The ten minute recess flew by. Dahlia used the time to ask Lotta a few questions.

"So Lotta," Dahlia said. "The prosecution mentioned your motive to kill the victim. Could you tell me about your relationship with him?"

"He was a great guy, really," Lotta said, disgruntled. "I was pretty dang furious when we split up. But I wouldn't kill him over it. Honestly, I kind of wanted to get back together."

"I guess if you had wanted to hook up again you wouldn't have poisoned his water," Dahlia said, thinking.

"Didn't the prosecution also mention a witness seeing her do just that?" Mia said.

"I don't see how that's possible," Lotta said. "How could someone see me do something I never did?"

"There's a reason behind it, I'm sure," Dahlia said. "We'll just have to see how it plays out."

After the recess, the judge pounded his gavel and brought the courtroom to order. "Mr. Payne, are the police looking into the defense's electrocution theory?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Payne said, apparently a little put off by having the police investigate something presented by a rooky defense lawyer. "A second autopsy has been requested, and an investigation team is searching the scene of the crime once more."

"Very good," said the judge. "I believe you had another witness, Mr. Payne?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Payne said. "This poor young lady discovered the body and can testify about the defendant's motive."

"Alright, bring her to the stand," the judge said.

Moments after, a girl with flowing, curly locks of blonde hair holding a wand of sorts stood behind the witness stand.

She's a little… sparkly. Dahlia hated girly things, however this girl seemed to live for it. She looks so innocent and sweet, almost sickeningly so.

"May I please have your name and occupation?" Payne said.

"Regina Berry. I'm an animal tamer at the Big Berry Circus," Regina said, looking downcast. "But I also take some classes at Ivy University, even though I'm a high school student."

"You must be a smart girl," the judge said. "You found the victim's body, correct?"

"Yes, I found Max when he died," Regina said, clutching her wand.

"Could you tell the court what you saw?" the judge said.

"Yes, um, Your Honor," Regina said.

Testimony

It was about 8:40 in the evening. That's when I heard Max scream.

I rushed over to where the sound came from and I found Max there, dead.

When I reached out the touch him, just to make sure he was dead, he actually moved!

But when I felt for his pulse, there wasn't one anymore.

The only other thing I saw was the Ten of Hearts card.

"That must have been quite a shock," the judge said.

"Max was a friend of mine," Regina said. "I, um, was really surprised, yes."

"Ms. Hawthorne," the judge said. "You may begin your cross-examination."

"Yes, Your Honor," Dahlia said.

Cross-Examination

It was about 8:40 in the evening. That's when I heard Max scream.

"Objection!" Dahlia said. "The victim was poisoned with atroquinine! How is it possible that he screamed?"

"Objection!" Payne said. "Was it not you who said the victim may have been electrocuted? People have a tendency to scream when that happens to them."

Dahlia stepped back and crossed her arms, grimacing. "Err, right. Anyway, Ms. Berry are you sure it was the victim you heard?"

"Yes, I'm positive it was Max," Regina said.

I rushed over to where the sound came from and I found Max there, dead.

When I reached out the touch him, just to make sure he was dead, he actually moved!

"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "He moved?"

"Yes, it was kind of creepy," Regina said. "It was more of a spasm, really. His back arched for a second and his arms twitched."

"Was he still alive?" Dahlia asked.

"That's what I thought at the time," Regina said.

But when I felt for his pulse, there wasn't one anymore.

The only other thing I saw was the Ten of Hearts card.

"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "The card with "Here's your hearts back" written on it?"

"Yes," Regina said. "Max would always say how Lotta had "stolen his heart." That's what inspired the trick, actually."

"That does not prove that Lotta killed the victim!" Dahlia said.

"Objection!" Payne said. "The motive runs deeper than that, Ms. Hawthorne."

"Lotta really was mad at Max," Regina said.

"Perhaps you could testify about that?" the judge said.

"Yes, Your Honor," Regina said.

"Hey, Mia," Dahlia said to her co-counsel. "Do you get the feeling Regina is hiding something?"

"She certainly seems nervous," Mia said. "But she did discover a dead body, and it moved."

"Still, I think there's more to this than meets the eye," Dahlia said.

Testimony

Max and Lotta had been dating for a couple months when they broke up. I think they had a fight.

A couple weeks later, Max met s-someone else. They've been dating for a few weeks now.

Lotta was pretty mad, she had never really liked Max's new girlfriend. Even before they started dating.

And at the party, they argued again. Lotta and Max, I mean.

"And you say this is what lead the defendant to poisoning the victim?" the judge said.

"Yes, Your Honor. That is what the prosecution believes," Payne said.

"I see. Ms. Hawthorne, you may cross-examine the witness."

"Yes, Your Honor," Dahlia said.

Cross-Examination

Max and Lotta had been dating for a couple months when they broke up. I think they had a fight.

"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "What was the fight about?"

"I don't remember, really. It could have been about anything, honestly. They can both be pretty stubborn," Regina said.

"Now hold on a second!" Lotta said from the defendant's chair.

The judge interrupted her. "Defendant, do not speak out of turn."

A couple weeks later, Max met s-someone else. They've been dating for a few weeks now.

"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "He met s-someone else, huh?"

Regina gripped her wand. "Y-yes."

"Who is this person?" Dahlia inquired.

"Well, actually she looks kind of like you," Regina said. "Except she dresses differently, and her hair is darker."

Dahlia's eyes widened. "I see. Tell me more about her."

"Well…" Regina said.

Lotta was pretty mad, she had never really liked Max's new girlfriend. Even before they started dating.

"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "How so?"

"Max's last girlfriend, she always acted so charming and friendly. But I think she rubbed Lotta the wrong way," Regina said, sounding nervous.

"Are you alright, Ms. Berry?" Dahlia said.

"I-I'm fine," Regina said, looking anything but.

Dahlia was starting to get suspicious. She's definitely hiding something. "So what is your opinion of this girlfriend?"

Regina played with her wand. "Umm, she's really sweet," the hesitation was obvious in her voice.

"But?" Dahlia said, sensing there was more to it.

Regina looked away. "I'm so scared."

"What are you afraid of?" the judge said.

Regina remained silent. Dahlia noticed she was trembling. Mia saw it too. "Regina, you can say it. It'll be okay. What's got you so scared?"

"Her," Regina said.

"Who?" Dahlia said.

Regina straightened up. "Max's last girlfriend. She's sweet, but too sweet. It's actually kind of creepy."

"Alright, I can see that," Dahlia said. "But what does it have to do with the trial right now?"

"Well, you see," Regina said. "I've had my suspicions about her for a while now. She seemed too perfect, you know?"

Dahlia nodded her head.

"That evening I told Max about how I didn't trust her, but he didn't believe me. He said his girlfriend was too perfect to be harmful, and I was paranoid," A tear rolled down Regina's cheek. "But I'm not. I knew she was bad, so I kept trying to convince Max. I think he started to listen to me, after a while."

"What happened after that?" Dahlia said.

"Max said he needed time to think, so I left him alone. Then he…" Regina choked back a sob. "He was dead. Then I… I did something bad."

"Tell us what happened," Dahlia said.

"I lied earlier," Regina said. "The Ten of Hearts card wasn't the only thing with Max's body."

Regina brought out a white rose. "This was on top of the card."

"You tampered with the crime scene?" the judge said, surprised. "What compelled you to do that?"

"She knew I would know what it meant," Regina said. "The rose was a threat. I'm so sorry, I did a bad thing. But I was so scared, I didn't want to end up like Max. So I took the rose. And I lied about it."

"What does the white rose mean?" Dahlia said, carefully.

"The white rose was Max's symbol of love for his girlfriend," Regina said.

Dahlia had anticipated something like that, but it was shocking nonetheless. The gallery went into an uproar, so the judge had to silence everyone.

"Order!" The judge said. "This is quite the shocking development, Ms. Berry."

"I'm sorry I lied," Regina said.

"Your perjury will be dealt with later," the judge said. "For now, thank you for telling the truth."

"I just had to say something. The guilt was killing me," Regina said.

Dahlia looked at Payne, who was sweating bullets. "Mr. Payne," Dahlia said. "Is something wrong?"

"Well," Payne said. "It's just that the next witness was the victim's sweetheart."

The crowd went into another uproar.