Author's Note: Ok, from my limited knowledge on case law that comes from CJ classes and episodes of Law and Order, any mistakes are mine here. Enjoy and review.
47.
First the prosecutor interviewed me and then the defense. The whole time I felt his eyes on me, yet, I never looked at him. I could see him watching me from the corner of my eye.
Not once did I glance his way.
Nor did I look at the jury.
I had felt myself detach and go numb inside. Once they called my name and I walked to the stand beside the judge, I felt myself go numb. I knew why. I knew what they were going to ask. If I had to go over it I didn't want to feel anything.
I wouldn't let myself cry.
Sure, I probably looked like the ice bitch of all time. Yet. I was so blissfully numb inside I really didn't care. Which allowed me to give the defense attorney looks so vile Annette would have been proud.
Looks I would never be capable of reproducing again in my life.
When it was all done and over with and I walked back to my seat in the benches of the courtroom, beside Gordon. I was still numb. I didn't feel a thing. Gordon's hand touched my thigh and I didn't feel the usual tightening, or anything. I was just numb, pissed off, and numb.
I crossed my arms and legs while looking straight ahead.
"Are you ok," he whispered.
I could see the looks of the people around us. The looks of pity and horror on the faces of the jury. The looks of the people around us as they stared. Looked at my clothes as if they could see through and find the scars from the pictures the prosecutor had shown.
"I'm fine," I growled.
Gordon, a wise perceptive man did not ask any more questions.
Then I heard Mrs. Birdsong call out his name, "The State calls Sergeant. Gary I Gordon to the stand."
One last time he patted my hand and then he stood. He made his way out to the aisle and walked through the court and up to the stand. I watched him watch every step Gordon took. His eyes followed Gordon like a hawks and were full of genuine hatred. Once behind the bench Gordon did something I didn't have the courage, he looked at him and gave him a glare that made the cretins eyes widen. The man shrunk in his seat.
Reese leant forward and whispered in my ear, "Don't worry. This'll all be over soon and we have a flight out of here in six hours."
Oh, if he didn't think I was counting down the man had lost his mind. While Gordon was sworn in I leant back and whispered, "Six hours and forty-seven minutes."
Then I turned my attention back to Gordon. Who looked so confident and strong, it looked so natural. I had been putting on a front. Reverting to my inner ice bitch. He was naturally strong and it was just one of the many reasons why I loved him so much.
DA Birdsong stood calmly in front of him, speaking in a plaid tone. As if she were afraid to awaken a sleeping tiger. She had spoken to me as if she were trying not to wake a baby.
"Sergeant Gordon, you lived next door to Angela Gordon, you're long time wife. Is that correct?"
Like clockwork he spoke, "Yes ma'am."
She continued, "Your bedroom window faced her bedroom window. Is that correct."
"Yes ma'am."
"Did you at any time witness any of the sexual attacks or physical abuse upon your wife when she was a child?"
There was a subtle change in his voice, "Yes ma'am, I did."
Like he promised he sat up straight and kept himself in control. I was so proud.
"Did you tell anyone about these attacks?"
Again, that subtle change in his tone was back. "I told several people, no one believed me or wanted to get involved."
She chose her wording very carefully. She must have thought there was a big ole tiger curled up inside of him. "When was it you decided to runaway?"
Gordon ran his tongue over his teeth.
He then spoke in an eerily calm voice, "When she told me she was pregnant."
That had been one hell of a conversation. One I hadn't been sure I wanted to have with him. One I thought I should have kept from happening, I was glad I had talked myself out of that.
"Did you ever confront Mr. Lancaster?"
I inched down a hair in my seat. The wooden bench was not exactly on the cutting edge of comfort.
"Yes, ma'am I did."
She pressed the issue, "What happened?"
Gordon's eyes flirted towards him and then back to the DA, "I always ended up hurt. He would beat me up and then take it out on her. I was never strong enough to stop him from hurting her."
"Mr. Lancaster assaulted you? Did you not tell anyone? Did anyone notice?"
To me Gordon looked a tad annoyed.
"Ma'am, no one really cared in my house. My father wasn't much better then he was, the two men enjoyed tormenting people smaller and weaker then they were."
His defense attorney stiffened but didn't say anything.
Then again, they were going with not guilty by some psych BS. He did it but didn't mean to.
The DA continued her questioning, "What happened when you both ran away until the child was born?"
Oh this would be good.
I really hoped she didn't plan on mapping our movements.
"I found us a place to stay in Detroit while I worked. I worked until she went into labor. She delivered the baby. Gave up the baby and we left Michigan."
"Mr. Lancaster found you while in Detroit?"
"Yes ma'am he did."
"You didn't tell anyone where the two of you were hidden?"
"Not a soul."
"Did Mrs. Gordon."
"No ma'am."
"So Mr. Lancaster would have had to tracked you two down in order to find out where you had her hidden?"
"Yes ma'am."
It was then that the defense attorney stood up, "Your honor, the witness cannot testify to what my client did or didn't do. It's hearsay, I ask your honor to have the jury disregard that comment."
Mrs. Birdsong immediately shot back, "Your honor, the witness is merely stating a fact that occurred, also proving pre-meditation."
All eyes were on the judge, a skinny elderly Asian woman. For some odd reason her eyes flittered to me for a moment. Then she looked to the DA, "Is there a point in this line of questioning council?"
"Yes your honor, the state is attempting to prove that Mr. Lancaster deliberately stalked the witness and Mrs. Gordon on numerous occasions. Showing a pattern of pre-meditation proving the accused knew exactly what he was doing and did so freely of his own will."
That sounded good to me.
The judge nodded to Mrs. Birdsong, "I'll allow it, but no side trips down memory lane."
The defense attorney sat down as Mrs. Birdsong nodded, "Yes your honor." She then looked back to Gordon, "Did Mr. Lancaster find you and Mrs. Gordon at any other time?"
Oh, I personally had lost count.
"Yes ma'am. We moved around so much because he kept finding us."
DA Birdsong walked back to her table and picked up a piece of paper, "The state notes exhibit thirteen from evidence. Sergeant, could you tell me what this is?" She handed Gordon the piece of paper enclosed in a clear plastic folder.
His blue eyes looked over it, "It's my resume from our time on the run."
"How many places of employment are listed sergeant?"
Gordon actually had to count them, "Forty-six ma'am."
"Mr. Lancaster found you two forty-six times?"
"Yes ma'am, that was the only reason we ever packed up and moved."
She took the piece of paper and held onto it, "What happened when this last date occurred? You and Mrs. Gordon seem to have disappeared. Did Mr. Lancaster give up?"
Gordon seemed to be hesitant, but he answered her question, "I don't know about that ma'am. But on the last date I turned eighteen. I changed my identity and got new papers. Then I married Angela and joined the Army."
"Since then, has Mr. Lancaster ever gotten into contact with you or Mrs. Gordon?"
"Only his lawyer after his arrest ma'am."
"Thank you sergeant. The state is done with this witness."
Slowly the defense attorney stood. He was a short and stout man. Slightly balding and had a hideous suit on. He screamed public defender and didn't seem too keen on asking Gordon anything.
He smoothed his tie and walked over toward Gordon, "Sergeant Gordon…you're familiar with the cycle of abuse?"
Gordon looked to the judge, "I'm confused your honor. Was that a question or a statement?"
Oh God, he was going to be a pain in the ass.
Mrs. Birdsong didn't even bother to object.
The judge looked to the defense, "Could you clarify for the witness council?"
"Yes your honor. Sergeant, you grew up in a violent home. Did you not?"
The DA stood up to object, but not in time.
Gordon looked downright pissed off, "What the hell does that have to do with his trial?"
Mrs. Birdsong quickly spoke up, "Your honor, Sergeant Gordon is not on trial here. I move to discontinue this line of questioning."
"Your honor, I am merely pointing out that the cycle of violence is repetitive. The state brought Sergeant Gordon's childhood up. The sergeant also mentioned that he and my client fought."
DA Birdsong was not a happy woman, "Your honor, Sergeant Gordon and the accused are two completely different men. The sergeant has a successful military career and no history of violence, it would be detrimental to the accused to compare the two men."
The judge hesitated, she looked to Gordon and then the defense attorney, "I'll allow it council. But watch it, the state is right, you may do more harm to your client."
"Yes your honor."
Gordon looked just thrilled. He probably could have eaten glass.
"Sergeant, your father was a abusive man?"
There was no missing the pissitivity levels had risen in Gordon's voice, "Yes sir he was."
"Have you even hit your wife?"
Oh yeah, this was going to do wonders for his mood, I looked back at Reese and hissed, "Do something!"
He leant forward, "I have no jurisdiction in this trial. I'm a military lawyer. Let him poke Gordon all he wants…he can't do any harm."
I missed Gordon's answer because I hissed at Reese, "Gordon's going to get his ass in trouble and get thrown in jail for mouthing off."
I turned around and caught the end of Gordon's little tirade. "You know what…let me save you some time. I have never had any inclination to hurt my wife. I've never had any desire to rape anyone. I am morally opposed to rape. I have never touched any woman or man in any way that has been inappropriate. Nor do I have any sick or twisted fantasies."
Almost immediately I spun around in my seat in order to tell Reese to do something, anything, I wasn't really picky.
Reese was already on his feet, "I'm on it."
At that I looked heavenwards and prayed for the first time in years that Gordon wouldn't get himself in trouble.
