Page 51 of The Prince of New York

“Why did your mommy hit you?” I bounced Baby on my hip, and the little girl giggled before resting her head against me. “Take your time, May. You’re not in any trouble, but I need to understand why the nice lady next door called the police.”

For a long moment, May stared at me, and her eyes gradually widened. “The nice lady next door doesn’t like my mommy because Mommy gets mad, especially when she has supper with what she makes downstairs.”

Drugs were a problem in every kingdom around the world, and not a day went by where I didn’t hear about the consequences of drug using. I wondered if May understood what her mother had been cooking downstairs. I could guess, judging from the visible bruises, she feared what happened when her mother got mad.

“She’s telling the truth,” the judge confirmed.

“Thank you, Your Honor. Do you know who the nice lady next door is?”

Judge Mason gestured to a woman seated in the courtroom, who sat off to the side by herself. “Her name is Alison Freewright, a widow aged forty-three. She lives two doors down from the Henders family and has made numerous reports of suspicious activity. Mrs. Henders was arrested yesterday, and upon discovery of the bruises on both children, the custody hearing was set for today.”

“And Baby’s name?”

“Her birth certificate lists her as Danielle.”

I foresaw needing to calm my sister down as soon as we escaped the courthouse. It would take time—and therapy—to teach Baby her birth name, which would complicate matters. I gave Baby another bounce, smiling at how she found the gesture to be funny, and gave her a few moments to settle and relax before asking, “Does anything hurt, Baby?”

The little girl pointed at her arm, which was hidden under her shirt. “Boo-boo hurts.”

I set the child on the ledge in front of her sister, and after explaining I wanted to see her boo-boo, asked if she minded if I took her shirt off. With admirable dexterity, she handled the work for me, and I discovered she wore a tank top underneath her long-sleeved blouse. A mottling of bruises covered everything from her shoulders and down to her forearms, ranging in color from dark blue and purple to the yellow-green of old injuries.

A few of the bruises came bundled with scrapes and cuts.

The urge to eradicate both parents stirred, but I quenched it. Taking deep breaths to remain calm. I asked her to hold her arm out for me, as I had no doubt any touch hurt. I kissed my fingertips before touching the bruising on her arm where she pointed. “We’ll make sure that gets all better,” I promised.

May’s eyes widened and teared up, although she said nothing.

My next two questions would be the deciding factors. “Did your mommy cause all those bruises, Baby?”

Baby shook her head, and she pointed at her father before she pointed at her left arm. “He squeezes really hard and twists. It hurts.”

“Your Honor?”

“She’s telling the truth.”

“I’ve heard everything I need to. I’ve come to my decision,” I announced before helping Baby put her long-sleeved shirt back on and apologizing for making her boo-boos hurt more. Once I had her clothing situated, I picked her up and settled her back on my hip, waiting for her to get a good hold on me before turning. I regarded the parents with my most displeased expression. “Neither one of you are fit to have custody. The court will handle your trial per the law, Mrs. Henders, but New York will be claiming custody over both children. They will be placed with a suitable household, but for the time being, they will be put into the care of the Royal Family. Visitation will be determined by the children, and you will not be permitted to have custody over either child again. As we have truth verified statements of physical violence from both children, should you opt to have another child, you will be monitored on a weekly basis for any evidence of abuse. Should abuse be uncovered, you will lose custody immediately. I recommend you invest in birth control, and if you cannot afford it, simply speak to a court clerk so you can be given assistance. All future trials involving either of you will be done with verification of the truth, and confirmed guilt will result in the loss of custody. You may attempt to appeal this decision, but you will verify the truth of the entire situation through a mediation team from Montana.”

Invoking Montana as part of my judgment would make certain that there was no doubt regarding their status as unfit to raise children—and His Royal Majesty would become involved through Daphne.

Daphne, who remained in the back of the courtroom, cleared her throat. Once I turned to face her, she said, “The Royal Family of Montana will handle this case personally should this judgment be appealed.”

“Your Royal Highness,” Judge Mason greeted. “Thank you for simplifying this matter for us.”

According to the Vampire of Montana’s expression, she wanted nothing more than to exsanguinate both parents and leave dried husks in her wake. “And yes, Ian, I can confirm that the children told the truth and nothing but the truth.”

I wondered what else her magic had whispered to her while I’d done my best to keep the questioning as kind as possible for the children. “Your Honor, please list me as the current custodian for both children. I wish for them to have access to the royal physicians, and this is the most effective method of handling the situation. I am certain we of the Royal Family of New York can handle this situation with the grace and dignity these children deserve.”

“I will have the paperwork drawn up immediately.” The judge picked up his gavel and gave it a solid whack. “Bailiff, please see that the Henders are put into proper protective custody. I want them both to stand trial for their crimes. Your Royal Highness, we will handle the extended questioning session for both children behind closed doors. We will schedule a date and time upon the opening of the case. Thank you for your timely handling of this matter.”

Sometimes, it amazed me how little a judge could do, even one with the ability to sense the truth. In good news, neither parent had opted for a jury trial, which allowed me to be judge and jury when requested. As both parents had elected to use me to decide the case, they had little recourse.

The Royal Family of Montana would not try the case in their favor, not with Daphne having witnessed the evidence of abuse.

“You’re welcome. While New York has among the more lenient abuse rules in the Royal States, this crosses every line in our laws, and it will not be tolerated.”

I waited for the bailiff and a second officer of the law to escort the Henders out of the courthouse before turning my attention to the woman who had called the police. “Thank you for reaching out, ma’am. You’ve made a big difference for these little girls.”

The woman stood, clasped her hands in front of her, and bowed in my direction. “Thank you for doing the right thing, Your Royal Highness.”

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