Chapter 130 Jason Testifies
JASON'S POV
I was sitting in the same waiting room Caitlyn had been in yesterday. She was at home with Emma. DA Walsh said she did not need to be here for my testimony. It might be better if she stayed home and rested.
Detective Rourke came in to check on me.
"You ready?" he asked.
"As ready as I will ever be," I said. "How did the morning go?"
"Good," Rourke said. "They called Viktor. He testified about the organization's structure. About how Hayes ran things. About the crimes he witnessed."
"How did he do?" I asked.
"Great," Rourke said. "He was calm. Clear. The jury seemed to believe him."
"Good," I said. "Viktor deserves a second chance. He helped us."
"He did," Rourke said. "And his testimony is helping build the case. Now yours will seal it."
"No pressure," I said.
"You are going to do fine," Rourke said. "Just tell the truth. That is all you have to do."
DA Walsh came in a few minutes later. "They are ready for you," she said.
"Okay," I said. I stood up and followed her to the courtroom.
Walking in was surreal. All those people watching. The defendants are glaring at me. The jury looked curious, the judge sitting high above everyone.
I walked to the witness stand and was sworn in. Sat down and looked at DA Walsh, she smiled at me. A reassuring smile.
"Please state your name for the record," DA Walsh said.
"Jason Michael Cross," I said.
"Mr. Cross how do you know Collin Hayes?" DA Walsh asked.
"He was married to my wife," I said. "Before she was my wife. When she was Caitlyn Harper."
"And how did you come to be involved in this case?" DA Walsh asked.
"Caitlyn came to me for help," I said. "She was trying to escape an abusive marriage. She was pregnant and scared, she asked me to help her get away from Hayes."
"And did you help her?" DA Walsh asked.
"Yes," I said. "I did everything I could to protect her."
"Can you describe your first interaction with Collin Hayes?" DA Walsh asked.
"He came to my shop," I said. "My motorcycle shop. He threatened me, told me to stay away from Caitlyn. Said if I did not he would kill me."
"Did you take his threat seriously?" DA Walsh asked.
"Yes," I said. "I had heard things about Hayes. About his organization. About what he was capable of. I knew he was dangerous."
"What kind of things had you heard?" DA Walsh asked.
"That he ran a criminal enterprise," I said. "Drug trafficking, money laundering, and extortion. That he had people killed who crossed him."
"And did you witness any criminal activity yourself?" DA Walsh asked.
"Yes," I said. "When Hayes kidnapped Caitlyn I went to his compound to get her back. I saw armed guards and weapons. Evidence of drug operations, I saw him hold Caitlyn hostage at gunpoint."
"Can you describe what you saw in detail?" DA Walsh asked.
I told them about the raid. About fighting through Hayes's men. About finding Caitlyn in the panic room. About Hayes threatening to kill her. About Detective Rourke shooting Hayes to save my life.
"During your time observing Hayes and his organization did you see the defendants participate in criminal activity?" DA Walsh asked.
"Yes," I said. "I saw them with weapons. I saw them following Hayes's orders. I saw them help hold Caitlyn captive. They knew what was happening and they participated."
"Thank you Mr Cross," DA Walsh said. "No further questions."
The defense attorney stood up. He looked at me like I was dirt on his shoe.
"Mr. Cross," he said. "You have quite a history with law enforcement do you not?"
"I have had some trouble in the past yes," I said.
"Some trouble," the defense attorney said. "Let me be more specific. You have been arrested for assault. For drug possession. For weapons charges. Is that correct?"
"Yes," I said. "But those charges were dropped as part of my immunity agreement."
"Ah yes your immunity agreement," the defense attorney said. "How convenient. You testify against my clients and all your crimes disappear."
"That is how immunity works," I said. "I was offered a deal. I took it."
"So you are testifying to save yourself," the defense attorney said.
"No," I said. "I am testifying because what Hayes and his organization did was wrong. They hurt people. They destroyed lives. They need to pay for that."
"Or perhaps you are testifying because you are in love with Mrs. Cross," the defense attorney said. "Because you want to eliminate anyone who might come between you."
"I am testifying because I witnessed crimes," I said. "My relationship with Caitlyn has nothing to do with it."
"Does it not?" the defense attorney asked. "You and Mrs. Cross were childhood sweethearts. Then she married Collin Hayes. You must have been very angry about that."
"I was disappointed," I said. "But I moved on with my life."
"Did you?" the defense attorney asked. "Or did you spend years waiting for an opportunity to get her back? To destroy the man who had what you wanted?"
"Objection," DA Walsh said. "Speculation."
"Sustained," the judge said.
"Mr. Cross," the defense attorney said. "Isn't it true that you are the leader of a motorcycle club? A gang?"
"I am president of a motorcycle club yes," I said. "But we are not a gang. We are a group of men who ride motorcycles together."
"And this motorcycle club has been involved in criminal activity has it not?" the defense attorney asked.
"Some members have had legal trouble in the past," I said. "But the club itself is not criminal."
"But you personally have committed crimes," the defense attorney said. "As we established with your arrest record."
"Yes," I said. "I made mistakes when I was younger. But I have immunity now. And I am trying to do the right thing."
"The right thing," the defense attorney said. "Or the thing that benefits you most? You get immunity. You get the girl. You get to play hero. All while destroying my clients who are innocent men."
"They are not innocent," I said. "I saw them commit crimes. I saw them help Hayes. They are guilty."
"You say you saw them commit crimes," the defense attorney said. "But you cannot provide any concrete evidence can you? No photographs. No recordings. Just your word."
"My word is the truth," I said. "I have no reason to lie."
"You have every reason to lie," the defense attorney said. "You are protecting yourself. Protecting your new family. You will say anything to make sure my clients go to prison so they cannot retaliate against you."
"That is not true," I said. "I am telling the truth. Everything I saw. Everything I witnessed. It is all true."
"Or it is all a story you made up to justify your immunity deal," the defense attorney said. "To make yourself look like a hero instead of a criminal."
"I am not claiming to be a hero," I said. "I am just telling the truth."
"The truth according to Jason Cross," the defense attorney said. "A man with a criminal record. A man who benefits greatly from my clients' conviction. A man who cannot be trusted."
"Objection," DA Walsh said. "Argumentative."
"Sustained," the judge said. "Counselor you have made your point. Move on."
"No further questions," the defense attorney
ney said. He sat down looking satisfied.
"Thank you Mr Cross," DA Walsh said. "Nothing further."
"The witness is excused," the judge said.