Miranda leaned forward on her desk. There has to be a way the real killer got in.
John smiled. "And before you ask, no, there were no signs of forced entry."
Miranda took a deep breath. I—it can't be! I can't prove there was a way the real killer could have gotten in!
John smiled. "So sorry Ms. Veal. Better luck ne—"
"WAIT!"
The courtroom's attention went toward the source of the noise, Travis. "Wait! There was a way for a person to get in!"
"What are you blabbering about?"
"It was starting to cool down from summer that day. My mother always tries to save money, so she turned off the AC that day and opened up the back door! She said that it was safer than the front, since there was a wall in the back yard!"
"OBJECTION!" John slammed on his desk. "Quit lying! The witness here said that the only way to enter is through the front—"
"Hold it! Hold everything!"
Everyone turned to Mike. "Mr. Prosecutor…my memory isn't as good as it once was, however, I just remembered something."
"What is it?"
"When I went into the house, I noticed the back door was open."
"…! I—it was?!"
"Yes. Sorry for the confusion…"
The court was silent. The judge banged his gavel. "So there was a way for another person to be at the scene of the crime."
"OBJECTION!" John looked at Travis. "The wall…how high was the wall?!"
"…about four feet tall."
"F—four feet?"
"Yes. I was able to climb over it. I always told my mom it was still dangerous since the wall was still climbable, but she wouldn't listen."
Miranda smiled. "And now it looks like you are out of tricks, Mr. Everest."
"…impossible…did I have the wrong guy the entire time?"
The judge banged his gavel. "Ms. Veal, can you tell the court what you believe happened?"
"Yes, your honor. When Travis was about to return home, someone hopped over the back yard wall and entered the house through the open back door. There, he killed the victim. However, before he could make his escape, Travis came back. Frightened, the killer knocked him unconscious. Then, to make sure Travis was arrested, he framed Travis, by putting his fingerprints on the knife and the doorknob. Much to his dismay, another witness arrived. To make it look like Travis was trying to fool him, he smashed Travis's head against the bed post, making it look like Travis tried to make himself unconscious. When Mike went to go call the police, that's when the killer made his escape, hopping over the back wall, and escaping the scene."
The judge shook his head. "It all seems logical. Any objections, Mr. Everest?"
"…the prosecution…has no objections."
The judge shook his head. "Very well then. Mr. Sherman, may you please stand up."
Travis stood up. "Travis, I am here to correct a wrong. You were falsely convicted of a crime you didn't commit. The court officially deems Travis Sherman…not guilty!"
The audience clapped loudly. The judge banged his gavel. "That is all. The court is adjourned."
Miranda smiled as she gathered her belongings and exited the courtroom. Entering the defendant's lobby, she put her stuff down and sat down on a bench. Soon, Travis was escorted into the room. The guard stopped Travis. Taking out a key, he released the handcuffs from Travis. "You're a free man Mr. Sherman."
Travis rubbed his wrist. "Thank you officer…"
Travis saw Miranda. "…and thank you…Ms. Veal."
Miranda shook her head. "You can call me Miranda. I'm not your attorney anymore."
Travis slightly smiled. "Thank you Miranda…I honestly didn't think you could do it at first."
Miranda chuckled. "Well…it WAS my first case."
Travis slightly smiled. "Now, what I did tell you before…was true."
"What do you mean?"
"Well…I honestly don't know what to do anymore. Even though I am now a free man, the man who killed my mom killed the future I was supposed to have. I had hinged everything upon basketball. I don't know what to do…"
Miranda put her hand on Travis's shoulder. "I can't answer that for you. You have to figure that out yourself."
Travis slightly nodded, still uneasy about his future.
Miranda chuckled. "Come on! Let's get out of this danky mood and go celebrate!"
"Danky?"
"Just let's go celebrate!"
"Not in prison clothes I'm not."
"…you can borrow some of mine."
Travis turned around and saw John behind him. "Mr. Sherman…I must apologize for my actions."
"What actions?"
"Getting you convicted of murder…"
"…you had a job to do, and you did it well. I won't say that I wasn't mad at you at first, or that it didn't hurt, but you had a job."
John slightly smiled. "Thank you…"
Miranda shoved John closer to Travis. "You're invited too! Let's go celebrate! Food's on me!"
"Just let me borrow John's clothes first."
And so, after getting a change of clothes, Miranda, Travis, and John celebrated at a pizza parlor. John invited Travis to stay over at his place, until he could find a place of his own.
Travis walked downstairs in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Sitting down on a couch, Travis began to ponder everything that had happened to him the past four years. "I wonder how Jared and Mary are doing…"
Travis began to wipe a tear from his eye. "Why did you have to die Mom? Why did you have to die?"
Travis began to silently sob. Soon, when he had calmed down, Travis thought of the horrors he had to go through in prison. That's when the idea came to him. "I don't want anyone else who's innocent to be in prison…I know what I'm going to do!"
John woke up, later than he had expected. Travis is probably already up by now…
Getting out of bed, and putting on normal clothes, John walked downstairs to see Travis still sitting on the couch. Travis noticed John. "Good morning…"
"Good morning Travis. Did you sleep well last night in an actually good bed?"
"Not really…I was up most of the night."
"Oh? Why's that?"
Travis didn't respond. However, a few seconds later, Travis asked, "John, how do I start the process of being a defense attorney?"
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