think I sound feeble and weak?”
How embarrassing . “No, your honor.”
“Good. Step to it then. Look lively, man.”
Denny had to be careful of his thoughts around this courtroom. All eyes were on him as he said, “Pirate deGacy worked in tandem with ‘Don’ Pedro Gilbert. Together they ran an unusual piracy ring on dry land. They would lure ships from sea into small coves and harbors with fires they set. The ships would arrive and Gilbert and deGacy would attack the ships, taking everything they could and destroying the vessels to hide their deeds.”
A murmur went up in the room.
“ Somehow, one of the crew members from the last ship they attempted to destroy squeezed through a hatch and freed the rest of the crew. They are the only known survivors of a joint deGacy and Gilbert attack. The two pirates were captured returning to the bay to check on the ship’s destruction. They were in prison for almost two years as the United States government worked to learn their true identities. They were tried and sentenced to death. Gilbert was hanged in 1845, but deGacy escaped and here he is today, your honor.”
“It’s not me,” deGacy whined from the witness box. “He’s got it all wrong.”
“I don’t think so,” the judge said, his tone soft. “However, this means we have to extradite you back to the United States of America, since they have already sentenced you. Bloody Americans. Such a pain in the ass to deal with.”
The judge leaned into the jurors to his right. Denny finally got a closer look at them. There were two women in white, who looked like twins. They were tall and thin and seemed to speak at the same time. A man in black had a thick head of curly dark hair and a bushy mustache he kept stroking. He wore a big black ring on the middle finger of both hands and a necklace made of what looked like human teeth. Sensing that he was being watched, the man turned and stared at Denny, who glanced away again.
After several minutes of consultation, the judge announced, “The twin seers of Orynca agree that we need to extradite the prisoner. Bailiffs, prepare him for transport.”
The wooden witness box flew to the ground and the bars fell away. The dreaded, most fearsome pirate to trawl the American seas screamed like a girl as the bailiff fairies each grabbed an arm and took him away.
“I want to make it clear that technically speaking, since he has been cursed, Mr. deGacy is one of us, but we have never impeded another court’s justice,” the judge said.
Howard deGacy’s shrieks could still be heard from outside the courtroom. It was profoundly disturbing.
Wonder what they’ll make of his eagle head and wing .
The judge swiveled around to look at Denny. “The curse will be removed before he is transported to the U.S.”
Denny nodded. Boy, he really did have to be careful with his thoughts around here.
“You can enter the witness box,” the judge informed him. “I’m keen to hear your story.”
“But, your honor, my case is number three,” Denny responded.
“And I’m making it number two. Get in. Now. ”
Denny’s breath caught in his throat and he took the witness stand. This is worse than walking the plank . He glanced downward, half expecting to see a pool of swarming sharks beneath him. Nothing. Just the plush, black carpet.
As Ebba stood and began talking to the judge, Denny thought about his life of crime.
Had it been worth it? He wasn’t sure about that. Except for meeting Merritt. Denny remembered that the prince was supposed to be here but saw no sign of him. He scanned the room from top to bottom, surprised to see winged creatures fluttering high in the ceiling.
“State your name for the court,” the judge boomed.
“Denny, or Dunstan Derrick. But I go by Denny Derrick Dalton, sir.”
Some twittering among the jurors.
“Delusions of grandeur with three names?” the judge asked.
“Not anymore, your honor.”
Scattered laughter in the
How embarrassing . “No, your honor.”
“Good. Step to it then. Look lively, man.”
Denny had to be careful of his thoughts around this courtroom. All eyes were on him as he said, “Pirate deGacy worked in tandem with ‘Don’ Pedro Gilbert. Together they ran an unusual piracy ring on dry land. They would lure ships from sea into small coves and harbors with fires they set. The ships would arrive and Gilbert and deGacy would attack the ships, taking everything they could and destroying the vessels to hide their deeds.”
A murmur went up in the room.
“ Somehow, one of the crew members from the last ship they attempted to destroy squeezed through a hatch and freed the rest of the crew. They are the only known survivors of a joint deGacy and Gilbert attack. The two pirates were captured returning to the bay to check on the ship’s destruction. They were in prison for almost two years as the United States government worked to learn their true identities. They were tried and sentenced to death. Gilbert was hanged in 1845, but deGacy escaped and here he is today, your honor.”
“It’s not me,” deGacy whined from the witness box. “He’s got it all wrong.”
“I don’t think so,” the judge said, his tone soft. “However, this means we have to extradite you back to the United States of America, since they have already sentenced you. Bloody Americans. Such a pain in the ass to deal with.”
The judge leaned into the jurors to his right. Denny finally got a closer look at them. There were two women in white, who looked like twins. They were tall and thin and seemed to speak at the same time. A man in black had a thick head of curly dark hair and a bushy mustache he kept stroking. He wore a big black ring on the middle finger of both hands and a necklace made of what looked like human teeth. Sensing that he was being watched, the man turned and stared at Denny, who glanced away again.
After several minutes of consultation, the judge announced, “The twin seers of Orynca agree that we need to extradite the prisoner. Bailiffs, prepare him for transport.”
The wooden witness box flew to the ground and the bars fell away. The dreaded, most fearsome pirate to trawl the American seas screamed like a girl as the bailiff fairies each grabbed an arm and took him away.
“I want to make it clear that technically speaking, since he has been cursed, Mr. deGacy is one of us, but we have never impeded another court’s justice,” the judge said.
Howard deGacy’s shrieks could still be heard from outside the courtroom. It was profoundly disturbing.
Wonder what they’ll make of his eagle head and wing .
The judge swiveled around to look at Denny. “The curse will be removed before he is transported to the U.S.”
Denny nodded. Boy, he really did have to be careful with his thoughts around here.
“You can enter the witness box,” the judge informed him. “I’m keen to hear your story.”
“But, your honor, my case is number three,” Denny responded.
“And I’m making it number two. Get in. Now. ”
Denny’s breath caught in his throat and he took the witness stand. This is worse than walking the plank . He glanced downward, half expecting to see a pool of swarming sharks beneath him. Nothing. Just the plush, black carpet.
As Ebba stood and began talking to the judge, Denny thought about his life of crime.
Had it been worth it? He wasn’t sure about that. Except for meeting Merritt. Denny remembered that the prince was supposed to be here but saw no sign of him. He scanned the room from top to bottom, surprised to see winged creatures fluttering high in the ceiling.
“State your name for the court,” the judge boomed.
“Denny, or Dunstan Derrick. But I go by Denny Derrick Dalton, sir.”
Some twittering among the jurors.
“Delusions of grandeur with three names?” the judge asked.
“Not anymore, your honor.”
Scattered laughter in the
Similar Books
