Burden of Proof by Esther Mitchell

Author:Esther Mitchell [Mitchell, Esther]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-11-30T03:30:55+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Forcing a bright smile to her face, Chelsea slid into the seat opposite Marlene Cavarella the next afternoon, hoping her sleepless night didn’t show. Apparently, it wasn’t going to matter, she decided with a small sigh as she studied Marlene’s hunched shoulders and lowered head.

“Marlene? What’s wrong?” she asked quietly, laying her hand on the older woman’s shoulder.

Marlene looked up listlessly. “Why are you helping me, Chelsea?”

Taken aback by the question, Chelsea fell silent for a long moment. Then, sighing, she laid her hands flat on the table and quietly admitted, “A lot of reasons. Mainly because I know how easily innocence can become a victim, in our justice system.”

Marlene studied her for a minute, before a ghost of a smile touched her face. “You’re a good girl, Chelsea. I wish my daughter was more like you.”

Chelsea drew a fortifying breath. This was exactly the opening she’d been looking for. “We need to talk about Tracy, Marlene.”

Marlene’s head snapped up, her blue eyes sharp with fear. “Why? What’s happened?”

“Nothing you don’t already know about, I’m sure,” Chelsea assured her gently. “I found out about Tracy’s problems, Marlene. Why isn’t she getting help?”

Just like that, Marlene’s calm façade cracked, and her head dropped into her bandaged hands as a huge sob broke her lips. “I… I wanted to get her help. It hurt so much, watching my baby hurt, watching her struggle with problems created in her own mind.”

“So why didn’t you let her continue to see Dr. Trumot?”

“Nick wouldn’t… allow it,” she managed around sobs. “She wants to be a doctor, and Nick… he knew she’d never get into the right school if they ever found out. So, he just… made it all go away. But it didn’t. It didn’t!”

“And the restraining order?”

Marlene didn’t even try to play dumb. “Nick and I were having problems. I wanted Tracy to get help; he wouldn’t let me take her. I told him to leave, and he did. But when he found out I was trying to take Tracy back to the doctor, he showed up at the house, screaming and throwing things. I was… scared. Nick had a temper, but he’d never acted like that, before.”

She looked shocked and confused by the mere memory, as if she didn’t quite trust it.

“So, why did you let him come back, then?”

Marlene met her gaze, smiling slightly. “You’ve never been in love, have you, Chelsea? There are some things you just can’t help when you’re in love; like forgiveness.”

Chelsea swallowed hard against the bitterness and fear that lodged in her chest. “And some things, no amount of love can forgive, Marlene.”

Marlene’s smile turned wistful. “I could always forgive Nick. Always.”

Chelsea sighed as Marlene drifted off into her own world. It looked like their talk was over, for today. Dr. Bennet had warned her that Marlene would drift in and out of lucidity for a while, due to trauma and the sedatives it was necessary to keep her on. Giving Marlene’s hand a gentle squeeze

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