Well, everyone, here is the fourth chapter. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it!
Judge Kay looked at Dumon. "Cross-examination, Mr. Kastle?"
"Yes, thank you, you're Honor." Dumon got up and went to the evidence box. He pulled out a thick, warm sweater, long-sleeved shirt, and wool skirt. He then approached the witness stand with them.
"Miss Meadows, were these the clothes you were wearing on the evening of this incident?"
Tori leaned forward to better see the clothing. "They are."
"They appear to be very torn up and rumpled."
"Well, they would be. As I already mentioned, Reginald Kastle tried to rip my clothes right off of me."
"I see." Dumon retrieved Nash's own jacket and showed it to Tori. "Now, Miss Meadows, you said that you were fighting back against Reginald- biting, scratching, and clawing at him, correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Now if you look at Mr. Kastle's jacket, it's much thinner than your own clothes, wouldn't you agree?"
"Well… well, yes, his jacket is more lightweight."
"Then, Miss Meadows, how is it that your clothes, thick and heavy, are in shreds, while his jacket is only a little frayed after your entanglement with him?"
"He's stronger than me, I suppose."
"So, are you saying that, in a desperate situation, you couldn't find the strength in you, while attacking your assailant, to even rip his thin clothing a little bit?"
"Yes, I- I guess I am."
"Alright then. Now, Miss Meadows, this type of clothing must be very warm."
"Yes, it is."
"Miss Meadows, why would you be wearing warm clothing?"
Tori stared at him, wondering if this was a trick question. "I- I was cold, I suppose."
"You were cold. Well, that makes sense. I suppose that's also why you wanted to have a hot cup of tea after the long walk home in the cold weather."
"Well, yes. I always have tea on cold days and lemonade on warm days."
"So you admit it was a cold day?"
"Um, yes?"
"Tell me, Miss Meadows, do you leave your heater on all day at your house while you're at work?"
"Of course not! That uses energy, and energy costs money."
"So, it being a cold day, and the heater having not been on at all since that morning when you left the house, it must have been relatively chilly in there. Chilly enough to make you want a hot cup of tea."
Tori glared at him. It was clear that she had figured out what he was up to.
"Miss Meadows, you said that you told my client, Mr. Kastle, to make himself comfortable. To please you, you claimed that he removed his jacket." Dumon, who had been standing directly in front of Tori this whole time, now leaned in to be eye-to-eye with her. "Why would he have taken off his jacket to make himself comfortable, when the temperature was relatively low in your house?"
"I don't know," Tori said stiffly. "I suppose his temperature preferences are different than mine."
"Ah. His temperature preferences are different."
"Yes. Everyone has a different temperature at which they're comfortable."
"If he was warm enough to want to take off his jacket to be comfortable, Miss Meadows, why would he take you up on your offer of tea? Tea that was, according to your own testimony, freshly brewed."
"I guess he didn't want to be rude."
"He didn't want to be rude by refusing your offer of tea, but he completely disregarded your feelings later when he attempted to rape you?"
Tori was breathing heavily now, her face red with anger and embarrassment. "Let me tell you something, Mr. Kastle," she said. "A man who decides to take advantage of a woman cannot be considered very logical. If they're crazy enough to assault a girl, they're crazy enough to take their jacket off in a cold room, and then, inconsistently, accept a cup of tea!"
Dumon stood looking at her for a moment. Then he shrugged and turned back to Judge Kay. "No further questions, your Honor."
Judge Kay nodded. "Very well. You may return to your seat, Miss Meadows." Tori exited the witness stand and stalked back to the prosecutor's bench. Dumon returned the evidence to the box and went back to sit next to Nash, who had his eyes closed.
"You know," he said as his friend sat down, "We might just win this thing."