By the time court reconvened Shelley was feeling oddly energized – like a runner on the home stretch of a relay race, end clearly within vision, legs pumping furiously as they dash onwards. She watched Bethany Larson flutter and coo as she took the stand. Her long hair was elaborately curled around her face; her makeup was so heavily applied that, even at a distance, it looked trowelled on. Her blouse, a subtle shade of baby pink, was tucked into a skirt just long enough to be considered modest. She looked like a bimbo. Which was utterly fitting, in Shelley's opinion.

Shelley leaned forward, as Blake's lawyer rose to his feet, slowly plodding towards the witness stand. She wanted to know exactly what Bethany thought she knew about her marriage.

"How well would you say you know the defendant, Ms. Larson." Blake's lawyer asked, his deep baritone voice was deceptively soothing.

"Oh, well. We've know each other since we were children. We all did. Me and Shelley and Blake. And Nancy too." She eagerly added, drumming her fake nails against the stand in fake anxiousness.

Sure they'd known each other. But not friends, as Bethany seemed to be insinuating. Bethany would never stoop so low as to be friends with people like Shelley or Nancy. The idea was almost laughable to Shelley – she had to stem the violent urge to cackle at the thought of it.

"And how would you describe the defendant, Ms. Larson?" Blake's lawyer prompted.

"He's a really great guy. He was always a real sweetheart. I can't imagine him doing any of the things they've said. I feel so bad for him." She bit her lip and looked sideways to Shelley, as if she were afraid to say more – like she didn't want to break a friend's confidence. Conniving little devil was playing the courtroom. It was truly a shame she didn't finish her degree in drama because she was a very convincing actress.

"And?" The lawyer urged.

"I hate to speak badly of anyone." She prefaced, turning pleadingly to the judge. "I really do. But Michelle … she's just a little off."

Shelley clenched her jaw angrily.

"She was always a little unstable when I knew her in school. Very clingy. And needy and manipulative. She was insanely jealous whenever Blake would spend time with anyone else – it didn't matter who it was. I know it's not her fault. Her mother used to abandon her as kids and she figured he'd leave too. But she was just so controlling." She bottom lip quivered as she spoke, eyes moist and glistening in the soft lighting of the court room.

She tried to exhale slowly, something she'd always done to calm herself, but she found her breath was ragged. She'd be anything but controlling. She'd let everything go to appease Blake. And she'd narrowly escaped. The only way she could be free and start a new life is if Blake was put him bars. He'd never leave her alone – and she knew it. He'd keep coming after her. In his mind, she would forever be his property. Now Bethany was destroying that chance. Over what? A petty schoolyard rivalry? It didn't make any sense.

At the witness stand Bethany hurriedly continued: "I heard they got married. Of course, I wasn't invited to the wedding. Shelley made sure none of Blake's friends could come. She didn't want us there." Bethany shrugged, her shoulders heaving slightly as she gave a breathy and pained sigh.

"Almost right after the wedding she quit her job and refused to get another one. He had to bust his but just to provide for her. He really wanted children, too, and she refused to even talk about it. I know he would have been a really great father." She beamed around the room. "He always had a way with children."

Shelley forced herself to unclench her jaw, forced herself to relax, letting her tensed shoulders fall. She couldn't let her anger show. She carefully wiped the expression of her face, and stared, hard, at a point on the wall. Two rows behind her Wordy stamped his foot furiously, fingers clenched tightly within his trouser pockets. He abruptly brought up a hand to scratch across his closely buzzed head. He couldn't help but think, bitterly, that Bethany's acting lessons had certainly come in handy. She may not have made it all the way to Broadway like she'd planned, but she was putting in an admirable performance. He couldn't tell from the judge's face whether he believed it or not.

Hardiff was carefully jotting down notes in her leather notebook. To the average eye she looked calm and collected. But her furrowed brow and the clean precision with which she dotted her 'i's and crossed her 't's betrayed a woman attempting to keep her cool.

"And worst of all," Bethany continued. "She cheated on him. She broke their marriage vows."

Shelley's world went reeling, attention snapped. Her breath tore out of her. She felt like she'd been plunged, face first, into a blizzard. Her determination not to allow Bethany's testimony get to her forgotten, she stared on transfixed.

"I know she and officer Wordsworth were pretty hot and heavy in highschool before she hooked up with Blake. And I thought that was it. But this summer I was driving past the Thunderbird Motel on Highway 3 – just outside of L'Amoreaux. It was August 13th. I remember because it's the day before my sister's birthday and I was driving into the city because I had to pick up her present still. I think it was just past noon."

Wordy felt his jaw slacken and drop open slightly. He quickly snapped it shut. Beside him Nancy paled. He gripped her hand – hard. Until his knuckles whitened. Sure – he knew it had been painfully obvious to many of his classmates that he'd harbored a crush on Shell, but he'd never touched her in that way. He'd always been painfully shy about his feelings about her. It made his stomach churn to hear Bethany talk about them that way. She was twisting everything around – taking something as simple and innocent as a childhood crush and making it dirty and vile. It made him feel vulnerable which, in turn, just made him more angry.

"Anyway, the hotel, well, it's at the lights and, my goodness, this had to be the longest red light in the history of traffic lights. And I look over and see Shell's car in the parking lot third from the end. I thought to myself that's weird because I know she doesn't work and it's only minutes away from their home so why wouldn't they just stay there? And just then I see them come out of the room. Shelley and Kevin. Her hair was all disheveled. She kissed him too. Not just a little friendly peck either. It was really intense. Then the light changed and I sped off. But when I heard that Shelley was claiming that Blake hit her I knew I had to come forward." Bethany looked down, fiddling with her fingers as if emotionally torn, tears glazing her cornflower blue eyes.

"And why is that, Ms Larson?" Blake's lawyer asked, eyes flashing, victory in sight.

She looked up suddenly, a tear streaking down her lovely face. "She's the one that broke her vows – not him. I think it's pretty obvious she's just saying he hit her so that she can take more in the divorce. She's decided to run off with Kevin. If Blake goes to prison for these crazy charges she'll get everything. He's got friends in the police department that will say anything, really, to support a brother in arms. It's just not fair that he's getting blamed for everything ." She said angrily. "It's just not fair." She repeated miserably.

"The night that Blake was arrested for assaulting Shelley they were at the Wordsworth's Thanksgiving party. Of course the poor dear had no idea his wife was having an affair with their son. Blake said he came across them cuddling and whispering – when he got angry Shelley demanded they go home. Not even an hour later Kevin's busting in their front door claiming Blake beating his wife. He tried to surrender and explain the situation but Kevin just kept punching him. He nearly beat him to death. She planned the whole thing. To have her lover arrest her husband." She leaned in as she said the last part, dropping her voice to almost a whisper so that the entire room had the lean forward just to catch her words.

"Objection Your Honour." Hardiff rocketed to her feet. "This is entirely conjecture." She spat venomously.

"Goes to the character of the plaintiff, Your Honour." Blake's lawyer retorted.

"Sustained." The judge slammed the hammer against the desk. "Let the witness's statement be struck from the record."

But the damage was done. Bethany looked between the two lawyers with false embarrassment and bewilderment as the courtroom erupted in whispers. Inside, she basked in the glory of her own victory, finally having triumphed over the bloody two-shoes Shelley and her skanky whore Nancy. She grinned, almost maniacally, as her cold eyes latched onto Nancy's horrified ones.

"A five minute recess." The judge ordered, pounding his gavel against the wooden desk.

Thanks for all the wonderful, stunning reviews - just want you guys to know I cherish each of them deeply. My readers are wonderful. Thanks for your support and words. Kay. Peace until next time (might not be terribly soon - I move on the 1st of May and have a crazy ton of packing to do before then).