Page 41 of Daddy’s Protecting

CHAPTER 14

Cynthia sat on the hard wooden chair in the witness stand and swallowed hard. She and Dirk had rehearsed her responses to an assortment of questions that the prosecution might ask to discredit her testimony that she had been blackmailed into enacting Eddie’s desire for revenge.

A small wave caught her eye. Cynthia focused in on that motion and felt the corners of her mouth lift slightly. Easton Edgewater and Piper had attended every day of her trial to give her their support. They both looked wearier than she was, and Cynthia suspected they left every afternoon when the judge dismissed the jury and worked late into the evening.

To her delight, other Edgewater Industries’ employees rotated through as observers during the court proceedings. She didn’t know who would turn up each day: Sharon, Knox, Elaine, Fane—even Belinda and Pedro, who’d had to fight to regain control of the computer system after the disastrous program weaved itself into the main programs. But that wasn’t all. A slew of Edgewater employees filled the seats each day.

Easton casually opened his shirt to reveal a message:Good Little girls belong in the kitchen!

Cynthia controlled the smile on her face at the last moment. She didn’t want to appear to find this a joke or a laughing matter. Inside, her heart felt like it made delighted flip-flops.

Questions came at her rapid fire, just as they’d practiced them. Cynthia had thought Dirk was punishing her as he barked practice questions at her. She glanced sideways to meet his gaze. Her Daddy nodded slightly. He’d prepared her well.

Another question came, and she forced herself to ask for it to be repeated. They’d practiced that as well. While the prosecution raked her over the coals, Cynthia had time to think of the best way to answer the question.

“Did you insert the flash drive you knew contained a dangerous virus into the computer in the Edgewater cafeteria office and activate it?”

“After being shown pictures as proof Eddie Grant planned to use to implicate me in the death of his parents and after I was told that the flash drive would cause a disruption to the Edgewater computer systems, not that it was dangerous, I did put in the flash drive and click the start button,” Cynthia carefully answered.

“So, you did introduce the virus into the computer.” The prosecuting attorney restated her answer.

“After being blackmailed by misleading pictures and the threat of going to jail for a murder I didn’t commit, I made a horrible mistake…”

A glint of triumph shone in the aggressive attorney’s eye. “Thank you, Ms. Grant. I think we can all see that you’re guilty of many offenses.”

“Objection!” Dirk stood and lobbied into the room. “The prosecution is leading the jury and the bench. She is not the judge or jury in this case and does not get to decide on guilt or innocence. How presumptuous that she feels her opinion ismore important than those of the jury members or you, Your Honor.”

Cynthia scanned the faces of the jurors and the judge. Dirk had neatly turned the prosecuting attorney’s words to dismiss their role. She knew most jurors didn’t wish to be in court. Most appeared really unhappy to have their presence discounted. Dirk had explained to her beforehand that painting the prosecuting attorney in a negative light would cause the jurors to be sympathetic to Cynthia’s testimony. She knew he’d limit his objections to allow her to appear aggressive.

“Objection sustained. Ms. Appleton, you will refrain from personal comments.”

“Of course, Judge. I know you and the jury have a clear view of Ms. Grant’s actions on the day in question,” the attorney replied crisply and turned the questioning over to the defense.

Dirk rose and smiled warmly at Cynthia, helping calm her nerves. “Tell me what you did when you received a second message and photo from your ex-brother-in-law.”

“Objection, Your Honor. Relevancy,” the prosecution interjected.

“The prosecuting attorney herself opened this line of questioning by suggesting Ms. Grant has a history of wrongdoings. This second message and photo clearly relate to the first blackmail message she received,” Dirk alleged.

“I’ll allow it. Answer the question, Ms. Grant,” the judge ruled.

“When I got the picture, I showed it to you, my attorney. You noted something that I wasn’t savvy enough to see. The wrench pictured in my hand wasn’t proof that I had loosened the gas line before the restaurant exploded. It was evidence that cleared me,” Cynthia explained.

“Judge, relevancy,” the prosecution repeated. “I don’t believe Ms. Grant is a wrench expert.”

“I have already ruled on your objection. I wish to hear what Ms. Grant says,” the judge said with a pointed look at Ms. Appleton before looking back at Dirk. “Please continue.”

“I would like to enter into evidence the police report filed after Ms. Grant’s visit to the police station and the inspector’s report from the explosion at her in-laws’ restaurant. The police report details the damage in the inspector’s report and that the picture could not implicate Ms. Grant. The wrench could not have sabotaged the line to create the explosion. It is the wrong size and type.”

Dirk approached the bench and handed the report to the judge, stating, “The prosecution received this report three months ago while Ms. Grant awaited her trial. They also received the first photo, which you can see doesn’t reveal the wrench in her hands completely.”

He paused as the judge reviewed the report and examined the photos. Cynthia held her breath, crossed her fingers, and prayed.Please let the judge admit this into the case!

“Let the record show that this police report by Sergeant Peter Woods states that the combination wrench in Cynthia Grant’s hand could not be the cause of the gas line damage. It is too large and smooth and does not match the scratches of an adjustable wrench which the inspector pinpoints as the tool that caused the gas leak. Share this with the jurors,” Judge Blanco ordered, handing the documents to the bailiff.

The entire courtroom waited while the highlighted report and pictures circulated through the jury. Cynthia watched as each juror shook their head and looked up at her. Their gazes seemed to soften.

When they handed the papers back to the bailiff, Dirk continued, “Here also is the arrest record of Eddie Grant, former brother-in-law of Cynthia. A wrench fitting the exact dimensions of the one in the inspector’s report was found in Mr. Grant’shome. It contained a matching, scarred groove in the teeth that matched the connector that was loosened on the gas line.”

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