Chapter 25 - SHANE SPEAKSAt sentencing, Shane addressed Ben.
Not Lila directly.
The judge had approved protective arrangements.
Shane looked smaller than the man I first interviewed.
“I thought I could fix everything before Monday.”
Ben stared at him.
Shane continued:
“I kept telling myself if I got the money back, the rest could become a fight between brothers instead of a crime.”
He swallowed.
“Then you woke up.”
Ben’s face tightened.
“I should’ve called 911.”
Yes.
“I should’ve called before I moved you.”
Yes.
“I should’ve stopped after every next thing.”
Yes.
Then:
“I heard Lila crying upstairs once.”
Ben closed his eyes.
Shane began crying.
“I still didn’t open the floor.”
That was the sentence that mattered.
Not the money.
Not the company.
He heard the child above the man he had imprisoned.
And continued.
The judge imposed a substantial custodial sentence followed by supervision.
Not life.
Not theatrical maximum punishment.
Restitution.
No contact with Lila absent future court approval.
Walker Brothers Renovation dissolved.
Assets sold.
Employees found other work or started their own crews.
A family business died.
People called that tragic.
May you like
It was.
It was also not more important than Ben surviving.
