Chapter 12 - The Trial
The courtroom was colder than expected.
Marcus wore dark gray suit.
No wedding ring.
Neither did I.
Sophia sat separately with her attorney because she was a cooperating witness awaiting sentencing.
She looked toward me once.
I looked away.
Opening statement from prosecution was restrained.
“This case began before Victoria Hale moved a single bowl.”
Good.
“The attempt began when defendant secretly placed a dangerous toxic substance into food intended for his wife, believing she would consume it.”
Then:
“Her later decision to switch the bowls is not the defendant’s defense to what he had already done.”
His attorney disagreed.
“This case is about a wealthy woman who suspected her husband of infidelity, secretly surveilled him, deliberately switched contaminated food into his place, and then used the predictable medical crisis to destroy him.”
They would make me manipulator.
Then:
“The government’s star witness Sophia Hale is a confessed liar trying to save herself.”
True enough.
Jury would decide.
First witnesses.
Building manager.
Camera installation vendor.
Doctor.
Toxicologist.
No instructions, just findings.
The compound in Marcus’s bowl matched compound found in several items in apartment and evidence of repeated exposure in me.
Could not say precisely how many times.
Could not attribute every earlier exposure to one person.
Good.
Then 911 dispatcher.
Recording.
My voice:
“My husband has ingested an unknown substance. I believe he put it into food intended for me. I switched the bowls.”
Immediate admission.
No cover.
Then Sophia entering, faint in background:
“Marcus, what went wrong?”
Clear.
Then officer body camera after arrival.
Sophia denying.
Marcus saying:
“She poisoned me.”
Me saying:
“I switched them after I saw him pour from vial.”
Consistent.
Then dining room video.
No need audio.
Marcus removes vial.
Pours into my bowl.
Leaves.
I switch bowls.
He returns.
He eats.
I do not encourage.
I mostly stare.
Then he becomes ill.
I call 911.
The defense paused video frame by frame showing I watched him eat.
That hurt.
But true.
Then Dr. Foster.
My symptoms.
Prior report.
Expanded test ordered before dinner.
This destroyed theory I invented after.
Then Detective Bennett.
I contacted through lawyer days before dinner.
I provided search history.
Concern.
No plot.
Then digital evidence.
Marcus’s death announcement draft.
Sovereign Coast.
Insurance searches.
Messages.
Defense objected some prejudicial.
Judge admitted relevant portions.
Then Sophia.
She walked slowly.
Swore.
Prosecutor began:
“Did you participate in plan to make your sister ill?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Sophia cried.
“Money.”
Then:
“And jealousy.”
No excuse.
“Did relationship with Marcus become sexual?”
“Yes.”
“Did plan escalate?”
“Yes.”
“To what?”
“To killing her.”
The words entered room.
Then final dinner.
“Who decided?”
“Marcus.”
“What did you do?”
“I provided the vial.”
No details.
“Did you know substance could kill?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“How know?”
“We talked about it.”
Messages.
Then defense cross.
“You are hoping for reduced sentence.”
“Yes.”
“You hate Victoria.”
“I did.”
“Still?”
Sophia looked at me.
“No.”
Maybe.
Then:
“You are the one who obtained substance.”
“Yes.”
“You poisoned earlier food.”
“Yes.”
“You could have acted alone final night.”
“No. Camera shows Marcus.”
Then:
“You told Marcus it would kill?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you lied to him.”
Sophia closed eyes.
“No.”
Then defense played messages where Sophia pushed plan.
You wanted out of her shadow.
My share better be worth this.
She looked terrible.
Good.
No clean cooperator.
Then defense asked:
“You expect jury to believe Marcus masterminded when you hated sister for years?”
Sophia answered:
“I don’t expect them to believe I’m better.”
Then:
“I’m telling them we both did it.”
Strong.
May you like
Then she stepped down.
I was next.
