Dahlia stood in the defendant's lobby once again with Lotta and Mia.
"I hope Regina's okay," Mia said. "She looked so shaken."
Lotta crossed her arms and her shoulders sagged. "Yeah, poor girl's went through too much to suddenly, I reckon. From what I know, she was the sweetest, most trusting child you'd ever meet. She grew up in her father's circus, didn't know anything else. Then when she came to Ivy University reality went and slapped her in the face. She was doing just fine, but she's a delicate one."
"Dahlia? Are you alright? You haven't said a word," Mia said.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry," Dahlia said. "I'm just thinking about the next witness."
Mia smiled sympathetically. "Don't let it get under your skin, Dahlia. Just focus on the trial."
"What do you mean "under your skin"? What's going on?" Lotta asked.
Dahlia and Mia smiled. "Don't worry about it," Dahlia said. "It's nothing."
Lotta appeared to be anything but convinced, but she didn't push it. Dahlia looked over at her cousin. "Hey Mia, could you do me a favor?"
"What do you need?" Mia asked.
Dahlia reached into her pocket and pulled out a newspaper clipping that had been folded multiple times. She flattened it out and handed it the senior lawyer, who skimmed over it.
"I think I see what you're getting at," Mia said. "You want me to find some more records about this?"
"About what?" Lotta said, only to be ignored.
"Yes, I think that would be helpful," Dahlia said.
"I might take a while, and the trial's going to restart soon. Do you think you can handle the defense on your own?" Mia said.
"Hey, I'm a defense attorney too aren't I?" Dahlia said, proudly flashing her badge.
"Indeed you are," Mia said. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Mia exited the lobby and Lotta turned to her attorney. "What's going on?"
Dahlia opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a bailiff. "The trial will resume in a couple minutes. Better get back."
They did just that, much to Lotta's dismay, and soon after arriving the judge banged his gavel. "Mr. Payne, you have one witness correct?"
"Yes Your Honor," Payne said. "But before that, a new autopsy report has been made. The victim was electrocuted along with be poisoned. However they could not confirm which happened first. Either way, though, the defendant is guilty. As the next witness will prove."
"Your previous witness has given us reason to doubt her," the judge said.
"Yes Your Honor," Payne said. "However, I believe she is completely innocent of any crimes. Rather she saw the defendant committing such wrongdoings."
"Bring her to the witness stand," the judge said.
Moments later, a girl in a lilac dress with dark purple lace stood behind the witness stand. Two braids crowned her head with piano black hair. In her delicate hands was a parasol the same colors as her dress. The entire courtroom fell silent to her air of serenity and innocence, except for the two women behind the defense bench. Dahlia was staring daggers at the woman behind the witness stand, not that anyone seemed to notice, including the woman in purple.
The judge was the one to break the silence. "In all my years as a judge, never have a seen such an aura of sincerity."
Iris turned her head and blushed. "Thank-you."
Dahlia clenched her teeth. "Did he just say that?"
Payne was staring at the woman, his glasses started to fog. Apparently he was thinking along the same lines as the judge.
"Aren't these guys like over 50?" Dahlia muttered to herself.
"Your name and occupation, please?" Payne said, beads of sweat dripping down.
"Iris Hawthorne, I'm Literature student at Ivy University," Iris said sweetly.
Dahlia almost choked on the sugar Iris was pouring on. I think I see butterflies dancing around her.
"Hawthorne? Do you know the defense in any way?" the judge said, clearly stunned.
"I knew her," Dahlia said. "In a galaxy far, far away."
The judge didn't get it.
"We're twin sisters. Can't you tell, Mr. Judge?" Iris said.
"Mr. Judge, what a cute nickname," the judge said.
Oh, give me a break! Dahlia did not like where this was heading.
"Hello, Dahlia," Iris said. "Nice to see you."
Using every ounce of will power, Dahlia didn't stick her tongue at her twin sister. Liar!
"Ms. Hawthorne, you say that you saw the defendant murder the victim?" the judge said.
"Yes, it was terrible," Iris said, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't believe poor Maxi-Waxy is dead."
Maxi-What? Dahlia gagged, then covered it up with a cough to make sure she didn't get penalized by the bewitched judge.
"Now, now, dear," Payne said. "Would you please tell us what happened?"
"Okay," Iris said.
Testimony
That night, when Maxi-Waxy was killed, I saw him talking to Lotta.
She looked really angry. I was too frightened to say anything to her.
I didn't think too much of it at the time, but I saw Lotta put something in Maxi's drink!
Maxi-Waxy walked away, then next thing I knew I saw him dead and Lotta was standing in his blood.
It was sickening, I can't believe she would do that!
"That does sound terrible," the judge said. "Ms. Hawthorne, you may cross-examine the witness."
"I can't seriously be the only one who sees the giant contradiction," Dahlia muttered, gripping the desk.
Cross-Examination
That night, when Maxi-Waxy was killed, I saw him talking to Lotta.
She looked really angry. I was too frightened to say anything to her.
I didn't think too much of it at the time, but I saw Lotta put something in Maxi's drink!
Maxi-Waxy walked away, then next thing I knew I saw him dead and Lotta was standing in his blood.
"Objection!" Dahlia said. "In that one statement there are 3 things that don't make sense! First of all, Maxi-Waxy is a stupid nickname. Second of all, the previous witness, the one who discovered the body, didn't see the defendant anywhere near the victim. Third of all, the victim didn't bleed!"
Iris gripped her parasol, and her hair and dress fluttered. "Sis, why are you so mean to me?"
"Don't call me "Sis," alright?" Dahlia said. "And I'm not being mean, you're lying!"
"Can we put the sibling bickering on hold?" the judge said, glaring at Dahlia more than Iris. "Still, the defense does raise a few good points. Can you explain these contradictions, witness?"
Iris looked down. "Well you see Mr. Judge, it was just so awful. I couldn't talk about it. But, I- I saw when Lotta killed Maxi."
"You did?" Payne said, caught off guard.
Tears welled in Iris' eyes again. "Can I please testify again? I promise to tell the truth. All of it. I was just so frightened."
"Hmm, alright," the judge said.
"Thank-you," Iris said, all smiles once more.
"Now just hold on a minute!" Lotta said from the defendant's chair. "She gets away with lying just like that does she? Meanwhile I'm here on trial for a murder I didn't do? That ain't fair!"
The judge banged his gavel. "Ms. Hart, do not speak out of turn!"
"At least I'm speaking the truth!" Lotta said back. "She's the one who's been lying this whole time. I didn't kill nobody! But I'm about to, let me at her!"
It took two court bailiffs to restrain Lotta. Mia appeared next Dahlia, looking exasperated. "I'm back. Looks like I was just in time to catch a migraine."
Mia saw the look in Dahlia's eyes and grabbed her wrist. "No. This is a trial. Not a cat-fight, got it?"
Dahlia huffed and relaxed her muscles. "Did you find it?"
"As a matter of fact I did," Mia said and handed Dahlia a manila envelope. "There don't seem to be too many records for this, but I grabbed as much as I could."
"Thanks," Dahlia said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Now she was ready.
Lotta calmed down, and Iris stopped trembling over the "scary girls" to begin her testimony.
Testimony
Well, it was after Regina had talked with Maxi-Waxy then Lotta went up to him.
She seemed pretty mad, so I didn't get too close. But I saw everything.
At one point, Maxi looked away and Lotta put something in his water bottle.
Maxi drank from the bottle, but nothing happened so I didn't think too much of it.
But then a few minutes later, Maxi started coughing. Then his face turned blue and… he was no more.
"I see, forgive me but I have one question," the judge said. "You never mentioned the electrocution."
Payne tapped his forehead, making his hair bounce. "The victim died very close to a stray wire. It's possible that he shocked himself when he fell, Your Honor. The young lady probably wouldn't have seen that."
"Hmm, I suppose that makes sense," the judge said. "Ms. Hawthorne, you may begin your cross-examination."
"Yes, Your Honor," Dahlia said.
Cross-Examination
Well, it was after Regina had talked with Maxi-Waxy when Lotta went up to him.
She seemed pretty mad, so I didn't get too close. But I saw everything.
At one point, Maxi looked away and Lotta put something in his water bottle.
"Hold it!" Dahlia said. "Are you sure the defendant put something in the bottle?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Iris said.
"And you didn't think it strange at the time?" Dahlia said. Iris isn't that much of an airhead.
Maxi drank from the bottle, but nothing happened so I didn't think too much of it.
But then a few minutes later, Maxi started coughing. Then his face turned blue and… he was no more.
"Objection!" Dahlia said. "You don't know anything about poisons, do you?"
"What do you mean?" Iris said.
"Let me tell you about atroquinine," Dahlia said. "Atroquinine is a slow-acting poison that takes about 15 minutes to take effect. When a person gets even the slightest drop in their system, the reaction includes a burning throat, arching of the back, and trembling limbs."
"Where did you learn so much about poisons?" Iris said, her voiced coated in sugar.
Dahlia happened to know quite a bit about poisons from researching murder trials during her studies. However, she was not going to let her twin change the subject. Dahlia pounded her desk. "Turning blue in the face and coughing are not side effects of atroquinine!"
Iris gripped her parasol, grimacing. "But I…"
"Lied!" Dahlia said. "It is impossible for you to have seen the victim react to the poison as you described!"
"Objection!" Payne said. "If that's so, how do you explain this contradiction?"
Dahlia thought hard. It's impossible for Iris to have seen the victim turn blue in the face. She must have lied, but why?
"Dahlia," Mia said. "You're looking at this from the wrong angle."
"The wrong angle?" Dahlia murmured.
"You're trying to think about why Iris would lie, correct?" Mia said. "Well forget about that and turn your thinking around. The question here is not "Why did Iris lie?" rather "Why did Iris get it wrong?"
"Why did Iris get it wrong?" Dahlia repeated. She would gain nothing by lying about the victim's reaction, so Iris must not have known it was wrong. But why wouldn't she know the side effects of a poison she saw being used?
Just then, the answer hit Dahlia in the face.