Page 126 of Winning Bid

“Objection!” Tanner bolts out of his seat.

“Grounds?”

“Relevance!”

“Your honor,” Dana begins. “I promise you, it will become relevant in a moment.”

Ackerman sighs. “It better. I’ll allow it. Mrs. Jackson, answer the question.”

The old woman squints at Dana. “I’ll need you to hold your hand still, young lady.”

But she is. “I’ll do my best. Go ahead.”

“Two.”

The jury and those of us who can see Dana stir. She sympathetically says, “Your vision is compromised, isn’t it, Mrs. Jackson?”

“I see just fine, young lady,” she says, growing cross. “You held up two fingers.”

Dana sighs, walking up to the witness. “Mrs. Jackson, have you ever been diagnosed with a condition that might give you impaired vision or lead to confusion?”

“I want to speak to my lawyer!”

Judge Ackerman says, “Mrs. Jackson, you have to answer the question.”

Her wrinkled face tightens. “I had an aneurysm two years ago, but the doctors say I’ll be fine. I just need a little help sometimes.”

Tanner tries to school his expression, but a muscle tics in his jaw upon hearing that. Either he didn’t know, or he didn’t want her condition to come out in court.

Dana says, “I’m sorry that happened to you, Mrs. Jackson. No further questions.”

The rest of the day goes that way. Tanner puts up a witness, Dana strategically takes them down. A few days pass the same way, one bleeding into the next. I’m a little out of it when we’re back in session the day June is supposed to take the stand. Funny. Every day until now has felt like an eternity. But today, it feels like I blink, and she’s walking on shaking knees to the stand.

Tanner starts, “Mrs. West, or should I call you Ms. Devlin?”

“Either is fine, thank you.”

“Is there a reason you won’t officially take your husband’s name?”

Oh, for fuck’s sake, you misogynistic asshole.

“I am professionally known as June Devlin. Is there a reason you haven’t taken your wife’s name?”

That’s my girl.

“I’ll ask the questions, thank you. Please state for the record your relation to the victim.”

“We went out a few times.”

“While you were also dating the defendant, correct?”

The jury collectively arches a judgmental brow at her.

“No, that’s not correct.”

He frowns. “But you were dating Mr. West before you dated Mr. Johnson, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, but?—"

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