Carrick
Ana asked me to be here today as the prosecutor on Hyde's case is coming by to discuss her testimony and tie up some loose ends.
Julia Morgan is an amazing prosecutor. As I don't generally practice Criminal Law I haven't come up against her but I have heard lots of good stuff and a reputation in this field means a lot.
I'm glad she's a woman. Ana will find it easier talking about what happened with a woman but also as Jack didn't commit the physical rape she won't have to go into too much detail unless Julia feels it will gain something with the jury.
Ana's very anxious today and naturally so. She's meeting a new person who is going to have a lot of questions for her about the ins and outs of what happened in order to prepare her for a jury trial. Julie will want Ana to use specific keywords and phrases, she will want things expressed in certain ways and I don't know if Ana will be capable.
"I've got the tea tray Ana." Patricia says gently as she enters the room.
"Thank you." Ana says quietly from where she's stood peering out the window. She's so anxious and it shows, her shoulders are hunched and she's watching and waiting. "Christian's home." She says looking towards me and I nod.
Ana insisted he went back to work the day after the psychiatrists backed off. Life had to go back to normal for Ana and that meant Christian going to work. Though I'm sure he's finding very difficult as he's backward and forwards quite a bit but he would do anything for Anastasia, she truly is the centre of his world, her and the kids.
"Hey she's not here yet?" Christian asks as he steps into the room.
"Not yet." Ana replies as my son shakes my hand and gives me a look that silently thanks me for being here. I nod my head to him in acknowledgment.
"Why don't you come and sit down with a cup of tea?" Christian suggests making his way to his wife's side. I think he knows the answer but asks anyway.
"I'm ok." Ana says scanning the drive through the blinds.
"You've got nothing to worry about baby, she's just coming to chat through your statement and testimony. You've met her. She's a nice lady." Christian tries and it's in moments like this I'm reminded that he has come so far over the last decade. It's hard to believe this Christian is the same angry teenager I was parenting.
When I see Ana's back stiffen I realise that our guest has arrived and Ana turns to Christian and his lips brush the top of her head.
"It's going to be fine." He reassures just as we hear Trish answer the door.
Ana and Christian come over to the couch just in time for Trish to show Julia into the room. She looks as elegant as ever and has a reassuring smile on her face as she shakes both Ana and Christian's hands before turning to me.
"Pleasure to see you again Carrick." She says.
"You too Julia." I reply politely.
"Can I offer you any tea or coffee?" Ana asks signalling the tea tray.
"I'm ok thank you. I've not long had a coffee and if I have another I'll get the jitters." Julia says politely and I have a funny feeling that the drinks Trish has so nicely laid out will go cold untouched.
"Please take a seat." Christian says referring to the armchair opposite the one I've sat at and Christian and Ana sit together on the couch. Ana looks as though she might bolt at any second, sitting at the very edge of the chair.
"Ok so Ana. The court date has been set for January fifth and two weeks has been set aside for the trial though I'm not anticipating it will take that long." Julia says as she opens up her briefcase. "So that gives us plenty of time to work on your testimony and gives you the opportunity to ask any questions."
I'm relieved to hear it will be the new year before Ana has to face this. It allows her at least to try and enjoy the holidays without it looming over her head.
Anastasia
January fifth. It's good to have a date. It allows me to focus on what needs to be focused on and know when the time is right the court case will become my focus.
"I would like you to be the first to give evidence, so that the Jury gets the story of what happened prior to the evidence that leads us to believe that Hyde is a co-conspirator and we'll end testimony with Morton." Julia continues and I nod just to let her know I've heard her and taken it in. "So if it's ok with you I'd like to go over your police statement." She says handing me some paper.
I take it in my hands and scan read it. It's my police statement and I'm obviously being given it to refresh my memory but there's no need. I carry all the sordid details with me every single day.
"So you were at home when Hyde phoned you." She says tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "What did you talk about?"
"I asked him if he had my daughter and after reassuring me he didn't he told me he knew who might have." I reply.
"Did he say he might have an idea who had Amaya or did he say he knew who had Amaya?" Julia asks as she puts pen to paper.
"He said he knew." I reply. I remember him using that he knew to help me believe he didn't have her.
"Then that's the way you need to say it." Julia says and I nod. "What did he say when you answered the phone?"
"He told me he didn't have Amaya bit he knew who did." I reply figuring she needs me to get these answers right. Every word matters.
"What else did you talk about?" She asks looking at me expectantly.
"He wouldn't tell me who had her but told me I had to trust him if I wanted to get Amaya home safe." I explain as she scribbles onto her little book. Christian squeezes my hand softly and I glance at Carrick who gives me a reassuring smile. I'm glad he's here for this. He knows the world this woman is coming from and can help support Christian and I with things.
"He then told me I had to meet him at the McDonalds by Bremerton Ferry. Told me if I took anyone with me that I'd never see Amaya again."
"That suggests he had some power over the outcome for Amaya." Julia mutters as she writes on her legal pad. I'm not even sure if she's aware she said it out loud. "The defence here will really pull on the fact you chose to go to meet him so I'm going to ask you a couple of questions now that I wouldn't pose to you unless I think there's something important in the answers. We need to anticipate the defence line of questioning."
"Ok." I reply because I honestly have little choice here unless I want to go to court unprepared.
"Why didn't you inform the police?"
"He made it clear if I was followed or took anyone with me I wouldn't see Amaya again. He blackmailed me once before and that didn't end well for either of us. My priority was finding Amaya..."
"Julia is the judge allowing the discussion of the past conviction?" Carrick asks and I look at him nervously. Did I just say something wrong?
"They've submitted a motion to have it censured however it does speak to a pattern, he blackmailed Mrs Grey before and was convicted for it and while on Parole this happens and he's involved. I doubt the judge will block it." Julia replies before turning back to me. "If the judge bars mention of the previous conviction you will not be allowed to mention it Mrs Grey, but I don't anticipate that will happen." She says and I nod, it's good to know it could even if she doesn't think it will. Better to be prepared for these things I think.
"What happened at the McDonald's?" Julia then asks encouraging me to continue.
"We made small talk first. He looked well, he knew I was pregnant, he told me how he'd avoided our security by hunting them. Then when I questioned him about whether or not I should trust him he said I'd be wise not to after what happened a decade ago but also said that no harm would come to me if I did and that he was a changed man." I explain nervously. This is the part that makes it hard to believe he intended me to get hurt. He was so sincere at that point, kind, charming, reassuring. Was it all an act?
"Then he told me the story about Morton. He told me how he had shared a cell with a man in prison who had raped and abused him repeatedly while telling him fantasies about me and how he was going to abuse me." It makes me sick to my stomach and I hold Christian's hand tight in my own as I realise this is the first time he's heard the story from the beginning from me. I can't imagine how incredibly difficult this is for him.
"He said he was a hundred percent sure Morton had Amaya because they'd kept in touch and Morton had told Hyde when he had Amaya. He also said at that point that he wouldn't have hurt Amaya as he would have told him when he had."
"Did you trust him?" Julia asks.
"I had no choice." I shrug. "I believed him when he said he didn't have Amaya. Why come to me if he didn't care or didn't want her home safe with her family?"
"Then what?"
I continue to explain to Julia what happened, how I went to see Christian to try and persuade him that Hyde didn't have Amaya and he needed to look elsewhere and how Hyde phoned again that evening to tell me to meet him again and how when I did he told me how Amaya wasn't hurt and he was going to take me to her.
"He took me to the house where Amaya was and at the gate he told me I was on my own."
"When did Hyde come into the house?" Julia asks knowing there's a bit of a gap here where Hyde wasn't involved and I guess it's not important to the trial.
"While Morton was raping me." I reply trying not to show any emotion. Christian gives my hand a little squeeze and I realise this is extremely hard for him to hear so I squeeze him back.
"And what happened?"
"He told him to stop. Morton went for him. They fought for the gun and the gun went off." I explain hurriedly as there really isn't anything more to it than that.
"Mr Grey you had communication with Hyde during this time and of course I'm calling you to testify. Can you tell me what happened?" She turns to Christian as do I. I have a vague memory of being told Hyde called Christian but I have no idea what actually happened.
"Hyde called, said that Anastasia was in trouble and I needed to get to her. Said that he had helped Ana find Amaya and then he told me if I didn't then I'd never see Ana or Amaya again." Christian says hurriedly, showing little to no emotion on his face e as he speaks.
"And then when you got to the house?" Julia asks.
"I found Ana sitting on the floor naked with Amaya in her lap and Jack beside her. Morton was rolling around on the floor squealing. He told me he was sorry that he hadn't got there in time."
"Ok." Julia says sitting back and she looks from Christian to me and back again. "I don't know if we'll get a conviction." She says and I nod weakly while Christian squeezes my hand again. "We are relying on Morton's testimony and just pieces of yours Ana where Jack told you he stayed in touch with Morton and that Morton raped him in prison. There's no evidence that Hyde was ever sexually assaulted in prison, Morton denies the claim as a heterosexual man he would never have sex with another man. How strong the jury will believe this is another thing. How are you feeling about everything?"
I look at Julia a moment wondering if she is genuine about asking how I'm feeling about this or whether it's just routine. I'm not sure though she seems stoic.
"I just want it over with." I admit and she nods gently.
"The time between the incident itself and a case like this going to court can be very very long. I'm sorry about that but it will be over before you know it."
"Thanks." I reply as if she's doing me some sort of favour.
"Now the next time I see you will be a week or so before the trial starts just to once again go over your testimony but in the court just so you get a feel for the witness box." Julia says kindly. "But you know if you have any questions you can pick up the phone and call me at any time and you Christian."
We both nod, I think we're both feeling a bit overwhelmed with this now.
"How about I see you out." Carrick says and Julia smiles and jumps to her feet. I stand and shake her hand but I'm numb at the moment. I need time to process everything we discussed. I turn to Christian and he immediately wraps me up in his arms. I breathe him in. I couldn't do this without him that's for sure.