The family rushed to the courthouse and pushed their way through the crowd at the entrance. There were no seats left and they were forced to stand in the back of the room.
Mayor Heart made her way over to the family. She had a wicked grin on her face. Her crooked yellow teeth made Sabrina’s stomach turn more than her mean-spirited comments. “Looks like today’s the day we wrap this all up, Grimms. I suspect your Wolf will meet the nooseman by this time tomorrow.”
Granny frowned as the woman walked away. “Isn’t she a delight?”
Judge Hatter entered the courtroom and made his way to the front where his desk once stood. Since he had smashed it with a sledgehammer the day before, it had been replaced with a stack of milk crates. He didn’t seem to notice. The Four of Spades called for order and announced the judge as he sat down.
“Let’s get started,” Judge Hatter said. “We can’t exactly get ended can we? No, I suppose we can’t. Can we? Or is it, may we? We may. No, we may not. Mr. Bluebeard, do you have a new witness?”
Bluebeard stood up from his desk and surveyed the crowd. He had a smug look on his face and he beamed at everyone, including Sabrina and her family. “Indeed I do. In fact, she’s our last witness. I call Little Red Riding Hood to the stand.”
The crowd fell silent as if their words were forcefully stuffed back into their mouths. The double doors in the back opened and a card soldier escorted Red to the stand. He helped her into her seat and stood nearby, watching her closely.
“Does the witness need to be watched?” Hatter asked.
The card soldier nodded. “This one is especially dangerous. She’s mentally deranged, sir.”
“Oh,” Hatter said with delight. “How exciting! What does she do? Eat people? Push people out of windows? Throw knives?”
“All of the above, I believe.”
The judge clapped like a happy child. “It’s nice to not feel so alone. Bluebeard, ask your questions.”
The lawyer approached the little girl, but even he kept a safe distance from her. When she looked up into his face he smiled, but she sat there, stone-faced and gazing around as if lost in thought.
“Precious girl,” Bluebeard started. “You have been through so much. I hate to put you through any more but we need to get to the truth. We have a . . . ahem . . . man on trial for his life, so I hope you’ll be brave and answer some questions.”
Red continued gazing about. Sabrina had seen this expression before. The little lunatic was probably having another delusion.
“Red, we’ve already established that your parents sent you to see your grandmother and asked you to take a basket of food and medicine. Do you know why they sent you?”
“Momma told me Granny was sick,” Red said.
“Your grandmother was sick? How sad. So you went through the woods following a path to her house. When you got there, what did you see?”
“A monster,” Red said.
Bluebeard smiled. “Can you point out that monster?”
Without as much as a glance, Red pointed at Mr. Canis.
“Let the record show that the child pointed at the accused,” the lawyer said, then turned his attention back to Red. “Where was your grandmother when you arrived?”
“The Wolf ate her,” Red said softly.
“That’s terrible,” Bluebeard said overdramatically. He looked as if he might burst into tears, but Sabrina knew he was acting. “I’m sure you know this, but the story of what happened has been spread far and wide. In one version you came into the house and found the Wolf hiding in your grandmother’s bed. Is that what happened?”
Red nodded.
“Why would he do that?” Bluebeard asked.
“He wanted to trick me so he could eat me, too,” Red said.
“Luckily, a woodcutter came and saved your life,” Bluebeard said as he turned to the jury. His face was pure confidence.
“No, that’s not what happened.”
Bluebeard’s face fell. He spun around to face Red once more. “I’m sorry, child. Maybe you misunderstood what I said. I was talking about the brave woodcutter who saved your life.”
Red shook her head. “I heard what you said. I said that isn’t what happened. I found the woodcutter hiding in the fields.”
“Then how did you escape the Wolf?” Bluebeard asked.
“Because he saved me from himself,” Red said, pointing at Mr. Canis.
The crowd broke into excited chatter. Hatter pounded a gavel down on the stack of milk crates. They collapsed before him. With nothing to pound on, he slammed the gavel into his own head. “Order!”
“The jury should be careful about what the witness says. She’s mentally ill,” Bluebeard said.
“Objection!” Robin Hood cried. “If her testimony can’t be trusted then why is she here? She’s either telling the whole truth or telling a whole lie.”
“Order!” Hatter demanded, slamming his head against a wall. “Mr. Bluebeard, do you have any more questions?”