Chapter 21: Danny's Defense
Lacey Porter made sure to look perfectly classy knowing she was to testify on Danny's behalf. She said a silent prayer that she could weasel around the question of Danny and her sleepover. Karen had embraced her ; wishing her luck. Vikram didn't know the whole truth. He thought the girl was his son's alibi for the night. It still stunned him that Danny and Lacey were intimate.
Samuel and Judy sat in the back of the court trying not to pick sides. They could sympathize with both set of parents in the situation. On this rare occasion, Mr. and Mrs. Crane sat together in hopes their daughter's murderer would go to prison for life. They wanted justice for their daughter's young life being cut short.
Gloria Crane felt her throat tighten with threatening tears when she watched her daughter's best friend walk to the stand. Her mind couldn't understand how Lacey Porter could be with Regina's killer. What had Danny Desai done to brainwash the girl?
After Lacey was sworn in and stated her full name, questions by Mr. Simms began.
"Could you state your relationship to Danny Desai?" Mr. Simms smiled sweetly. He knew the juror would find Danny a bit more likable with a girl as classy as this one in his corner.
"I am his girlfriend." Lacey bit her lip as she glanced at Danny. She then took a chance of looking at her ex best friend. Sarita made a snarling look at Lacey.
"Does that relationship entail sexual intimacy?" Mr. Simms approached that question softly. He didn't want the jurors to think bad of Lacey. Yet, in order to understand her alibi, he had to ask.
"Yes. It does." Lacey breathed out before adding. "We're in love. We decided to take that step together in being firsts with one another."
Mr. Simms raised an eyebrow alerting Lacey he was thankful for that add on even if he didn't ask. It would help the juror to see Lacey as she really was.
"I see. So you both were virgins. You both decided mutually to become lovers?" Mr. Simms thought that would show not only an innocence of Lacey but an innocence that most couldn't see in Danny.
"Yes."
Samuel Porter felt his chest tighten at his daughter's words. He wanted to blame Danny for stripping his baby girl of her innocence. However, realization that it was a mutual decision pained him. Judy had a difficult time thinking about Lacey's first time was with a convicted killer. What would happen if Danny went to prison? It would devastate her daughter.
"What was your relationship to Regina Crane?"
Lacey had to clear her throat. She had tears forming in her eyes. The people in the court room could see she was visibly upset. That included the Cranes.
"She was my best friend." Lacey's voice cracked slightly. "She was like a sister to me. Regina and I helped each other through a lot of things in life. I could always count on her."
"Do you feel that she could do the same with you?" Mr. Simms peered at Lacey.
"Yes. I will always be there for Regina." Lacey breathed out.
"Can you tell the court what events took place the night of Regina Crane's death?" Mr. Simms approached the witness stand.
"Regina threw a party because her parents were out of town. She said Michael Meyers is going to our school now, lets throw a party. So I went to the party." Lacey took in a breath of much needed air. "Danny and Jo showed up. Come to find out, Regina had invited Danny and I Jo. Therefore, they came together."
"And what happened later that night?" Mr. Simms glanced down at his notes. "After you saw Danny leave with Jo Masterson?"
"I left to find them. I knew Danny was walking Jo home due to her being drunk. He had protected her from Scott Ogden's advances. So I thought I'd give them a ride." Lacey took in a deep breath before continuing. "I took Jo home first then Danny."
"Did you leave Mr. Desai's house that night?"
"No." Lacey could see her parents shaking their heads in disappointment. She could see the Cranes staring oddly at her. "No, I stayed the night with Danny."
"All night?" Mr. Simms asked as he glanced at Lacey.
"Yes, sir." Lacey sat up straighter. "I spent the whole night with Danny. His mother even saw me sneaking out the next morning."
"Weren't you afraid considering Danny had been home one day from juvenile dentention?" Mr. Simms took in a deep breath.
"No. I know the real Danny. The Danny that only Jo and I know. He's the one that would protect us from harm. He's the Danny that helped Jo be herself again. Danny is the one that tried to fit in again even when he was being called cruel names and being pranked to make someone a film career. He tried to get on with his life. I knew I was safe because I've always been safe with Danny." Lacey grinned as she looked towards Danny.
Mr. Simms glanced through his notes. He still needed to prove something to the juror. He hoped Lacey Porter would understand where he was going. Mr. Simms needed to see some emotion.
"You mentioned that Danny showed up with Jo at the party. How did this make you feel?" Mr. Simms wanted to show that Lacey could get jealous over Danny. Therefore, she could've been with him that night to prevent Regina from being with him.
"I was a little jealous." Lacey sucked in her bottom lip. "It used to be us three together. Now it was the two of them. Danny wasn't supposed to..."
Mr. Simms looked up at Lacey. Danny did too. "Danny wasn't supposed to what? Ms. Porter."
"He wasn't supposed to make me want to be near him again. I promised myself I'd never feel hurt caused by him. When he got sent away, it hurt." Lacey felt a tear sneak over her eyelashes. "Danny wasn't supposed to get to be friends with Jo and not friends with me. My best friend, Regina, wasn't supposed to flirt with him. Danny and I promised..." Lacey bit her lip as more tears cascaded over the brim of her eyes. "We promised that we would always love each other. We were each others first kiss and we made that promise at age eleven. I know it was a naive thing to promise at that age. However, we meant it even as young as we were. We meant it. I thought it was a childish thing that neither of us meant. But Danny said it in the letters he sent to me. I thought I could break that promise. When I saw him again, I knew I was keeping that promise because I still felt drawn to him. I wanted to be near him. So when Danny invited me up to talk, I didn't want to resist."
"So what you are saying is that the night your best friend was murdered, you were with Danny the whole night?"
"Yes." Lacey wiped at her wet cheeks.
"You also found a note and cash while going through condolence letters to Mrs. Crane. Is this correct?" Mr. Simms stared at Lacey.
"It is."
"Why didn't you tell this immediately to Chief Masterson?" Mr. Simms asked as he approached Lacey once more.
"I didn't want Regina thought bad of. Mrs. Crane was saying at Fall Fest how she wanted her daughter remembered." Lacey's voice shook with tears. "I wanted to let her have that. She was hurting enough. I assumed Danny would be proven innocent. I..." Lacey closed her eyes and shook her head. "I was so wrong in that. Danny, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for hiding our relationship, I'm sorry for not telling or coming forward about being with you that night. I'm sorry about breaking up with you because I was afraid of the repercussions of our relationship."
"I object, your honor." The prosecuting attorney stood up. "The court does not need to indulge a teen girl's feelings for her boyfriend."
"Your honor, Ms. Porter is establishing the grounds of why she didn't come forward as Danny's alibi sooner."
"Over ruled." The judge looked at Mr. Simms. "Get to the point, Mr. Simms."
"What happened when your and Danny Desai's relationship did come to light due to a video of you both being intimate?" Mr. Simms handed Lacey a tissue.
Lacey dabbed her wet eyes. "I was bullied and called names. My locker was vandalized. My friends froze me out."
"Evidence labeled #1." Mr. Simms handed the jurors photos of Lacey's locker. The photos were taken by administration in order to prosecute the students responsible for vandalizing school property.
It was poignant enough to cause a few gasps from the female jurors.
"Is this why you feared telling you were with Danny that night? You feared the treatment from others?" Mr. Simms smiled sweetly at Lacey.
"Yes." Lacey blinked.
"Why did you run away with Danny Desai?"
Lacey shoulders shook with sobs at this point. "I love him."
She didn't have to elaborate. She only had to say that so the jurors would think she wanted a romantic getaway. Danny started to stand up to go to her but his father pulled him back down.
Mr. Simms saw that Danny and Lacey were getting too upset. "We'd like to request a ten minute recess for our witness to collect herself before being cross examined."
The judge looked at her watch. "We'll take an hour break due to it being near lunch time. The jurors will be sent lunch in the meeting room." The judge struck her gavel down.
Danny was led to a conference room followed by his mother and father. Mr. Simms requested from Lacey's parents permission for her to see Danny briefly. Danny's lawyer knew that Danny was on edge over Lacey's emotional outpouring. It was a golden ticket as far as Mr. Simms was concerned. However, he knew his client was getting irate seeing Lacey so distraught.
"Lacey." Danny breathed out relieved when she was escorted into the conference room.
Danny immediately embraced Lacey. She cried in his arms as he held her. Danny's parents and his lawyer left them alone while they spoke in the corner of the room.
"I'm sorry for how I treated you all those times." Lacey hiccuped as she broke down in continuous sobs..
"Shhh." Danny kissed the crown of Lacey's head. "It's okay. We're together now. That's all that matters."
There was a knock on the door. Danny's lawyer looked up from talking to the Desais. He had informed them that Lacey's testimony helped soften the jurors toward Danny. In his opinion, the jurors no longer saw a murderer. They saw a young boy that the beautiful young girl was in love with.
Mr. Simms opened the door. The police officer, Eddie, and Chief Masterson stood by the door.
Chief Masterson stated. "You got to see this."
The lawyer looked down at the papers and photos that Eddie held. His eyes widened. "Are you serious?"