“What do you mean?”
“When Jamie started coming around, he was just so competent. So helpful. My husband has struggled with mental health issues. They flared up terribly after Ellie went missing and all the rest of it. He couldn’t get out of bed. So when Jamie was over, I asked him if he’d help me with a few things. Getting the riding lawn mower started. Later, pulling the snowblower off the hooks in the garage.”
“You asked him?”
“Yes. Absolutely. I know I relied on him more than I should have. We weren’t his family then. He was just being nice. But I needed help and George wasn’t in a position to provide it.”
“Because of his mental health issues, as you described them?”
“Yes. George wasn’t even capable of getting out of bed. Then later … he tried to take his own life. He … he went out to the garage and sat in his car with it running. Erin and I were out. We were supposed to be gone all day shopping. A girls’ day out. Only my sciatica started acting up. So we came home early and found George slumped over the wheel. He spent some time in a clinic after that. It saved his life.”
“I see,” Cutler said. “So … if your husband described Jamie Simmons’s behavior as grooming, would you agree with that?”
“That’s ridiculous. I already told you. I’m the one who asked Jamie for help. It was at my urging that he helped take over some of the things George couldn’t handle. He was a godsend. He’s the rock of our family. I don’t know how we would have pulled through all of that without Jamie. Then, as time went on, he and Erin grew closer. It was natural and I thank God every day that Jamie was there for us. My husband has a disturbed view of things. It’s not the first time.”
“Okay. Thank you. I just want to touch on one last thing you said. Regarding Ellie’s friends who came to the house to help. Was Ellie’s room locked when people would come into the house?”
“No.”
“Your husband testified that Ellie’s things were left mostly undisturbed after she disappeared. Is that your memory?”
“Yes. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It felt so final. I’d say it took me about two years before I could deal with Ellie’s belongings. We kept her room as it was. Then, after Erin got pregnant … the Lord blessed us. I decided to convert Ellie’s room to a nursery for when my granddaughter would stay over.”
“Two years,” Cutler repeated. “Thank you. I have nothing further.”
“Ms. Brent?” Judge Saul said.
“Mrs. Luke,” I started. “You were also the one to give a description of Ellie to the police when you reported her missing, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You described to them in detail what she was wearing, didn’t you?”
“I told them everything I could think of, yes.”
“Do you recall telling them what jewelry she had on?”
“I do, yes.”
“Do you recall it now?”
“Yes. Ellie had a flat gold necklace she wore And a pair of earrings her father got her.”
I directed Claudia’s attention to the photograph we’d entered of Ellie wearing her infamous gold hoop earrings.
“You’re certain she was wearing these earrings the morning she disappeared?”
“She had them on when she left the house, yes. Ellie wore them all the time. She sometimes slept in them, even. I was always telling her not to. I was afraid they’d snag on her pillow and rip her ear off. But they were her favorites.”
“Mrs. Luke, are you aware of what items were found in your son-in-law’s home by your granddaughter?”
“Hayden has issues like my husband. She’s mentally ill.”
“I’d like the witness’s answer to be stricken as unresponsive.”
“Sustained,” the judge said. “Mrs. Luke, please answer the questions as asked.”
“I’ll repeat it. Mrs. Luke, are you aware of what was found in a box delivered to the police earlier this year?”
