Chapter 14 - THE STAND
The courtroom was smaller than the ballroom Vanessa had booked for her wedding.
But it felt more crowded.
Reporters filled the back row.
Vanessa sat at the defense table in gray.
Leo was not there.
Richard and I had agreed on that before anyone asked.
Children are not evidence exhibits.
When my name was called, I swore to tell the truth.
The prosecutor started with the fall.
The sound.
The stairs.
Catching Leo.
Looking up and seeing Vanessa.
Then the video played.
My body reacted before my mind did.
Cold hands.
Tight chest.
On-screen, Vanessa placed her hand between Leo’s shoulders.
He fell.
The defense attorney stood.
“Ms. Reyes, you disliked my client before this incident.”
“I distrusted her.”
“Because she was becoming part of the family?”
“No.”
“Because you wanted that role yourself?”
“No.”
“Do you have feelings for Mr. Hale?”
A murmur crossed the room.
I looked at him.
“I have feelings about anyone who pushes a two-year-old down stairs.”
The judge silenced the room.
The attorney leaned closer.
“You love Leo.”
“Yes.”
“Losing access to him would hurt.”
“Yes.”
“So you had a motive to remove Vanessa.”
“I had a motive to keep Leo safe.”
On redirect, the prosecutor asked one question.
“If Richard ended your employment tomorrow, what would you do?”
“Leave.”
“Then why didn’t you hand Leo to Vanessa after the fall?”
I looked at her.
“Because he was terrified of her.”
Next came the video expert.
Then the cloud-security engineer.
Then Derek.
Then Elise.
Then Pete.
One by one, the story became a chain.
Near the end of the day, the prosecutor played Vanessa’s recorded words:
Because the camera angle was weak.
Vanessa lowered her head.
Then her lawyer stood.
“Your Honor, the defense has newly discovered evidence concerning the staircase recording.”
He held up a flash drive.
The courtroom shifted.
Marcus leaned toward David.
“What evidence?”
May you like
The lawyer smiled.
“An unaltered copy.”
