October 20, 2004
"To the weather now folks, and before we look at the forecast our friends over at Caltech wanted to give you all a heads up that we might start to feel the old San Andreas Fault on the move a little more in the next week or so. Should be nothing to worry about, but you may want to just tie down your valuables just in case. Now, looking at the weath-"
"Could you turn that off? That guy's voice is like a drill." Sheryl muted the TV, still keeping one eye on it as Stevie glanced at herself in the mirror. "What do you think?"
Sheryl watched from the bed as she slowly turned around and looked at her, waiting for her approval. She'd sent Karen out to buy an outfit - a simple black shift dress with matching jacket and heeled pumps.
"I mean...it's fine, I guess. It's nice. You just don't look like you."
"Good."
"Why is that good?"
"I need people to take me seriously. I can't go in there being the twirly fairy witch lady, can I?"
Sheryl shrugged. She'd had another terrible night and didn't really have strong feelings about anything other than wanting to get this baby out soon. She knew she should be more active in supporting what was about to be a huge week in Stevie's life, she just didn't have the emotional bandwidth. And she didn't want to invest herself in it too much when she felt so helpless.
"Stevie, the car is here."
She turned to the sound of Karen's voice and nodded before moving over to the bed.
"What are your plans today?"
"I dunno. Probably walking the dogs."
"Sheryl, don't go out on your own. What if you go into labor?"
"I won't go far. And I'll have my phone. Don't worry about me, ok? Just...get through today and come home."
Stevie nodded, kissing her.
"I might not even have to speak today, I'm still not sure. Anyway - see you tonight. Try not to have a baby or anything."
"No promises."
~
"What can you tell me about the night of June 19, 2002?"
Her brain was in overdrive. She'd performed in front of some of the biggest crowds in the world, countless hours of being front and center to hordes of screaming fans. Nothing had ever been close to this. As her eyes tracked the faces crowded into the gallery, looking for one she knew, she felt her heart pounding. She cleared her throat and it echoed around the silent room. She caught a flash of red hair and focussed on Lori's face, bolstered by her encouraging smile.
"Uh..."
"Ms Nicks? June 19, 2002."
"Sorry...it doesn't ring any bells."
The defense attorney smirked. She'd got through having to face the man who had tried to take her life. She'd got through having to recount in excruciating detail the night he attacked her. She wasn't prepared for just how aggressive the defense would be. She'd been warned they would come after her with everything they had; what should be an open and shut case now depended entirely on the likelihood of the jury accepting his justification that he believed he was acting in Sheryl's interest on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Bullshit.
"Perhaps I can jog your memory. You were recording at the time, correct?"
"I guess. Say You Will."
"Right. And is it true that you got into a verbal altercation with Ms Crow that night?"
Her blood ran cold. She clammed up as she looked to the prosecutor for help.
"Objection - hearsay."
"Overruled, answer the question Ms Nicks."
"I couldn't confirm the exact date, but yes. There was an argument."
"What was it about?"
She shifted her weight, her fingers shaking as she played with the hem of her dress. What did this have to do with anything?
"Uh, she was upset...I really don't see what -"
"Answer the question."
"She misinterpreted a situation. And it upset her."
The attorney folded his arms and sighed.
"If you want this to be over and done with im going to ask you be more specific."
"It's just, it's very complicated...she saw me hugging m-my band mate and she thought something was going on between us."
"Why would she assume that? Is she an unreasonable person?"
"No! No, not at all. She...he and I have some personal history, I don't know, maybe she felt threatened by it."
There was a slight murmur in the gallery.
"And you got into a fight about it?"
"Yes. Just, I got frustrated that she would assume that something was going on."
He nodded and the obnoxious smirk crept across his features again.
"The reason I'm asking all this is to provide context to members of the jury about the circumstances under which Ms Crow met my client, and the impression he was given of you, Ms Nicks. I would hate for Ms Crow to be branded a liar, and to have deliberately misled my client, as, I'm sure, would you. So. What happened next?"
"W-what hap - when?"
"After the argument."
"I left the house."
"Where did you go?"
She shook her head, unable to fight the tears which were forming.
"Where did you go, Ms Nicks?"
"I went back...I went back to the house we were recording in."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Mr Buckingham has already stated to you he would still be there, had he not?"
"Objection, your honor! Hearsay!"
"Sustained, get to the point."
"Why did you go back to that house, Ms Nicks?"
"I needed to speak to someone."
"To Mr Buckingham?"
She nodded.
"Yes?"
"Yes!"
"And what did you talk about?"
"I don't remember! I was upset."
"I would put it to you that you didn't talk to him about anything much at all. You went back to that house, knowing he was emotionally vulnerable which is why you'd been caught in an embrace in the first place, didn't you?"
"No, I -"
You went back to that house in a rage, your girlfriend's accusations about an affair with him echoing in your head."
"No -"
"You went back with a flagrant disregard for the sanctity of your relationship with her, for her feelings, for Mr Buckingham's emotional state, not to mention his marriage."
"No!"
"Ms Nicks, did you or did you not walk into that house with a single intention, which was to have sex with Mr Buckingham?"
Silence.
"Did you have sex with Mr Buckingham on the night of June 19, 2002? Yes or no?"
"Yes."
"No further questions."
