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Quoting Claire, I said, “You’re incorrigible.”
“And I’m right. Let’s go, Linds. They’re calling our flight.”
I exhaled. Cindy and I were both going home tonight.
Thank God. We hugged and boarded the plane.
CHAPTER 57
YUKI WAS WRAPPING up her summation, her left hand resting on the rail of the jury box.
She’d stood there since word one, making eye contact with each of the jurors and alternates. She stopped at Sam Winsted, moved on to Pearl Harvey, lifted her eyes to Mary Savino, moved on to Doris Caro, who’d recovered from her collapse in the courtroom during distressing testimony from Barbara. She felt that she’d reached them all, even Pierce Rodman, juror number four, who seemed to enjoy the hell out of Switzer.
Yuki said, “Did Barbara call Lewis names? Say she did. Did she threaten him with a knife in the laundry room, as Lewis claims? It was self-defense. Barbara and Lewis have different recollections of the altercation with the knife. That’s common in traumatic situations. And while we can’t know what went through the minds of these two people, we do know that Lewis Sullivan suffered no injuries, not a scratch. And we can look at the evidence, which is not in dispute. Lewis Sullivan incapacitated Barbara and beat and kicked and tortured her until sheblacked out. Without police and medical intervention, Barbara would have bled out and died on the basement floor.
“We know this from the police officers who arrived at the scene and gave their testimony. We know this from the EMTs who kept Barbara Sullivan alive until she was delivered to the emergency room. Dr. Parker, the ER attending physician, testified that he had never seen injuries like Barbara’s on a living person.”
Yuki turned and signaled to her number two.
Nick Gaines brought a long cardboard tube to the whiteboard and withdrew a five by eight color photo. He unfurled it and taped it to the whiteboard that was angled so it could be seen throughout the small courtroom. The image was of Barbara Sullivan, half nude, bleeding from every part of her body, restrained by chain and tape.
Yuki thanked Gaines and gave the jurors a long minute to take it in. There were gasps and quiet “oh, my Gods” from jury and gallery alike. Lewis Sullivan lowered his head and Switzer put an arm around his client.
After a minute of silence, Yuki continued. “This photo was taken by Sergeant Birney. It was entered into evidence. We’ve had it enlarged, but it has not been enhanced in any way.
“As you’ve heard and can see, Barbara Sullivan was immobilized. She was raped and suffered severe vaginal tearing. The DNA from her rape kit matches one man and one man only. Lewis Sullivan. You’ve heard the litany of her injuries, internal and external, including eight broken bones, cranial factures, a concussion, and the loss of her left eye.
“Where was Barbara’s husband at the time this photo was taken? Lewis had taken the boys out to lunch. If the policeand EMTs had reached Barbara ten minutes later, she would have been dead.
“What was his intent? Lewis Sullivan spent twenty-four hours cutting, punching, raping, and kicking his wife. Did he intend to kill her?
“He denies this, but then here’s what Lewis Sullivandidn’tdo. Hedidn’tcall the police. Hedidn’tcall an ambulance. Hedidn’task his neighbors or anyone for help. Hedidn’tuntie his wife or attempt to give her succor. No. He took the kids to Arby’s.”
Yuki turned to the photo, giving the court another uninterrupted look at the gripping image of Barbara Sullivan’s battered and broken body with a large pool of blood spreading outward from her head.
Yuki asked the jurors, “Did Lewis Sullivan want his wife to live?
“No. He did not. The people rest, Your Honor.”
CHAPTER 58
YUKI’S PULSE WAS still pounding when she returned to the prosecution table. She was also winded and filled with a feeling of deep satisfaction. Gaines muttered, “I want to be you when I grow up.”
Yuki patted his hand in acknowledgment. She was aware that eyes were on her from all sides, but she looked only at the judge.
Judge Karen Froman, both stern and patient, took her time charging the jury with their duties. Court was adjourned pending the return of a verdict. The gallery emptied and two court officers went to the defendant, each taking one of his arms. They were about to escort Lewis Sullivan back to his cell when he pulled an arm free and turned to Yuki, shouting, “I have something to say!”
The judge instructed the bailiff to accompany the jurors to the deliberation room. After they’d left through the side door, the defendant stood in the aisle between the guards and spoke to Yuki in a determined tone of voice: “Against adviceof counsel, I will plead guilty to the charge of child endangerment. I admit I was oblivious to the kids hearing us fight and the effect of that. I’ll take the hit for aggravated assault. I was aggravated. I did assault Barbara and I seriously hurt her. She may have permanent physical and mental damage and I’m going to suffer for that for the rest of my life.
“Ms. Castellano. Right now, I will plead guilty to the lesser charges if you drop ‘attempted murder.’”
CHAPTER 59
DA LEONARD “RED DOG” Parisi was wearing a charcoal-gray suit with a red tie that highlighted his wild red hair. Three hundred fifty pounds of prosecutorial muscle, Len had been in the courtroom’s back row all morning and was now waiting in the corridor for Yuki and Nick.
“My office,” Parisi said when they came through the doors.
Although Yuki was dying to know his thoughts, Len had an unbreakable rule. Don’t discuss the case in public areas.
