Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
“No. We didn’t fight.”
“Did you see him that night?” Reese asks.
“Yes. I did.”
“And what happened?”
“I told him that Reginald Hicks came to me and wanted me to help kill him.” The courtroom blows up into a gasp that explodes into murmurs.
Reginald jumps to his feet. “She’s lying! She’s lying.”
Dana gasps and actually turns to try to find me in the audience. When her eyes meet mine, I mouth, “Easy. Let him do his job.”
She inhales and turns around, but her fingers are squeezing the wooden chair arms, her knuckles white.
The judge does a lot of banging on the desk and finally, Reese can continue questioning Martha. “Why didn’t you tell someone else? Like the police?”
“Mr. Warren, Nelson, didn’t want me to. He said he’d handle it himself.”
“How did he plan to handle it?”
“He wanted to confront Reginald. He said he was going to confront him.”
“Did he?” Reese asks.
“I don’t know,” she whispers. “He died the night he was supposed to talk to him.”
Reginald is on his feet again, screaming. “Liar!”
More chaos ensues, and finally, Reese asks, “Did you consider Reginald’s offer?”
“No!” Martha shouts. “No. I would never do that. I loved Mr. Warren. I loved him.”
“Did he love you?” Reese asks.
“Yes. He loved me.” Martha replies.
I lean over to Lauren and whisper, “She told us sleeping with him was her job."
Lauren eyes me with an arched brow. “And now he loved her?”
“Exactly,” I whisper.
“But you weren’t in his will,” Reese points out.
“I didn’t want his money,” she snaps. “I didn’t care about his money, but he was very generous. I’ll never find a job that pays that well. He took care of me.”
“And yet you’re not in the will,” Reese comments.
“Is there a question?” Milton demands, in his first objection.
“I’ll withdraw,” Reese says, looking at the judge.
“What did Reginald offer you, Martha?”
“Money,” she says. “He said he’d marry Dana, inherit, and pay me. He said Dana was going to walk away from the money, and he couldn’t let that happen.”
“What do you think he thought was your motivation to help?”
“I guess money,” she says.
“Did he know that you weren’t in the will?”
“He might have. Dana knew.”
“And he believed since you were cut out of the will, you might want to kill your lover to ensure your good job continued to pay.”
“I don’t like how that sounds,” Martha says. “I didn’t want a payday.”
“Everyone just thought you did,” Reese comments.
“Objection,” Milton shouts. “Again. Is there a question?”
“Did everyone think that you wanted a payday?” Reese asks, rephrasing.
“I don’t know,” she says.
“What did you tell Reginald when he offered you money to help kill your lover?”
“I told him I’d think about it. I was scared of him. I was afraid to say no.”
“To clarify,” Reese says. “You said you’d think about killing your lover, the deceased, who was murdered?”
“I—it wasn’t—”
“Yes or no?” Reese presses.
“I was—I—”
“Yes or no,” the judge demands.
“Yes.”
“I’m through with this witness,” Reese says and walks back to his table. Milton doesn’t cross-examine. He can’t. Anything he’d ask would just make Dana look more innocent.
Reese has won this case long before the trial ends.
Lauren leans close. “He made that look easy.”
I smile, pride filling me. “Yes. He did.” I lean close and whisper. “That’s the father of my baby.”
She grins. “Yes, he is.” She reaches in her purse. “I got you this to give him.” She hands me a long, narrow box that might be a pen box. I open it to find a cigar that has pink and blue ribbons on it. Girl or boy. Which will it be? Which will he want?
My stomach knots. What if he doesn't want this now? If he's shocked, if he's hesitant, this isn't the birthday present I want it to be. He won't be hesitant. Will he? I need to feel him out before his birthday. I have to know he wants this.
Chapter eighty
Reese
The minute I finish with Martha and return to my table, Dana is tugging on my arm. “What just happened?” she whispers leaning in close. “Did Reginald do this?”
Milton stands up. “I’d like to request a short recess, judge.”
“Once again,” the judge says, “I imagine you do. Fifteen minutes.” He pounds the gavel and the room erupts into more of the noise Martha’s testimony delivered.
“What’s going on?” Dana demands again.
“Let’s go to our private room,” I say.
“Dana!” Reginald screams. “I didn’t do it. I swear to you. I love you. I wouldn’t hurt your father!”
She presses her hands to her face, upset when she has reason to be happy. She has her reasonable doubt, and any jury doing their job will acquit her. My hand settles on her back and I twist around to find Cat, thankfully, at the railing. She has a way with Dana that I’m going to need right now and I motion for her to meet us in the back room. She nods and stands up, heading toward the door.