Chapter Fifty Nine

Trinity

I was in disbelief. Stephen was outside, pacing, probably about to blow a fuse after Eames’ latest stunt. And now, she was trying to isolate me, to leave me without any support. I didn’t understand her motive, but I knew it was malicious.

Judge Sherer spoke, “ADA Eames, your objection is overruled. There’s no basis for further objection now that the relevant parties for the Crown trial have been escorted out. Please proceed.”

I was led to the witness stand, where I had to swear an oath.

The bailiff asked, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do,” I replied.

“Please be seated,” the bailiff instructed.

I sat down and watched Arlo take a sip of water before he approached the front of the stand.

“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Gotti,” Arlo began. “Do you understand why you’ve been summoned before the court today?”

“I understand from what I’ve been told,” I replied.

“And what does that mean, Trinity?”

“It means I understand from what everyone has told me, although I don’t remember the night in question.”

“May I ask why?”

“I recently sustained a head injury causing memory loss.”

“And is it true when the doctor asked you what year it was following this accident, you believed it to be 2016?”

“Yes.”

“And do you still believe that?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“Well, I’ve been shown things that say otherwise.”

“How so?”

“Well, newspapers, events in my life—those kinds of things.”

“By events, you mean your wedding, or the birth of your children for example?”

I lowered my head, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt for not remembering such important moments.

“Yes.”

“Is it fair to say no one would ever want to pretend not remembering such important things like those events?”

“What? Why would I want to pretend to forget my own children being born, or my husband?”

Tears welled up in my eyes. I saw Benji pleading with me to understand that this was to highlight the severity of my condition. I fought back the tears, desperately needing the comfort of something familiar.

“Do you know a Mike Suarez?” Arlo asked.

“No. I know of a Mike that I’ve met a few times through my husband, but I don’t know his surname, sorry.”

“If I showed you a photograph, would you be able to identify him?”

“I think so.”

Arlo walked back to the desk, grabbed a photo, and showed it to me.

“Yes, that’s the Mike I’ve seen with my husband. I believe they’re good friends.”

“Are you aware of Mike’s disappearance?”

“No. In fact...”

I stopped myself, realizing this didn’t happen recently and what I was about to say was a memory that I could recall, believing to be now.

“What were you saying, Trinity?”

“I was about to say we saw him just recently when I stayed at Stephen’s house following a trip we went on to Jamaica but then I realized that is a memory I have of many years ago as has been explained to me by my specialists.”

“Ah, so you do remember seeing him at least when you returned from your trip?”

“Yes, he was at Stephen’s house. We stayed there the night we returned.”

“And do you remember seeing Mike since that day?”

“No.”

“Do you remember killing Mike?”

“What!!!”

“That is ultimately why we are here, is it not? The Crown alleges you killed Mike Suarez.”

“I have never killed or shot anyone in my life, and I did not see Mike after that night I stayed at Stephen’s after Jamaica, but I wasn’t the only one to see him.”

“Objection, your honor, relevance,” ADA Eames interjected.

“Relevant to the context of motive and memory, your honor,” Arlo countered.

“I’ll allow it,” Judge Sherer decided.

“So why would the Crown claim you shot Mike when a fight broke out between your husband and him?”

“Stephen has never had a fight in front of me. I have never seen him lose his temper.”

“Is it true he is protective of you and he would do anything to protect you?”

“Well, I guess, as protective as any husband is, I would assume.”

“And you know this why?”

“Because people have told me, because I’ve seen photos in our house of our lives together.”

“Would it be reasonable to assume that someone else could have shot Mike Suarez?”

“Why would I assume? I told you already nobody shot Mike. He was standing there alive in Stephen’s kitchen.”

“No further questions, your honor,” Arlo concluded.

“The court is in short recess. We will hear from Mrs. Gotti’s specialists after lunch,” Judge Sherer announced.

Everyone rose as the Judge left. I stood up at the dock and marched towards Arlo.

“You could have told me first you were going to just point-blank accuse me of killing someone,” I said.

“Mrs. Gotti, we can speak about this in chambers. It’s more secure,” Arlo replied.

“I have never shot anyone in my life, Arlo! You’re supposed to be defending me!”

I stormed out of the courtroom before Benji and Lachie could stop me and I raced down the hallway.

“Stephen! Stephen!”

I saw him stand up at the end of the corridor when he heard me calling. I started running to him as the tears now fell down my face. When he realized I was upset, he raced to me and grabbed me in his arms as I broke down sobbing in his chest. I felt physically and emotionally drained and I couldn’t hold it together anymore. I collapsed in his arms, sobbing.

“What the fuck happened, Benji! You promised you would look after her for me, man! What the hell!” Stephen shouted.

I didn’t know what was going on around me as I sobbed into Stephen’s chest and he held me up, but I could hear him getting angrier by the minute.

“Someone tell me what the fuck is going on,” Stephen demanded.

“Bro, calm down, take care of your wife. Let me talk to Benj and Lachie, okay?” Clint suggested.

I didn’t know what Stephen agreed to, but the next minute I felt his arm around my waist pulling me up as he started to walk outside with me.

“Come on, baby, let’s get out of here,” Stephen said.

Stephen walked me outside the courthouse and found a picnic bench to sit down on. He pulled me into his arms tightly as I just held on to him, smelling his scent around me, feeling his strong arms holding me protectively, hearing his heart beating against my ear.

Trinity - How did we manage to survive this nightmare for so long, Stephen?

Stephen - It’s because we have each other, doll. Whenever I feel weak, I look at you and find my strength.

We don’t say anything more, but we sit there in silence, holding each other. I hear footsteps approaching and soon enough, Clint’s voice breaks the silence.

Clint - Are you guys okay?

I look up, nod, and he sits down, pulling me into a comforting hug.

Stephen - What did he say?

Clint - It was necessary, man. They couldn’t prepare her for that. They needed her genuine shock to make the memory loss more believable. For what it’s worth, none of them wanted to do it. They had to. Benji thinks there’s a real chance she’ll be let off the hook after what happened in there.

Trinity - So, the fight was worth the pain?

Stephen - The fight was worth the pain, baby.