The Perfect Emma

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Grayson Todd

Grayson had predicted something like that would happen, seeing Aaron as he was brought to the courtroom. It went about a well as he'd expected too. Emma had stood up to Aaron, and Gray was very proud of her. But now she was insisting he enter the courtroom without her, and though he didn't want to leave her alone, he did want to hear the opening statements.

The courtroom was still abuzz with chatter when Gray entered it. At the sight of the detective, McFee waved him over, and Gray approached. "Where's Emma?" the District Attorney asked, frowning.

Gray nodded his head back towards the door. "Right outside."

"Is she prepared to testify?"

"As long as she doesn't see him," Gray rolled his eyes pointedly in the direction of Aaron, "She'll be fine." I hope.

McFee gave a thumbs up. "Good. We've got him on Emma's abduction, that's undeniable, but it's the other abductions and murders we've gotta pin on him." McFee was generally the sort of man to take what he could get, but even he agreed that nothing short of multiple life sentences was the least that Aaron deserved.

"McFee, we have him on tape," Gray reminded, furrowing his brows.

"We do, but all those women have altered appearances, and he was too smart to have let them or himself look directly into the camera. As far as the jury will know, all those women are the same woman." He made a face. "Except for the first. That one was sloppy."

That one was Rosie. Gray clenched a fist, but otherwise showed no other sign of anger. He would keep his temper today. "So what, we get three out of six and call it a day?" he muttered.

"You know the case as well, better even, than I do. You know he never left evidence on the bodies or at the scene. And drawing conjecture, you know as well as I do, isn't something we do in a courtroom."

It was times like these Grayson hated using the public as a jury. There was no telling whose sympathies lie where. Then again, their general ignorance of the inner workings of forensics could prove equally as useful as it is harmful.

The room was brought to silence as the judge pounded her gavel, asking that everyone be seated and be quiet. Gray left McFee to stand by the door; partly because he would have to exit as soon as Emma's testimony was called, and partly so that he could hear if anything went wrong just outside.

The judge did a few pre-trial judgly things, before asking for opening statements. As always, prosecution went up first.

The case of The State of California v. Matthews was in session.

McFee got to his feet and addressed the gathered. "Good afternoon, Your Honor," he said politely to the judge, then to the jury and the public, "Jurors. Public."

Gray crossed his arms, prepared to listen to what the District Attorney had to say to the court. Opening statements were always a direct interpretation of whichever side's course of action. In the prosecution's case today, convicting a serial abductor, torturer, and murderer.

"Seven years ago, February 2010, this young woman...." McFee held up a picture for the jury. "....Rosalind Todd was abducted off the street on her way home from work, nursing patients at Good Samaritan hospital. Mrs. Todd was missing for three whole months, before her body was discovered dumped unceremoniously on the side of the road." He showed another picture, and though Gray couldn't see it—nor did he want to—he assumed it was of the crime scene. Specifically, Rosie's body. "As you can see, she was four months pregnant when she was killed, her neck snapped clean. Mrs. Todd would become the first of six total victims of what the Los Angeles Police Department, as well as the state of California, have come to know as the Ghost Killer."

McFee paused to let that sink in. "For seven years, the Ghost Killer has prowled our streets, stalked our daughters, and sisters, and wives. Taking what isn't his and replacing his victims' identities with that of his 'wife'; Emily Matthews. He keeps his 'wives' locked away in his basement, without windows, and beats them when they act out. Five such Emilys did not survive this treatment. But one Emily, Emma Carroll, is here today to tell you her story; and bring justice to those before her. She is so traumatized by her experience, that she is unable to face her abductor even in the safety of a courtroom, and requires the special circumstance of providing her testimony in a separate room. But she will tell you that this man," McFee gestured at Aaron. "...who abducted her, abused her, and would've killed her had she not gotten lucky, is very capable of doing what he has done, is unremorseful, and will do it again. And that it only takes one bad apple to ruin a bunch; the bunch, in this case, the LAPD as a whole."

And with that, McFee sat himself down.

Gray had a good feeling about this.

And then the defense rose to her feet. What kind of bullshit is she gonna try to spin into gold?

"What has transpired these last seven years is tragic," the defense attorney agreed. "And I offer my deepest condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones because of this Ghost Killer. However my client, Aaron Matthews, is not responsible for those murders."

Here we go.

"Eight years ago, Mr. Matthews did have a wife called Emily."

Wait what.

"Mrs. Matthews filed for divorce, leaving Mr. Matthews heartbroken; her death not one month later crushed him. His mind was shattered. He was convinced that his Emily was still alive, out there somewhere waiting for him to find her. I am not claiming that this excuses his abduction of Emma Carroll. That cannot be denied. However, he obviously did not kill her, nor did he abduct or murder the other five victims. The prosecution will show you photos, still frames from so-called security footage taken from the defendant's home. None of these frames show a single face. My client is not the man in those photos. And the very least my client is guilty of is insanity. He is not a murderer, Your Honor; simply a grieving husband, misguided by mental instability."

That...was such bullshit. Grayson was a grieving husband; and he took his grief and turned it into something productive, something for the good of society as a whole.

Apparently Aaron takes his grief and goes batshit crazy.

At the least the judge was struggling to conceal her disbelief. She wasn't buying the defense's...well, defense, either.

All his and McFee's worrying was for nothing after all. It seemed like Aaron had hired a mediocre attorney on purpose. Though, to be fair, he had no business pleading not guilty; it wasn't the defense's fault she was stuck with this case. Gray told himself he would give her an apologetic handshake later.

With opening statements done, and prosecution's the clear superior, it was time for witnesses. Grayson moved for the door handle as the judge said, "Prosecution, your first witness?"

"We would like to call Emma Carroll to the stand, Your Honor."

Opening the door, Gray cleared his throat to catch Emma's attention. Her court dog had arrived, and she was petting the labrador's head in her lap. "Time to go?" she whispered, her face going a shade or two paler.

Gray nodded. "Time to go."

She would have to walk past Aaron again, but he wasn't allowed to speak to her. If she closed her eyes and let the security personnel walk her into the back, she would be fine. Taking a deep, shaking breath, Emma got to her feet, the dog's leash tightly in her hand and nodded. "Okay. I'm ready."