She clearly but firmly stated, “I do.”
“Please state your name for the record.”
“My name is Victoria Martin-Rutherford.”
“Mrs. Martin-Rutherford, did you at any time threaten my client Senator Ryan Carter?”
“No.”
“So, you don’t think telling my client’s wife and I quote, “If Ryan is not here in three hours...that you would be forced to go to the newspapers and expose him?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“And you don’t think that was a threat?”
“No.”
“The courts might not agree with you.”
“Mrs. Martin-Rutherford, is it true that Angel Martin was in a horrible accident while in your care?”
Vicky took a deep breath before answering, “Yes.”
“Please state for this court the nature of her injuries.”
“She had a collapsed lung, a crushed kidney, some damage to her other kidney, and head trauma.”
“How did all of this occur under your care?”
“She was in a car accident.”
“Were you driving?”
“No.”
“Please state who was driving?”
“Jocelyn Baker.”
“Is Jocelyn Baker in this courtroom today?”
“No she is not.”
“Where is she?”
“She is deceased.”
“From the same car accident Angel was involved in?”
“Yes.”
“How long had you known Jocelyn Baker before you allowed your child to go unsupervised with her?”
“Not very long.”
“What a month? Two months?”
“I’d met her just a couple of times.”
“So, you let your daughter go unsupervised with someone you barely knew for a joyride?”
Vicky whispered, “Yes…I mean no.”
“Which is it Mrs. Martin-Rutherford? Yes or No? It can’t be both.”
“Yes.”
“How long had you known Mr. Jason Rutherford before you got pregnant with his child?”
Mr. John Lucas stood “Objection. That has no bearing on this case.”
“Your honor I am trying to establish that Mrs. Vicky Martin-Rutherford seems to prey on rich men and uses her children as if she’s won the lottery. The court has already established that she’s gotten money from my client. It appears she got a marriage proposal from Mr. Rutherford.”
“Over-ruled. Please answer the questions.”
“Three or four months.”
“How long had you known Mr. Ryan Carter before you got pregnant with his child?”
“Three months.”
“So, it seems to take three or four months to get pregnant by rich men, then you extort them, and you’d only met Mrs. Jocelyn Baker once or twice before you left Angel in her care. Does this sound like a stable person to you Ms. Martin? I’m sorry Mrs. Martin-Rutherford?”
“Objection.”
“Withdrawn.”
Mr. John Lucas never looked rattled but he looked a little unsettled. “Your honor I’d like to take a thirty minute recess with my client.”
Judge Zimmerman looked at her watch, “It’s Friday and it’s 3:30pm. I’m going to grant you a recess and adjourn until Monday at 10:30am. Mrs. Martin-Rutherford, please be aware that you are still under oath.”
Vicky left the stand and took her seat next to Mr. John Lucas.
The bailiff spoke again, “All Rise”
Everyone stood for the judge to leave. Once Judge Zimmerman left the courtroom Jason rushed over to be by Vicky’s side.
John Lucas motioned for them to go out the back way, “The press is ridiculous.”
Vicky and her family followed John Lucas to a private meeting room.
“They killed me up there Mr. Lucas.”
“We knew today would be rough. Keep in mind I haven’t crossed you yet and we haven’t put on our defense. Have heart my dear, Monday is another day.”
Chapter 16
It had been a long day. Jason and Vicky finally made it back to their hotel. They were on edge and exhausted. Angel was going to sleep in bed with them tonight.
Vicky whispered to him as she rubbed a sleeping Angel’s back, “I could really lose her.”
Jason poured himself a drink from the mini-bar “We’re not going to lose our daughter.”
Vicky looked at the drink in his hand. He’d been doing more and more of that.
She sat up on the bed and put her hands over the one that held the drink, “I wish you wouldn’t do that?”
“Do what?”
“Have that drink. You don’t need it.”
“I’m having a drink to relax Vicky. This was a pretty intense day.”
“I know it. But, you’ve been doing this a little more often than usual.”
Jason’s voice was elevated, “Well, we’re experiencing a pretty unusual situation wouldn’t you say?”
Vicky could understand why Jason would be feeling frustrated; even feeling some kind of way about her. After hearing how she was described in court. That would be hard for any man to take.
“Jason are we okay?”
He couldn’t look her in the eyes “Why wouldn’t we be?”
Vicky swallowed hard, “What they said about me in court today…it wasn’t true.”
“Vicky, I really don’t want to rehash that. I know it wasn’t true.”
Jason’s cell phone alerted him to a new text. It was Franklin asking him to meet him at the bar downstairs. That was perfect timing because he really didn’t want to deal with any of this right now.
“It’s Franklin. I’m going to meet him downstairs.”
“Jason we should talk.”
“We can talk in the morning. Go to sleep, it might be late before I get back.”
*****
Jason met Franklin down at the bar. He’d gotten them a private booth.
“I don’t know how you always know when I could use a reprieve. It probably saved me from having an uncomfortable conversation with Vicky.”
“I figured you might. Today was pretty rough.”
The waitress came over to take their order. Franklin ordered a Brandy and Jason ordered a black coffee.
“Coffee?”
“Vicky’s worried about how much I’ve been consuming lately.”
Franklin definitely understood her concern because he was concerned too. “Excuse me Ms., can you change my order from a Brandy to a black coffee too?”
The waitress smiled and made the change on her order form, “I’ll be right back.”
“So…you don’t have to pretend with me Jason. How are you really holding up? Are you doing okay?”
Jason slid his hand down over his face “Honestly, I’ve never felt more helpless in my life. I don’t know what else to do…at least within the boundaries of the law.”
“I know this is hard for you. You’re ‘Mr.
