It was not a good night for the Stovall family.
Martin and Melissa ate dinner practically in silence. Their only topic of discussion when they did speak was their daughter Julie, currently in her bedroom eating dinner alone.
"As if she isn't in enough hot water, a potential charge of witness tampering too?" Melissa had asked her husband at one point, referring to the fact that Sheriff Cooper had once again served a warrant against them earlier that day, and this time confiscated Julie's computer because there was evidence of her sending fake e-mails in hope of finding out embarrassing information against those who would soon bear witness against her at trial.
The news wasn't much better when Julie's defense lawyer Brett Smithson visited them later that night to prep the family for the first court date Wednesday morning.
"TWO COUNTS of attempting to violate Statute 1-A*?" Martin Stovall shouted in shock, once Smithson broke the news to them.
"The prosecution broke the news to me just before I was originally going to leave my office for the day, after advising me of the additional charges arising from Julie's ill-advised phishing expedition," replied Smithson, looking sternly at her client.
"I had to do something to help clear my name," Julie protested weakly in return.
"We'll get back to that. How can they claim Julie was going to attempt to break Statue 1-A TWICE?" her father demanded to know.
"Apparently, there's security footage of Julie attempting to accost Eric Anderson at the high school's school bus waiting zone, as well as a hallway shot of all of Eric's friends waiting anxiously outside the boy's bathroom near there while the Anderson boys were inside. While there's no audio, the video clearly shows them coming back out afterward, and everyone looking quite relived when Nate made some kind of announcement. And the reason for the bathroom expedition is quite graphic," warned Smithson, before she opened her laptop and played for her parents Julie reaching into Eric's pants while he was clearly trying to avoid such action.
Melissa Stovall simply started crying and turned to lean against her husband as Martin's face turned red, staring angrily at his daughter, who turned pale at seeing the recording.
Damn security cameras, was her only thought as the video played.
"The second attempt charge is based on witness testimony as to why Julie was looking for Eric in the lunchroom last Tuesday morning, and the fact that when she discovered him not only sitting next to Frieda Knight, but that Eric was now a werepanther..."
"I see," said Martin, even as he continued staring at his daughter. Something that was making Julie start to fear him.
"Everyone with any knowledge of the situation knows that Eric was wanting to become a werepanther to be with Spencer Lawson, but with his girlfriend being a hybrid were, she couldn't usher him into were society herself because there was no guarantee what exactly he would transform into. The fact that Eric is now a happy werepanther of his own free will and that he and Spencer are now dating even more seriously than before his first transformation adds further credence to the claims against Julie, especially since at one point she said things in public like, I have Eric Anderson under my thumb, and Eric is mine!" revealed the defense attorney.
"I never said that last one," protested Julie. At least, not publicly. Did I?
"But I heard you make that other one," remembered her mother.
"Which is why both of you, along with the Andersons as well as several other students besides Eric, Spencer, and Frieda are on the prosecution's witness list," warned Smithson.
"They expect us to testify against our own daughter?" Martin asked her, making the first time he had turned his head away from Julie in minutes.
"You also heard Julie's warning to Eric's parents as she was being arrested about how he should enjoy his new life while he still could," Smithson reminded them, to which the Stovalls could only nod. "I'll admit, even without Julie's actions today, things aren't looking good."
"So, are you suggesting some type of plea bargain deal?" wondered Melissa Stovall.
"Not before I see how things go. Right now, with these new charges, the prosecution also warned me that they will move forward with their motion to have Julie tried as an adult, which will carry much stiffer penalties and jail time if she's found guilty," answered the defense attorney.
"WHAT!" exclaimed Julie. "The time I've already spent in jail, let alone having to wear this damn thing," she said, pointing to the ankle monitor on her leg, "have been bad enough!"
"You should of thought of all of that long before swimming down the stream you're sinking in now young lady," warned her father.
"Please. We have to present an united front in court," advised Smithson. "You two have to be the grieving parents who admit their daughter made mistakes but is willing to make amends."
Julie was about to say something, but Melissa interrupted her by asking, "Do you think that will work?"
"It's not the only card I have to play in my defense deck, but it's a start," said Smithson, before asking to go upstairs and pick out Julie's outfit for court tomorrow.
In the end, despite the fact that Julie wanted a more sexier ensemble, the defense attorney picked out the plainest attire she could.
"Even though you'll just be entering a plea after hearing all the charges against you before Jack Johnson and I start arguing motions, the idea is to make you look innocent, not guilty," said Smithson. Then, after advising the Stovalls not to say a word to anyone and get to the courthouse early so they could have a last minute strategy session before Julie's first appearance, Smithson left for the evening.
The family meeting that took place after the lawyer left was long, with her parents doing most of the talking.
Choruses of "How could you?" and "What were you thinking?" rang throughout the practically one sided conversation.
Now Julie was alone in her room, the plain dress hanging in her parents room because Melissa wanted to iron it for tomorrow morning, but secretly her mother wanted to make sure Julie didn't do anything to it overnight.
Julie tried to sleep, but at best it came in brief naps.
Looking at her clock, she was disappointed it was almost 1 in the morning and she still hadn't gotten a decent wink yet.
Not knowing what else to do, and knowing her parents would freak if she tried to leave the house even with the ankle monitor on, Julie went to her private bathroom and filled up her large tub while stripping off her nightgown.
Then she got in, changing to her Stage 2 form as webbing appeared between her fingers, and her beautiful gold fish mermaid scales spread across her legs as her feet became flippers.
Unfortunately Julie hadn't been able to assume her Stage 3 form and display her complete tail since her initial arrest, since that would break the ankle monitor and alert the police.
Inside the bathtub, she actually manged to relax a little, even eventually playing with herself until she experienced blessed relief through a self-induced orgasm.
Maybe when this is all over, I should just leave Moon Lake and swim into the tropics. With my looks, I can have any were, aquatic or otherwise, doing my bidding in a matter of time, she thought to herself.
But even as she enjoyed the post sexual bliss and contemplated doing it again in hopes of finally falling asleep in the water** one thought still occupied Julie's mind more than any other.
I'll have my revenge against everyone who's ever wronged me, even if it's the last thing I ever do!
A list that, in her opinion, was ever growing, and now included both her parents AND the future sibling being created in her mother's womb!
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*The charge of any were attempting to turn a normal human into a were against their will.
**Which is safe for were-mers to do, but NOT normal humans!—tmw.