She bowed her head. “Yes.”
“That’s quite the record, Mrs. Lucas. A father who lied, cheated, and stole…and a daughter who follows right in his footsteps.”
I wason my feet.
Elia grabbed my arm again. “Noah,” he muttered. “Don’t.”
The prosecutor barely glanced at me before focusing back on Maya.
“My father made mistakes,” she said. “And he took responsibility for them. Just like I did, four years ago.”
“Right,” the prosecutor drawled. “So we should believe thatthistime is different?”
Maya held his stare. “Yes.”
His smirk deepened. “Because yousayso?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
Silence.
And then, from the gallery?—
“I’ve seen milk toast with more backbone than your argument.”
Mrs. Appleby.
The courtroomerupted.
Laughter mixed with gasps, and even the judge fought a smirk as he rapped his gavel. “Order! Order in the court!”
The only peoplenotlaughing were the prosecutor and David Belrose’s side of the room.
Without wasting time, the prosecutor stepped forward. “Mrs. Lucas, did you or did you not steal the necklace in question?”
“No, I did not,” Maya replied, her voice clear.
He arched a brow. “Then why were you inside the residence that day?”
“I went to retrieve the necklace,” she said.
He gave a sharp, incredulous laugh. “So you’re admitting to being there, but you expect us to believe it wasn’t theft? Mrs. Lucas, are you making a mockery of these proceedings?”
Dom rose from his seat. “Objection, Your Honor. Argumentative. There is a legal distinction between theft and recovery of property. If permitted, I will demonstrate that distinction with supporting evidence.”
The judge gave him a measured look. “You’re walking a fine line, Mr. Powell.”
“I understand, Your Honor. But I submit that the line still exists.”
The judge nodded reluctantly. “Proceed. And Counselor”—he turned to the prosecutor—“wrap it up.”
The prosecutor adjusted his tie and faced Maya. “Mrs. Lucas, you were present at the scene. You took the necklace. That is, by legal definition, an admission of guilt.” He turned away. “No further questions.”
The jury wasn’t nodding along anymore.
Maya sat taller.
And me? I gritted my teeth and held on to that moment.
