“What happened after that?”
“I got really dizzy. Drowsy, disoriented.”
“Did you pass out, Ms. Nix?”
“Yes,” Mena said.
Reichland asked, “What is the next thing you remember after passing out?”
Mena rubbed her arms. “Being cold and in a room with bars. I was trying to wake up … but, I … I …”
Julian’s heart ached for Mena as she struggled through her torment on the stand. Leaning forward, he stood, but felt Kendrick’s firm hand behind him, forcing him back down. He couldn’t make a scene and disrupt the testimony. That wouldn’t be good for the trial or for Mena. Watching her in agony was about to kill him.
“Ms. Nix, do you need a moment to collect your thoughts?” Judge Carter asked. “Ms. Nix?”
Mena still wouldn’t look at him.
Come on, baby. Julian needed her to trust in him and just look his way. He loved her with every part of him, and he would do anything to help her through this.
“No, your Honor. I’m okay. I can go on,” Mena said after several seconds had passed.
“Ms. Nix, I have handed you what’s been marked for identification as Exhibit No. 19 and it is being projected onto the screen for the jury to see. Please tell us what this is and read to us what is on the document.”
“These are my medical records from after the mansion exploded,” Mena said, her voice wavering. “Patient suffered a concussion and confusion from the effects of the following sedatives found in high concentration within her blood … I’m not sure I can pronounce these right.”
“That’s okay, Ms. Nix. How many sedatives are listed there?”
“Six.”
“Quite a lot of drugs still present in your body after going through that ordeal. I’m amazed at how well you can remember what happened back then. After you found yourself in the cold room with the bars, what happened?” Reichland asked.
“I remember Julian … umm … Julian Montgomery. He was in the room with me, on the other side of the bars. I thought I was dreaming, but he was really there,” Mena responded. “He found a way to open the bars and get me out. But we were still trapped in the room. Priscilla locked us inside and there was carbon monoxide in the air—”
“How do you know that Priscilla Dumay locked you in the room?”
Mena looked startled from the interruption, confused by the question. “Julian told me she led him down there and locked him inside with me—”
“Did you see or hear Priscilla Dumay yourself, Ms. Nix?”
Mena stammered, “Well, I …”
“Isn’t it true that every criminal claim you’ve made against Priscilla Dumay is based on information told to you by Julian Montgomery, and not because you witnessed Priscilla Dumay committing any crime yourself? You were too doped up by Zak Webber to realize what was happening to you, isn’t that right? You are just repeating what your boyfriend told you!”
Liam jumped from his seat. “Objection!”
“Overruled,” Judge Carter said, giving Camille Reichland a look of disdain. “I’ll allow the witness to answer your questions, Ms. Reichland.”
“I think I heard her … she …”
Damn Dumay for putting Mena through this.
“No further questions, your honor,” Camille Reichland said, turning to walk back to her table with a smug look on her face.
Chapter Ten
Liam Bishop stood and announced he wanted a redirect of Mena.
Mena looked up, staring straight at Julian. Humiliation and shame clouded her face.
