Show of Evil

'Yes.'

'So, your mother is the sole support of both you and your father, is that correct?'

'Yes.'

'And until recently, she worked at Delaney Enterprises?'

'Yes. Mister Delaney fired her.'

'Who takes care of your father during the day?'

'We had a nurse who was also our housekeeper. She came at eight in the morning and left at five.'

'So your mother takes care of him from eight on?'

'Yes. Except when she has to… had to, work at night. Once or twice a week I went to the house when she had to work after five.'

'So you both take care of him.'

'Yes, but mainly my mom watches… watched over him.'

'And have things changed since your mother's arrest?'

'Yes. Our nurse quit. The insurance wasn't enough to cover her wages anyway.'

'And do you take care of your father now?'

'Yes. I dropped out of school and moved back to the house.'

'So when your mother lost her job, it changed your lifestyle radically, is that true?'

'Yes.'

'And this happened when your mother was arrested?'

Angelica nodded and stared down at her lap. 'Doctor Saperstein - he's my father's doctor - says we should put him in a nursing home.' She began to cry and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

'Can you afford that? I mean, if your insurance doesn't cover the nurse, how could you afford a nursing home?'

'I will… would get a job. Sell the house…'

She stopped for a moment, stared down again, and seemed to gather her composure. Then she looked up and her expression had changed from sorrow to anger.

'It's so unfair…' she said, then hesitated for a moment and looking straight at Edith Stoddard, her voice stronger and her eyes flashing, she said. 'It's unfair because my mother didn't kill Delaney, I did! She confessed to protect me!'

The judge was jolted back in her chair. Venable seemed shocked. Edith Stoddard leapt to her feet.

'That's a lie,' she yelled. 'She's trying to protect me! I killed Delaney, I confessed to killing Delaney. The police have my confession on record. Stop this now!'

'No, you stop it, Mama,' Angelica yelled back. 'I was the one he kept in bondage. Since I was eighteen. He held your job over my head. He threatened me…'

The courtroom was in bedlam. Parver was on her feet. 'Objection, Your Honour, objection'

 Venable stammered: 'Your Honour, I had no idea…' Naomi turned to Vail. 'Holy shit!' she whispered. But Vail did not answer. He stared at Venable with absolute awe.

'It's true,' Angelica Stoddard screamed. 'I went there that night to plead with him to give her job back and he forced me to…'

'Objection, Your Honour,' Parver yelled.

McElroy slammed her gavel several times. 'Quiet in this courtroom,' she demanded, her eyes flashing with rage. 'Quiet, NOW! Counsellors - in my chambers, now. This court is in recess.'

'Excuse me, Your Honour, may we have ten minutes before you meet with the attorneys?' Parver asked.

Judge McElroy still flushed with ire, glanced at Venable. 'All right, allll-right,' she snapped. 'Fifteen minutes, ladies. Then I'll see you both in chambers.'

She fled the bench.

Vail looked across the room at Venable, who held her hands out at her side as if to say, I'm just as confused as you are.  Vail smiled at her and shook his head.