Authors: Jack Parker
Daniel got up and smiled, attempting to be friendly, but I was already in bitch mode, and I was going to have to struggle to keep it dormant until Mickey's lawyer started questioning me. Then I was going to have free reign. I wanted to rip this kid to shreds. Months of aggravation and anticipation would not let me get stomped on by a courtroom full of people.
"Can you please state your name for the jury?" His voice was kind, and nice, but addressing me like I was twelve.
"Heidi Van Dauson." I smiled to myself as I heard my voice come out clear and strong, not at all "meek", as was suggested.
"Great, well Heidi, we'd just like to ask you a few questions, it shouldn't take too long. But can you start off describing the day, several months ago, when you entered your home to find that it had been broken into?" He had gray hair, and
a
sharp suite, looking to be in his early forties, he seemed fit, youthful even.
"Of course." I paused, before shifting in my seat to speak into the microphone. "There was a lockdown at my school earlier that day, and I just wanted to get home, so I drove back to my house right after school-"
"And around what time would that be at?" Daniel asked, his face having 'I am interested in what you have to say' plastered all over his face. It was a little weird.
"My school gets out at 3:00 pm. So I would have gotten home around 3:15, 3:20." I remembered to never say anything as a question or with any type of uncertainty.
I proceeded to give my account of what happened. I described what I heard them speaking about, how they were talking about receiving a shipment of something, and that they were planning on meeting up to receive it.
"And you heard Michaela Sullivan say all of this?" Daniel asked again, for clarification.
"Yes."
"And could you point out, for the jury, who she is?"
I gave him a look but didn't argue. There was dumb, state the obvious things about this, Mickey was the only woman in the defense, who else could it be?
"Thank you for your cooperation in this Heidi, you've been so helpful to the police." Daniel walked slowly back over to his desk before briefly glancing over some notes. "Now, while you were in your home, and you heard all this, what happened after?" He gave me that piercing stare, and I immediately felt uncomfortable.
I had been so strong, throughout the testimony, and I tugged on my sweater, to remind me of Camdon and I listened to the tinkle of the bangles on my arms to calm my nerves.
I sighed deeply, and started off slow, "I remember being so surprised, that I dropped this metal pan I was holding-"
"Why were you holding a metal pan?"
I glared daggers at him and his mock concern- I was getting there. "Because, I don't know, because I heard people in my home and thought I could hit one of them with it or something." My voice sounded annoyed even to my ears.
"Okay, continue please."
"It all happened so quickly, I turned and tried to run away, but…" I remembered that I wasn't supposed to address the men by there names. "The big guy, right there," I pointed to refrain from being interrupted again, "grabbed a hold of me, and I got away for a little while, before the short man right there, began kicking me, and I got up to run away again, but ran into him and fell back and hit my head."
"What happened after?"
"I-I woke up to the red-haired woman standing over me, and they were trying to figure out if they should kill me or not."
"And what did they decide?"
"The woman had authority for sure, because the other two's ideas where instantly shot down. She didn't want the police to look into a murder, said it would be too suspicious. Then, the two men hit me over the head, and all the sudden they were dragging me along an ally."
"And what did they do to you in this ally?"
I gulped, and my breath was shaky. I didn't want to relive this, "I couldn't
tell
who was doing what. But one dragged me by one of my arms, and the other kicked me in the stomach. I couldn't breath." My last sentence came out in a whisper. "They began hitting me and hitting me, so I tried to crawl away…" My voice died out.
"One of them pulled me back again and hit me in the head, so I blacked out for a little bit. But I heard a door open, and they were gone. Eventually I went to the nearest store and the man who worked there called the police."
It was eerily quiet. Daniel didn't say anything. He walked over and grabbed some large papers from his desk. They were blown up pictures, of me, all beaten and bloodied. The camera's that were present in the room instantly zoomed on them.
Daniel showed them to the jury, speaking
a
few words to the judge but remaining relatively silent.
"Was this the last time you ever had trouble with Michaela Sullivan or any of the people that work for her?"
I shook my head. "No." I paused, before beginning to speak again. "I told the police everything I knew, and went back to school after I healed somewhat. I was in my school cafeteria and noticed someone who didn't
look
like a student, and he was watching me."
"You noticed he was watching you?"
"No, actually my friend noticed first, and from then on I noticed him."
"What did you do after you noticed this man watching you?" Daniel was leaning against his desk now, all cool and collected.
"I walked outside of the cafeteria to call the detectives working on my case. The man came up and I tried to run away from him, but he grabbed me and threatened me."
"He threatened you? What did he say exactly?"
"It's hard to remember exactly, but mostly that I shouldn't speak, or they would hurt my family, that I would never be able to get away from them."
"And am I correct when I say that it was at this point the police took you into their protection, moving you to a safe location?"
I nodded at the prosecutor, as he continued, "And what was it like, being uprooted, during your school year, Junior year, one of the most important years of high school, and forced to live in a completely different environment, with no contact to your family or any of your friends for months?"
I blinked dumbly at him. I didn't want to answer this. This was not part of the deal. I looked over at Kaiser and the smug look on his face. You can't
practice
heartbreak. He knew how I felt about leaving, and I'm sure it was all over my face, for the whole jury and camera's to see.
"It was hard." I stated simply.
"Can you give us a little more detail than that?" Daniel gave me an encouraging smile.
"At first, I hated it, and I wanted to come back, but after awhile, I got so used to staying, I thought I wouldn't leave for another couple of months… So I made a new life for myself."
"Did you like this new life?"
"Parts of it. I loved my friends, and my-my boyfriend." There was
a
painful pause, "But I missed my parents a lot."
"And how did it feel, when you had to leave, again, after you were just getting used to your new home?"
"Not good." I don't know where it came from, but I burst into tears. "I hate this feeling. I never know what's going on, one minute, I can't live in my home because it's not safe, because people can find me and hurt me or my family…" I let out a little sob, "Then I fall in love with this town and all the people in it, only to be ripped away, only to have a couple hours notice to say goodbye."
I put my hands over my face, embarrassment seeping into my core.
"Thank you Heidi, that will be all."
I tried to stop my sniffling long enough to nod back at Daniel's retreating form.
Mickey's lawyer stood up after him, and walked towards me. "Hi Heidi, I'm Corey Sullivan, Mickey's lawyer." I raised my eyebrow at him, "Are you guys related?"
He chuckled, "I am a distant cousin, yes. I'd like to ask you a couple more questions if that's alright with you."
"Okay." I said, suspiciously glancing at him. He had a much more real, friendly demeanor than Daniel, whose concerned looks I felt were more for effect than reality.
"I know what you've been through has been traumatic, I'm not trying to undermine that in anyway. But you said you fell and hit your head?" He asked me, "Just clarifying," He put his hands up, in defense.
"I ran into one of the men when I was trying to get away, and I fell back and hit my head on the ground."
"Just yes or no is fine," He spoke, giving
me a
smile. "And when you awoke, you found these two men discussing your death?" He turned and pointed towards James and Greco.
"Yes." I replied.
"But not Michaela Sullivan?"
"No." I gritted my teeth.
"And, when Anthony Greco suggested to kill you, Michaela Sullivan ordered him not to, is that correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"Ah, ah, yes and no answers are fine." He gave me another smile and I began seething, I hated getting interrupted. "So," He walked towards me, "one could argue that Michaela Sullivan actually saved your life, could they not?" A triumphant gleam showed in his eye.
"No."
"Right!" He snapped his finger enthusiastically, before pausing mid motion, fully processing what I said. "Come again?" The lawyer's friendly demeanor briefly left his face, as he menacingly raised his eyebrows at me.
"No, one could not argue that she saved my life." I repeated back at him, mockingly, my voice holding all the venom I physically wanted to poison him with. "If they hadn't broken into my home, then I wouldn't have been physically harmed at all, and my life would have no need to be saving. In fact, if anything, Michaela Sullivan put my life in danger. She had Thing 1 and Thing 2 beat the shit out of me, drag me into an ally, and leave me there, for whatever, and whomever to find me. She might as well have sentenced me to death. She had no idea I wouldn't be killed. For all we know, the only reason she stopped me from being killed in my home was so I wouldn't get blood on the carpet."
There was a person in
a
corner, typing up everything I said, and a sketch artist, drawing me franticly, those were the only noises anyone could here for several seconds before Corey Sullivan regained his speech.
"No further questions." He mumbled, before walking back to his seat. I gave him an icy stare, and the judge sitting beside me spoke, "You may step down now, Ms. Van Dauson."
I walked steadily back to my seat and slide in next to Anna. Kaiser turned around and gave me a wink, "Look at you, all fired up on there."
"The press is going to have a field day with you," One of the officers spoke to me, chuckling. "What a performance."
"What?" I whispered to him.
"You're testimony, Corey Sullivan's a pretty successful attorney. You just beat him at his own game." He gave me smile and patted my arm.
I was in disbelief. It hit me as I was sitting with Anna. I didn't have this responsibility anymore, this horrible burden wasn't on my shoulder's any longer. I was free of this. I did my part, and there was nothing more I had to do.
I looked at Anna and a smile crept on my face. "You did it," She grinned at me. I nodded in reply. "I know. Hey do you mind if I go back to the apartment? I'm so tired. I just want to rest."
"Yeah of course, I'll drive you back at the recess."
As soon as the judge had called a recess, I flew out of my seat, with Anna close behind me. She borrowed the keys from someone and took me back to her apartment in the police car. I was practically squealing with delight, happiness was radiating through me.