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Chapter One Hundred-Eighty-Two
Point of View: Narrator



The stream of witnesses continued.

Nick sat behind the desk, only partially listening to his own trial, his mind swimming with thoughts and memories - word in his mind that couldn't quite fully develop. His hands shook on his lap, the cuffs securing them together, his feet shuffling with anxiety across the floor.

Dirk tried to pretend not to notice how worked up Nick was getting. They couldn't call for a recess now. Taking a break now would mean giving the jury time to forget the points he'd made, time to allow Nick's face when he was near tears, and that could mean losing the case. He prayed Nick could hold it together. Just a little bit longer...

Kevin could tell, too, by Nick's body language that he was anguished. Nick's tense shoulders and slightly shaking head had never been a good sign. As long as Kev could remember having known Nick, these had never been good signs. When Nick was just a kid, a twelve year old punk, Kevin could remember seeing him like that moments before he erupted with bottled emotion, like a shaken liter of soda, just waiting to be released.

Dirk glanced back at Kevin helplessly once.

Somehow, Nick managed to keep his cool.

Until they called Amelia.

Amelia Armaletto had never liked Nick - from day one of his relationship with Krystal, and, if she'd been honest with herself, even before that point. She'd hated Nick since he had become famous. There was just something about him that rubbed her wrong... something about him that irritated her... and when he started going out with her elder sister... well... that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"The State of California would like to call to the stand Amelia Armaletto," Mr. Walters announced.

Nick felt the blood in his veins run cold. He looked up as Amelia stood up and, teetering in high stiletto heels and a form-fitting black dress, made her way to the witness stand. Once she was sworn in - a vow that Nick was certain meant nothing - there wasn't an eye in the place that wasn't on her. Amelia had always had a very commanding presence.

"Amelia, where were you when you found out that your sister had been killed?" Walters asked.

"I was at home in Beverly Hills," she replied.

"And what were you doing?"

"Writing a new song for my sister," Amelia answered, "She was going to be taping a new album starting that week." She pushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face and took a long breath, "She was such a gifted artist..." Amelia choked on the words and covered her mouth with a shaking hand.

She'd always wanted to be an actress.

"Did you know where Krystal was?"

"She had called me earlier that day - the last time I ever--" Amelia paused and closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "She'd called me earlier that day," she repeated, "And we talked about Nick, actually."

"What about Nick?" Mr. Walters asked.

Amelia paused. "Krystal was... afraid... of him."

Nick looked up, shocked. Dirk grabbed the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white.

"Afraid of him?" repeated Mr. Walters, "Afraid of this man who supposedly loved her so much?" he asked.

Amelia nodded. "She was going to tell him she was pregnant and she was afraid that he would be angry." Her eyes travelled to Nick's stunned face. She had to look away before she smirked at the expression that rested in his eyes.

"What did she say to you?" Mr. Walters asked her.

"Krystal said that Nick was a lot like his father, that he had a hot temper that flared easily, and she was frightened of what he would say when she confided that she was pregnant to him."

Dirk felt like throwing something.

Brian looked at Kevin.

"Did you suspect Nick when you found out that Krystal had died?"

Amelia shook her head, "No, despite the fact that I've never liked Nick, I didn't suspect him. I never thought he was a - a killer." She sighed, "No, I didn't suspect Nick until we found out about the chase. Then everything just seemed to fall into place. I mean, so what if the baby wasn't his? He still could've been mad about the pregnancy. The fact that its impossible that it was his just makes it all the more likely that he'd be pissed, doesn't it?"

A murmur went up in the jury.

Nick felt sick to his stomach.

Amelia dabbed the edge of her eyes with the pad of her thumb, being careful not to smudge her make up.

"Did you know that Krystal was cheating on Nick Carter?" Mr. Walters asked.

Amelia looked right at Nick. "Know it? I encouraged it."

"Encouraged it?"

Amelia nodded, "Nick Carter was bad news. From day one. I mean, he was Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend for crying out loud, he's been around the block. God knows what kind of diseases he's carrying..."

Dirk seized an opportunity. "Objection," he called, "Speculation."

"Overruled," Judge Heath responded.

Dirk sat back down heavily.

"Did you know Desi Hernandez?" Mr. Walters questioned.

"Very well," Amelia said, with a nod. "He was one of my sister's back-up dancers, he was a very good friend of mine."

"Did Nick now Desi?"

"He met him once," Amelia nodded, "Before the tour started. My sister was already seeing Desi, and Nick had stopped by a rehearsal and Krystal was in her dressing room with Desi backstage. I stopped him and talked to him outside her dressing room - he was drunk. Krystal had enough time to get dressed before Nick busted into her dressing room and started yelling at her."

Nick racked his brain. He couldn't remember that day. Dirk looked at him questioningly, but Nick had no answers, so he shrugged. Dirk turned forward again, his heart racing. Had he left stones unturned? Was this case going to fall through simply because Nick had been a stoner and couldn't remember a lot of details?

"What was he yelling at her for?" Mr. Walters asked.

"I don't know," Amelia replied. "Nick yelled at her a lot."

"Why?"

"He was always wanting things from her - sex, drugs, money," she said, ticking off the words on her fingers as she spoke.

"Did your sister use drugs?" Mr. Walters asked.

Amelia shook her head, "Never."

"Objection!" Dirk stood up. "That is a lie."

Mr. Walters turned around, surprised, "Are you accusing my witness of violating her oath to tell the truth?" he snapped, "Miss. Armaletto --"

"--should KNOW better than to tell bullshit stories on the stand!" Dirk shouted.

"Order!" Heath shouted. "Gentlemen, approach the bench."

Dirk, feisty now, approached the bench alongside the ridiculously calm Mr. Walters. Heath eyed them both. "Explain," she commanded.

"Amelia Armaletto knows Krystal did drugs - of course she does - there are countless magazine and newspaper articles depicting Amelia and Krystal out at clubs together almost every week," Dirk snapped.

"Talk about speculation," said Walters calmly, "Just because two sisters go out and have a good time everyone assumes they're doing drugs." He looked at Dirk. "You're a bit judgmental, aren't you?"

"Don't play stupid, Walters," Dirk snapped.

"Don't accuse my client of lying, Bentley," Walters snapped back.

"Desist," hissed Judge Heath. Both lawyers looked at Heath. "If we can't play nicely--"

"I was just pointing out that his client is fabricating stories and is in violation of her sworn oath. Her testimony is tainted," Dirk argued.

Judge Heath glowered. "That is enough, Bentley." She looked at Walters, "Continue."

Walters smiled, "Thank you, your Honor." He turned away and Dirk slunk back to his seat.

"Now where were we?" Walters pondered aloud.