“Thank you, Mrs. Fletcher. No further questions.”
I watched Tony return to the table, and something tightened in my chest.
He was destroying Rosalind’s case.
Piece by piece.
Witness by witness.
And he was doing it with the kind of precision and control that made my pulse race.
I’d always known Tony was smart.
But watching him work, watching him dismantle the prosecution’s narrative with nothing but relentless questioning, was something else entirely.
It was fucking intoxicating.
The way he moved.
The way he spoke.
The way he commanded the room without raising his voice.
I wanted him.
God, I wanted him so badly I could barely sit still.
Rosalind stood again, and I could see the tension in her shoulders.
“The State calls forensic psychologist Dr. Marcus Webb.”
Dr. Webb was a man in his forties with wire-rimmed glasses and a calm, professional demeanor. He took the stand and was sworn in. Rosalind moved out from behind the table and sauntered toward the witness.
“Dr. Webb, can you please describe your area of expertise?”
“I specialize in criminal psychology, particularly the psychological profiles of individuals who commit violent crimes.”
“Have you reviewed the evidence in this case?”
“Yes, I have.”
“And in your professional opinion, is the defendant’s behavior consistent with someone who committed a crime of passion?”
Dr. Webb nodded. “Yes. The lack of premeditation, the emotional volatility, and the immediate confession are all consistentwith a crime driven by intense emotion. Jealousy, rage, shame.”
I felt the jury’s eyes on me again.
Rosalind smiled.
“Thank you, Dr. Webb. No further questions.”
Tony stood. And this time, there was something different in his expression. Something sharp.
“Dr. Webb,” Tony began, his voice calm. “You testified that Mr. Nelson’s behavior is consistent with a crime of passion. That term can include a range of emotional responses, correct?
Dr. Webb hesitated. “Yes. It generally refers to an emotionally driven, impulsive act rather than a premeditated one.”
“And one possible emotional trigger for an impulsive act could be witnessing a violent attack on a family member?”
