Chapter 2: The Man in the Blue Suit
The judge ordered a recess.
But nobody moved.
Not immediately.
The words coming from my daughter's mouth had changed the atmosphere in that courtroom.
Richard Hayes closed his folder.
Sarah sat down so quickly that her chair scraped against the floor.
And Daniel Brooks leaned toward me.
"Michael, don't say anything.""
I looked at him.
"She knows something.""
"I know.""
"She's trying to tell them.""
"I know. Let the judge handle it.""
Across the aisle, Sarah was whispering furiously to her mother.
Her mother, Linda, looked pale.
That caught my attention.
Linda had never liked me.
From the beginning, she had called me unsuitable for her daughter.
She didn't like my tattoos. She didn't like my job. She didn't like the fact that I had grown up in a working-class neighborhood.
But she loved Emily.
Or at least, I had always believed she did.
Now she was looking at her granddaughter as though the child had become a threat.
The judge called both attorneys to the bench.
I couldn't hear everything, but I caught a few words.
"Minor witness.""
"Appropriate questioning.""
"Potential coaching.""
Then the judge addressed the courtroom.
"We will take a short recess. The child will remain with the court-appointed guardian. Neither parent is to question her about her statement.""
Sarah immediately stood.
"Your Honor, I object to my daughter being used like this.""
The judge looked at her.
"Mrs. Carter, your daughter has made a statement that may be relevant to these proceedings. I intend to determine whether it is.""
"She's five years old!""
"And I am aware of her age.""
Sarah pressed her lips together.
Daniel touched my shoulder.
"Stay calm.""
I nodded.
But my hands were shaking.
Because I knew what Emily had meant.
The man in the blue suit.
I remembered seeing him once.
Three months earlier, before my arrest, I had come home from work and found a strange car parked outside our house.
A black Mercedes.
A man in a navy-blue suit stood on the porch.
He was tall, perhaps forty-five, with silver hair and an expensive watch.
When I approached, he smiled.
"Michael Carter?""
"Who's asking?""
He extended a hand.
"Jonathan Reed. I'm a business associate of your wife.""
I didn't shake it.
"What business?""
His smile barely moved.
"Private matters.""
I looked through the living room window.
Sarah was standing inside.
She saw me.
Then she quickly stepped away.
"Tell Sarah I'll be inside," I said.
Jonathan adjusted his cuff.
"Actually, I think it's better if we keep this conversation between adults.""
I stared at him.
"You're standing on my porch.""
He gave a small laugh.
"Of course.""
Then he walked toward his car.
Before leaving, he turned.
"Some things are easier when everyone cooperates, Mr. Carter.""
I remembered that sentence.
I remembered it because it had sounded like a warning.
But I never imagined it would matter.
Now, in the courtroom, Emily had mentioned him.
Daniel returned from the bench conference.
"Michael.""
"What?""
"The judge is considering allowing a neutral child specialist to speak with Emily.""
"Good.""
"There's a complication.""
I frowned.
"What complication?""
"Your wife's attorney says the child has been exposed to your statements about the case.""
I stared at him.
"I haven't been allowed to speak to her.""
"I know.""
"Then how?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"That's what we need to establish.""
Across the room, Sarah was now speaking to Richard Hayes.
She kept shaking her head.
I watched her fingers.
They were twisting a tissue into a tight white knot.
The same habit she had whenever she was nervous.
The recess ended.
Emily was escorted into a separate room with a court-appointed child advocate, Ms. Helen Parker.
She was a calm woman in her fifties with silver-framed glasses and a soft voice.
She sat with Emily for nearly forty minutes.
Nobody was permitted inside.
When she returned, she spoke quietly with the judge.
Then the judge called Sarah forward.
"Mrs. Carter, do you know a man named Jonathan Reed?""
Sarah blinked.
"No.""
I felt my heart jump.
The judge glanced at his notes.
"Your daughter has mentioned a man by that name.""
"I don't know anyone by that name.""
Daniel stood.
"Your Honor, I believe this individual may have visited the marital residence.""
Sarah turned sharply.
"That's a lie!""
Daniel remained calm.
"Then it should be easy to establish.""
Richard Hayes rose.
"Your Honor, the defense is attempting to introduce unrelated speculation.""
Daniel opened his briefcase.
"I have a photograph.""
The courtroom stirred.
Sarah's expression changed.
Daniel handed a printed photograph to the court clerk.
It showed a black Mercedes parked outside my house.
The date was visible in the corner.
Three months before my arrest.
"Mr. Carter, can you identify the vehicle?"" the judge asked.
"Yes, Your Honor.""
"How?""
"Because I photographed it after finding it outside my home.""
"Why?""
"Because I didn't recognize it, and the driver had been speaking to my wife.""
Sarah stood.
"That's ridiculous! I have friends!""
The judge looked at her.
"Mrs. Carter, sit down.""
Daniel continued.
"Your Honor, we would like the opportunity to identify the individual.""
Richard shook his head.
"Objection. The defense has not established relevance.""
Daniel turned toward the jury.
"Then perhaps the relevance will become clearer when the court learns why a five-year-old child remembers this man's visits.""
The judge studied the photograph.
Then he looked at Sarah.
"Do you have any business relationship with Jonathan Reed?""
Sarah swallowed.
"I don't remember.""
"That wasn't my question.""
Her lawyer whispered something.
Sarah closed her eyes.
"No.""
I leaned back.
She had lied.
I knew it.
Daniel knew it.
And apparently, the judge suspected it too.
The judge ordered a short recess and instructed the attorneys to submit any evidence concerning Jonathan Reed.
During the break, a court officer approached me.
"Mr. Carter, someone has requested to speak with you.""
"Who?""
He glanced toward the entrance.
"Your wife's mother.""
Linda approached slowly.
Her handbag was pressed against her stomach.
She stopped several feet away.
"Michael.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She glanced toward Sarah.
Then she lowered her voice.
"I need you to understand something.""
"What?""
"Sarah didn't plan for Emily to say that.""
I stared at her.
"Didn't plan for her to say what?""
Linda's eyes filled with tears.
"Anything.""
I felt a cold sensation move through my chest.
"Linda, what do you know?""
She looked at the officers.
Then back at me.
"Your wife has been keeping something from you.""
"That much is obvious.""
"No. Something bigger.""
"Tell me.""
She opened her handbag.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
"I found this in Sarah's bedroom two weeks ago.""
I looked down.
It was a printed photograph.
A picture of Sarah standing beside Jonathan Reed.
They were outside a hotel.
His hand was resting on her waist.
On the back, someone had written a date.
And beneath the date were four words.
*The plan is working perfectly.*
I looked up.
"Linda, what plan?""
She began crying.
Before she could answer, Sarah appeared behind her.
"Mom.""
Linda froze.
Sarah's eyes moved from the photograph to my face.
Then she stepped closer.
"Give me that.""
Linda pulled the photograph against her chest.
"No.""
Sarah's voice dropped.
"Mom, don't do this.""
I looked between them.
"What is going on?""
Sarah turned toward me.
For a moment, I saw the woman I had married.
Then her expression hardened.
"You really want to know, Michael?""
She leaned closer.
May you like
"Ask your daughter what she saw the night you were arrested.""
And then she walked away.
