Chapter 127 Trial Preparation
CAITLYN'S POV
I was sitting in DA Walsh's office with Jason next to me. Emma was at home with Sarah. This was our second practice run of leaving her and it was still hard. But I was trying to focus on why we were here. On what needed to be done.
"Thank you both for coming," DA Walsh said. She had papers spread out all over her desk. "I know this is difficult with a newborn at home but we need to go over your testimony. Make sure you are prepared for what is coming."
"We understand," Jason said. "What do you need from us?"
"Caitlyn I need to walk through your testimony," DA Walsh said. "I need to ask you the questions I will ask on the stand. And I need to prepare you for what the defense attorney will ask."
"Okay," I said. My stomach was in knots. "What kind of questions?"
"I am going to start with how you met Collin Hayes," DA Walsh said. "Then move through the timeline of your relationship. The abuse. The control. The fear. Everything that happened."
"I have to talk about all of it?" I asked. "In front of all those people?"
"Yes," DA Walsh said. "The jury needs to understand what kind of man Collin Hayes was. What he was capable of. Your testimony establishes that. It shows his pattern of behavior."
"But he is dead," I said. "Why does it matter what he did to me? We are prosecuting his organization. His lieutenants. Not him."
"Because his lieutenants enabled his behavior," DA Walsh said. "They knew what he was doing. They helped him. They covered for him. Your testimony shows that this organization was built on violence and intimidation. That everyone involved knew what was happening and chose to participate anyway."
"Okay," I said. "I understand."
"Good," DA Walsh said. "Now let me start with some questions. How did you meet Collin Hayes?"
I took a breath and answered. Told her about meeting him through a mutual friend. How charming he was at first. How he swept me off my feet. I thought he was a successful businessman who cared about me.
"When did the abuse start?" DA Walsh asked.
"After we got married," I said. "He changed. Became controlling. Wanted to know where I was all the time. Who I was with. What I was doing."
"Can you give me specific examples?" DA Walsh asked.
I told her about the first time he hit me. About the accusations. About him isolating me from everyone I knew. About the fear. The walking on eggshells. The constant terror.
"This is good," DA Walsh said. "This is exactly what the jury needs to hear. Now tell me about when you tried to leave."
I told her about that too. About how he threatened me. About how he said he would kill me if I left. About believing him. About feeling trapped.
"And eventually you did leave," DA Walsh said. "You went to Jason. Why?"
"Because I was pregnant," I said. "And I knew if I stayed my baby would grow up in that environment. I could not let that happen."
"So you risked your life to protect your unborn child," DA Walsh said.
"Yes," I said. "I would do anything to protect Emma."
"Good," DA Walsh said. "That is powerful. The jury will respond to that."
She asked me more questions. About the kidnapping. About being held in the panic room. About thinking I was going to die. About Jason saving me. About everything.
By the time we finished, I was exhausted. Emotionally drained. Reliving all of it was harder than I thought it would be.
"Now let me prepare you for the defense," DA Walsh said. "They are going to try to discredit you. Make you look like you are lying. Or exaggerating. Or that you were a willing participant in Collin's crimes."
"But I was not," I said. "I did not know about his crimes. Not until near the end."
"I know that," DA Walsh said. "But the defense will try to argue otherwise. They will ask you about the lifestyle you had. The money you spent. The trips you took. They will say you benefited from his criminal enterprise so you must have known about it."
"That is not fair," I said. "I thought he was a legitimate businessman."
"I know," DA Walsh said. "And that is what you need to say. Firmly. Confidently. Do not let them shake you."
"What else will they ask?" I asked.
"They will ask about your relationship with Jason," DA Walsh said. "They will try to say you left Collin because you wanted to be with Jason. That you are lying about the abuse to justify leaving."
"That is not true," I said. "I left because I was scared. Because I was being hurt. Jason helped me leave but that was not why I left."
"I know," DA Walsh said. "But you need to be prepared for those questions. For them to twist things. To make you look bad."
"How do I handle it?" I asked. "How do I stay calm when they are attacking me?"
"You tell the truth," DA Walsh said. "Calmly. Clearly. You do not get defensive or emotional. You just answer the questions honestly. The jury will see through their tactics if you stay strong."
"Stay strong," I repeated. "I can do that."
"You can," DA Walsh said. "I have seen your police statements. Your interviews. You are a strong woman Caitlyn. You survived something terrible. Now you just need to tell that story."
We spent another hour going over possible questions. Practicing answers. Making sure I was ready. Jason sat there the whole time holding my hand. Supporting me.
When we finally finished DA Walsh looked at me.
"You are going to do great," she said. "I know this is hard. But you are ready. And your testimony is going to help put these men away."
"I hope so," I said. "I want them to pay for what they did."
"They will," DA Walsh said. "Trust me. They will."
Jason and I left the office and walked to the car. I felt sick. My whole body was shaking.
"You okay?" Jason asked.
"No," I said. "I am not okay. That was horrible. Having to talk about everything. Having to relive it all."
"I know," Jason said. "But you did it. You got through it."
"That was just practice," I said. "The real thing is going to be so much worse. All those people are watching me. Judging me. Hearing the most painful parts of my life."
"They are not going to judge you," Jason said. "They are going to see how brave you are. How strong you are."
"I do not feel brave," I said. "I feel terrified."
"Being brave does not mean not being scared," Jason said. "It means being scared and doing it anyway. And that is exactly what you are going to do."
"What if I cannot?" I asked. "What if I get up there and freeze? What if I break down?"
"Then you break down," Jason said. "And I will be right there in the courtroom. You will
See me. You will know I am there. And you will get through it."
"Promise?" I asked.
"Promise," Jason said.