TWENTY TWO
Sam hadn't been sitting in the box for ten seconds before she had raced out, headed for the bathroom. When she returned she apologized constantly, constantly avoiding the defense team seated opposite her.
She had held the bile down when the prosecutor had the board of photo's of her bruised body taken out and displayed to the jury.
The prosecutor stood in front of her, grabbing Sam's attention. Sam took no time in sending her a death glare. 'How dare you make me do this. There are four boards full of photos of my battered and bruised body, not to mention the three x-rays of my cracked ribs,' she thought bitterly.
"Samantha, can you tell us about your experience?" Joanna asked, her voice an attempt and clearly fake motherly tone that made Sam want to shout and scream at her.
"My experience," she started, "I don't know what you want to hear that you haven't already heard?"
"I want to hear about it in your own words." The woman smiled at her briefly.
"I was raped, I lost count of how many times, I know that my ex-husband watched with joy at the pain I was in, I know he enjoyed raping me, I know that all the men believed in their sick minds that I was enjoying my treatment, loving it almost. I know that I shouldn't be here because you should have plenty on these men without me testifying, and my desire to not testify should have been granted and I should not be forced to." She realized she was shouting and stopped.
"Ms Spade," The judge's voice boomed down to her, "you are not here to make statements. Please answer the question."
Sam swallowed hard, knowing that this was going to be just as hard as she had thought. "Like I said, I was raped on multiple occasions, and the man sitting over on that table took great pleasure in watching and performing some of those attacks." She finally said quietly.
Joanna nodded, realizing that she didn't really need to have Sam. She turned away from Sam and headed back to her table.
"May I ask a question you're honour?" The defense attorney asked standing, as Jack finished whispered something in his ear.
The judge nodded, holding his hand out in a 'go for your life' manner. "Thank you." The man smiled walking up to Sam and leaning on the front of the box staring wickedly at Sam.
As she took in, albeit reluctantly, the look of the man in front of her, she had a sinking feeling that she knew him from somewhere.
"I just have one question Sam." He smiled at her as he said her name. She felt anger and bile rising in her throat as he said it.
"I wanted to know what you were doing speaking to another witness in the hall earlier." He continued to smile at her.
"I wasn't speaking to another witness earlier." Sam responded confused.
"Doctor Lisa Harris is your psychiatrist?" The man turned, headed back from his desk and picked up a file.
"Why is that relevant?" Sam asked remembering when Lisa spoke with them as they arrived.
"You've been speaking with Dr Harris a lot recently." He stood in front of her.
"Given the circumstances yes I have. But I really don't understand why you have gone from asking me one question to three, and it looks like more." She felt her hand scratching her arm, a sign that she was getting nervous.
"Mr. Stanzister what is your point?" The judge sounded incredibly bored, given that the trial had only just started.
Martin and Danny shared a look when they heard his name. Martin was looking at Danny when he saw Jack staring at him. Normally he could handle the defendant staring at him, but this time, there was something unsavory being shown and it startled Martin.
"Pssst, Andy." Danny whispered to the young man sitting beside the prosecutor. He turned to look at him, when Danny motioned him closer. "What do you know about Stanzister?" He whispered.
"He's a good lawyer, has a tendency to always be representing guys from Mario Rodriguez's clan." Joanna glanced at him as he spoke.
"Well we think we might have found something about him that we need an hour max to go over." Danny whispered, watching the proceedings.
He nodded, resumed his position and began relaying the information to Joanna as Stanzister finished his questioning of Sam, and she was allowed to step down.
When she resumed her seat beside Martin, she reached for his hand and held it so hard he thought all the fingers were about to break. The pain that he was feeling caused him to miss Joanna's successful plea for an adjournment, and he didn't realize it had been granted until the people around him stood up.
"Come on man, we got an hour." Danny tapped him on the shoulder.
"Yeah, an hour, have you been working out?" He directed his attention to Sam as they left the court room.
"Just nerves, and I needed reassurance." She leaned into him as they left the building.
As they made their way down the steps, once again they were met by a horde of media bulbs flashing, questions being shouted at them, and microphones being stuffed in front of their faces. Both Sam and Martin kept their lips tightly sealed as a group of FBI agents attempted to hold them back.
"I'll be so glad when this is over." Sam moaned as they finally escaped the media.
She hated doing this. She had felt Joanna's eyes on her the entire time, at one stage glancing up and seeing remorse in them. She hoped that she would never have to return to that courtroom, but knew she was wishfully thinking.