Chapter 129 Taking The Stand
CAITLYN'S POV
"Why did you not leave sooner?" DA Walsh asked.
"Because I was afraid," I said. "Collin told me if I ever tried to leave he would kill me. And I believed him. I had seen what he was capable of."
"What changed?" DA Walsh asked. "What made you finally leave?"
"I found out I was pregnant," I said. "And I knew I could not raise a child in that environment. I had to get out. For my baby."
"So you left," DA Walsh said.
"Yes," I said. "I went to someone I trusted. Someone from my past. Jason Cross."
"And Mr. Hayes found out," DA Walsh said.
"Yes," I said. "He found me. Kidnapped me. Held me in a panic room. Threatened to kill my baby and me."
"What happened in that panic room?" DA Walsh asked.
I told them everything. About Collin confessing to his crimes. About him saying he would rather kill me than let me testify. About thinking I was going to die. About Jason and Detective Rourke saving me.
"Thank you Mrs Cross," DA Walsh said. "No further questions."
She sat down and the defense attorney stood up. He was older. Gray hair. Expensive suit. He looked at me like I was lying. Like I was the criminal.
"Mrs. Cross," he said. "Or is it Mrs. Hayes? I am confused about which name you prefer."
"It is Mrs. Cross," I said. "I am married to Jason Cross now."
"Ah yes," the defense attorney said. "Your new husband. The man you left your first husband for. Convenient."
"Objection," DA Walsh said. "Argumentative."
"Sustained," the judge said. "Counselor stick to questions."
"My apologies," the defense attorney said. He did not sound sorry. "Mrs. Cross during your marriage to Collin Hayes you lived a very comfortable life did you not?"
"I had material things yes," I said.
"You had more than material things," the defense attorney said. "You had a mansion. Designer clothes. Expensive jewelry. Luxury cars. Private jets. Is that correct?"
"Yes," I said. "But I did not ask for those things."
"But you accepted them," the defense attorney said. "You enjoyed them."
"I suppose," I said. "But that does not mean I knew where the money came from."
"Come now Mrs Cross," the defense attorney said. "You expect this jury to believe that you lived that lifestyle and never once questioned where the money came from?"
"I thought Collin was a successful businessman," I said. "He told me he owned legitimate companies. I believed him."
"Did you ever ask to see financial records?" the defense attorney asked. "Tax returns? Business documents?"
"No," I said. "He said it was none of my business. That I should just enjoy the life he provided."
"How convenient," the defense attorney said. "You enjoyed the benefits of his criminal enterprise but claim you knew nothing about it."
"I did not know," I said. My voice was getting louder. "I thought he was legitimate."
"But you suspected something was wrong did you not?" the defense attorney asked. "You saw the strange meetings. The phone calls at odd hours. The men with guns."
"I saw those things yes," I said. "But when I asked about them Collin told me to mind my own business. And when I pushed he hurt me. So I stopped asking."
"Or perhaps you did not ask because you did not want to know," the defense attorney said. "Because as long as you had plausible deniability you could enjoy the lifestyle guilt-free."
"That is not true," I said.
"Is it not?" the defense attorney asked. "Let me ask you this. When did you first meet Jason Cross?"
"When we were kids," I said. "We grew up together."
"And you were romantically involved?" the defense attorney asked.
"Briefly," I said. "When we were teenagers."
"But you broke up," the defense attorney said.
"Yes," I said.
"And years later you married Collin Hayes," the defense attorney said. "But you never stopped thinking about Jason Cross did you?"
"Objection," DA Walsh said. "Relevance."
"I am establishing motive your honor," the defense attorney said.
"I will allow it," the judge said. "But get to the point counselor."
"Mrs. Cross did you ever cheat on Collin Hayes with Jason Cross?" the defense attorney asked.
"No," I said firmly. "Never."
"But you wanted to," the defense attorney said.
"Objection," DA Walsh said. "Speculation."
"Sustained," the judge said.
"Let me rephrase," the defense attorney said. "When you left Collin Hayes you went directly to Jason Cross. Within weeks you were in a relationship with him. Is that correct?"
"Yes," I said. "But I did not leave Collin for Jason. I left because I was being abused. Because I was scared for my life and my baby's life."
"Or you left because you found a better option," the defense attorney said. "A man you had always loved. A man who could give you the life you wanted without the complications."
"That is not true," I said. "I loved Collin once. But he destroyed that love. He hurt me. He terrorized me. I left to survive. Not for another man."
"But it worked out nicely didn't it?" the defense attorney said. "You are now married to Jason Cross. You have his baby. You have moved on quite quickly."
I didn’t say a "How noble," the defense attorney said. His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Mrs. Cross you claim you were held hostage by my clients. That they knew about Mr. Hayes's abuse. That they enabled it. But you have no proof of this do you?"
"I do not need proof," I said. "I was there. I lived it. I saw them covering for him. Lying for him. Helping him."
"But you cannot point to a single specific incident where my clients physically harmed you can you?" the defense attorney asked.
"No," I said. "They did not hit me themselves. But they knew what Collin was doing. They helped him keep me trapped."
"Or perhaps they knew nothing," the defense attorney said. "Perhaps they were simply employees doing their jobs. And you are trying to implicate them because you want revenge."
"I want justice," I said. "There is a difference."
"Is there?" the defense attorney asked. "Mrs. Cross I submit that you are an opportunist. That you married Collin Hayes for his money. That's when the abuse became too much you left for Jason Cross. And that now you are trying to destroy everyone associated with your ex-husband out of spite."
"That is not true," I said. I was crying now. Could not help it. "I am telling the truth. Everything I said is true."
"No further questions," the defense attorney said. He sat down looking pleased with himself.
"Redirect your honor," DA Walsh said. She stood up. "Mrs. Cross are you lying?"
"No," I said.
"Did you leave Collin Hayes for money or lifestyle?" DA Walsh asked.
"No," I said. "I left because I was afraid. Because he was hurting me."
"And are you here today for revenge?" DA Walsh asked.
"No," I said. "I am here because I want these men to pay for what they did. For the role they played. I want justice for myself and for every other person Collin Hayes hurt."
"Thank you," DA Walsh said. "Nothing further."
"The witness may step down," the judge said.
I stood up on shaking legs and walked back to my
seat. Jason was waiting outside the courtroom. He pulled me into his arms the second he saw me.
"You did it," he said. "You did so well."