CHAPTER TEN

The Second Victim

The next day I went to the courthouse with Elizabeth, Ernest and my father. More than anything, I wanted to scream out that I had killed my brother, so that Justine would not be punished. And, if you think about it, this was the truth. But I knew that everyone would think I was crazy. I had not even been in Geneva at the time of the murder. Ernest had told me that there was no real proof that Justine had killed William. That day, the police took Justine into the courtroom and she began to tell her story. She said that when Elizabeth told her William was lost, she ran to the forest to try and find him. After many hours, she tried to go home, but the city gates were closed. Justine had to sleep in a barn near the gates. She was so tired that she fell asleep in a few minutes. Justine promised all the people in the room that she did not know why the necklace, which had been on William's neck, was in the pocket of her dress. She told us many times that the real killer must have put it there. "But who is he?" she asked the people in the room. "I do not have any enemies. And if a person killed William just to have the necklace, why did the killer then leave it in my pocket?" Elizabeth stood up and told the judges that Justine was a good, wonderful girl. She asked the judges to let her go. But I saw the angry look on the judges' faces. They already thought she was the killer. Then I heard Justine suddenly confess that she was the killer. I did not know why she said so. I ran out of the courtroom. I could not listen to any more talk. I had made the monster that had done this thing. In a way, I was the killer.

A short while later, Elizabeth and my father came out. Their faces were white, and my father looked a hundred years older.

"Oh, Victor," cried Elizabeth, "I can't believe what is happening." She threw herself into my arms. I hated myself so much at that moment that I did not want to touch her.

"First Justine told us she was innocent. Now she tells us that she killed William!" my father shouted. "No!" I cried. "I won't believe this!"

Just then, a man came out and said to Elizabeth, "Miss Lavenza, the killer asks to talk to you."

Elizabeth turned to me. "Victor, I must talk to her, even if she is the killer. I can't go in alone. Please come with me." I did not want to see Justine, but I could not say no. Justine was sitting in a locked room. Her hands were tied, and she was praying.

When she saw us, she cried bitterly. "Justine, how could you lie to us? I never thought you could kill anyone. But you told them you had done it." "Oh, Miss Elizabeth, I did tell them I was the killer," cried Justine. "But it is all a lie! They told me I had to confess, because they were going to blame me anyway. They said if I didn't confess the crime, I wouldn't go to heaven. But I didn't do it. I could not die with you thinking I had killed our dear, sweet child!" Justine stared out of the window. "I've told you the truth, and now I can die peacefully. You know ... and God knows ... I am innocent!" Elizabeth ran and put her arms around Justine, and both women began to cry. I could say nothing to comfort them. Elizabeth and I spent many hours talking to the judges, but it did no good. Early the next morning, Justine was hung as a killer. Now two people had died because of my terrible monster: William and Justine. "I don't want to live anymore," I told myself. "Killing myself may be the answer, but I cannot hurt Elizabeth, Ernest, and my father even more." Most importantly of all, I did not know if the monster would try to hurt my family again. I needed to watch and protect them. I promised myself, "One day, I shall find this monster and look him in the face. Then I shall make him pay for his terrible crimes!"

(end of section)