go to jail when I was done with them. Look at this case.” Piper pulled open a folder she had been browsing earlier. “Duke Cheval was arrested for holding the lease to an apartment where seven women were being kept as sex slaves. The notes in the prosecutor’s file say that the women were too afraid to testify against him and, therefore, he was found not guilty. He claimed that the people were squatters, and he had no knowledge they were using his apartment as a brothel. There were pictures of Duke entering and leaving the building on at least two occasions, but Judge Lions suppressed the evidence due to a mishandling in the storage process. Apparently the pictures were coded incorrectly by the person cataloging them and they were filed with another case. By the time they were found the judge felt there was too much opportunity for them to have been tampered with. The youngest victim was sixteen years old and had restraint marks on her ankles and wrists, as well as cigarette burns all over her body. Can you honestly tell me that you think he had no idea what was going on in that place? Are you telling me that he doesn’t deserve a fate worse than prison?” Piper didn’t need the extra space Bobby had given her by leaning back in his chair in order to keep them from kissing again. His ridiculous idealism about the justice system was enough of a deterrent.
“So what exactly is your solution, vigilantism? We all go get our pitchforks and torches and hand out punishment as we see fit? How can someone with any interest in criminal justice have that opinion?” Bobby loved a good debate as much as anyone but he was desperately hoping that Piper would break into a laugh any minute and admit she was joking.
“Why do you think I’m not in school anymore? The entire thing is a joke, and I don’t want to be a part of it. Maybe retribution outside the system is exactly what they need.” Piper closed the file in front of her with a huff, exasperated by Bobby’s stubbornness. They both sat for a minute in silence, their faces twisted in frustration at the other’s view. Just as Bobby began to defend his point further, a voice broke in.
“I am so sorry guys. I swear they can’t do anything up there without me. Bobby, were you able to help Piper?” Bobby stood, and Jules, knowing him well, recognized the annoyance on his face.
“I think she needs more help than I can give.” Immediately regretting the dig he tried to change the subject quickly. “I completely forgot, Jules, I came here to ask you what kind of cake you want for tonight. I’m going to pick it up on my way.”
“I think I’d like a strawberry cake with white frosting,” Jules said as she looked back and forth between Piper and Bobby, trying to make sense of the tension in the room.
Bobby nodded and headed for the door. “I’ll see you guys tonight then.” He leaned in and kissed Jules on the cheek as he hurried away.