Credible Witness

Chapter 16

Tension filled the courtroom as Selena was escorted to the defense table by a female police officer. Her lawyer, Antony Rock, sat beside her, flipping through a file. His expression radiated determination and resilience.

Selena took a deep breath, silently praying that everything would work in her favor. She glanced around, noting the presence of Lucas, Josephine, and their legal team, all seated on the prosecution’s side.

Due to their joint decision, not to reveal violet return, it had been agreed that neither Violet nor Sean would attend the trial. It was just Selena and Antony defending her case.

The court clerk stood and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, this court will now proceed to hear arguments regarding the introduction of a new witness related to the case.”

“Prosecution, the floor is yours,” the judge instructed.

“Thank you, Your Honour,” said Lucas’s lawyer, rising to his feet. “The CCTV footage submitted into evidence clearly shows that Miss Selena Brook was the only individual present at the scene when the crime occurred, how are we so sure that the witness provided is credible and this is not just a big whole waste of time.”

Antony stood, addressing the court. “Your Honour, while the footage may appear authentic, new evidence from a credible source suggests otherwise.”

“Mr. Rock, are you challenging the authenticity of the footage?” the judge asked.

“Yes, Your Honour,” Antony replied confidently.

“Your Honour, I object!” Lucas’s lawyer interjected, his voice sharp. “The authenticity of the footage has already been established.”

“The objection is overruled,” the judge stated firmly. “Continue.”

“Proceed,” the judge instructed.

“Your Honour, I call to the stand Dr. Jones, the forensic analyst responsible for reviewing the CCTV footage.”

Dr. Jones approached the stand and was sworn in. Before the trial, he had met with John and Josephine. He had doctored the footage five years ago under their instruction. Now, he feared that if he slipped up, he would pay dearly.

Antony began questioning him. “Dr. Jones, can you confirm whether the footage captures every moment that occurred outside the house? Could there have been blind spots or time gaps?”

Dr. Jones hesitated, his gaze darting nervously toward Josephine, who glared at him with thinly veiled anger. “It’s... it’s possible there were blind spots outside the camera’s range,” he admitted cautiously. “I can only confirm what the footage shows, not what it doesn’t.”

“So, you’re saying it’s possible the camera didn’t capture everything?” Antony pressed.

“Well, uh…” Dr. Jones stammered.

“Dr. Jones,” Antony said firmly, sensing the man’s distress.

“Objection!” Lucas’s lawyer called out.

“Overruled,” the judge replied.

“Yes,” Dr. Jones admitted reluctantly.

Antony's suspicions deepened. The footage was tampered with.

“Your Honour,” Antony said, “if there’s a possibility that the footage is incomplete, and if we have a witness who saw a black vehicle leaving the scene before Selena arrived, doesn’t that suggest a conspiracy?”

The courtroom buzzed with tension. Josephine’s face darkened, her frustration palpable. That fool, she thought, glaring at Dr. Jones.

“Your Honour, that does not change the fact that Miss Selena’s fingerprints were found on the murder weapon,” Lucas’s lawyer argued, attempting to regain control.

“Let’s address that,” Antony said. “Five years ago, it was assumed that my client killed Christopher Wells's butler with a knife because her fingerprints were on it. But I ask you, what did Mr. Christopher Wells actually die of?”

The courtroom fell silent.

“She must have pushed him or something!” Lucas shouted, losing his composure.

“Order! Order!” the judge demanded, banging his gavel.

Antony turned to the jury. “Let’s consider the facts. Christopher Wells cared deeply for Selena and her children after Lucas Wells abandoned them. Financial records show he sent her birthday gifts every year. In interviews, he expressed how much he loved and cherished her as though she were his own daughter.”

Antony paused, letting his words sink in. “Selena had no motive to kill the man she considered a father. In her testimony, she explained that she walked in on Christopher Wells’s body and found his butler, Alfred, crying beside him. She picked up the knife in fear, thinking Alfred was a threat. Alfred later confessed to wrongdoing against Christopher Wells before taking his own life.”

The jury listened intently as Antony continued, “Your Honour, this means that the witness’s testimony about another party being present is credible. Alfred likely knew who the killer was, and his guilt drove him to suicide.”

Lucas stared at Selena, his emotions conflicted. What is going on? he thought. I hated Selena and went along with blaming her, but even I had doubts. My father and I weren’t close, but Alfred was loyal to him. Why would he betray my father?

“I need to get to the bottom of this,” Lucas muttered under his breath.

Antony’s voice rang out again. “Your Honour, the prosecution asks this court to ignore critical evidence, dismiss a credible witness, and overlook the possibility of tampered or incomplete footage. But the testimony of Mrs. Clarke the witness introduces reasonable doubt, a doubt that my client, Selena Brook, deserves in her fight for a fair trial.”

The judge nodded. “The jury will now deliberate. Court is adjourned.”

***

“Mom!” Liam called out, his body tense.

“I heard the lawyer didn’t put up a strong case. The case just began, and we’re already losing!” he said all in one go, frustration lacing his voice.

“Liam, calm down, okay? You need to...”

“I need to be what, Mom? I’m screwed!” he interrupted, pacing back and forth, his tone filled with exasperation.

“No, you are not,” Josephine countered firmly. “Look, I promise we’ll fix this, but we have to let things play out. There’s nothing to incriminate you, so relax,” she said, walking toward him with a steadying presence.

“Relax? It’s just a matter of time before they find out, and I’ll be thrown behind bars for the rest of my life!” Liam exclaimed. He stormed away, his emotions a chaotic mess. He hated how calm his mother was about the whole situation. Why wouldn’t she be? She wasn’t the one facing a murder charge if the truth came out.

***

Mabel grabbed her robe, hastily covering herself as she stepped out of the bathroom.

“Such a nice bath,” she muttered to herself, making her way into the closet.

“Now, what to wear?” she thought aloud when her phone rang. The sight of the foreign number on the screen made her heart skip a beat. That number only called in emergencies—it was the hospital caring for her sister.

“Oh Lord,” she mumbled, answering the call and taking a deep breath.

“Hello?” she said, trying to sound composed.

“Miss West, this is Dr. Nate.”

“Dr. Nate, how are you doing?” she asked, her voice forced into a casual tone to ease her nerves.

“I’m fine,” he replied. “I’m calling about your sister.”

“Yes, how is she?” Mabel asked, her voice dropping to almost a whisper.

“The surgery was successful, but there were complications. She’s currently in a coma,” Dr. Nate explained.

Mabel’s grip tightened on her phone as her voice cracked. “Will she be okay?”

Dr. Nate hesitated. “I can’t promise anything, but I assure you, I’ll do my best to take care of her.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice trembling.

“I’m just doing my job. I’ll keep you updated,” he said before ending the call.

“No,” Mabel whispered, tears streaming down her face as she broke down completely. She was tired of bad news. All she wanted was the day her sister would be healthy again.

For years, she’d faced challenges head-on, forced to grow up too soon. The grown-ups who should have cared for them hadn’t been ready to parent or love, leaving Mabel to step into the role. But this her sister’s illness, was breaking her. She was tired.

“I need a drink,” she mumbled, throwing on whatever clothes she could grab. She didn’t care about her appearance. She just wanted to numb the pain, even if just for the night.

***

“One more, please,” Mabel slurred, clearly drunk.

The bartender hesitated. “Ma’am, you’re drunk...”

“No, I’m not!” Mabel yelled, drawing attention to herself. “I have money, so just one more!”

“One more won’t hurt,” a deep voice said behind her.

“Another bottle for me, too,” the man added, and the bartender sighed, recognizing him as another regular.

“Thank you,” Mabel said, laughing. “He was being such a Karen!”

“I know,” the stranger said with a chuckle.

Before long, Mabel and the stranger were engaged in a lively conversation.

“So, why are you so drunk?” he asked, still laughing from her last comment.

“Life,” she replied, pouting. “Life happened. What about you?” she asked, twirling her finger in the air.

“Same here. I’m in a bind,” he muttered, pausing briefly.

“Oh,” Mabel said, not fully hearing him.

“Life’s a bitch,” he declared, his voice firm as though he had just concluded a series of tests.

“I agree. She punishes the nice people.”

“Pfft. I don’t think I’m nice, though, but I don’t deserve the shit I’m going through,” he replied.

“What makes you think you’re not nice?”

“I’ve done a lot of bad things,” he admitted, his eyes reflecting regret, but instantly hid it

“Everyone’s done bad things, including me. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“Hmm,” he mumbled, glancing at her.

“You seem not only nice but handsome,” she said, her words slurring.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked, staring at her intently.

“Yes!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet eagerly. The loud music was getting to her.

***

“Welcome to my tiny, tiny apartment,” the stranger said, stretching his arms wide.

“This isn’t tiny,” Mabel replied, playfully hitting his arm.

“Ouch! You’re so strong, like Superwoman,” he said, laughing.

“No, I’m strong like Wonder Woman,” she countered, pouting.

“Okay, you’re right,” he conceded.

She plopped down on the couch while he sat on the floor nearby.

“Hey, everything will be okay. That’s what I tell myself on bad days,” Mabel said, her eyes half-closed.

He stared at her, feeling oddly calm despite his drunken state.

“You’re nice,” he muttered.

“So are you,” she replied.

“No, I’m not.”

“Really? Then maybe life isn’t being a bitch to you—it’s just being fair.”

“I’m bad, but I don’t deserve what life’s doing to me. The one time I made a mistake, it’s ruining my life,” he confessed.

“Listen, everyone makes mistakes. It’s part of life. Don’t beat yourself up too much, okay?” Mabel said, yawning. She was completely exhausted.

“What’s your name?” she asked, her eyes closing.

“Liam,” he said, smiling at her.

“Why does that name sound familiar?”

“It’s one of the most popular names in America.”

“Really?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he said, laughing.

“Well, my name is Mabel,” she said, stretching her hand toward him. “And I’m super exhausted,” she mumbled before drifting off to sleep.