Family Issues Ch. 12

"I hope he'll stay for a very long time." Like forever, she thought.

Nadine's little sister tweeted like a happy bird and danced a full circle on her toes. "Wow."

"We need to be very gentle and understanding with him. He's been through difficult times, and he's still got a lot ahead of him. He needs TLC."

"TLC?"

"Remember when you broke your leg? You were upset because I made you stay in bed. So, just like that time. Lots of hugs and kisses."

Iman kneeled and kissed Kevin's lips gently, already fantasizing about all the beautiful games they'd play together.

--

"As he had so many times before, on the sixth of November at eight p.m., William Richardson sat in his office, long after most of the people who worked for him had gone home. William Richardson, a former US Marine Corps major, a pillar of his community, generous philanthropist, a beloved husband," Larry Hannan, the assistant DA and the prosecutor, paused for dramatic effect, "and a father of three." He looked at the three stunning daughters who sat in the second row, wearing black. The eldest, Sharon, was a famous model, and the youngest was following in her footsteps. It never hurt that the grieving daughters looked so good. Indeed, the jury's male contingent appeared impressed. He waited for them to have an eyeful, but he kept one eye on Russell Henley.

The elderly judge was strict when it came to drama in his court. When Larry was younger, Russell had kicked him twice out of his courtroom and once threatened to charge him with contempt for a long opening speech. "If you want drama, you should try Hollywood. Try that in my court, on my shift, well..." was something Russell said to every inspiring young attorney, usually accompanied by a scary wink. However, the People vs. Helen Brion was a high-profile case, and that meant Larry had some slack, which he was going to use. He loved drama.

"The state will prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant," he pointed at Helen and paused again, "Helen Brion, planned and then executed William's murder on November the sixth, in his office, stabbing William with his Marine combat knife. The defendant, a former Marine herself and proficient in knife combat, stabbed him through the left lung at eight-thirty. William died from his wound at eight thirty-six, just as the emergency response team arrived at Richardson and Williams' central office. Those are the undisputed facts that the state will prove beyond any reasonable doubt. The real question is why?"

Larry turned back to the defendant, hoping to make eye contact. Sadly, Helen didn't look at him. It ruined the effect and annoyed him immensely. Her eyes were glued to the slim young man sitting in the row to her left. She devoured his every move, searching, but for what?

Kevin was the sister's boyfriend. The missing sister's boyfriend, because Diana had disappeared from the face of the earth. He was going to seek a writ of body attachment in her case and still contemplated whether he should put Kevin on the stand. But as he observed this little courthouse drama, he wondered if the cops had missed something juicy.

"The real question is why. What would make a valued employee, a top analyst, and vice president— what would make her take her boss' life?" He paused again.

"The evidence will show that the real estate giant Richardson and Williams had been under a vicious criminal attack for over a year. A financial scam meant to rob," he paused for effect, "billions. Meant to steal billions with a 'B' from the company's coffers through an intricate web of straw companies and bogus investments. The state will show that William Richardson was about to expose the conspiracy the night he was murdered. Murdered by the one person who sat in the middle of this web. The defendant!" He pointed at her. "Helen Brion discovered that William was onto her plans, and she simply couldn't allow that to happen."

Larry turned to Helen. The tall girl had worn an ugly black suit to court. Bad choice. She looked like a business shark with terrible fashion sense. Her eyepatch added to the overall disturbing first impression. She was beautiful, no ugly suit or scars could hide that, but she didn't use her charms on the jury. Helen had her burning green eye set on Kevin. It's like she came to court for him, and the trial didn't even interest her.

Kevin lifted his head, saw her staring, and blushed.

His hunch was spot on. Larry was glad he'd chosen his black flannel trousers that morning instead of the tighter gray pair because he had an erection when he thought of the possibilities.

--

"The defendant has stated in her testimony that it was your team who introduced the initial offer for Destiny Mall—"

"Oh, I bet she did." Marianne, Bay Area Acquisitions Manager, rolled her eyes. She chose a flowery A-line dress for court. Larry suggested that she avoid dressing stylishly and aim for the 'I'm a bug-eyed, clueless country girl' look. Despite his advice, the dress showed too much bosom.

"I understand that the court experience can be overwhelming." Larry attempted a tender smile, but he was feeling like a barracuda today; a bit of it surfaced. "Still, Ms. Anderson, let me ask the question before answering. Who introduced the initial Destiny Mall offer to your team and to the company?"

"Helen."

"The defendant came with the initial offer?"

"What did I just say?"

"A 'yes' will do." Larry gave a mental sigh.

"Yes. In fact, the project was shot down by William in July, but Helen pushed again for a second review."

"When was that?"

"About a month ago."

"I would like the jury to review exhibit item 24-c, an email from the defendant's account to Ms. Anderson, sent in September, asking her to prepare a re-review of Destiny Mall." He looked at Helen. It was the first time she showed interest in anything that wasn't Kevin. She whispered something in the public defender's ear.

"And did you know or have any suspicion whatsoever at the time that Destiny Mall is, what you call in real-estate jargon, a land fraud?"

"Of course not. No one knew. Everyone still finds it hard to believe that—"

"Ms. Anderson," Judge Henley cut her off. "During your testimony, please stick to what you did and what you saw. What everyone else believes is hearsay."

Kevin felt like placing his fingers around the public defender's scrawny neck and squeezing. She needed a good shake. The lawyer appointed for Helen by the state sat in her crisp suit, her glasses bouncing up and down on her knee as she tapped her foot. Kevin couldn't imagine what could make her so nervous. She didn't put up a fight. She'd barely said a word since the session began, and the first objection of the day belonged to the judge.

"Can you tell the court, Ms. Anderson, what happened on November the sixth?"

Marianne took a deep breath and smiled. She liked the attention, then remembered that she was at a murder trial, and she put on a somber face. "I had a deadline for the Destiny Mall addendum, so I was forced to work late."

"Was anyone else other than you in the office?"

"William, which was the norm. He is, was, a workaholic."

"The defendant came to the office at eight o'clock?"

"Yes."

"Exactly at eight o'clock?"

"Yes."

"Accuracy is essential, Ms. Anderson because we only have your testimony against that of the defendant to establish a timeline. Someone," Larry paused and turned his head to Helen, just to remove any doubt the jury might harbor about who the 'someone' might be, "someone stole the office's November the sixth's CCTV footage. Someone also wiped all traces of it off the security servers."

"Objection, Your Honor." The public defender, Andrea McKinley, finally remembered that she had a client.

Larry went for his Little Bo-Peep face and raised his hands, palms up.

"Your Honor, my esteemed colleague is insinuating that the defendant had something to do with the stolen CCTV footage when—" the defender began.

"Your Honor, I've never said anything like that."

"...insinuating that my client had anything to do with the stolen CCTV when it's a well-established fact that she was locked behind bars when the CCTV footage went missing."

"Your Honor, it is also a well-established fact that the offender had accomplices."

"Objection, Your Honor! On—"

"Sustained!" Judge Henley signaled with his finger for Larry to approach the bench, then pushed the white noise machine's button, so their conversation would be private.

"How long have we known each other, Larry?"

"Eight years, Your Honor."

"I've heard you're running for DA next year."

"Yes, Your Honor."

"This is an important, high-profile case. A trial like this can give a nice boost to one's career."

Larry smiled. "Yes, Your Honor."

"You remind me of your dad, Larry, minus the finesse. He could pull tricks like you just did without anyone noticing. One of the best lawyers I've met. How is the old dog?"

"Still retired, still very happy about it, Your Honor."

"Do that again in my court, and I'll chop your balls off."

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Not figuratively. I'll slice your balls off and hang them on my belt."

"Yes, Your Honor."

Judge Henley switched his microphone back on. "The jury will disregard any comment about the stolen CCTV footage."

Larry tried to tone down his smile. He had no way of proving that Helen had anything to do with the stolen footage. However, it was now an established fact in the jury's minds. One cannot disregard what one already knows. "Back to you, Ms. Anderson. So, the defendant came to the office at eight?"

"Yes, I remember the time exactly. Helen came in when I punched my card going out. She asked me about the CEO meeting and how come William had set up a meeting to cancel Destiny Mall."

"Was she angry? Anxious?"

"Calm." Marianne shook her head. "Definitely calm. I remember being surprised because I thought she had a right to be frustrated. After all, Destiny Mall was her baby, and William was going to shoot it down again."

"What happened after that?"

"I went to my car, then to my embarrassment, I realized that I'd left my handbag on my desk."

"When was that?"

Marianne looked up as if she was trying to remember. "Around eight-thirty. Yeah, I drove back and reached the office again around eight-thirty. I went back up and heard loud voices coming from William's office. So, I went over to check out what the racket was all about and saw William shouting at Helen."

"Saw?"

"His office's walls are transparent, so unless someone pulls down the shades, you can see everything that's going on inside."

"Did they see you?"

"William probably did. I was in the hallway, and Helen was sitting with her back to me, so she wasn't aware that I had returned to the office."

"What were they arguing about?"

"They weren't. William was shouting, his face red. I have never seen him like that. He looked so angry."

Larry nodded. "And Helen?"

"She was taking it rather calmly. I remember thinking back then how odd it was. I mean I would have died on the spot if I were in her shoes. But Helen remained calm."

"I see. What then?"

"I wanted to creep back to my office because I felt it was an embarrassing moment for her. For both of them."

"Did the defendant raise her voice?"

Marianne shook her head. "No. Helen appeared calm. She never spoke."

"What happened then?"

"Helen..." Marianne breathed deep. She wiped her eyes a few times.

"That's okay. Take your time, Ms. Anderson. I understand that it was very traumatic."

"William had been like a father to me."

Larry nodded and waited silently for the tearful woman to compose herself. "What happened then?" he asked in a tender voice.

"I still... I still have nightmares. Helen, Helen picked up William's knife, the one he kept on his desk, and stabbed him in the chest."

"Just like that? He didn't attack her or anything?"

"In cold blood. I've never dreamed a person could do that to another human being. Like stepping on a bug."

Larry waited for the chatter to die down, happy to note that her words had the desired effect on the jury. Judge Henley banged his gavel.

"What did you do?"

"It happened so fast. Helen simply picked up the knife and stabbed William before he could react. She then grabbed him by his collar. He tried to fight her, but she just held the knife until he collapsed on the floor."

"You must have been in shock."

"I've never been more afraid in my life."

"And what did you do?"

"I was too scared to confront an armed ex-Marine empty-handed. I wanted to, but I was too scared."

Larry went for a sympathetic tadpole face. He wasn't a great actor, and he ended looking like he'd eaten sushi for the first time in his life, mistook the Wasabi for a green candy, and went for a mouthful. "I can assure you that no one is judging you, Ms. Anderson. What happened then?"

"I called security and the emergency services, then I hid in my office."

Kevin lost faith in God that day in court. If there was a big guy in the sky looking down, then he should have smitten her already.

--

Kevin lifted his head from his newspaper and watched the unfolding drama.

Iman fidgeted at the indoor pool's edge. She wore a white, one-piece swimsuit and red water wings. It looked ridiculous because she was twenty and tall as Helen. The young woman balanced herself on the ladder's first step and shook her head vigorously. Her swimming instructor cajoled her to get in with him.

The instructor, Aleki, a chubby Samoan flashing several gang tattoos, slapped the water's smooth surface. "Come on. I'll buy you ice cream."

Iman shook her head.

"Chocolate ice cream."

"I don't want ice cream."

"Nothing to be afraid of. The water barely reaches your tits."

"I don't want to."

"Just dip your toe. Come on, just the tip." He winked at Kevin.

Kevin felt like dipping Aleki's head underwater for an hour. Making someone as innocent as Iman the butt of a sexual joke was taking bullying to a new level. Kevin loathed bullies.

Iman dipped her toe and pulled it back.

"Well?"

She shook her head.

Aleki lost what little patience he had. "Fine. Go back to the little girls' side. I'll tell Nadine that you're a stubborn ass."

Iman ignored his rebuke and happily ran over to the shallows where Kevin was reading a small article about Helen's trial. Iman waved at him, and he blew her an air-kiss.

"What a spoilt little..." Aleki fished his massive body out of the water and grabbed a towel.

"She's just scared, and she doesn't trust you," Kevin said in a low voice. "You need to gain her trust first."

"It's like teaching a cow to ride a bicycle."

"Dude, she's right there; there's nothing wrong with her ears."

"So fucking what? The retarded bitch doesn't understand anything." He turned and waved at Iman. "Hello, mush-for-brains, give a big smile for Daddy."

Iman ignored him and kept paddling her legs in the water.

"See?" He slapped Kevin with the towel. "The lights are on, but nobody's home."

Even when you grew up, there were always Justin Murphys. Kevin thought he'd jump him, but he didn't want to frighten Iman. "Dude, you gotta stop being an asshole, right now!"

"Or what? You're gonna run and tell on me? Mommy Nadine, Aleki was mean to me."

Kevin rose to his feet in a flash, but Aleki raised his hands and backed down. "It's not that I can't skull-fuck you, boy, but I know better than to break the boss' favorite fuck toy."

"I won't tell Nadine. I'll go straight to Brigitte."

Aleki mimed a blowjob and walked out the door, but Kevin noted with some satisfaction that his brown face had paled to a few shades whiter.

Iman smiled when he jumped into the pool, and she sprayed him with water, but he saw through her bluff and gave her a loving hug. His tenderness took her by surprise, and she started crying softly. Kevin seriously considered asking Brigitte to have a talk with Aleki.

"He's always so mean," she sobbed. "It's not okay."

"You're right, it's not."

"I've never said anything to make him so nasty."

"Some people feel bigger when they make someone else feel small. I guess he feels bad about himself so he needs someone like you to hurt. "

"Like me? You mean stupid?"

"Hey! Not true!"

"It is. Everyone says so."

"Nobody does."

"Only because they're scared of Nuni. When she's not around, they say horrible things. And it's true. I am stupid. I can't even be taught how to read and write."

Kevin wiped her tears with his palm. "No, it's not like that. Not by a long shot. I meant that people like Aleki only hurt people as sweet as you. Someone who's too gentle to hurt them back."

"I can hurt him. I can tell Nuni that he called me a retard." Iman sniffed. "Only then she'd be really mean to him, and I hate it when she does that."

Kevin kissed her cheek, then gently peeled off her water wings. "You don't need those. Let's go deeper into the pool; I'll teach you how to swim."

"But I can't."

"Sure you can. My mom taught my little brother and me to swim. She worked as a part-time swimming instructor when I was a kid, and she told me everyone can be taught."

"I can't."

"Bullshit!" Since he left home, Kevin had worked hard at hiding his bible-belt roots. However, several words made his accent jump out.

"Bullshit!" Iman imitated him, and they both laughed. "You don't think I'm too stupid?"

"I know you're not stupid, period. And that's the last time I hear you call yourself ugly names. You're my friend, and I don't like people badmouthing my friends."

"Sorry."

He waded into the deeper water, holding her hand, then showed her how to grab the pool's edge.

"First thing you've got to learn is that water isn't scary. Just dip your head between your arms and make bubbles."

He showed her. "If you can only dip your mouth, that's okay."

Iman tried. It wasn't hard.

"Excellent!" Kevin clapped. "Now try a little deeper, as much as you feel comfortable with."

She was a quick learner and very eager to hear his compliments. An hour later, she managed several strokes that took her from the edge all the way to Kevin's arms. When she reached him, she gave him a kiss on his cheek and one on his lips that surprised him and made her giggle.

"What just happened?" he cried.

"I think I swam."

"Oh my God, I think you're right," he said. "'I'll never learn to swim, Kevin, I'm too stupid.'"

"Bullshit!" she said, imitating his accent, and they both laughed.

"I've never heard of someone learning to swim so fast. You must be super-smart."

"Bullshit!"

He crossed his eyes, making her laugh again. "That's enough swimming for one day."

"Promise we'll continue tomorrow, Kev?"

"I promise."

"You have your testimony tomorrow." Nadine was watching them with an odd smile from the pool's edge. "He won't have time tomorrow, sweetie."

Iman stuck out her tongue at her.

"We'll find the time, don't worry," he told Iman.

"You're like a magician." Nadine wrapped him in a towel when he got out of the pool after Iman ran off to take a shower. "I've never seen her so happy."

"You've got to stop talking to her like a little girl."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I'm not—"

"Your sister is twenty."

"I'm not—"

"Yes, you are." The anger in his voice caught her by surprise, and she took a step back. "Stop talking above her head, Nadine. That's the exact mistake people made with Ben. His Down syndrome caused a severe speech impediment. People reacted when he spoke, and I could see him flinch every time they did. So, he kept his mouth shut around strangers. People thought that because he couldn't express himself, he couldn't understand them. But he understood everything. And he could understand what they were not saying too. And every time he did, I saw him get hurt. Stop treating her like a child."