Imminent Harm by Robin James

Author:Robin James [James, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robin James Books
Published: 2020-05-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

“Ms. Leary,” Jack started. “How did you become acquainted with the victim, Annie Liski?”

Even with the court order ruling that my testimony served the interests of justice, it didn’t feel good breaking my attorney-client privilege. The oath I’d taken had become such a part of my DNA it was hard to pull away from it. But I also felt Annie speaking to me from beyond the grave. She had no voice anymore. I had to give her one in the only way I could.

“I was first approached by Judge Kent Tucker, Mrs. Liski’s brother. He had some concerns regarding Annie’s domestic situation. Concerns I later came to share.”

“How so?”

“I met Annie at her work, at the Bella Donna salon. I introduced myself. It didn’t take her long to figure out that her brother sent me. She was very cagey then. Scared. She wasn’t ready to go forward with any legal action against her husband.”

“What did you do then?”

“I left,” I answered. “But not before another employee at the Bella Donna approached me. She showed me a photograph on her phone. One she’d taken of Annie.”

“Is this the photograph you were shown?” Jack asked.

Good job, I thought. He’d tracked down Reese, the receptionist, and gotten her cooperation. I leaned forward and looked at the picture of Annie with her lip split and swollen eye.

“That's what I saw on Reese’s, er ... the other employee’s phone, yes.”

“Did she tell you what happened to Annie?” Jack asked.

“Objection,” Dean said. “The answer calls for hearsay. If Mr. LaForge wants to call this Reese person, he’s free to do so.”

“Sustained,” Judge Colton said.

“Then what happened?” Jack asked, choosing a safer line of questioning.

I told him the rest. “Annie came to my office a few days later. She had obviously been beaten.”

“Why obvious?” he asked.

“Her eye was almost swollen shut. Her lip was once again split. She had bruising on her arms where she said her husband had grabbed her.”

“Did you document those injuries?” he asked.

“Of course,” I answered.

Then Jack introduced the pictures I’d taken of Annie that day in my office. They showed a scared, tired, broken woman. She’d hated every second as I clicked my phone and photographed her injuries from each angle.

“Did you then have occasion to file legal paperwork on Annie’s behalf?”

“Yes,” I said. “We filed for an ex parte personal protection. Annie gave testimony to Judge Moira Pierce in Family Court. Judge Pierce granted her the order from the bench.”

“Your Honor,” Jack said. “We have the audio transcript of Annie Liski’s testimony. I’d like permission to play it for the Court at this time.”

Dean didn’t object. He had no grounds.

So, I sat in stony silence as Annie’s voice echoed through the courtroom.

“Your Honor,” she said on the recording. “I’m in fear for my life. My husband has a volatile temper. He has warned me if I ever try to leave him, or if I go to court, it would be the last thing I’d ever do.”

Judge Pierce’s voice interrupted. “Mrs.

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