“I’d rather not.”
“You started using again, didn’t you?”
“I had a relapse, yes.”
“Your Honor,” I said. “This has gone on long enough. Mr. Fischer’s relationship with his family is irrelevant. This is a sideshow not related to the issues in the case.”
Cutler let out a haughty laugh. “And Ms. Brent knows better. Detective Ritter admitted on the stand and in his report that Dane Fischer was the main suspect in Ellie Luke’s disappearance. It is entirely relevant to explore how that came to be.”
“Are we going to go down every single investigative lead?” I asked.
“If we have to!” Cutler shouted.
“Enough,” Judge Saul intervened. “Mr. Cutler, get to your point. Ms. Brent, I’ve already ruled on the relevancy of this witness when Detective Ritter was on the stand. I haven’t changed my mind. Proceed.”
“Mr. Fischer, isn’t it true that you threatened Ellie Luke with physical harm on more than one occasion?”
Fischer’s eyes went red. His whole body shook with rage. “I refuse to answer that question on the advice of counsel. I’m invoking my Fifth Amendment rights.”
A murmur went through the gallery. Several members of the jury sat straighter in their seats. Beside me, Hojo quietly whispered a single word.
“Shit.”
“You refuse to answer?” Cutler asked.
“That’s right.”
“Mr. Fischer, isn’t it true that you blamed Ellie Luke for getting thrown out of the Luke home?”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“You were questioned by the police in connection with Ellie’s disappearance, weren’t you?”
“Yes. I was questioned.”
“And when you were asked to account for your whereabouts on the night Ellie went missing, you lied, didn’t you?”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“At first, was it your statement to the police at the time that you were at a bar the morning Ellie went missing?”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“And when that story didn’t check out and Detective Ritter questioned you again, you lied again, didn’t you? You said you were home the whole night and into the next day.”
“I plead the Fifth.”
“Only that was a lie because Detective Ritter checked. Your roommate said he hadn’t seen you in two days.”
“Your Honor,” I said. “Counsel is testifying. And he’s trying to introduce hearsay through a backdoor. I request his question be stricken and the jury instructed to disregard it.”
“Sustained. So ordered. Move on, Mr. Cutler.”
“The Lukes filed a police report against you, didn’t they?” Cutler asked Fischer.
“I refuse to answer any more questions on the grounds that it might incriminate me. I plead the Fifth.”
“Mara …” Hojo started. I rose to my feet.
