Chapter 17 - Margaret’s Testimony
Margaret asked to testify voluntarily.
Adrian did not encourage her.
Neither did I.
She insisted.
“I helped create the environment.”
At the preliminary hearing, she sat across from Vanessa.
For twenty years, Margaret had treated her like family.
Vanessa looked at her as if expecting rescue.
It never came.
The prosecutor asked:
“Did you believe Elena Howard was emotionally unstable?”
Margaret looked at me.
“Vanessa convinced me she might be.”
“How?”
“Small comments.”
“Examples?”
Margaret swallowed.
“She said Elena was possessive.”
“Paranoid.”
“Too focused on money.”
“Fragile after miscarriage.”
The prosecutor continued.
“Did you personally observe dangerous instability?”
Margaret’s voice broke.
“No.”
“Did you repeat Vanessa’s concerns to others?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I trusted the wrong person.”
Vanessa shook her head.
Margaret saw it.
Then she said something nobody expected.
“I also failed the right person.”
I looked down.
My eyes filled.
The prosecutor asked about the estate paperwork.
Margaret admitted giving Vanessa access.
The prenatal schedule.
The trust summary.
The emergency provisions.
Every piece.
Then came the question.
“If you had known Vanessa intended to use that information against Elena, would you have helped her?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Margaret looked directly at Vanessa.
“Because Elena is my daughter-in-law.”
Then toward me.
“And because that baby is my granddaughter.”
Vanessa laughed once.
Quietly.
Bitterly.
The judge looked at her.
Her attorney touched her arm.
She pulled away.
Then whispered loud enough for the microphone:
“That baby ruined everything.”
The courtroom froze.
May you like
Her attorney closed his eyes.
The prosecutor did not need to ask another question.
