Sabrina shrugged, though her heart burned for the betrayal she was committing. Sabrina knew what was going on in her sister’s mind. Daphne believed the weapon was lost. Sabrina knew she should tell, and from the look on Puck’s face, he agreed, but she wasn’t sure how to explain. When Daphne reached up to touch the necklace, Sabrina could almost hear the remorse running through her sister’s mind.
Uncle Jake finally parked the car and the family trudged up the steps toward the courtroom. Once inside, Daphne yanked on Sabrina’s sleeve and told Granny they would meet them inside in a moment. Granny agreed but told the children not to dillydally. Mr. Canis needed their support.
“OK, I was wrong,” said Daphne as she leaned against a wall. The little girl looked like she needed it to prevent herself from collapsing. Her face was red and tears were swimming in her eyes. “We should have gotten the weapon while we could. Now, we’ll never get it. You saw the bank. It’s gone.”
Sabrina nodded but said nothing.
“I should have listened to you,” the little girl continued.
“Yes, well, it’s too late for that,” Sabrina said. “You wanted to be in charge and—”
Puck kicked her in the leg and gave her an angry look.
“What are we going to do about the weapon?” Daphne cried. “What if we didn’t go get it ’cause I was being stubborn and it turns out we need it?”
Puck glared at Sabrina. “I have a feeling it will turn up.”
The courtroom door opened and Granny poked her head out. “Come along, lieblings. The trial is staring.”
The courtroom was standing room only and curious citizens were spilling out into the hall. News of the trial had obviously spread, and Everafters from all over town had come to see what everyone was referring to as “the trial of every century.”
Mayor Heart and Sheriff Nottingham gazed at the capacity crowd with delight. Sabrina overheard Heart suggesting that they should have sold tickets. Nottingham agreed and they both broke into laughter.
Several of the family’s friends came over to offer their support. Gepetto had closed his toy store to come and be by the family’s side. Cinderella and her human husband, Tom, came over and offered to bring the family dinner, though Granny declined. Mr. Seven sat on a stack of phonebooks in the back row and even Briar Rose’s fairy godmothers wished the family well, while staring daggers at Uncle Jake. But most surprising was Snow White, who eased into their row and sat down next to Granny Relda. She said nothing, just took the old woman’s hand in her own and held it.
“I’m sorry, Snow,” the old woman said.
“I know you would never do anything to hurt me on purpose, Relda. I’m sorry, too,” Ms. White replied.
Briar Rose joined the group. She sat down next to Uncle Jake and took his hand. Uncle Jake smiled. “You sure you want the whole town knowing you’re dating a Grimm?”
Briar nodded and kissed him on the cheek. There was a light in the couple’s eyes and laughter in their voices. Sabrina had seen the same expressions on her parents’ faces every day that she could remember. The sleepy princess and her swashbuckling uncle were in love.
Robin Hood and Little John entered the courtroom just as several card soldiers led Mr. Canis to his table. Robin patted him on the shoulder, then opened his briefcase. He rifled through some papers and watched Bluebeard out of the corner of his eye. Bluebeard stopped at the Grimms’ row and bent in close to smile at Ms. White.
“Snow, someone should arrest you. It has to be a crime to be so beautiful,” he said.
Snow gave a forced smile, but when the creepy man turned away, Sabrina caught her rolling her eyes in disgust. Sabrina looked over and spotted her little sister doing the same.
“All rise!” the Three of Spades shouted. “The honorable Judge Hatter is now presiding.”
Judge Hatter marched through a side door. He was carrying a sledgehammer on his shoulder and tripping over his long black robes. When he got to his seat, he set the sledgehammer down and looked around the courtroom.
“Oh, you’re back. Well, I suppose we should start the trial,” he said. He picked up his sledgehammer and slammed it down on the desk, practically destroying it. “Mr. Bluebeard, do you have another witness?”
“Indeed I do! The prosecution calls Howard Hatchett.”
The double doors at the back of the room opened and a man in a flashy blue suit entered. He had a bushy red beard and a veiny nose. He was wearing a bright red ball cap with a logo advertising something called Hatchettland. He looked nervous, especially when he saw Mr. Canis. He even tried to run away several times, but two card soldiers stopped him and forced him into the witness stand.
Hatchett sat down, but he never took his eyes off Canis. Even when Bluebeard approached him and thanked him for taking the time to testify, Hatchett didn’t seem to hear him.
“Mr. Hatchett, are you well?” Bluebeard asked.
“I’m fine,” Hatchett said, shifting in his seat. “I have to admit I never thought I’d see this day.”
“Mr. Hatchett, could you tell the jury who you are and how you are related to this case,” Bluebeard asked.
Hatchett stammered. “My name is Howard Hatchett. Some people know me as the woodcutter or the hunter from the story of Red Riding Hood.”