Chapter 15 - The Mother's Testimony
It was my turn. When I took the oath and sat in the witness box, I didn't look at Mark. I looked directly at the jury.
The prosecutor walked me through my discovery of the basement. I detailed the SOS tapping on the pipes, the broken lock, and the smell of death hanging in the air.
Then, the prosecutor brought out the heavy artillery.
"Detective Rossi," the prosecutor asked, "did you uncover a motive for the defendant's actions beyond domestic control?"
"Yes," I answered firmly. "Mark Davis had embezzled six million dollars from a dangerous criminal syndicate. He was facing a deadline. He took out massive life insurance policies on my daughter and attempted to force her to sign over her inheritance. When she refused, he decided to starve her to death and stage it as a tragic mental health crisis."
Vance practically leaped out of his chair. "Objection! Hearsay! Wild speculation!"
"Overruled," the judge snapped. "The witness is an expert investigator testifying to physical evidence admitted into this court."
The prosecutor projected the life insurance documents, the forged trust fund transfers, and finally, the burner phone text messages from Dominic the hitman on the massive courtroom monitors.
May you like
Burn it down. Make sure the old lady is inside.
The words hung in the air, glowing on the screen. Mark’s head dropped into his hands. His polished veneer had completely shattered. The jury wasn't looking at a grieving husband anymore. They were looking at a sociopathic monster, laid bare for the entire world to see.
