Chapter 17 - I Testified
I wore navy.
No black.
I was done dressing for funerals.
The prosecutor asked about the wake.
I told it exactly.
The scratching.
The key.
Chloe’s fever.
The restraints.
Laundry room.
Julian’s threats.
The second casket.
On cross, Julian’s attorney was careful.
“Mrs. Ashford, your relationship with Julian had been strained?”
“Yes.”
“You disapproved of financial choices?”
“Yes.”
“You controlled trust protector powers?”
“Yes.”
“You had authority to interfere with distributions?”
“To replace trustee under defined conditions, not take money.”
“You believed Julian was irresponsible.”
“By then, yes.”
“You had suffered stroke three years earlier.”
“Yes.”
“Any memory deficits?”
“No diagnosed deficits.”
“Did you ever confuse dates?”
“Of course.”
“Names?”
“Sometimes.”
“Could you have misunderstood words during stressful event?”
“Yes.”
He seemed surprised.
I continued.
“That is why the recording matters.”
Silence.
Good.
He asked:
“Did Julian ever tell you he intended Chloe dead?”
“No.”
“Did he tell you he planned to kill you?”
“He shouted we were both going into the ground while breaking through door.”
“But before that?”
“No.”
Truth.
May you like
I would not add what evidence did not show.
That made everything else harder to attack.
