Boss Bitch (Bitch Series) (5 page)

“WILL I BE TAKING THE STAND tomorrow?” I asked my attorney as we went over the witness list for the defense, which didn’t consist of much. Mr. Anderson’s argument was always that the prosecution’s case would be weak but after a week of testimony their case seemed pretty strong to me. The police officers testified that I was holding the murder weapon when they entered the hotel room. DNA was found under my nails from when I scratched Justina’s neck and lets not forget I was identified as the shooter from the actual victim. From where I was sitting the case seemed pretty airtight.

“Aaliyah, I’m not sure if I want you to take the stand.”

“Why not? You’ve been prepping me for the last couple weeks. I basically have my testimony memorized. I need to defend myself especially with all the lies that have been said about me.”

“I understand your frustration but I’m afraid that on cross examination your temper might get the best of you. Trust me, the prosecutor is going to come at you hard. She will throw everything at you to shake you up.”

“True, but what is it looking like for me right now and tell me the truth?”

“In terms of a verdict?”

“Yes, do you think the juror will find me guilty?”

“Honestly it could go either way. Justina didn’t come across as completely credible. The prosecution wasn’t able to explain why there wasn’t traces of gun powder residue found on your hands or clothes . . . that’s significant.”

“Is it significant enough to get a not guilty verdict?”

“When I first took this case I told you I would never lie to you. When it comes to jurors you never know. Justina testifying that it was you who shot her is extremely damaging unless the jurors believe her testimony to be a lie. Although I didn’t find her credible I can’t say if they did or they didn’t. You might also end up with a hung jury.”

“I don’t want a hung jury because the prosecutor will only retry the case and I’ll be stuck behind bars waiting all over again. I need a not guilty. So I want to testify, Mr. Anderson.”

“Are you sure? I tell all my clients when you take the stand it’s a huge risk. It can work in your favor or end up costing you your freedom. But whatever decision you make, Aaliyah I’ll support it. Get some rest tonight. We have a big day tomorrow. We begin presenting our case so think about what you want to do. If you do want to take the stand, you’ll be the first witness tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll make sure I’m ready. Oh, and Mr. Anderson, have you heard any news about my grandfather?”

“He’s still in a coma. I know it’s difficult but don’t think about that right now. Your grandfather would want you to focus on this case.”

“I know. I just wish he could be here with me.”

“He is in spirit . . . remember that. Now I’ll see you in the morning.”

When I got back to my cell my body was tired but my mind wouldn’t let me sleep. Soon I would know my fate and to me it seemed doomed. I had already spent one birthday behind bars and the idea of spending sixty or seventy more almost made me want to slit my wrist. The thought of Justina living a carefree life with Amir while I rotted away in prison made me want to vomit. I felt betrayed by both of them, Justina for straight up lying on me, and Amir for turning his back on me to support Justina. It made me wonder if anybody truly believed I was innocent besides my grandfather who never swayed in his belief that I was set up. My eyes began to get heavy as I thought about the what ifs and eventually I fell into a deep sleep.

“I want to testify,” were the first words out of my mouth to my attorney when I sat down. Mr. Anderson simply smiled at me and then turned to the judge.

“Your Honor, the first witness we will be calling is Chantal Morgan.”

“Your Honor, Mrs. Morgan isn’t anywhere on the defense witness list.”

“Your Honor, can I approach the bench?’

“Please do, Mr. Anderson,” and the judge motioned for the prosecutor to do the same. I was perplexed as to why my lawyer was calling Chantal as a witness but she was Justina’s mother and he might wanted to use her to catch Justina in some lies. I looked back and saw Justina and her mother exchanging words as we waited to hear the judge’s ruling. Part of me was hoping the judge would delay letting Chantal testify because I was ready to take the stand and defend myself. I thought once the jurors heard my side of the story they would believe me and know I was not the person that pulled the trigger.

“Chantal Morgan, please take the stand,” we heard the judge announce and I let out a disappointing sigh. I wanted to speak with my attorney about what was going on but it was as if he was purposely not making any eye contact with me. He didn’t come back to the table. He stood in the center of the courtroom until Chantal was sworn in and sat down. Chantal seemed to be at ease and not concerned in the least as to why she was called to testify. Mr. Anderson began with very lightweight questions like her relation to Justina, her marital status, shit that made me want to yawn. I had no idea where he was going with this and I felt like it was wasting time and annoying the jurors who were probably ready for this trial to be over so they could get back to their normal lives.

“Mrs. Morgan, who were you seeing twice a week at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel from November 2010 to May of 2011.”

“Excuse me?”

“Maybe these hotel receipts from the American Express card in your husband’s name will refresh your memory,” Mr. Anderson stated, handing them to Chantal. “Those are your signatures on the receipts . . . correct?” What started off as lightweight questioning had quickly turned heavyweight. Chantal’s cool, calm and confident demeanor appeared to be slowly falling apart.

“Mrs. Morgan, answer the question,” the judge said looking over at Chantal.

“I was meeting the man I was having an affair

with.”

“I see. You are married to T-Roc, Justina’s father, is that correct?”

 “Yes I am.” I glanced back and even from a distance I could see flames burning in T-Roc’s eyes.

“So you were meeting your lover at the same hotel Mr. Stone was killed and your daughter was shot.”

“Yes, it’s an ironic coincidence.”

“There is no such thing as a coincidence in a murder trial, Mrs. Morgan. Isn’t it true that at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is where you first met Jessica Vasquez?”

“Who is that?” Chantal asked casually as if she had never heard the name before.

“Ms. Vasquez worked at the front desk of the hotel during that time and several months after.”

“I might’ve spoken to her in passing when I was coming in or leaving the hotel.”

“That was the only time?”

“Yes.”

“So your testimony is you had no further conversations with Ms. Vasquez besides . . . ”

“Yes, that is my testimony,” Chantal answered before Mr. Anderson finished his question. Right after Chantal said that the courtroom door opened and Nico walked in with a Hispanic looking woman. They sat down in the back. I looked back at Chantal and she had the look of death on her face.

“Isn’t it true you gave Ms. Vaquez $10,000 in cash and for the last several months you’ve been depositing $6,000 a month in her bank account? Before you answer the question, Mrs. Morgan why don’t you take a look at these banking records and how the deposits made to Ms. Vasquez’s account match up with the cash withdrawals you made from your account.”

“Ms. Vasquez somehow found out who I was married to and began blackmailing me. She threatened to tell my husband or go to the press about my affair so I paid her off. It’s unfortunate for my family that it has to come out here in open court.” Chantal’s testimony was getting so juicy to me that I almost forgot that I was the one on trial. But I still didn’t understand how Chantal’s scandalous affair had anything to do with Sway’s murder until Mr. Anderson gradually put the pieces together.

“So the money Ms. Vasquez received from you was to keep quiet about your affair?”

“Yes.”

“I see where your daughter learned to lie so well,” Mr. Anderson commented taking a jab at Chantal.

“Objection, Your honor, badgering the witness.”

“Sustained!”

“Isn’t it true, Mrs. Morgan, that you gave Ms. Vasquez $10,000 to give you the room key to the penthouse suite Mr. Stone was staying in the night he was murdered?” you could hear loud gasps circulating the courtroom after Mr. Anderson hit Chantal with that question. “Isn’t it also true that you continued to pay her $6,000 a month after the murder so Ms. Vasquez wouldn’t go to the police and tell them that it was you; who murdered Sway Stone and shot your own daughter?” Between Mr. Anderson’s questions all I heard was objections from the prosecutor, Justina crying out for my attorney to leave her mother alone and the judge basically telling everybody to shut the fuck up but the ruckus continued until we were all silenced by Chantal’s words.

“It was all an accident. I would never hurt Justina. It was Precious and her spoiled brat of a daughter Aaliyah that were supposed to pay. Precious took the man that I loved away from me and Aaliyah was trying to do the same to Justina and I couldn’t allow that to happen.”

“Your Honor, if possible can we have a break at this time?” the prosecutor requested right when Chantal’s testimony was getting good.

“Don’t interrupt me . . . I would like to continue,” Chantal stated in an eerie way. A craze glaze seemed to come over her as if she wasn’t quite herself.

“Your Honor, I believe the court would like to hear what Mrs. Morgan has to say,” my attorney said what all of us were thinking.

“I agree. Mrs. Morgan, continue.”

“It all started when I met Lorenzo and we  fell in love.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Chantal was seeing Lorenzo too. I shook my head praying that what I thought was about to happen wouldn’t. I listened as Chantal continued. “We began seeing each other. We would meet twice a week sometimes more at the Mandarin. It was there I began talking to Jessica. At first it was casual but then it became much more frequent.”

“At what point did you ask Ms. Vasquez to give you a key to Sway Stone’s hotel room?” Mr. Anderson asked wanting to skip over the long version and get right to the point but Chantal wasn’t having it.

“If you want the truth then let me tell my story. This is so much bigger than Sway Stone.” Chantal’s defiant tone and shameless facial expression made her appear as if she was going over the edge. It made me reflect back to the story I had read a few years ago. She had tried to run over her ex fiancée with her car after he left her at the altar for that movie star Tyler Blake. For whatever reason she got off but clearly the crazy was still there.

“By all means continue,” Mr. Anderson said realizing it was counterproductive to try and reason with an irrational person.

“As I was saying I began somewhat of an unintentional friendship with Jessica because I was frequenting the hotel often. Then Lorenzo broke off our relationship and I found out he had been seeing Precious Mills.” My head dropped, as the one thing I was praying wouldn’t be revealed, had been.

“What in the hell is she talking about?” I heard my dad ask my mom. Even in a calm tone his anger made his voice loud.

“Supreme, this isn’t the time,” I heard my mother reply. Although I hated the fact she had an affair with Lorenzo I never wanted her to get busted like this.

“Everybody quiet,” the judge ordered banging his gavel. “If you can’t be quiet I will have you escorted out of my courtroom. Now continue Mrs. Morgan.”

“Lorenzo didn’t even tell me why he broke things off between us. It wasn’t until Jessica called me because Lorenzo came to the hotel with another woman and she thought I should know. I told her if they came in again to take a picture of the woman because I wanted to know who she was. I was stunned to find out it was Precious. I thought she was supposed to be happily married to Supreme. Then she shared a daughter with Nico who was in business with Lorenzo but I guess that didn’t matter. Like mother like daughter, if they see something they want they take it no matter who it might hurt. And when Justina called me hysterical about catching Aaliyah trying to seduce Amir I knew it was time to teach mother and daughter a lesson and at the same time win back Lorenzo,” Chantal smiled with that loco look plastered on her face.

“See during those months I was seeing Lorenzo he told me how much he despised Sway Stone because he was responsible for the death of Dior, the only woman he ever loved, that was until he met me. He said no matter what he had to do Sway would pay for Dior’s death. I thought it would be my gift to Lorenzo to kill Sway and a gift to myself to take away what Precious loved the most . . . her daughter.”