Page 77 of Attraction & Repulsion

“I’d like that,” she said, hope filling her body. Maybe, just maybe, there could be another chance with Jax.

Chapter twenty-seven

The anticipation was finally over.

Carson and her client, Jacob, sat in the courtroom as her opponent, Charles Patchett, rattled off his last questions to his client, currently on the stand.

“Now, Tiffany,” Charles said, “the Petitioner, Jacob Phillips, alleges that your daughter has witnessed you and your boyfriend smoking marijuana on your couch. Do you own a couch?”

The witness leaned forward and spoke into the microphone, her voice sounding as if she gargled gravel before the trial. “No, I don’t.”

“Do you own a futon?”

“No.”

“Loveseat? Sectional?”

“No and no.”

“What about a chair, bench, ottoman, or anything that could possibly resemble a couch? Do you own anything like that?”

“No, I do not. I haven’t been able to afford one yet.”

“So, there is no way for your daughter to have witnessed you and your boyfriend smoking marijuana on the couch while in your custody?”

“No, sir.”

“If there is no couch in your home, why do you think your daughter would tell her dad she saw this?”

“Objection, your honor,” Carson interrupted before the witness could answer. “Calls for speculation.”

“Sustained,” Judge Halliday granted. “Next question, Counsel.”

Charles peered down at his notes, scratched lazily onto a yellow legal notepad, then back up to the judge.

“No further questions, Your Honor,” he said before turning to Carson and giving her a smug face. It was unprofessional and childish, but it didn’t bother her because she had a wild card up her sleeve.

Judge Halliday took off her reading glasses and motioned to Carson. “Ms. West, your witness for redirect.”

“Thank you, Judge.” She grabbed the microphone and moved it closer to her, excited to finally present her biggest piece of evidence. “I only have one question for you, Ms. Phillips, and it should be an easy one. Does your boyfriend have a couch at his apartment?”

Tiffany’s eyes grew big, darting between her attorney and Carson. From where she was sitting, Carson could see the gulp travel down Tiffany’s thick throat.

It was satisfying seeing the witness squirm. Thanks to her dream about the couch, Carson had caught Tiffany. Their daughter had been restricted from going to the boyfriend’s apartment.

“Please answer the question, Ms. Phillips,” the judge ordered.

“Yes, he does.” The confidence in Tiffany’s voice was long gone.

“I have no other questions for the witness, Judge,” Carson finished, throwing back the smug look to her competitor across the aisle. She was allowed to be childish sometimes too.

Wailing sirens sounded from outside the marble walls of the courthouse.Everyone waited for them to grow quiet, but they continued, loud and close. Even Judge Halliday tilted her ear to the window behind her. Then she cleared her throat. “Let’s focus back on this case. Counsel, your closing arguments.”

Charles adjusted his wide tie, one probably bought by his wife. His closing argument was long and boring. Evidently, the judge was not entertained, as her focus was on the computer sitting on the bench. At least the muted sirens outside made for some sort of excitement.

Then it was Carson’s turn. She always stood for her closing argument. Jacob tried to stand up too. Subtly, she motioned for him to stay where he was at.

“Judge, you heard the evidence today. I have nothing to add,” she said. Garrett had taught her that closing arguments were for juries. He would say, “Presenting a closing argument to a judge is like explaining how a rocket works to a rocket scientist.”

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