Chapter 23 - TRIAL
The prosecutor played the barbecue video.
I watched jurors.
Bad habit.
One woman flinched.
A man looked down.
The defense asked:
“Mrs. Parker, did you smile after destroying the grill?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I was terrified.”
“You smile when terrified?”
“Sometimes.”
“You said, ‘This finally came in handy.’ What did you mean?”
“The metal spoon.”
True enough in immediate context.
Then:
“You had a panic device.”
“Yes.”
“So you anticipated violence.”
“I anticipated needing help.”
“Because you intended to provoke your husband?”
“No.”
“You secretly preserved video.”
“Yes.”
“You copied financial documents.”
“Yes.”
“You planned to leave.”
“Yes.”
The lawyer let those yeses hang as if preparation were conspiracy.
Then he asked:
“You threw a mug months earlier?”
“Yes.”
“Destroyed property?”
“Yes.”
“Yelled at your husband?”
“Yes.”
“Transferred joint money without telling him during the pandemic?”
“Yes.”
“Would you agree this marriage was volatile on both sides?”
I looked at Ivan.
Then back.
“Yes.”
The lawyer paused.
He had expected denial.
I continued:
“Volatile doesn’t mean he owned my hand.”
May you like
The judge instructed me to answer only questions.
Fair.
