23rd January, 2020 (Five Years after the Murder).

03:20 PM.

The court waited in absolute silence as Nathan Fields, the defendant, was questioned by the defense attorney.

“Can you tell us about your relationship with Bethany?” Vivian asked.

“It was unstable, but we always worked things out.”

“Did you love each other?”

“We loved each other a lot,” he replied sadly.

“How long had you been together prior to the incident?”

“About three years, give or take.”

“Tell us what happened the night Bethany was murdered,” Vivian said sympathetically.

“We were at my house, and were having a conversation. I told her I had fallen for her best friend, and it quickly turned into an argument. Voices were raised, tempers were flared… I don’t know what happened,” he said as he began to cry.

He took a moment to compose himself, then continued, “I blacked out, and when I came to, she was dead.”

“So you have no recollection of committing the murder?” Vivian asked.

“None at all… I tried so hard, but I couldn’t remember anything.”

“Do you regret killing Bethany?”

“Every day of my life. I was suicidal at one point because of the guilt. I couldn’t bear the thought that I killed the woman I love.” He wiped his tears on his handkerchief and looked so guilt-ridden, that William believed he could go into acting if murdering people didn’t work out for him.

“What of the disposal of the body?” Vivian asked.

“I didn’t know what to do, and panicked, so I texted her friend, Sherylyn. My father at the time was running for Mayor, and I knew the effects would be debilitating to his political career. Sherylyn advised me to dispose of the body.”

Vivian nodded and asked, “What about the size 13 shoes you wore?”

“I was confused, so I grabbed the first pair of shoes I saw. Coincidentally, they were my dad's.”

“Whose idea was it to dispose of all evidence, including Bethany’s cell phone?”

“Sherylyn brought it up.”

“What of creating false alibis?”

“Sherylyn thought it would be smart.”

Attorney Glade looked around the courtroom and asked, “Are you telling us that Sherylyn Ross was the mastermind behind the whole thing?”

“She was.”

“But why haven’t you said anything before now? Why didn’t you come clean earlier?” she asked.

“She threatened me. She said my life would be over, and she’d put it all on me. I didn’t want to lose my life. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry,” he said as he put his head in his hands and wailed loudly. Attorney Bill disgustedly glanced around the courtroom to be sure he wasn’t the only one witnessing the bullshit that was playing out before their very eyes.

Vivian waited for his cries to subside before she sympathetically said, “It is okay Nathan. Having a medical condition is not your fault.”

“You did wrong, but you are also a victim in this situation, and you need as much help as you can get. Your witness,” she concluded.

William knew he needed to thread very carefully. Nathan would have been drilled extensively by his lawyers, so he would have to be tactical with his questioning. They wouldn’t have taken the risk of putting him on the stand if they weren’t absolutely sure he had the answers to all the questions that could possibly be thrown at him. He slowly walked towards Nathan, but the thoughts in his head were spinning uncontrollably. As William stared at him, he remembered something Sherylyn, the star witness, had said on the stand, and knew what to do.

“Mr. Fields, where do you think Bethany is now?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” Nathan said as he nervously glanced at his lawyer.

“Objection your honor. Relevance?” Attorney Glade protested.

“I’m getting somewhere. I just need a little patience please,” William explained.

“You may continue,” the judge conceded.

“Answer the question. Where do you think Bethany is now?”

“I don’t know,” Nathan replied.

William looked Nathan in the eye, “Do you think she can make heaven?” he asked.

Nathan nodded, “God forgives our sins if we are genuine in repentance. If we approach him with an open heart.”

“Do you think God has forgiven you for what you did?”

“I pray for His forgiveness every day. I do penance always, and I will for the rest of my life,” he said with conviction.

“If God can forgive, then why couldn’t you forgive Bethany when she begged for your forgiveness and pleaded with you not to kill her?”

Nathan shook his head violently, “You don’t understand. At the time, I hadn’t seen the light. I was a fornicator, and an alcoholic. I did not know what true forgiveness was. That was why I couldn’t forgive her when she asked me to.”

“I thought you said you blacked out throughout the murder?” William asked.

The courtroom was silent, at the severity of what Nathan had admitted openly. Attorney Glade threw her pen on her desk in frustration, and put her head in her hands.

Nathan looked around the courtroom and began to cry, genuine tears this time, because he could not see how he could talk himself out of the situation.

William looked at him sympathetically, “How did you feel when Sherylyn betrayed you by going to the cops after everything you did for her?”

“Sherylyn is an unrepentant sinner and she will pay for what she did to me,” he replied.

Vivian Glade at that moment, strongly considered murdering Nathan and happily going to prison. How could he make a fool of her like this? She had strongly advised him not to go on the stand, but his fool of a father insisted, because he wanted Nathan to look like a saint to the public. She looked at her pen and felt like stabbing herself in the eyes so she wouldn’t have to witness the absolute train wreck that was happening right in front of her.

“Do you want to achieve true repentance, Nathan? It is time to confess for what you did. This is your true penance. If you want to be set free, it is time to open your heart and ask for forgiveness, before God and man,” William said.

“I’m sorry. Bethany please forgive me for what I did to you. Please,” he pleaded as he cried uncontrollably.

There was a burst of excitement as journalists hurried to update the new development in the story. The noise in the court was deafening, and it took a few minutes before the court could quiet down.

William went back to his seat, elated. It was a day more before the trial was scheduled to end, but he already tasted victory on his lips.

*****
24th January, 2020 (Five Years after the Murder).

01:20 PM.

“Please tell the court your name,” Attorney Glade stated half-heartedly. After Nathan’s screw-up the previous day, she, more than anyone, wanted the trial to be over and done with. But she was not a quitter, so she resolved to fight for her case till the bitter end.

“Mrs. Patricia Fields,” the witness replied.

“And how are you related to the defendant?”

“I am his paternal aunt.”

“You have been diagnosed with psychosis before, correct?” Vivian asked.

“That’s right.”

“How long ago?”

“About fifteen years ago.”

“What are the symptoms you faced?”

“I usually acted out, I lost concentration, sometimes, I blacked out and was told I did outrageous things I wouldn’t do otherwise,” Mrs. Fields replied.

Vivian nodded and continued, “Did the defendant ever reach out to you for advice?”

“Yes. A few years ago, he wrote me a note describing how he was feeling.”

“Was it this note?” Vivian asked as she approached her desk and took out a note. She handed it to the witness.

“Yes. That is exactly it,” Mrs. Fields replied as she glanced at the letter.

“Can you read out what is written please?”

“Of course. ‘Dear Aunt P, I am scared. I keep having hallucinations. My mom told me they are normal bt they hv started getting out of hand’,” she read.

“Have you had any contact with him in the years since the note was written?”

“Well, I am no longer close to the family. Since I got married, our communications have been minimal.”

“Having this condition, how has it been for you?” Attorney Glade asked.

“It has been pretty hard to be honest. But with the right medical care, one can have a relatively normal life.”

“Your witness.”

“Mrs. Fields, how long ago did Nathan give you that letter?” William asked.

“When he was about 11.”

“So about 12 years ago?”

“Precisely,” she replied.

“Kindly take a look at the note in my hand,” he said, while handing her a piece of paper.

“Can you say the handwritings match?” he asked.

Mrs. Fields took a while looking at the two notes in her hand, while they both were displayed side by side on the court’s screen. It was obvious they were not a match. The new note given to her by William was in big, slanted letters, while the previous note was written in slightly smaller, clearer letters.

“I am not a handwriting expert.” She simply said.

“The note I gave you was an actual note written by Nathan when he was eleven years old. That was how his writing looked then. The note you just read out to us which you claimed he wrote, was written by only God knows who, in an attempt to fool the court.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.

William raised his hands defensively and said, “Fine. Maybe you’ll be able to answer this then.”

“Are you certain you have not had any form of contact with Nathan or his family over the last few years?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Then tell us, Mrs. Fields, why a million dollars was wired into your account by Mr. Sam Fields just days before you were listed to be a witness?”

“That was–,”

“Were you paid to lie on the stand perhaps, Mrs. Fields? One million dollars is a whole lot of money…”

*****
27th January, 2020 (Five Years after the Murder).

02:05 PM.

Alyson sat in the courtroom, nervous about the outcome of the case. She wondered if she’d finally get closure five years after Bethany’s death. The case had been on for so long, and was such an integral part of her life, that she could only hope.

She wondered how Bethany would be if she was still alive. She wasn’t sure if she would have still been immature, or cruel, or ruthless; but she was sure Bethany would have taken the world by storm. Alyson believed Bethany would be proud of the person she now was. She had grown up, shed her old skin, and finally came to being her own woman.

Her mind wondered, as the Judge was reading the verdict of the jury. They had taken less than 48 hours to deliberate – that was a good thing right?

She was extremely nervous as the judge pronounced the final verdict.

“In the case of the people of the state of California versus Nathan Fields, the Jury finds the defendant guilty of first degree murder.”

There was an uproar in the courtroom. Ian was excitedly saying something to her, but she could not hear him over the deafening noise of the courtroom. She could only nod, because she was sure she agreed with whatever he was saying. He was hugging her, and then other people were hugging her. She put her hands to her face and when it came back wet, she realized she was crying.

Bethany had gotten her justice; She was finally free.

Enjoying the novel so far? Do let me know.

Well, WLYKites, we have one last chapter to go.

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