Chapter 4: The Witness Who Knew Too Much
Daniel raised his right hand and promised to tell the truth.
Prosecutor Hall approached him.
“Where were you at 8:16 that evening?”
“Across from Sarah’s house.”
“What did you see?”
“Michael broke the window and ran toward his truck.”
Naomi stood.
“You saw his face?”
“No.
I saw his jacket and tattoos.”
“Which arm?”
Daniel hesitated.
“His right.”
Naomi turned me toward the jury box.
My right forearm had a small compass.
The large black design the prosecutor had emphasized covered my left arm.
“You told police you saw a snake tattoo,” Naomi said.
“Michael does not have one.”
“It was dark.”
“Too dark to identify a tattoo, but bright enough to identify Michael?”
“I knew his jacket.”
Naomi held up a photograph.
“The jacket officers found in Michael’s truck?”
“Yes.”
“The same jacket Sarah removed from Michael’s garage after their separation?”
Sarah stood.
“That is a lie.”
Judge Mercer pointed to her chair.
“Sit down.”
Daniel rubbed his palms against his trousers.
Naomi placed a still image from the security video on the screen.
“What did Sarah give you outside Ruth’s building?”
“Money she owed me.”
“How much?”
“Five hundred dollars.”
“Why pay you in an envelope after telling police she never left home?”
Daniel glanced at Sarah.
“Ask her.”
Prosecutor Hall rose again.
“The state also has messages sent from Michael’s number at 8:03.”
He read from a printed page.
“‘You cannot keep my daughter from me.
You will regret this tonight.’”
Sarah lowered her eyes, but the corner of her mouth lifted.
Naomi faced me.
“Did you send that?”
“No.
My phone was on Ruth’s kitchen table.”
“Could anyone access your account?”
“Sarah knew the password before we separated.”
“That proves nothing,” Sarah said.
“He sent it.”
Judge Mercer looked at the clock.
“Until the carrier records are verified, the messages remain evidence.”
My stomach dropped.
Sarah leaned close as the lawyers gathered around the bench.
“They’ll keep you overnight,” she whispered.
“By next week, Emily will stop asking for you.”
I pulled against the cuffs before I could stop myself.
The officers moved closer.
“Michael,” Naomi warned.
Sarah smiled.
“There’s the monster.”
My knees nearly gave way.
Then Prosecutor Hall looked toward Emily, who was crying against the court advocate’s shoulder.
“Your Honor,” he said, “may one cuff be removed so the defendant can comfort his daughter before he is taken downstairs?”
Sarah stared at him.
“You’re supposed to protect us.”
“I’m supposed to protect the truth.”
Judge Mercer nodded.
Officer Grant unlocked my right wrist.
Emily ran into my arm, and I held her against my chest.
“Don’t let Mommy make me forget you,” she sobbed.
“Never,” I whispered.
“But you must keep telling the truth.”
My mother hurried down the aisle holding her phone.
“Naomi, someone left this message on my answering service last night.”
She pressed play.
Daniel’s voice filled the courtroom.
“You said the camera would be gone before anyone checked it.
Call me, Sarah.
I’m not taking the blame for both of us.”
Sarah’s chair scraped backward.
May you like
Naomi looked at her.
“What camera was supposed to be gone?”
