Surrounded by Darkness

by Rachel Dylan

  “Now, you’re going to hear about how Mr. Alito was found not guilty in a criminal trial that took place only months ago, and no doubt there will be debate about what you should and shouldn’t consider that happened in that trial. But you will hear evidence from witnesses in this case that you must consider. I will show by a preponderance of the evidence—which is the standard in a civil case like this—that Layton committed assault and battery. The evidence will show he went to Ms. Crane’s house on the evening of February twentieth with the intent to harm her. That he did in fact stab her upwards of fifteen times and left her to bleed out on her floor. If her friend had not stopped by her house that night, Ms. Crane would not be sitting in this courtroom right now.”

  Olivia paused again. Her pacing was to ensure the jurors were processing all she was saying. “Finally, you might have already gathered from our jury selection questions that this case has some rather unusual elements to it. I ask that you listen to the evidence presented to you on those topics and evaluate it and the credibility of the witnesses. Once all the evidence is heard, I will ask that the jury find for my client, Ms. Crane, and award her damages to cover the actual medical expenses plus damages for pain and suffering. I appreciate your time and attention today and throughout the trial.” Olivia returned to her seat.

  “Mr. Morgan, are you ready? We can jump right into your opening,” Judge Beck said.

  Eli stood and buttoned his navy designer suit jacket. “Yes, Your Honor.”

  Grant already didn’t like this guy because of his own lawsuit, and he couldn’t help but want him to fail badly.

  Eli didn’t bring a single thing with him as he waltzed up to the podium and started talking to the jury. “Members of the jury, I’m Eli Morgan and I represent Mr. Layton Alito, who is the defendant in this case. As Ms. Murray already alluded to, this is a civil trial—not a criminal one. The remedy being sought by Ms. Crane is financial—meaning money, plain and simple. And I contend that once you hear all the evidence that Ms. Crane will be exposed for the fraud that she is.”

  Olivia shot up to her feet. “Objection. Argumentative, Your Honor. Move to strike that last sentence.”

  “I agree,” Judge Beck said. He looked toward the jury. “I’m directing that last sentence to be struck from the record, and you are not to consider it.”

  It was obvious to Grant that both sides would be going all out. This was so much more than what evidence was in and out. It was about the full picture of ideas that the lawyers could get in front of the jury.

  Eli didn’t seem fazed as he continued his opening. “What you will hear about is a woman, Ms. Crane, who is a self-proclaimed witch. She and Mr. Alito had a romantic relationship years ago that ended badly, and she has held a serious grudge ever since. When she was attacked, she used the awful situation to try to get back at a man she despises instead of going after the real culprit. No one here is disputing that Ms. Crane was attacked in her house on the evening of February twentieth, but the evidence will show that the man who did it is not my client. Unfortunately, Ms. Crane has issues that have affected her judgement. Her obsession with the occult and witchcraft have colored her mind and impacted her rationality. My client, a completely innocent man, has gotten caught in the crossfire. I am confident that once you hear all the evidence you will find for Mr. Alito. Thank you.”

  Both sides had kept their openings short and to the point. The jury was still fully engaged, but now the real action would start. The witness testimony.

  Olivia took in a deep breath and looked at Nina Marie, who gave her a nod.

  “Ms. Murray, we still have ample time today in the schedule so please call your first witness,” the judge said.

  “Thank you, Your Honor. Ms. Crane is my first witness.”

  “Very well. Ms. Crane, please approach and get sworn in.”

  Olivia watched as Nina Marie walked up to the witness chair. She truly hoped and prayed that Nina Marie was ready for this. They had practiced cross-examination for hours, but Eli was a different breed of lawyer. Olivia’s strategy was to get out the questionable stuff in the direct and tell it their own way. She had no idea how the jury was going to react to all the supernatural elements.

  Nina Marie was sworn in, and then it was time for questioning. “Ms. Crane, please begin by telling the jury a bit about your work and background. Do you have a college degree?”

  “Yes. I have a BA in business.”

  “Any advanced degrees?”

  “No. That’s it.”

  “And did you at one time have a company that you started up?”

  “Yes. The company is called Astral Tech.”

  “And what exactly is Astral Tech?”

  Nina Marie looked at the jury. “Astral Tech is a New Age tech company.”

  “Let’s stop right there. What do you mean by New Age?”

  “New Age can have varying definitions, but in the context of my former company, we focused on a combination of things including meditative practices, astrology, and magic.”

  “Magic? Like hocus pocus type stuff?” Olivia asked.

  “More serious than that. Members were versed in all types of spells, divination, and communicating with spirits.”

  “And you said members?”

  “Yes. Astral Tech was a company, but it was also a spiritual group.”

  “And you say was?” Olivia asked.

  “Yes. I’m no longer the CEO, and it is my understanding that the company has disbanded and the group itself has completely dissolved.”

  Olivia tried to determine how the jury was taking all of this. It was a lot to put out there. “So, in Mr. Morgan’s opening statement, he said that you were a self-proclaimed witch. Is that true?”

  Nina Marie didn’t hesitate. “For years of my life, I was a witch. I practiced spells and was engaged in various dark arts.”

  “And who did you learn your craft from?”

  “A variety of people.”

  “And was one of those people Mr. Alito?”

  Nina Marie nodded. “Yes. Although I think I was already very developed in my skills by the time I met Layton, but I did learn certain things from him and him from me.”

  “And where does Mr. Alito fit into your Astral Tech group?”

  “He runs the competitor to Astral Tech, a company called Optimism. Like Astral Tech, it’s a company but there is a separate spiritual group as well. They are active participants in all aspects of magic and sorcery.”

  “Does it stop there?” They had gone over this many times, so Olivia was prepared for Nina Marie’s next statement.

  “No. Both groups also engage in satanic practices.”

  One of the jurors audibly gasped. Olivia let the silence fill the room for a moment. “And how do you know this?”

  “Because I was a part of it.”

  “And are you still?”

  Nina Marie shook her head. “No, and that’s one of the reasons Layton and I had a falling out.”

  Olivia took a step forward. “Tell me about that.”

  “Layton and I did date years ago, but we broke up and then became competitors of sorts with our rival businesses. My business was more focused on technology with his being more old school. Optimism did have a greater market share for actual New Age products. We had a dispute between us over an app that Astral Tech marketed. That dispute was settled, and then he and I reevaluated our relationship. We formed an alliance of opportunity because we thought we were stronger together. But earlier this year, I had a change of heart. A change of soul, really. That led me to leave Astral Tech and become a Christian.”

  “Let’s make sure the jury understands your testimony. You are saying that you used to be a practicing witch but you’re now a Christian.”

  “Absolutely. I have given my life to the Lord and renounced everything that had to do with the occult practices.”

  “And Mr. Alito didn’t like that?” Olivia asked.

  “No. Layton hates anything to do with the
church or God.”

  “Does Mr. Alito keep these occult activities to himself?”

  Nina Marie cleared her throat. “Optimism as a company is legitimate and has a thriving business that sells New Age products across the country, but the spiritual group is much more secretive and includes prominent members of the Windy Ridge community.”

  “Really? Like who?”

  “Judge Louise Martinique, for one.”

  With that, the courtroom was abuzz, and the reaction was exactly what Olivia was hoping for.

  “You’re saying a sitting judge is a member of this occult group?”

  Eli stood to make his first objection. She was surprised it had taken him so long. “Objection. Lacks foundation. Calls for speculation.”

  “I can lay the foundation, Your Honor,” Olivia said.

  Judge Beck frowned. She was putting him in an awkward position given Louise’s status on the bench. “I’ll allow you to try.”

  That was an important ruling. “Thank you. Ms. Crane, what is your personal knowledge regarding Judge Martinique’s involvement in Optimism?”

  “I’ve been in many meetings with her, Mr. Alito, and others to discuss a variety of issues facing the community.”

  “So, under oath, it is your testimony that Judge Martinique is a member of an occult group that engages in satanic practices?”

  Nina Marie looked directly at her. “That is absolutely my testimony.”

  Olivia let that hang for a minute as she planned to pivot. “So, on the night of February twentieth, you were at home and what happened?”

  “I arrived home and Layton had picked the lock to my front door and was sitting in my living room having a glass of wine. At first, I was annoyed. I didn’t want him there, but then he started to scare me. I realized this wasn’t just a fight or conversation he wanted to have. He was in one of his angry tirades.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Layton has a way of convincing people that he’s suave and professional, but I’ve seen him at times in a complete rage. So angry that I know he’s capable of extreme violence.” Nina Marie looked down.

  “I know this is difficult for you, Ms. Crane, but the jury needs to hear what happened next that night.”

  “Layton was angry because I was leaving my old life behind. It enraged him that I would change my allegiance. Change my entire life and way of thinking.” She took a breath. “He pushed me up against the wall. Then he pulled out the knife. He told me that I would die slowly.” Nina Marie’s voice cracked. This wasn’t an act. Reliving this was awful for her, but Olivia had to keep pushing.

  “And then what happened?”

  “He slammed the knife into my stomach. The pain was horrendous, and then he kept stabbing me until I no longer felt anything.”

  “And what happened after that.”

  “Thank God that my friend Abe came back to the house to check on me. He found me unconscious and called 911. I was in a coma for quite a while, and it was touch and go. But I pulled through.”

  Olivia surveyed the jury. There was a mix of confusion, sympathy, and rank skepticism. This was quite the story, and she would have to find a way to make sure they believed it. Believed the truth.

  “Thank you, Ms. Crane.” She turned to Eli. “Your witness, counselor.”

  Grant watched as Eli strode up to the podium to face down Nina Marie. There were so many directions that Eli could take this. Grant held in a breath to see where Eli would start.

  “Ms. Crane, I want to get right to the heart of the matter. You have testified both in your deposition and in your testimony today that you were at one point in time a full-fledged witch. Is that right?”

  “Basically, yes.”

  “You realize that my client disputes and has done so on the record that he has any affiliation with any occult practices or anything of that nature. That he is purely the CEO of a company that provides holistic New Age products.”

  “Layton’s lying,” Nina Marie shot back.

  “And why would he do that?” Eli asked.

  “To protect himself and his empire. If the truth gets out about what and who Layton is, including his abusive streak against women, then that could hurt him and his business interests.”

  “You’ve openly called out a sitting judge here today. Why should this jury believe your word against everyone else’s? Including a highly respected judge?” Eli’s voice got louder with each word.

  Nina Marie took a breath.

  Grant could tell she was trying to determine the best way to tackle the question.

  “I’m here to tell the truth. It’s not easy for me to admit the things I’ve done in my life that I’m not proud of. But just because multiple people are towing the party line doesn’t make it the truth.”

  Eli took a step toward the witness box. “What if I told you that I believe your boyfriend Abe Perez was actually the one who stabbed you that night in a moment of rage, but he had remorse and got you medical attention? Then you plotted this entire thing as a way to get back at my client. Pointing the finger at him because you’re protecting your boyfriend?”

  “I’d say that’s completely ludicrous.” Nina Marie’s eyes shifted toward Abe, who was in the audience sitting next to Grant. “Men like Layton use their power and status to abuse women. Abe would never do that. He’d protect me with his life. Layton, on the other hand, tried to kill me.”

  Eli turned toward the jury. “Ms. Crane, do you have any other evidence to substantiate your claims about my client?”

  “Objection,” Olivia said. “Ms. Crane isn’t in a position to know what other witnesses will testify to.”

  “But, if she does know, I want to hear it, Your Honor,” Eli responded.

  “Overruled. You can answer the question.”

  “I’m not sure whether anyone else will testify about these things. All I can do is name the people who I believe have that knowledge.”

  “All right. Please list those names for the jury.”

  “Morena Isley, Judge Louise Martinique, and Stacey Malone.”

  “Very well. And what happens if all three of those witnesses dispute your account of events?”

  “I’d say they were all lying.”

  Eli shook his head. “We will see about that. That’s all I have for this witness.”

  “Any redirect, Ms. Murray?”

  “None, Your Honor,” Olivia responded.

  “Then we will adjourn for the day and pick up with the next witness first thing in the morning.”

  And with that, day one was in the books. Grant had no idea what tomorrow would hold.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “What do you think?” Olivia asked Grant as they sat at her kitchen table having coffee.

  “You’re right. You’ll have to win this case through the cross-examination of their witnesses.”

  She was glad he shared her opinion on legal strategy. “That means we’ll rest, and they will start with their case tomorrow.” She looked down at her notepad. “Their witness list includes the usual suspects—Morena, Louise, Stacey. And of course, Layton.”

  “You were great today with Nina Marie. She comes across as a very credible witness—even when Eli went after her.”

  “Did you get a read on the jury?” She had tried her best to watch, but she wanted to know what he thought.

  Grant lifted his mug. “At times they seemed confused or in disbelief, but that’s to be expected with all the talk about witchcraft.”

  “Enough about the case. How’re you doing?”

  He looked down and then back up at her. “Each day I’m feeling more like myself again. Honestly, Olivia, I’m not sure what happened to me, but Dan has been a big help. I’ve started going back to the men’s bible study, and I’ve been speaking to Dan separately. I know his prayers mean a lot to me, as do yours. Because I know you’ve been praying for me.”

  She was thankful they were able to have this conversation. “Of course, I have. The tests we
go through in this life make us stronger. You were depressed. It can happen to anyone, Grant, and you’ve been through a lot of stress with that lawsuit.”

  Grant took her hand in his. “You’ve been more patient with me than I ever could’ve deserved.”

  Lord, thank you for walking with Grant through this time of darkness. “I told you I would be here for you. Whatever ups and downs we face, we can make it through as long as we turn to God and put our trust in Him. And then we have each other to lean on.”

  “I wish I would’ve been able to open up more. I was almost ashamed at the weakness I felt. Does that make sense?”

  “You don’t have to justify your feelings. I appreciate how honest you’re being with me.” She squeezed his hand.

  Grant looked down at his watch. “I should get out of here. You have a huge day tomorrow.”

  She nodded. “Yeah. I can’t help but feel there’s going to be some fireworks.” The only question was how big.

  Olivia took a deep breath as Stacey Malone was sworn in. She was certain that Stacey would be the first in a wave of character witnesses for Layton. Having multiple women get on the stand and sing his praises was a calculated decision by Eli to try to win over the jury.

  Stacey didn’t look so much like a college student today, but a young professional. She wore a gray pantsuit, and her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail.

  Olivia listened and took notes attentively as Eli walked through a basic and straightforward direct examination. He only asked a couple of questions about her relationship with Layton and what he had done for her—helping with the internship and giving her the job offer. Then he sat down.

  Olivia figured he was going to rely on the others for more substantive testimony, but he’d still opened the door enough for her to get in her line of questions.

  “Ms. Murray, are you ready for cross-examination?” Judge Beck asked.