[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Chapter One Hundred-Eighty-Three
Point of View: Narrator



Amelia Armaletto knew the truth, but she would never tell it. She stared at Nick as her mouth moved, spilling lies to sugar coat her sister's misdoings over the years, thinking, Better him than me..

Nick's eyes were on the verge of tears by the time Walters stumbled into territory that made his heart nearly stop.

"Amelia, what can you tell me about Krystal's mental health?" he asked.

"She was fine until Nick got a hold of her," Amelia snapped. She reddened, and said, "I mean to say that - she was never a cutter before she met Nick."

Walters paced in front of the stand. "Interesting," he said. "Do you mind explaining more?" He was being careful. He didn't want to be interrupted by Dirk's objection. He had to keep his words neutral and calm until Amelia had gotten her story out. He clasped his hands at his chin. He could feel Dirk's glare.

"Krystal was happy-go-lucky, she was carefree," Amelia explained. "We spent almost every day together..." she had a wistful look in her eyes. "And then she met Nick." She looked at Nick. "He stole my sister from me long before he murdered her."

Nick's skin crawled at the hatred in the words that spilled from Amelia's mouth. He closed his eyes, and felt as though he'd been shot through the heart with a spear. Dirk glanced at him. Dirk knew Nick was on the edge of breaking down. Not much more was going to sail smoothly in this court room. He needed to find a way to calm him down or things were going to rapidly fall apart with the jury's last memories of the day being Amelia Armaletto's falsities.

"How was Krystal's mental health decline Nick's fault?" Walters asked innocently. He glanced at the jury with concerned eyes, then stepped back and shot a look at Nick, as though questioning him.

Nick's jaw was set.

"He mentally abused her," Amelia said simply.

Dirk glanced at Nick. A tear was falling from the corner of Nick's eyes and he leaned back in his chair, his hands balled into a fist against his mouth, like he was praying. He stared straight ahead. Brian leaned forward in the seat behind him and touched his shoulder. Nick didn't react.

Dirk's stomach turned. For the love of God Nick, what did you do? he wondered, panic rising in his throat. These fucking little details are going to make us lose this fucking case...

"Mentally abused her?" Walters repeated.

"Yes," Amelia nodded, "He called her... he called her names, and he put her down, a lot." She hung her head. "He- he was a terrible person to her..."

Judge Heath was looking very concerned. She glanced between Nick and Amelia.

Please, thought Dirk, Remember how sincerely he said he loved her... please...

"Like what?" Walters asked. "What did he call her?"

"They had a fight once at our house and he called her a whore," Amelia replied. "He had no respect for my sister."

Nick choked back a sob, a strange, strangled sound escaping from the depths of him. Several eyes - including Judge Heath's and a couple members of the jury - turned towards him. Nick covered his eyes and lowered his face to the table, his shoulders shaking. Judge Heath eyed him with concern.

Dirk prayed silently she would not call the court to adjourn for the night. He didn't want to let this set. He didn't want this to be the topic they left the room on. He reached over and touched Nick's knee gently. "You need to stay composed," he whispered, "Please, Nick."

Nick shook his head, and sat up, his face crumpled.

Zoe looked at Kayla, question marks practically filling her pupils, but Kayla simply shrugged, unable to answer the unspoken question.

"My sister turned up many times with bruises," Amelia was continuing, "And she'd have no explanation other than being out with him," the words were low and bitter. She glared at Nick. "He hurt her, and he used her, and he exploited her, and then, when he thought that she was trying to escape from him... he killed her."

Nick looked devastated.

Walters shook his head. He looked at Nick meaningfully. "So even if he isn't guilty of murdering her," Walters stated, "Maybe he should be put in jail for abusing her."

"Yes," Amelia squeaked fitfully, "I've said that all along... He deserves everything he is getting."