Chapter 11 - Sarah Tells The Jury Why She Stayed
Sarah wore gray suit.
No dramatic bandages.
Her ankle had healed.
She looked at Jason once.
Then prosecutor began.
“Why did you not tell Michael immediately after discovering fraud?”
“I was afraid he would confront Jason.”
“Why?”
“Michael and I had history of angry custody arguments. Jason knew it.”
“Was Michael violent?”
“No.”
“Did he yell?”
“Yes.”
“Did he threaten physical harm?”
“No.”
“Did you ever believe Michael would hurt you?”
“No.”
That cut defense.
Then:
“Did Jason create messages suggesting otherwise?”
“Yes.”
She explained.
Then Carter Recovery.
How discovered.
Jason’s copies.
Account.
Audio.
Then Friday.
“I told him I was leaving with Emily.”
“What did he do?”
“He blocked door.”
“Then?”
“He grabbed both arms.”
“Did you go willingly?”
“No.”
“What did he say?”
“He said if I screamed, he would make sure police believed Michael took me.”
“Did you believe?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I had seen fake evidence.”
Then:
“Did he have weapon?”
“No.”
“Did you physically fight?”
“At first.”
“Why stop?”
“Emily came into hall.”
Then:
“I thought if I escalated, he would grab her.”
She went.
At warehouse.
He showed affidavit.
“Sign.”
She refused.
He restrained briefly.
Later moved cabin.
He gave water/food.
Demanded password.
She refused.
He told:
“Michael is already making scene.”
Was that true? At that time I had not yet arrived perhaps Saturday. He was manipulating.
Then escape call.
She loosened restraint.
Found old phone.
Called me.
Then police rescue.
Cross examination.
Defense attorney Price:
“Mrs. Vale, you had access to Michael’s personal documents.”
“Yes.”
“You handled Vale bookkeeping.”
“Yes.”
“You signed documents listing Carter Recovery.”
“One project reconciliation.”
“You benefited from money transferred to joint account.”
“I believed it was Jason’s distribution.”
“You hid evidence in pool.”
“Yes.”
“You secretly recorded husband.”
“Yes.”
“You planned divorce.”
“Yes.”
“You planned custody change.”
“Yes.”
“You gave secret key to child.”
“Yes.”
“Would you agree you were building a case?”
“I was preserving evidence.”
“Against husband.”
“Yes.”
“Were you hoping Michael would help?”
“I was hoping police would.”
“Yet you called Michael from cabin.”
“Because his number was only one I remembered.”
Then:
“You chose to go with Jason because you wanted discuss.”
“No.”
“You got into car without screaming.”
“Yes.”
“No weapon.”
“No.”
“No stranger witness.”
“No.”
“So your allegation depends on your current description of fear.”
“And the room I was locked in.”
Defense:
“Door at cabin locked?”
“Yes.”
“Could you have left through window?”
“No.”
“Did you try?”
“Yes.”
Then restraints.
Photos.
He shifted.
Then Sarah’s omission to me.
“You hid Emily complaints from father.”
“Yes.”
“Because you feared custody.”
“Partly.”
“So you have lied to Michael when it suited you.”
She looked.
“I withheld things. It was wrong.”
Strong.
Then:
“You now want blame Jason to repair relationship with daughter.”
“No.”
“Isn’t it true Michael and you have grown close again?”
“No.”
We had not reconciled romantically.
Good.
Then:
“You received immunity for financial transactions?”
No. Prosecutors had not charged. She had cooperation agreement? Maybe not.
“I was not charged because investigators found I didn’t create fake company.”
Then:
“You were negligent bookkeeper.”
“Yes.”
That honesty.
Then prosecutor redirect:
“Did any of those facts give Jason permission to confine you?”
May you like
“No.”
Done.
