Leave The City (Book 8 of Adopted by the Josephs)

25. Samantha

I spent another couple of days in the hospital and went home Sunday afternoon. Uncle Brendon had texted me back, saying he was happy to hear I was feeling better, and they couldn't wait for me to return. He didn't say anything about the stupid thing I did.

Rosie wouldn't leave my side the whole time, and I was okay with that. Junie was chasing around after the two of us, and I loved being around my sisters.

We lounged around the house together; I read them stories, and we ran around outside in the backyard.

Monday, there was court. Mom and Dad asked me if I wanted to go or stay home. I thought about it and decided to go. I didn't want Mark to think I was hiding from him or something. I wanted him to see I was strong.

It turned out Monday was the day the defence called Mark to the stand.

"That's a big mistake," Mr. Kravitz said.

"How come?" I asked. I was at the table again. I was working on some math.

"Well, he has to tell the truth. He's been deemed competent to stand trial, obviously, so he can't use insanity as a defence. If he does, it's called perjury and he could go to jail for that."

"So he's fu - uh," I blushed. Mr. Kravitz chuckled.

"Indeed he is."

I smiled at him. He was nice. 

Mark's lawyer asked Mark a question about June 17.

"I was there. Yes. And yes, to get my niece. Her so-called parents weren't keeping her safe. I kept seeing news articles or alerts about Samantha's recent illness or injury. Then there was the story in January. They wouldn't say what happened but I knew. I just knew and I couldn't allow her to be with people who cared so little they'd let that happen to my niece!"

"When Samantha was in your home in London, did she express a desire to stay?"

"She seemed interested in the school near us. The one my daughter attends. I thought she might like to spend a semester with us," Mark said.

"Did Samantha ask to stay?"

"She did," Mark said. I curled my hands into fists. He's lying. Mr. Kravitz put his hand on my arm as if to say 'I got this, don't worry.'

"Objection," Mr. Kravitz said. "Your client is perjuring himself, counsellor."

"I'm not! Sam asked if she'd be able to try a semester at the school."

"Objection," Mr. Kravitz said.

"Sustained. Counsellor, get your client under control and if that was indeed perjury we will charge him as such."

"I'll reword my question," Mark's lawyer said. "Mr. Solman, did you offer Samantha the opportunity to stay in England for a semester?"

"Yes. Like I said, she seemed interested."

I rolled my eyes.

The questions just got dumber. I stopped paying attention and concentrated on my math work.

Finally, Mr. Kravitz got up. It was his turn to cross examine. And he started with a dinger.

"Is it true you deceived her parents into thinking Samantha wanted to stay for a festival in your village, and then deceived Samantha into thinking her parents had gone to California for a week?"

"Yes," Mark said, lowering his head. I rolled my eyes again. "And I regret it. I was hoping an extra week with us might have let me convince her to stay for the semester. We had the room."