Well everyone, here's the third chapter- the dramatic testimony of the supposed victim!

"Prosecution, please call your first witness," Judge Kay said, turning to a fresh page in his notebook.

"Thank you, your Honor," Caswell rose to his feet. "The prosecution would like to call Miss Meadows to the stand." Hesitantly, Tori rose to her feet and accepted Caswell's hand, which he had offered her because she looked frightened. He walked her to the witness stand, purposefully placing himself between Tori and Shark. Nevertheless, Tori flinched visibly when she passed the defendant's bench. She took her seat and raised her head to glance around the courtroom before once again focusing on Caswell.

Anna got to her feet and approached the witness stand. "Pleas raise your right hand, Miss Meadows," she boomed. Shaking, Tori raised her right hand to mirror Anna's. "Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do." Anna took her seat and positioned herself at her abused typewriter.

"Miss Meadows," Caswell began, "Please tell the court, in your own word, what transpired on the eve of November 6 of the past year."

Tori took a deep breath and clutched her handbag tighter. "Well," she said, "It all started when I was closing down Spring Meadows- that's the tea shop I own downtown. Business had finished for the day and I was locking up. While I was pulling the steel shutters down over the windows, I noticed a young man across the street whom I thought looked familiar, but I didn't want to stare so I went back to what I was doing. I had just locked the front door and turned around to go home, and… there he was, right in front of me, looking-" she stopped and lifted her handkerchief to her face. After a moment she continued, "He was looking at me. I asked him what he wanted, and he didn't respond. Then I recognized him as Shark, a boy I went to school with-"

"Miss Meadows," Judge Kay interrupted, "For the purpose of the court, please refer to all persons by their legal names."

Tori blinked. "Oh. Alright. Um, I recognized him as Reginald Kastle, who had earned the nickname Shark because of his dueling skill. I was relieved that he was someone I knew, so I said hello and asked him how he was doing. He said he was fine. Then we just sort of… stood there for a while, and then he offered to walk me home, so we could catch up and…talk. He took my purse and carried it for me, and we walked to my house together.

She paused and glanced fearfully around the room.

"It's alright, Miss Meadows," Caswell said gently. Please continue."

"Well, we got there, and Shark- I mean, Reginald Kastle- gave me my purse, but then he didn't leave, so I invited him in for tea, so we could continue talking. Well, everything went smoothly, and we even shared a few laughs. Finally, I went into the living room- we had been sitting in the kitchen- to turn on some music, and…and, before I knew it, he was there…be-behind me, and he gra- he grabbed me and…and…and."

Tori took a deep, shuddering gasp and buried her face in her handkerchief. For a minute she shook with silent tears. She then looked up, her eyes now bloodshot, and continued, "He told me that my place, as a woman, was to give him pleasure, and that I'd better not open my mouth or complain, because that would make it all the worse for me. He threw me on the ground and…and got…on top of me. He covered my mouth with one hand and then….tried to rip my clothes off, but, I-I don't know, I guess my senses kicked back in, since I had been so shocked before at what he was doing, and I-" She took a deep breath and looked at Shark, trembling. Then quickly she ducked her head and stared at her lap.

"I began to fight back. I kicked and flailed and bit him on the hand, and that was when he let go of my mouth. I screamed. I screamed and I screamed and screamed! I was so scared that I didn't stop screaming until my friend Jen arrived and I realized Shark- Mr. Kastle- had left. Jen helped get me cleaned up, and then we called Summer, another friend of ours, who told us we should call the police, and, well, we did." Tori looked up at Caswell. "That's what happened. The whole truth."

Caswell nodded. "Thank you, Miss Meadows. Just a few more questions." Caswell walked over to an evidence box and removed a purple jacket, which Dumon recognized as Nash's. "This jacket was found in your house, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Was the defendant wearing this jacket when he came into your house?"

"He was, sir."

"When did he take it off?"

"When I asked him to sit down at my kitchen table. I told him to make himself comfortable, so he took the jacket off."

"Very well. Now, Miss Meadows, this last is a very important question. Is the person who attempted to rape you sitting in this room?"

"He is."

"Where is he?"

"He's at the defendant's bench, sir. Sitting right over there."

"Did the defendant, Reginald Kastle, attempt to rape you?"

"He did, sir."

Caswell nodded in satisfaction. "No further questions, your honor."