The judge tapped her pen against the desk, weighing her options. Probation wouldn’t teach him anything. A fine would mean nothing. Juvenile detention would likely harden him.
Finally, she spoke.
Gasps rippled through the courtroom. Ethan’s smirk faltered for the first time.
“You will work under Mr. Patel, the store manager,” Judge Harmon continued. “You will sweep floors, stock shelves, and do any task asked of you. If you fail to complete your service respectfully, you will return to this courtroom, and I will not hesitate to impose detention.”
The judge wasn’t finished. “In addition, you will attend a weekly accountability program. You will hear firsthand from people whose lives have been hurt by theft. After each session, you will write a reflection. Those will be reviewed by this court.”
Ethan tried to protest, but Judge Harmon cut him off sharply. “One more word, and I’ll double your hours. Do you understand?”
His voice, stripped of sarcasm for the first time that day, was barely above a whisper. “Yes, Your Honor.”
