“Yes, Honorable Justicer.”
Pharyl stepped forward. “Chief of the Civic Patrol, representing the city of Extela.”
“Very well. Bring in the accused.”
Two patrollers marched in Jubyl, his hands in restraints, and positioned him directly before Quaeryt. The tough bore an expression close to a smirk, and his eyes kept flicking to Caesyt.
“You are charged with murder and assault upon a civic patroller. How do you plead?”
“Guilty to assault,” replied Caesyt. “Not guilty to murder.”
Quaeryt nodded and waited for the patrollers to escort Jubyl to the backless bench at the side of the hearing chamber.
“Do you have an opening statement, Chief?”
Pharyl stepped forward. “The offender willfully stabbed a young patroller recruit who had not even raised a truncheon. He continued to stab the victim viciously and in such a flurry that no one could get to the patroller before he was close to death. By the laws of the land, that is murder. In addition, because the man he attacked was a patroller, by definition that is assault against those who enforce the laws.” The chief stepped to the side.
“Advocate?”
“I do have a statement, Honorable Justicer.” Caesyt stepped forward. “Jubyl had drunk too much, but he is not a killer. As you will see, he was not in his right mind. Because he was not, I will prove that he did not commit murder under the laws of Telaryn and Extela.” With that, the advocate nodded and stepped back.
“You may proceed, Patrol Chief.” Quaeryt was concerned about the brevity of Caesyt’s statement, wondering exactly what it foreshadowed and what sort of legal trickery might be forthcoming.
“Patroller Dienn, please come forward,” said Pharyl, turning toward the benches at the back of the hearing room, on which several patrollers were seated.
A muscular, stocky man, Dienn rose and stepped forward with short quick steps.
“Please tell the justicer what happened outside Shyan’s Cafe last Samedi evening.”
“Justicer, sir, Haellen and I were patrolling the south side of the square, and young Shannar was with us. Seemed to be two men yelling at each other outside Shyan’s, but neither one had any weapons out. No clubs, no knives. Just two fellows shouting. They were shouting loud enough to upset folks, and we walked toward ’em. I had my truncheon in hand ’cause you can never tell. So did Haellen. I told Shannar to get his at the ready, but I didn’t look back. When we got near, one of the two fellows who was shouting turned and ran down the alley. Didn’t see any sense in going after him. No one looked to be hurt. No one was complaining. Then Jubyl yelled something about the Tilborans coming after him, and he pulled out a pig-sticker and ran at me. I was ready to cold-cock him, when he turned to one side and gutted young Shannar. Then slashed his neck. Got him two or three times before Haellen and I could stop him. So much blood that we didn’t even have time to call for a healer before Shannar was gone.”
“What did Jubyl do after that?” asked Pharyl.
“Not a thing. We’d hit him hard enough on his thick skull that he was stretched out on his face. He didn’t wake up until after he was celled at the station.”
“I have no more questions,” said Pharyl.
“Do you have any questions, Advocate Caesyt?” asked Quaeryt.
“I do.” Caesyt stepped forward. “You said that Jubyl yelled that the Tilborans were coming after him. What else did he say?”
“That was all.”
“Did he say it more than once?”
“He yelled something like that a couple of times. Might have been three.”
“Did he seem to recognize you … as patrollers, that is?”
“He charged us. Usually that means an offender knows we’re after him.”
“He never said anything about patrollers?”
“I didn’t hear anything like that,” admitted Dienn.
“No more questions.”
“Patroller Haellen, forward,” announced Pharyl.
In effect, Pharyl asked nearly the same set of questions of the second patroller, and in turn so did Caesyt. Haellen’s answers were similar to those of Dienn.
Once both had completed their questioning, Pharyl nodded toward Jubyl. “Have the offender step forward.”
“You have heard the words of the patrollers,” began Pharyl. “Is what they say true?”
“No. I didn’t stab no one.”
“Everyone saw you stab Shannar.”
“I just waved my knife. He stepped into it. Nothing I could do. He was stupid. He shoulda known better.”
“Jubyl, did you know the man you stabbed?”
“I didn’t stab no one.”
“You just said that you did.”
“No, sir. I said I waved my knife. He stepped into it. That’s not stabbing.”
“Did you know the man who died?”
“No.”
“You didn’t know that he was the younger brother of one of the guards at the pleasure house where you sometimes work?” pressed Pharyl.
“I object to that question, Honorable Justicer,” interjected Caesyt immediately, although his voice remained smooth and level.
The younger brother of one of Hyleor’s guards? For a moment, Quaeryt was silent before saying, “Please rephrase the question, Chief Pharyl.”
“Yes, sir.” Pharyl turned back to Jubyl. “Is not Bennar Fhandsyn a guard at the place where you sometimes work?”
“I know Bennar.”
Bennar Fhandsyn? Quaeryt knew he’d heard the name before. He just didn’t remember where or when.
“Did you know his brother Shannar?”
“He never talked about a brother.”
“Did you know Bennar’s brother?”
“I might a’ met him. I don’t remember.”
Quaeryt was convinced those statements were lies, even if there happened to be no way to prove that.
Pharyl asked more questions, but Jubyl’s answers never varied, and finally the chief stepped away and inclined his head to the advocate.
“Jubyl, you have said you were waving your knife and that the patroller walked into it. Why did you have the knife out?”
“Because there were Tilborans coming for me. That’s why. A fellow’s got to defend himself. He’s got that right.”
The faintest look of disgust crossed Pharyl’s face.
“Advocate,” interjected Quaeryt, “if you would please clarify any past connection to Tilborans … or not … as the case may be.”
“Why did you think the Tilborans were coming for you?”
“They’re everywhere. They didn’t stay in Tilbor.”
“Why not?”
“I donna know. They just are. I saw ’em. I did.”
“Have you ever seen any other Tilborans?”
“I told you. They were near the square. They were after me.”
“Did you take out your knife to attack them?”
“No, sir. I was just showing what they’d get if they came after me. Then that fellow patroller walked into it.”
After another half quint of questions, Caesyt said, “I have no more questions.”
Quaeryt turned to Pharyl. “Do you have any more questions or any other witnesses?”
“I have a few questions, Honorable Justicer.”
Quaeryt nodded.
“Jubyl, there are no records of your serving in any regiment posted to Tilbor. Why do you say that Tilborans were after you?”
“Because they were. They were.” Jubyl’s eyes went from side to side.
“What would you do if one of these Tilborans moved toward you?”
“A fellow can defend himself.”
“Would you kill one?”
“If he tried to attack me.”
“No further questions.”
Both Caesyt and Pharyl looked to Quaeryt.
“Do you have a closing statement, Chief Pharyl?”
“I do.” Pharyl paused for a moment. “Jubyl stabbed Patroller Shannar. That is without question. More than a score of people saw it. Jubyl claims he was waving his knife to keep away Tilborans. He has never been to Tilbor. The advocate for Jubyl will claim that the offender did not know what he was doing. Just a moment ago, Jubyl made a clear statement that he would attack only if attacked. That shows the ability to decide. He decided to kill Patroller Shannar. He did so. He is guilty and should be found so.”