They had no case left.
And that was why, when theprosecution rested their case two days later, and the judge asked if thedefense wished to call any witnesses, Bo Dodd stood up and was proud to statefor the record that they didn’t feel it was necessary. “No, your Honor,” he said. “The Defense rests as well.”
The Defense was so confident theyeven requested a summary judgement. Butthat motion failed. But the head of TheUnited States Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania didorder the release of Teddy Sinatra, due to insufficient evidence.
All that was left was for them towait for the verdict.
Because despite all of theirconfidence and the obvious fumbling by the prosecution, verdict watch wasagonizing. Because that jury, in truth,could go either way.
But it didn’t take long. Just over five hours. While they were at lunch, the verdict camein. And they raced back to thecourthouse.
Given the prosecution problems, itshould have been anticlimactic when the verdict was about to be read. But it wasn’t. Every member of the family, and especiallyRoz and even Mick, held their breaths as if it could have gone either way. Because they knew it could.
But it didn’t. “We the jury,” the foreperson said, “find thedefendant, Michello Sinatra, not guilty!” And they named each count.
But the family was already on theirfeet celebrating on count four, which was the last of the murder counts. After Mick was acquitted on those counts,everything else to the family, although major in their own right, seemed likechild’s play. And they were right. The jury found the defendant not guilty onall counts.
And for the first time, Mick showedtrue emotion. He ran to Roz, and liftedher into his arms.
And then both of them hurried toTeddy, who was a free man in the courtroom that day to hear the verdict, andpulled him in their arms too. The entirefamily was so elated they did a group hug that made the papers all over the world.
Mick Sinatra walked free that day,and the world took notice. The man theyall had declared too big to fail, remained that way. And Billy Lancer, in seclusion at his estatein the Hollywood Hills, took his glass and threw it at the television.
And even the television didn’t crack.
EPILOGUE
The party was jumpin’ on Roz’s yachtand the Sinatras and Gabrinis couldn’t seem to get over their good luck. Teddy was holding court, as everybody wantedto know how he had the balls to trick the government, and Nikki stood besidehim, laughing and taking it all in too. But it was Oz Drakos, with his long hair and Titanic-size personality,that stole the show. With a cigarbetween his bright white teeth, and a big hat on his head, he was dancing withthe ladies and showing up all the men. He even made the Gabrinis look tamed. Everybody, it seemed, loved Oz.
Teddy walked over to his kid sisterGloria, when he finally got a break from all of the questions, and leanedagainst the railing with her. She waswatching Oz the entire time.
“We’re on a boat. He’s not going anywhere, you know,” Teddysaid.
Gloria was startled by her brother’svoice. She didn’t even see Teddy come upon her. She smiled. “I’m that obvious?”
“Oh, yeah,” Teddy said.
Gloria exhaled. “I guess so,” she said, but continued towatch Oz.
“Talked to your mother?” Teddy asked.
“And?”
“She was in the courtroom when youused her name.”
Teddy looked at Gloria. “Are you serious? I didn’t see her!”
“She was in the back, but she wasthere. You know she was going to bethere. Anything involving Daddy, she’sgoing to make sure to be there. She evencried when I told her he got arrested.”
“I’m sure she did,” Teddy said. “All that money he gives her.”
Gloria looked at him. She was offended.
“I’m sorry, Glo,” Teddy quicklysaid. “I was out of line. And I appreciated the fact that Bella allowedme to use her name like that.”
“Even though you didn’t ask her,”Gloria said.
“I had to come up with something. And the fact that she was, in fact, sleepingwith Frankie, seemed like the best thing I could come up with.”
“But he never hit her,” Gloria said.
“I know. She’s pissed at me?”
Gloria shook her head. “Not at all. It got Dad off. She’shappy.” But Gloria seemed moreinterested in watching Oz.
Teddy watched him too. “That’s a lot of man to fall in love with,Glo,” he said.
“Yeah, I know. I told Nikki the same thing when she wasfalling for you.”
Teddy laughed. “Yeah, but I’m not that wide open. Oz gets out of bed wired.”
Gloria laughed. “Yes, he does.”
“But you love him anyway?”
Gloria’s smile slowly faded. “Yes, I do.” But then she caught herself. “Don’t you have more stories to tell? Why are you hanging up under me?” Then she looked around. “And bythe way, where’s Roz and Dad?”
Teddy looked around too. “Um. That’s a good question. Did theyeven get on the yacht?”
“Beats me. I was preoccupied.”
Teddy smiled. “So was I.”
And they both kept looking around andwondering where in the world were their parents?
They watched him as he came out ofhis secluded mansion high above the hills as if he had the world on astring. As if it wasn’t his last day onearth, but any other day. Then he walkedover to his small, sleek, Porsche Macan SUV and got in on the driver’s seat.
He was about to press the Startbutton, but he seemed to hesitate. As ifhe was afraid explosives had been planted beneath his car, and it would blow assoon as the ignition caught. He evenopened back up the driver side door and was about to get out. But then he hesitated again. As if he just knew he was beingirrational. That fool was too happy thathe beat the rap to even think about coming after him. And he would have to be a fool to even try itanyway. So he got back into his SUV.
And then he pressed the Start button.
And braced himself.
But nothing happened. Which caused him to sigh great relief. And then he smiled, put the car in Reverse,and although he had the backup camera, he didn’t trust them. He turned around to see his surroundingshimself, as
