Chapter 17 - My Son's Truth
The prosecutor asked when he learned that Stacey planned to meet Robert at the dock.
"That afternoon," he said. "She told me she could get him to sign."
"Did you know she intended to push him?"
Caleb hesitated. "I knew she was angry. I didn't think she'd do that."
The prosecutor played the camera footage. When the image showed Robert falling into the water, Caleb's shoulders shook. When the clip showed him taking the folder, he closed his eyes.
"Why didn't you help him?" the prosecutor asked.
Caleb's voice broke. "I was afraid she'd say I planned it. I thought if I got the papers, I could fix the money and nobody would know. I thought he'd come up."
"You watched for twelve minutes before calling for help."
"Yes."
"And three years later, you pushed your mother into the same pond."
Caleb lowered his head. "Yes."
His attorney argued that Caleb had acted under Stacey's pressure and had since cooperated. The prosecutor said the jury should consider his cooperation but not confuse it with innocence.
When the judge allowed a short recess, Caleb turned toward me. His eyes were wet, but he did not ask for forgiveness.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he said.
I answered quietly. "You said that at the dock, too."
He looked away.
May you like
That evening, the jury sent a note asking to review the camera footage and the timeline of the emergency call. We waited in the hall while the judge answered. Stacey sat perfectly still at the defense table.
Then the clerk came out and told us the jury had reached a verdict on the fraud charges, but not yet on the homicide count.
