Chapter 7 - Public Reckoning
Sarah plugged a flash drive into the courtroom’s digital display system.
“Your Honor,” Sarah announced, “we submit into evidence Defense Exhibit A: full audio and video recordings from the respondent’s home security network.”
The lights in the courtroom dimmed automatically.
The large high-definition screens lit up. The entire courtroom watched as the video played: Evelyn rifling through my legal documents, Melissa photographing trust fund statements, and then the horrific scene of Evelyn striking five-year-old Lily across the face for asking for her toy.
Next, the high-fidelity audio played Melissa’s calm, calculated voice lying to the 911 operator while Lily sobbed softly in the background.
Evelyn’s face drained of all color. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Melissa turned white as paper, her hands visibly trembling on the defense table. Their lawyer looked at the screen, then looked at his clients, his face filled with sudden horror.
“Is there more?” Judge Robertson asked, her voice dangerously quiet.
May you like
“Yes, Your Honor,” Sarah replied. “We also present the police report from Officer Daniels, confirming that upon arrival, the child was terrified not by any safety hazard, but by the petitioners themselves, who were telling the child she would be taken into foster care.”
Judge Robertson lowered her papers. The atmosphere in the courtroom turned icy cold.
