Chapter 14 - MARGARET TAKES THE STAND
Margaret testified against her attorney’s advice.
She adjusted the microphone carefully.
Then she looked toward the jury.
“I loved my daughter.”
The prosecutor remained standing.
“Did you love Clara Bennett?”
“I respected her.”
“Did you call her Clara?”
“That is her name.”
“Did you encourage Brooke to call her Mom?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because she was not Brooke’s mother.”
The prosecutor showed the Christmas video.
Margaret admired the Gucci bag.
Brooke called her the best mom in the world.
Then she handed me the card.
“Did you know Clara’s money purchased your gift?”
“No.”
The receipt appeared.
“Did you know after dinner?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Did you return the bag?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“It was a gift.”
“Purchased with stolen money.”
“I did not steal it.”
“You attempted to flee with it.”
“I was traveling.”
“Under another name.”
Margaret’s expression hardened.
The prosecutor moved to the guardianship plan.
“Did you intend to place Clara in assisted living?”
“Only if necessary.”
“Who would decide necessity?”
“Doctors.”
“Doctors using affidavits you prepared before examining her?”
Margaret remained silent.
The prosecutor showed the renovation plan.
“My bedroom was labeled nursery,” I whispered.
The jury heard.
Margaret looked toward me.
“You were living alone before they moved in.”
“No.”
I spoke before the judge could stop me.
“I was living peacefully.”
The judge warned me not to interrupt again.
Margaret continued.
“The house was too large for one person.”
“Did Clara ask you to manage it?”
“No.”
“Did she ask you to borrow against it?”
“No.”
“Did she ask you to monitor her bedroom?”
“No.”
“Did she ask you to move her husband’s belongings into storage?”
“No.”
“Then what gave you the right?”
Margaret lifted her chin.
“Julian needed stability.”
“Your daughter needed money.”
“The family needed the property used responsibly.”
The prosecutor stepped closer.
“Responsible to whom?”
Margaret looked toward the jury.
“To the next generation.”
The prosecutor nodded.
“That is your defense?”
“That an older woman’s property should be taken because younger people wanted it?”
Margaret’s certainty began sounding like confession.
Her attorney attempted to repair the damage.
He asked whether I had ever helped Julian financially.
“Yes,” Margaret answered.
“Frequently.”
“Did Clara expect repayment?”
“Not always.”
“Then financial support was normal in the family.”
The prosecutor objected.
The judge sustained.
Margaret looked toward me.
“You gave because giving made you feel important.”
I felt the words strike.
For years, I had wondered whether generosity had become another way to remain needed.
But even if that were true, it did not make theft acceptable.
When I took the stand, Margaret’s attorney asked about my silence.
“You never demanded rent from Julian.”
“No.”
“You allowed Brooke to redecorate.”
“At first.”
“You gave Julian account access.”
“For emergencies.”
“You repeatedly helped them financially.”
“Yes.”
“Then how were they supposed to know when support became unacceptable?”
May you like
I looked at the jury.
“When I said no.”
