Chapter 16 - The Trial Begins
The courthouse was less dramatic than movies.
Fluorescent hallways.
Coffee machines.
People waiting for divorces and traffic appeals on same floor where my brother faced attempted murder.
Dominic wore navy.
He looked like himself.
That was difficult.
The prosecution opened simply.
“This case is about access, knowledge, money, and intent.”
No mafia language.
No empire.
No “monster.”
Good.
Gavin testified first.
He admitted everything ugly about himself before defense could.
Fraud record.
Debt.
Cash.
Lies to police.
Deal with prosecution.
“Why should jury believe you?” defense asked.
“You shouldn’t because I say it. Believe the messages.”
Strong answer.
He testified Dominic arranged through Nathan.
At the Langford meeting Dominic said Ethan would receive first piece.
Dominic never said “kill him” directly at dinner.
Later Nathan sent explicit warning.
Defense:
“So Dominic never told you to kill Ethan.”
“Not with those words.”
Reasonable doubt angle.
Nathan testified next.
Worse.
He said Dominic asked him to create unrecorded service access.
Sent allergy sheet.
Paid.
Ordered Sophia frame.
Nathan knew likely lethal danger before party and still helped.
Defense attacked cooperation deal.
Fair.
Then Dr. Harris.
He explained Ethan’s medical vulnerability.
No melodrama.
No exact dose.
No certainty.
“The material recovered from the frosting was medically dangerous for Ethan specifically.”
“Could another child have eaten cake without same risk?”
“Potentially.”
“So target required knowledge of Ethan’s condition?”
“To exploit this particular vulnerability, yes.”
That mattered.
Then Rachel Kim authenticated security logs.
Camera blackout.
Badge clone.
Access records.
Sophia testified.
She described Lily running.
Gavin grabbing.
Her locker evidence.
No speeches.
Defense suggested Sophia wanted Moretti money.
She stared.
“I wanted my daughter safe.”
“Mr. Moretti promoted you.”
“After.”
“He pays your apartment security.”
“Temporary protection after your client’s alleged conspiracy tried to frame me.”
Defense moved on.
Lily’s testimony happened by approved child-sensitive arrangement with judge controlling questions.
I was not in room.
Sophia was not either.
The jury saw her answer carefully.
“Did you see Mr. Dominic put something in cake?”
“No.”
Important.
“What did you see?”
“He gave the other man a little silver thing.”
“What happened after?”
“The other man went where cake was.”
“Could you see what was inside silver thing?”
“No.”
There.
A child telling only what she knew.
That increased credibility.
Defense asked:
“Your mom told you Mr. Dominic was bad, didn’t she?”
“No.”
“Mr. Moretti?”
“No.”
“Did anyone tell you who to point at?”
“No.”
Then Lily apparently said:
“I pointed because I saw him.”
The judge struck some argumentative follow-up.
She finished.
When Sophia brought her out, Lily asked:
“Can we get ice cream?”
I laughed.
“Yes.”
Children refuse to become symbols when snacks exist.
Then prosecution introduced Noah records.
Dominic’s face changed.
He had been composed all week.
May you like
When his dead son’s name appeared, his jaw tightened.
The motive chapter was beginning.
