Jo came into the office of her father’s law firm and sat down at the computer in front of her. She had not seen or heard from either of her brothers for a long while, and had been given some reports about their work in the law firm which troubled her. Jo thought perhaps she had given them too much control, she was the only one that could hire or fire people, and granted the oldest one on the firm was seventy five years old, his work was t he best anyone had seen him do, and he could still recite laws by heart both current and new. Andrew came in and sat down.

“Hiya sis.” Andrew said with a warm smile, he could smile because he knew that he had done nothing wrong, Robert on the other hand came in and slammed the door shut, he had bad boy written all over him. Jo looked up from the computer screen, she smiled at her younger brother by five and a half minutes, yes Andrew and Jo were twins, they looked nothing alike, acted nothing alike, but they often thought alike, they went as far as being able to since when each other were mad, frightened or all emotions really.

“Andrew.” Jo smiled at him and then jumped a little when Robert slammed the door shut. “Robert.” Jo said smoothly “What is this I understand you have threaten Mort’s job?” Jo asked looking at Robert in the eyes “And you’ve been making some of the women uncomfortable working here. What is going on?” asked Jo.

Robert looked at his sister and sighed “Mort is old and he needs to be in a retirement home sis.” Outside both Mort and the young lady whom Robert had made uncomfortable by making advances towards her, he shouldn’t have done. Jo shook her head.

“Mort is; or was father’s first employee; I will not send him off to retirement when his mind is still intact brother. As a matter of fact; Mort is due for a promotion. Tomorrow morning I am giving him full control over the law firm, he is going to be my big brother and watching over this law firm for me, you’ll still be able to choose your own cases etc, but he will be the one you report to.” Andrew blinked and looked at his sister almost hurt. “And you keep your hands off of the young ladies Robert or you will find yourself jobless in this city.” Jo stood up and walked to the window with a view of the Statue of Liberty, “This firm will not be drawn into the mud and I will protect it at all cost. That is all; please bring Mort in with the young lady in question.”

“But sis…” Robert began

“No buts ... my mind is made up.” Jo said firmly and then turned back to look at her brother “Please leave me now. Not you Andrew.” Joe spoke gently and then looked back to the view of the Statue of Liberty. She sighs and shakes her head as Robert storms out of the door Mort and Allison walk into the room. “Please sit.” Andrew smiled at both of them, Mort smiled back at Andrew and the young lady looked down, she was afraid now he would be like Robert had been the power an boss had over people was just not right. “Mort how long have you been working for this firm?”

“About thirty years this May, Josephine.” Mort spoke with a gentle voice and a shaky one as he was a little afraid that he was about to get fired over this conflict with her brother, but he would not be pushed into early retirement just because he was old did not mean his mind was gone.

“I want you both to sit down.” Jo turned to smile at Allison and Mort. “She’s beautiful isn’t she?” asked Jo turning again back to view the Statue of Liberty, it took everyone else a few minutes to realize that Jo was speaking about the Statue of Liberty and not Allison or herself. “Give me your tired, give me your poor. . .” she started to say then she stopped and turned back to Mort “Mort, I’m tired, I can’t govern this office by myself, I don’t know the legal terminology and I don’t trust my brothers, Andrew is sweet but I don’t want him in a position where Robert could hurt him understand?” Andrew nodded and then looked at his sister with a brotherly loving smile. “Do you like this office Mort?”

Mort looked around the office, as offices went this was the biggest corner office with tilted windows all around both sides a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty, and then if you turned you could see the water. Mort nodded it indeed was the best office in the suite. The Furnerter was all leather and the finest that could be provided, the desk was oak wood and the computer was always updated first, a private bathroom, and small bar, hell who wouldn’t like this office? “Yes, this is a great office.” Mort found himself saying.

“Good because I’m giving it to you.” Jo smiled gently “And Allison, I want you to be Mort’s private secretary, with a salary to go with it. Mort, I’m promoting you to boss, you’ll take my place and only contact me if anything is serious enough where you feel you need my advice, this is still my firm, but Mort; I trust you with it, and of course you will have a fitting salary. Andrew, I want you to help him as an advisor when he needs it. That is all.” Jo said “You start your new jobs tomorrow morning salary will start as of Monday this week.” It was Tuesday.

That evening Jo locked up her father’s office and started to walk home towards her apartment on Park Place. She was only a few blocks and chose to walk. Jo came into her apartment and shut the door, she walked through the room calling for her husband, and then went to the bedroom, what she saw did not please her. He was with another. “Oh…” Jo whispered, she turned around and walked out of the room and sat down on the couch. The woman came out with clothes on and picked up her purse she was shaken for having been caught. Jo’s husband came out with his bathrobe on and grinned. “See ya tomorrow?” the woman’s eyes grew wide she turned and fled from the scene.

“Should I not come home tomorrow?” Jo asked she realized her husband did not love her; he never did and had only married her for her money. Jo’s husband shrugged, turned around and went back to the bedroom. Jo walked out and went to Andrew’s apartment which was just down the hall luckily for her, she came in and sat down shutting the door, and she fell to the ground and started to cry.

Andrew looked at his girlfriend as he had thought he heard something. “Jo?” he asked coming into the living room he ran to her and gently held her in his arms “What is wrong?” he asked softly. “What is it?” Jordan came in a woman whom had only been known by name to Jo until this point she looked up.

“I’m leaving him.” She said finally, when she calmed down enough time went by she looked at her brother and told him what had happened Andrew looked away. “You knew?!” she asked and then hit her brother “How come you didn’t tell me?!”

“I wasn’t sure of it, I saw him with another woman walking into the apartment but I didn’t know what was going on.” Andrew was fair with the way he spoke and Jo knew it she started to cry again.

“He’s going to see her again Andrew… tomorrow…” Jo whispered.

The next evening Jo came home and cried out when she saw her husband and the girl dead on the floor of the living room, the weapon was there and she picked it up and then knelt down next to her husband and felt his pulse he was still breathing! She picked up the phone and called 911. When the police came they took down all the statements and arrested Jo for the murder of the woman and her husband had passed on. Jo’s eyes grew wide as they started to take her hand she backed away from them and began to run. She wasn’t going to jail for something she did not do. The police caught her halfway down the streets she fell to the pavement and she cried out she didn’t do it.

Judge Alexander reviewed the case in front of him and nodded his head “looks like shed be a good candidate for the new prison we built on the Island.” Judge Alexander looked at another man and the man nodded “ah why you brought this case to me, law firm owner gone coinable, I knew her father. Good man. Too bad his daughter has gone to the other side of things.” Judge Alexander looked over the case, he was missing many facts but he was also under pressure to get people onto that Island. He nodded “She has brothers that care about her well being…”

“Not both of them, one turned enemy just this week.” The man said “Her twin brother can be easily kept away from the case, on other jobs. She has already told him that he is not to represent her, because it was too personal.” The man laughed “Old man Mort agreed.”

“Good god Mort is still working for that firm?” The Judge asked “He and I went to Law school together. I thought I was the only one left from that bar.” The Judge sat there and thought “Well, she’ll be sent to Marie Island in an hour, I’ll give her ten years, that should keep her out of her brothers hair, and I will be happy to do you this favor… of course it will cost you.”
The man another Lawyer friend of Roberts handed the judge a brief case filled with money, it had about 1.0 million in it, unmarked bills of course. The Judge smiled “Add another million and I’ll make it 20 years.” Alexander said as he shut the brief case and put it under his desk. Roberts’s friend turned and left the room.

In the court room Jo sat there her family, mother best friend and brothers were sitting behind her for support on the other side was her husband’s family, and the girlfriends’ family. She looked at her lawyer she had the most confidence in him and nodded. She didn’t look like a killer type. She had already set up her business just in case, the evidence against her was strong, and her brother was in charge of her fiancés and would send her money every month if she was found guilty. She stood as the judge came back in, during this process she had been quiet and looked remorseful and she looked over at her mother in law, she had been close friends. Andrew was sitting behind his sister, and he gently touched her shoulder. Jo looked back and then looked up at the Judge.

“Josephine Conrad III, you are found guilty for two counts of murder; that of your husband and your husband’s girlfriend. You are sentenced to ten years without parole, then your case will be reviewed, you will show at the ships docking area in one hour, and then on the Island in ten years at two o clock in the afternoon.”

“Island?” whispered Jo to her lawyer. “What Island?”

“What Island sir? This is the first time the people or defense has heard of such a punishment.” Came the lawyer from the other side voice “We assumed this prisoner would be serving time in a jail somewhere not sent to a tropical Island.” The judged gaveled the man.

“This Island was developed for murder cases and such, trust me this Island is not a vacation spot. Another interruption and I will fine you for contempt. The Island Marie will be your new home. You will leave with only what is given to you, if you are alive at the end of your ten years we will discuss a transfer.” Snapped The Judge and hit his gavel and walked out of the room. Jo heard her mother start to cry and sighed as she turned around her lawyer nodded the guards stood by incase Jo would try to run.

“Mom…” Jo whispered softly “mom, it’s alright, I’m strong I’ll survive it.” Jo’s voice was certain and defendant but she was scared, to be alone on an Island, she knew nothing about. Jo held her mother in her arms, and looked up at Andrew “Take care of mother.” She whispered softly Andrew nodded.

“Jo- we can ask for a new trial. One with a jury.” The lawyer offered Jo held her hand up.

“I will not waste the people’s money; my innocents will come out on its own in the mean time keep an eye on my case, Andrew you’ll pay him for his work as long as it takes?” Andrew nodded. “I have a safe in the room Mort knows my combination and you have my wishes should anything like this ever happen.” Mort came in the court room and sighed, he was late, but he saw Jo was still there. He handed her papers to her lawyer and then hugged Jo upon hearing the news. “Mort I want you to hire this man in our law firm, his case is mine and those like mine.” Mort nodded the lawyers’ eyes grew wide and then he smiled softly.

The other families watched from across the room in hate, they all hated her now and wished her death in this new prison. How dare she stand there idol as if she were a free woman. Jo hugged her mother one last time and then nodded to the guards “I am ready.”

Jo was taken to the Island on a heavily guarded boat, she quickly realized she was all alone on the Island and she turned to one of the guards. “We will be here in two weeks for fresh food and water.” The guard said “Every two weeks. You need other supplies let me know and who on the main land will pay for them. Here is a pad of paper and a package of pens.”
Jo looked around and sighed she would need a lot of things to build a home for herself. She nodded “I’ll need building tools. I need to build shelter. Can you have them over to me this once on a special run?” Jo looked pleadingly in the guards eyes.

“Oh hell, I’m going to lose my job if I do that.” The guard turned his back on the woman went in the ship and below deck then came back up top “Your brother Andrew asked me to set you up with a care package, I’ve got three more boxes down below.” The guards brought it up.

Jo grinned at the four large crates. Then nodded she watched as the guards left her on the Island, thankfully it was not raining, she tore open the first box, she saw a tool kit and most of the tools ran on batteries, then there was a cot and many other items in the first that would help her. She closed the lid and moved the four boxes closer inland. She looked around the Island taking in the scent of the pine and air of the salt of the sea and nodded this would be alright, she would build her shelter in the trees and she would have a good view of the ship coming in and of the prisoners… she should have a surveillance cameras planted around, but then she looked up and saw one already she put her middle finger up in the air and nodded screw the judge, she was innocent. She knew it and her family knew it.

Within the first week she had everything set up and was able to have her first evening up in her home in the trees it had everything she had chosen a place near a water fall and high enough in the air that she could see what was going on, she had even built an elevator, and stairs that could be pulled up and down. Unless you were pacifically looking for her house you wouldn’t even know it was there up in the trees. Down below the home there was a picnic table and four chairs.

Jo had opened the second box and found a cot and smiled as the matris was there and few other things bottles of water was in the third box as she opened it up she thought to herself a life time of bottled waters some soda pop and other canned goods a can opener and in the fourth box kitchen tools and such and a first aid kit.

After building a storage space five feet above ground she put everything in it and then sat down and wrote on a legal pad of paper the guard had given her a letter.

Dearest Brothers:

This Island is remote, and isolated. I have spent the first week building a shelter for myself as there was nothing here when I got here. At least nothing I could see. I shall need the following items please send them to me upon the next boat.

A Calendar
A Journal for this year
Deck of Cards
Checkers
Battery powered radio

The next week I will go hunting to see what kind of life there is on this Island, what kind of animals there are. If you would like I can tell you each month what my adventure here entails.

Your loving sister,
Jo