Chapter 84

The trial - part 2

Maeve's POV

As I entered the courtroom my eyes scanned the room and stopped at Michael who shook his head lightly, a confused look on his face.

No sunflowers blooming right now.

Without Sean and Ava being present, I knew there was no hope in winning this case, so with me fainting, I played for time. Today I may have skipped breakfast on purpose but I believe they wouldn't have given me anything to eat anyway. Since I needed to give my friends some extra time to find all the information before the jury makes their decision, it was inevitably for me to cause a scene.

******

"Ms. Harris? Can you describe your relationship with Mr. Jared Moore?" The attorney asked me as I sat in the witness stand.

"Jared worked as security for my then-husband at Neverland Valley Ranch." I answered.

"But he wasn't just an employee, was he?" I shook my head.

"No, he was my friend."

"Tell us more about that friendship!"

"Um... living at Neverland sometimes felt very isolated and Jared was not only keeping me safe but also keeping me sane. We spent a lot of time together and we had fun."

"How close would you say were you and Jared?"

"Very close. For a long time he was the most genuine friend I had."

It was true. For a long time Jared and I were inseparable. We had a connection. A connection that went beyond friendship but I wouldn't say it was a romantic connection, more like a bond between siblings. He looked out for me and I felt somehow safe with him, like I would have with an older brother.

"Ms. Harris, did you ever have an affair with Mr. Moore?"

"Objection! Speculation!" Greg yelled.

"Rejected! Ms. Harris, please answer!" The judge looked over at me.

"No, I did not have an affair with Jared."

"Ms. Harris, why did the friendship between you and Jared end?" The attorney asked and for a while I stared at him, not wanting to answer.

"Ms. Harris?" The judge reminded me.

"Because he attacked me.... Is it necessary to go through that again?" I asked angrily that the attorney had to bring that up again.

"If the thought of what Mr. Jared Moore did to you makes you this angry, how angry were you after he attacked you, after he raped you?" The attorney provoked me.

"Very!" I spat. "But I wasn't angry at Jared, no. I was angry at myself! I was disappointed, that I didn't see it coming, that he fooled me, that I missed every little sign that would have warned me of Jared's true intentions. So to answer your question, I was furious!"

"Ms. Harris, by the time you hired private detective Mr. Nate Thunderbird, Jared Moore had been dead for months. Were you aware of that?"

My eyes closed as I thought of an answer that didn't make me look guilty. In all honesty, there was none.

"I had reasons to believe that Jared was already dead by the time I started searching for him."

My eyes stared at the attorney, I feared looking at someone else, I feared with me being in the witness stand I only made things worse. When he broke eye contact I watched him walk back to his table where he pulled out a picture of the murder weapon.

Just when I thought it couldn't get worse.

"Ms. Harris, have you ever seen this weapon before?" he asked as he placed the picture in front of me.

My eyes stayed up at his, I didn't need to see it, I've seen all the evidence before and I wasn't here to put on a show for the jury.

My eyes scanned the audience. Still no sign of Ava or Sean. My eyes stopped at Michael's as I sent him an apologetic look before my eyes jumped back to the attorney.

"Yes, I have seen this weapon before."

As soon as these words left my mouth there was a palpable sense of unease filling the room. However the look of deception covering Michael's face was the worst.

"Quiet, please!" The judge spoke loud and clear.

"Ms. Harris, have you ever used this weapon?"

In the short moment of silence filled with anticipation, my eyes closed before I answered.

"Yes, I have." I admitted.

"No more questions!"

After my truthful testimony, I knew I was screwed if Ava and Sean didn't show up right now. But they didn't.

My gaze wandered to my lap where I patiently waited for Greg to come up to ask me questions like we rehearsed so many times these past weeks.

"Mr. Lawyer?" The judge spoke when Greg wasn't moving from his seat.

Just when I thought it was over, when I thought I lost, the door to the courtroom opened and my friends walked in.

Ava sat down next to Michael, who just looked at her confused. She sent me a light nod whereas Sean stood behind Greg, trying to get his attention and handing him a piece of paper as soon as he noticed him.

Greg carefully read the paper before his eyes pierced at me. With a small smile he stood up.

"Ms. Harris, tell me about the deal with the Davis' family you declined?"

"Objection! Irrelevant!"

"It'll all be clear in a moment of time!" Greg looked at the judge.

"Rejected. Ms. Harris please continue!"

Michael's POV

"What is going on?" I whispered to Ava while Maeve explained the deal she was offered. So far, nothing illegal. Just a cooperation between her company and the business of the Davis family that apparently lead casinos all over the country.

"The sunflowers are blooming!" Ava whispered back to me, excitement filling her voice.

Okay?

"Ms. Harris, you just explained that you are familiar with the murder weapon and that you used it. What did you use it for?"

Maeve nodded slowly before she spoke "I used it to shoot at cans at an empty parking lot."

"Were you alone at the parking lot, Ms. Harris?"

"No, I wasn't. The man that I was seeing at the time was with me. He was also the one who's idea it was."

"So, you say the fingerprints on the weapon come from the day you went to shoot at a parking lot with the man you dated at that time?"

"Yes."

"And did he shoot as well?"

"Yes, he did."

"Ms. Harris, then please explain why your fingerprints were the only ones found on the weapon."

"I remember he put on some white gloves before reaching into the suitcase to pull the weapon out. I asked him about it and he claimed they would make him look cooler. I didn't give it a second thought though."

"So, you are saying that you got tricked by your boyfrien-"

"Not my boyfriend!" Maeve interrupted.

"My bad. The man you dated at that time?"

"Yes."

The tension in the room rose. You could tell there was a divided energy, some were believing every word Maeve said and some were still questioning her.

"Ms. Harris, why would somebody want you in prison?"

"Because I declined an offer worth about 35 million dollars."

As I was listening, I finally understood what was going on. If Maeve was innocent, they needed a new offender and along with that, a great motive.

"Ms. Harris, is the man here today?"

"Yes, he is! It's Alexander Davis over there."

My eyes looked over to where Alexander was. His eyes pierced at Maeve, his face in a stern expression.

"Your honor, I am asking to call Alexander Davis to testify!"

*****

Alexander tried to silently exit the room but the officer near the entrance was quick to understand what was going on and that's how Alexander landed in the witness stand nevertheless.

"Mr. Davis, is it true what Ms. Harris said earlier?" The attorney asked.

"No, of course not. Maeve lied!"

"So you and her didn't date?"

"Well, yes we did, but the rest was all just lies." Alexander spoke visibly annoyed by all of this.

"So you didn't wear white leather gloves while shooting at empty cans in the parking lot in front of your house?"

"No!"

"Mr. Davis, as far as I know, you own several expensive cars. If I were to own an expensive car, I would want to keep it safe by... I don't know... maybe a security camera directed to the parking lot? Do you own a said security system at your house?"

Alexander closed his eyes and let his head fall back before looking angrily at Maeve.

"Oh, you dirty little bitch" Alexander spoke as soon as he noticed his situation was hopeless.