'I don't know.'
'You held this knife to stab, didn't you, Ms. Fenney?'
'No!'
'Like this.'
The Assistant D.A. held the knife with the blade down, as if to stab. He stepped close to the witness.
'What did you stab with this knife, Ms. Fenney?'
'Nothing!'
'You stabbed something, Ms. Fenney. Between the hours of ten P.M. when you and Mr. Rawlins were last seen at Gaido's and three-fifty-seven A.M. when the police arrived at your house, you used this knife to stab something, didn't you, Ms. Fenney?'
'I don't know!'
She was crying now.
'You used this knife to stab Trey Rawlins, didn't you?'
'No!'
'You murdered Trey Rawlins, didn't you?'
'No!'
She turned to the jurors sitting just a few feet from her. 'He gave me everything… now I have nothing. Why would I kill him? I loved him!'
'I'm sure you did.'
The Assistant D.A. turned away and gave the jury a raised eyebrow-completely unethical courtroom conduct, but also very effective. He stepped over to the evidence table and replaced the murder weapon. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet.
'Ms. Fenney, you were drunk that night, correct?'
She wiped her face. 'Yes.'
'And you were stoned on cocaine, correct?'
'Yes.'
'So you really don't remember much from that night, do you?'
'No, I don't. But I didn't kill him.'
'You used cocaine with Trey?'
'Yes.'
'And on your own?'
'Yes.'
'You know Benito Estrada?'
'Yes.'
'You purchased cocaine from him?'
'Yes.'
'When?'
'I don't remember.'
'Does Saturday June thirteenth sound right?'
'I don't know.'
'Well, we have you on tape visiting Benito's place of business on Market Street on that date. Did you purchase cocaine at that time?'
'Yes.'
'Well, let's see, Ms. Fenney, you've testified that you have no assets except a red Corvette and some jewelry, is that correct?'
The train bore down on the car.
'Yes.'
'Did you give Benito your Corvette in exchange for the cocaine?'
'No.'
Closer now.
'Did you give him jewelry in exchange for the cocaine?'
'No.'
'You couldn't have because in fact you didn't receive that jewelry from Mr. Rawlins' attorney until Monday June fifteenth, correct?'
'Yes.'
'And you have testified that you had zero dollars, correct?'
'Yes.'
'So you did not pay Benito with cash?'
'No.'
'And I'm betting he didn't take a check or a credit card?'
'No.'
'Well, Ms. Fenney, exactly what did you pay Benito with?'
Rebecca's eyes dropped. She stared down and said nothing, as if hoping the Assistant D.A. would go away. He didn't.
'Ms. Fenney, isn't it a fact that you are in possession of three million dollars in cash the mob paid Trey Rawlins for throwing two golf tournaments?'
'No.'
'And isn't it a fact that you used some of that money to pay Benito Estrada for cocaine?'
'No.'
'Well then, Ms. Fenney, would you please tell the jury how you paid Benito Estrada for the cocaine? What did you give Benito Estrada in exchange for cocaine?'
The train now collided with the car-but it wasn't the collision Scott or the Assistant D.A. or anyone else in the courtroom had expected.
Rebecca Fenney looked up and said, 'I traded sex.'
FIFTY-ONE
Scott knew now that it could never be the same. She could not be his wife or Boo's mother. He had wanted her back every day since she had left two years before. Every day he had woken wanting her. Every day he had run to forget her. Every day he had gone to bed missing her. Now he didn't want her back.
He didn't want her sleeping in a prison cot, but he didn't want her sleeping in his bed.
She had cheated on him, she had lied to him, she had used cocaine while living with him that summer. And with their daughter. Had she killed Trey Rawlins, too? Had she lied about everything? All the reasonable doubt they had created in the jurors' minds had been washed away like the West End homes during Ike with those three words: 'I traded sex.' With those three words, Rebecca had sentenced herself to prison-unless Scott could explain to the jury why her prints were on the murder weapon and aligned as if holding the knife to stab something. Or someone.
'A. Scott?'
'Yes, honey?'
'You lied to me about that, didn't you?'
'About what?'
'Mother using drugs.'
'You've been watching the trial on cable.'
'I had to.'
'Yes. I lied to you.'
'Why?'
'Because I didn't think you needed to know that about your mother.'
