The Lonely Hearts 06 The Grunt 2 (35 page)

“Sir, if you leave, this case will bomb for sure,” the lawyer threatened.

Leo smacked his lips. And he thought he was a piece of work. These people were just as disgusting. No wonder Amy was such a fuck up. 

“William, we are not leaving.”  Sharon sat back and crossed her arms. “And what about that woman over there.  Who is that?”

“Which one,” the lawyer said, refusing to make eye contact with Mr. Benson.  Everyone knew he was a bully both in the courtroom and outside of it.  Plus, the Riley’s had said Brett Black was broke, but he knew that Benson’s retainer started at $200,000, so there had to be a lot of money somewhere.

“The well-dressed white woman in the black suit sitting by Judy Mabry,” Sharon said. “Who is that?”

The lawyer didn’t respond. Instead he waited on Leo to give the Riley’s an explanation. 

Leo finally piped up. “She’s my ex-wife.”

“That’s your ex-wife?” Sharon said flabbergasted. She made Amy look like a second class citizen with all her poise and elegance.

“I thought you said she was a horror,” Sharon hissed glibly.

“She
is
a horror,” Leo said, wishing that this day was over. “Just wait and see.  She’ll say anything to destroy me.”  

It was more like
anything she said would destroy him
.  For everything that these people knew, Catherine knew more and a lot worse.  Now, she’d finally be able to use it all against him, just like she had promised a hundred times before. 

After much contemplation, he had started to throw in the towel when the lawyer prepped him the week before.  After Benson submitted their interrogatories and listed evidence, witnesses and a boat load of requests including a drug test, he wanted nothing more than to walk away.  But if he did, he would also be walking away from the money.  So, he had to suffer through the extreme embarrassment in the hope of winning.  If he lost, however, he would just have to change his number and move, which was a very real possibility anyway.

“Our best bet is to rely on the expert witness who should be here in just a little bit.  With her testimony about children doing better with their biological parents, it’s very possible that we can still win this,” the lawyer said, trying to be upbeat.

“Well, at least if it looks like we are losing, we can request a continuance to another date,” Sharon said, rubbing Leo’s back. 

Leo grinned at her, but he knew better.  After today, he had 15 days and then it was off to a new game plan. 

William stood up.  Throwing his suit jacket over his arm, he nodded at Leo. “Son, I wish you well, but I’m not going to stay here and be embarrassed before the entire community.”

Sharon looked up at him in shock. “Bill, sit down.”

“No,” he said, offering his hand to the lawyer. “Good luck. Send us the bill and we’ll settle.”

“You can’t be serious? I’m not going anywhere,” Sharon insisted.

William kept his voice low. “Then don’t go anywhere, Sharon.  But I’m leaving.  I haven’t worked this hard to have my reputation snatched from under me.  I’ll pick you up after the trial.”  Turning away from her, he walked away leaving her on the bench between the lawyer and Leo.  As he passed by Brett and Courtney’s bench, he kept his nose up and his eyes on the end of the hallway.

“Where’s he going?” Brett asked.

“I have no clue,” Gavin said, standing up. “Let me check on this and I’ll be back.”

Mr. Benson looked at his watch and then went to the courtroom door.  Opening it, he motioned inside.  “Everyone, come on inside.  Let’s get ready to rumble.”

As Brett and Courtney took a seat at the table beside Mr. Benson and his team, who were given extra chairs, the rest of the folks filed in behind them quietly.

In a black robe with her hair pulled back in a bun, Judge Warford stepped out of her chamber and headed for her seat.  She sat down and immediately began to speak under her breath to the clerk before nodding and raising her eyes to the people in the room.

The bailiff, a heavy set older man with a heavy gut, finally stood beside the side of the elevated platform and the stenographer. “All rise.”  He paused as everyone jumped back to their feet.  “This court is now in session. The honorable Judge Warford presiding.  Please take your seats.” 

Judge Warford smiled. “Good morning ladies and gentlemen.  Calling the case of Tabor versus Black.  Are both sides ready?”

“Ready for the Plaintiff, your Honor,” Leo’s lawyer said, still standing.

“Ready for the Defendants, your Honor,” Mr. Benson answered. 

***

Opening statements from both sides were powerful, but Benson clearly overpowered the room using buzz words like adultery, conspiracy, dishonor and bigotry.  It didn’t help that the pain on Brett and Courtney’s face as he explained what had happened to them made them look like saints. 

Round two was witness calling.  Sharon went first.  Making sure to seem as meek and humble as possible, she barely raised her voice as she was sworn in.  Sitting on the stand, she continued to smile at the judge, hoping to butter her up, but based upon the concrete glare of the woman, the trick wasn’t working.

“I loved my daughter and I love my grandson.  All we want is for him to be closer to his biological family,” she said, answering one of many of pre-rehearsed questions by Leo’s lawyer.  “It was so hard to lose her.”  Tears fell.  “It was even harder to be denied our grandson by Brett and Courtney.  But after hearing that Cameron wasn’t even his biologically, it became abundantly clear that we had to fight for our grandson.”

“Thank you. I have no further questions,” Leo’s lawyer said, glad that she hadn’t fumbled.  However, when he saw Mr. Benson smirk and close his leather bound notebook, his heart skipped a beat. 

“Does the Defense have any questions?” the judge asked.

“Yes, your honor.”  Mr. Benson walked from behind the table and pulled at his suit jacket. “Mrs. Riley you say that you only want what’s best for your grandson, Cameron Black. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Sharon said flatly.

“Do you think the Black family is what’s best for Cameron?”

“No,” she said, looking at Courtney.

Mr. Benson slipped his hands in his pocket.  “Do you plan to be a part of Cameron’s life in the event that the plaintiff is granted custody?”

“Yes.  We’ve already talked about it.  We want to be there to help him raise Cameron and give him a strong upbringing, good morals and values.” 

Mr. Benson didn’t waste any time.  “Have you ever called Courtney Black a nigger?”

Sharon paused. “I might have when I was angry. I lost my cool.”

“Is that a yes or no?” Mr. Benson asked. He gave Sharon a
fuck-you
smile.

Sharon hesitated and the judge quickly jumped in.

“Answer the question Mrs. Riley.”

“Yes,” Sharon said, putting her hands on her knees. 

“Do you use that language often?” Mr. Benson asked, walking closer to the stand. 

“No.”  Sharon tried to redeem herself.  “I lost my head when Brett Black called my daughter a whore.”

“That must have hurt.  Why did he call your daughter a whore?”

“Because he found out that Cameron was not his biological son.  My daughter had an affair.  But it only happened once and from what I am told, it was brief.”

“If it pleases the Court, I’d like to submit Exhibit A and have it admitted as evidence,” Mr. Benson said going to his table to pick up a note from Amy to Brett about picking up laundry.  After the clerk slapped a sticker on it and passed it back to him, he eyed Sharon’s discomfort. 

“Does the Plaintiff have any objection?” The judge asked.

“No, your honor,” Leo’s lawyer answered.

“Would you be able to recognize your daughter’s handwriting, Mrs. Riley?”

“Yes, anywhere,” Sharon said, nostrils flared.

“Permission to approach the witness,” Mr. Benson said.

“Permission granted,” the judge said, looking over at Sharon. 

“Can you verify that this is Amy Black’s writing?”  He walked back over to Sharon and handed it to her.  “Is that her writing?”

Sharon rubbed the paper as though it was her only link to Amy.   “Yes, it is,” she said, starting to cry again.

Mr. Benson went back to the table.  “Exhibit B, your Honor, for admittance into evidence.  Mrs. Amy Black’s personal diary.”  He went back to the table and picked up Amy’s diary. Walking back to Sharon, he sucked his teeth. 

“Can you open the diary to the first tab and read aloud the highlighted portion into the microphone, Mrs. Riley?”

Sharon opened the diary and took a deep breath.  “I wish that I could just move back in with Mom and start my life over sometimes.” 

“Is that your daughter’s handwriting?” Mr. Benson asked.

“Yes, it is.” Sharon said, taking the Kleenex provided by the bailiff. 

“Will you please open the diary to the purple tab and read the highlighted portion, please.”  Mr.  Benson stood in front of her.

Sharon re-opened the diary.  “Mom says that if I want to be happy, I had better start to look at other options because Brett Black ain’t it.  After I told her about my relationship with…” she paused.  “with Leo, she was extremely upset that we broke it off and that I had started a new relationship with Jermaine instead of some of the other men that I had been screwing around the base.  There is only one reason she doesn’t like Jermaine even though he’s an officer.  She doesn’t like niggers.  She has told me over and over again that mixing with them will end the world as we know it. But Jermaine is not a nigger, he’s a real man and we’re going to be happy together. One thing for sure though. I can’t tell mom about the baby and I can’t tell Jermaine about Cameron. I’m just going to have to start all the way over and go from there.”

There was a gasp in the room and suddenly Sharon wanted to stand up and leave. 
Damn Amy for writing this shit down.
  She turned her chair slightly away from the glaring judge and cleared her throat.   

Mr. Benson treaded carefully.  “That is your daughter’s personal diary.  Is it your position that you didn’t know about Leo?” 

“I don’t recall any of this,” Sharon said, closing the diary.  “I don’t recall talking to my daughter about any affair or saying those disgusting words.” 

“Remember, Mrs. Riley that you are under oath. Do you recall this conversation with your daughter?”

“No. I’ve never heard of any Jermaine and I never knew about Leo until he showed up at my door,” Sharon said, wiping her tears. 

“So you didn’t know a name. Alright.  Did you know that Amy had plans to abandon Cameron, leaving him with her husband Brett Black, to attempt to run off with
another man
who was an officer in the Marine Corps?”

Sharon twisted up her mouth. “No.” 

“At any point, did Brett Black tell you that this had occurred?” Mr. Benson had her right where he wanted her.

“He said it on the porch when he came to my house three months ago.”  Sharon eyed Brett.  “That’s when he told us that Amy had left him.” 

“Is that when Brett called Amy a whore?” Mr. Benson asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Do you think that Amy’s decision to abandon Cameron was in his best interest?” Mr. Benson asked.

“No,” Sharon said without emotion. 

“Would you consider yourself a racist, Mrs. Riley?” Mr. Benson asked compassionately. 

“No,” Sharon answered emphatically. “My husband and I are Christians.  He’s the head of a Church in Fayetteville and our doors are opened to everyone.”

“Do you think it would be in the best interest for Cameron to be around hate mongers or hate groups?”  Mr. Benson went in for the kill. 

“Absolutely not.” 

Mr. Benson turned away from Sharon and looked over at Leo.  “Can you open the diary again, this time to the bright green tab and read the highlighted portion of the text for the Court, Mrs. Riley.”

Sharon’s voice trembled.  “I ran up on some awesome old people artifacts in the attic of my parent’s home today looking for pictures from high school.  There in the corner, folded neatly in a box was my parents matching Klan robes from when Daddy was a young man. LOL.  There was a picture in there of them from before I was born in their get ups looking like complete rebels.  They are so cheesy.  I had to take a keepsake.” 

Mr. Benson winked at Leo’s lawyer then turned on his heels to Mr. Riley.  “Were you ever a member of the Ku Klux Klan, Mrs. Riley?”

“No,” she said, eyes lowered. 

“To your knowledge was your husband a member of the Klan?”

“No.”

“So what did Amy find up in the attic?  And what picture is she referring to?”

“I have no idea.” Sharon looked up at the ceiling. 

Mr. Benson went back to his table.  “Your Honor, the Defense would like to submit Exhibit C.”  He picked up an old photo and walked it back over to Sharon.  With each of his steps, her heart pounded in her chest.  Mr. Benson slowly laid the picture in front of her and quirked up the side of his lips. “Is that you in the white Klan robe beside your husband?”  He pointed at the picture.