𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐛.𝐛)

Perfect (III)

this chapter is dedicated to bblondebitch

this is just a friendly reminder that being rude to readers and or writers is unnecessary. especially over little things.

please stay positive and kind in the comment section of any writers books.

love you! go show her some love!

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The court room was tense as recess took place.

"James. You're gonna be fine. Honesty and Confidence. That's all you need, understand?" I ask while reassuring him. The judge was collecting more evidence for James's questioning.  After James, we would start sending up the others.

"Honesty and confidence. Got it." He was stone cold, which definitely helped him look confident but after so many cases, you can read people like a book.

Or maybe it's because James opened his up. For me and only me to see.

Or I'm over thinking this.

Get it together Kara Franks.

"You know the truth, just tell them that." As he nodded his head, the Judge called him up to stand. I watch him walk up halfway and the next half I look to Riley. She's kicking her feet back and forth on the pews, playing with her grandmas phone. I look back to him and watch him give the oath before sitting up into the stand.

He looks to me and I watch him take a deep breath. I breathe with him, before taking my place at the stand.

"Whenever your ready Miss. Franks." The judge says with a small smile. I breathe in before starting my questioning.

"Mr. Barnes, where were you the night of September 2nd?" I fidgeted with the pen next to the tablet that showed the evidence brought in.

"Work with my boss." I nod my head before looking down to the list of evidence.

"Can we pull out evidence #123986, Your Honor?" I ask. She nods her head once with authority before the screen on hers, James, my own, and the jury's shared screen.

A video of James and Steve at work in Steve's office appears. Granted James's face wasn't being shown but it was all they had with him and Steve together. Then it fast forwards to when James was leaving his office, with the time stamp of 11:00. James face was face towards the camera at this time. Once the video ends, I hear a murmur among the court room.

"And that was you sitting with Mr. Rogers, your boss. Correct?"

"Correct." His face was stone cold but calm at the same time. His eyes flashed to his daughter, who let out a giggle as loud as a whisper. I smile slightly then look to James to start questioning him. I find the small corners of his lips barely lifted.

"When did you and Miss. Hue divorce, Mr. Barnes?" He sighed before answering.

"October 17, 2017. 3 years ago." His head looked to me and me only.

"And how come?"

"She cheated on me in 2014. I hadn't found out until early October 2017."

The jury writes down the facts before I continue. "What is your custody order for your daughter?" I ask. His posture straightens a bit.

"I have weekends and her mother has the week days." I nod my head.

"Mr. Barnes, have you ever had an alcohol problem?"

I could hear Rachel and Dylan whispering back and forth.

"I drank a little in college but quit when my daughter was born." He stated, matter of factly. I nodded my head once to the judge and gave a small smile. She gave me a slow nod as I walked back, "No further questions Your Honor."

I walked back to my seat and immediately opened the folder filled with brainstorming questions and documents filled with facts and statistics. My eagerness to interview Rachel's step father is driving me insane. Something about him is throwing me off and I want to get to the bottom of it.

I know she's not my client. But I made an oath to protect and defend the people of this country. And I'll be damned if I walk away without trying to help her.

Dad always followed his gut. So I will too.

"Mr. Crowder, please begin your questioning." Judge O'Connell says. James pops his neck, and looks to me. I look for anything he's willing to give me. But its just dead silence between our eyes. Nothing. He was giving me absolutely nothing.

"Mr. Barnes, How old is your daughter?" asked Crowder. His tone sounded almost challenging.

"7 years old sir." James said, informative.

"During Misses Franks questioning, she asked, "What is your custody order for your daughter?" Correct?"

"Yes sir." James looked straight at crowder. Any nerves he once had seemed gone.

"Why is it that your daughter only has weekends with you, Mr. Barnes?" I could sense the line that Crowder was tiptoeing. I was tempted to call an objection, but Riley is now involved in this case and I can't prevent that.

"I had a busy work schedule. When Miss. Hue and I were still together, she stayed home with our daughter. I brought in our monthly income." This was a good thing to mention. Just in case we have to fight for custody. "Once we filed for divorce, I talked to my previous boss if I could loosen up my schedule, so I could make time for my daughter. But staff was tight."

Crowder nodded his head as he scanned over his question sheet. Based off his questions, I can tell one of Rachel's motives is to win full custody. Which means the entire rape could be staged. Or someone else did it.

I hate agreeing to the ladder of things.

"How long is the drive to your work to Miss Hue's house if you had to estimate?"

"Objection! Relevancy."

"Over ruled. Answer the question, Mr. Barnes"

Internally, I roll my eyes.

"Maybe 25 minutes?" James says, guesstimating. He looks to me with a hint of confusion and I offer it back.

Crowder straightens his suit as he asks, "If we could pull up evidence #123986 again Your Honor?" We wait a second as the surveillance is pulled up again. "Could we please skip to the end and zoom in at the time stamp, Your Honor?" We once again wait. I remember the time stamp, since it's marked in my sheet.

11:04 pm.

Shit.

"Mr. Barnes can you please tell me what that time stamp says?"

"11:04 pm sir" James sits in confusion. When he looks to me for a second, I don't give it back to him.

"And during Misses Hue's questioning, she had mentioned that she arrived home around 11:30, correct?"

Shit.

Shit.

"I believe so."

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

"If you had left your place of work at  11:00, would it be possible to make it to Miss, Hues house by 11:30?"

James looks confused. Very. I pray to God he just answers the question.

"Most likely."

I loose a slight inch of hope. But gain determination. The jury writes in their notebooks as James walks off the stand.

"Court will continue tomorrow morning for witnesses examination. Looking forward to seeing everyone." Judge O'Connell says before the wooden hammer hits wood.

Steve hurry's up to the fence that separates us.

"My house at 8:30. Both of you." We give him both an apprehensive nod before he runs off.

"Get Riley home and relax. Don't worry about anything until tonight at dinner." I tell James as I pack my stuff.

"Wait, Kara?" He asks. I look up as I zip my purse. "Did I mess up?"

"No James, you did perfect."

You're perfect.