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Kate shrugged and finished changing Sophie. "Not that I could tell. The focus of the prosecution was on the physical evidence tying Lisa to the crime scene, the forensic evidence and Jones's confession. Lisa's lawyer focused on how Jones's testimony was self-serving and shifted all the blame for planning to Lisa. How she was the victim in all this, due to her submissive nature."
"Ha!" I said with derision. "That's the biggest joke of all."
"I agree. I think the jury will agree as well. It's pretty hard to deny that she planned things when there are emails stating what she wanted. But they may be sympathetic to her when it comes to sentencing."
"Well, as long as she stays behind bars for a good decade or two longer, I'll be happy."
"Me, too."
We went to the living room where Ethan was waiting and Kate gave her father a kiss then put Sophie onto the floor with her toys.
We spent the rest of the time before dinner going over the trial. Ethan was eager to hear the details and we had the benefit of his knowledge of the law and how courts worked to help understand what was happening.
"There was nothing new," Kate said. "The evidence is pretty damning, as far as I can see. Why wouldn't her lawyer have urged Lisa to accept a plea bargain to a lower offense? Why go to court?"
"She's a narcissist," Ethan said. "She can't be wrong. She has to do everything possible to make people see how she's the one who's been harmed in all this -- not you or Drake or Derek Richardson or Jones. Her. She's the victim," Ethan said, warming to his subject. "In her mind, she probably really believes it. She can't accept responsibility for anything that makes her look bad. It's everyone else who is at fault. That's key to understanding a malignant narcissist. They will fight to the bitter end to defend their self-image. It's very sad but I've seen it all too often in cases like this. These people are accidents waiting to happen. They go through life harming people, leaving broken hearts and bruises on all those they encounter. And for the worst of the lot, dead people."
"Is it because of her past?" Kate asked, her expression concerned. "I mean, the abusive home?"
Ethan shrugged, and pursed his lips. "There is a gene that gives a predisposition to criminality if the boy is abused as a child. I don't know that it applies to women. Haven't read the research."
"I have," I said and they turned to listen. "All I know is that for some children, abuse will make their personality flaws worse. In Lisa's case, I suspect that she didn't get the minimum care and nurturing she needed to develop empathy. But she's very smart. Above average intelligence, so she was able to get scholarships and compensate for her lack of care in her childhood. But it's clear that she's a narcissist. Most definitely a sociopath."
"What's the difference?" Kate asked.
"A sociopath lacks empathy, but they are quite capable of understanding their own culpability in their actions. They just don't care. A narcissist cares exceedingly about not being seen as culpable. They can't accept responsibility for anything that makes them look bad. It's always someone else's fault. You can be a narcissist without being a sociopath. And vice versa. Add them together and wham. That's Lisa. She must be loved. She can't be unloved. She can't be wrong. It's someone else's fault and she's the victim even when she's bringing the hammer down onto Derek's head when he tries to escape."
"It makes me sick to my stomach to think of it," Kate said. We sat in silence and watched Sophie playing on the floor.
It made me sick as well.
"We're lucky we escaped with our lives," I said. "She almost got you and Sophie."
Kate turned to me. "She's completely delusional to think you'd run to her with me out of the picture."
"She probably just flipped when NYU kicked her out of the program. I don't think she planned on killing you except in that moment, but I could be wrong."
"I remember her expression at O'Riley's that night you were playing. If looks could kill..."
I reached over to Kate and took her hand. "Thank God you lived." I kissed her hand.
"Amen," Ethan said. "She's not getting out of jail any time soon. We can count on that at least. Depending on the jury, she'll be in for another decade or two. That should keep her away from you for at least that long. By the time she gets out, she'll be in her sixties."
"Does age change a narcissist?" Kate asked, frowning.
"No," I said, remembering the research. "They don't mellow. They stay that way their entire lives. When she gets out, we'll make sure to get a restraining order if we're still here in Manhattan. I'd like to think she'd be safe at that point, after twenty-five years in jail, but I don't think that. She'll be vengeful. She probably has already convinced her family to get revenge on her behalf. That's why I was attacked by her nutcase brother and possibly her crazy aunt."
I almost told Kate about my job offer at that moment, but then Elaine came into the living room wearing an apron, a wooden spoon in her hand. "Are you three talking about the trial? I thought we agreed to talk about something pleasant." She raised her eyebrows.
"Guilty as charged," Ethan said. "We did. It's hard to ignore, considering. But let's talk about something more pleasant. How about Nassau? Is that pleasant enough?"
"Perfect," Elaine said. "That's more like it. Personally, I can't wait."
"Me either," Kate said and smiled. "I want to see Sophie playing on the beach with her little floppy hat and sunglasses. That's one thing I miss about San Francisco. I loved the beach."
"Me, too," I said and for the rest of the night, we avoided talk of the trial like it was the plague.
When eight o'clock came around, and we'd finished Elaine's delicious meal of Korean Beef stir fry and a crème caramel for dessert, Kate started to gather up Sophie's toys.
