Redress of Grievances (37 page)

"She's
scared," Nick observed.

"She
should be," Jess said.

AFTER
DINNER, HARRIETT spoke to Lacey alone in Jess's spare bedroom. She rejoined
Jess as she was rinsing dishes and putting them in the dishwasher.

"It's
hard to stay mad at her very long," Harriett sighed. "She had already
told me that Devon was getting more serious lately. But I don't think I'll have
to worry about that anymore for a while. At least not until they catch whoever
was responsible."

"If
we're lucky we can match the DNA. The fingerprints are a long shot, and if the
system can't match the fragment we found, we might not be able to catch him. So
far, whoever did it hasn't done anything too serious. Perverted maybe, but
mostly minor offenses. It could have been a park prowler."

"I
know. Can I borrow your office for a little while? I need to look over my notes
for court tomorrow."

"Of
course, you can. I'll clear a space so you can work."

By
ten o'clock, Harriett turned off the office light and wandered into the front
of the house. Hearing voices and laughter, she made her way into the family
room as Jess was racking up balls on the pool table. "Who's winning?"
she smiled.

"It's
a tie so far," Lacey replied. "Do you want to play?"

"No,
I think I'll let you two play for the championship."

"You
can be the cheerleader," Lacey laughed. "Like when you were in high
school."

"You
were a cheerleader?" Jess asked.

"And
a damn good one," Harriett answered as a slight blush crept up her face.

"I'll
bet you were real cute," Jess chuckled.

"Hmm,"
Harriett said as she sat in a swivel rocker, pulling her feet up under her. She
felt relaxed as she watched Jess and Lacey concentrate on their game. Both were
competitive women, and she knew that Jess wouldn't throw the game to make Lacey
feel good. Harriett had never let Lacey win, either. She might never win, but
the challenge to improve was more important than winning. She was glad that
Jess and Lacey seemed to get along well. She knew she was falling in love, and
for the first time saw what a family life of her own might be like. It was
something she had never had, or could have had, with Alex. On a lucky shot,
Lacey managed to take the final game from Jess who demanded a rematch the
following evening. Kissing Harriett good night, Lacey left them alone in favor
of a shower and sleep.

"She's
a great kid," Jess smiled as she put the pool cues in the rack and
switched off the light over the table.

"I've
been very fortunate," Harriett nodded. "Sometimes, I think she's more
grown up than I am."

Jess
took a bottle of brandy from behind the bar in the family room and poured two
small snifters. "This will help you relax," she said, handing one to
Harriett.

Harriett
sipped the brandy slowly. It felt good going down. Taking a deep breath, she
said, "Thank you, Jess. For everything."

"You
don't have to keep thanking me, Harriett," Jess smiled. "I'm glad to
do whatever I can to help. Besides, my job does sort of dictate that I do
something."

Harriett
rose from the rocker and carried her snifter back to the bar. "Just doing
your job, huh?" she said.

Jess
tilted her head and leaned toward Harriett. "This isn't in my job
description," she said quietly as her lips met Harriett's. Setting her
snifter on the bar, she wrapped her arm around Harriett's waist and pulled her
closer, kissing her deeply, her tongue tasting the brandy that lingered in
Harriett's mouth. She ran her hands up Harriett's back and buried them in her
hair, kissing her repeatedly and passionately. As Jess caressed her body and
nibbled along her neck, Harriett took a deep breath.

"If
you don't take me to bed soon, Jess, I'll be too exhausted to represent my
client in the morning."

"Either
way, you'll be tired." Jess grinned as she flipped the light switch off.

"But
it will be a satisfied tired," she said, tracing Jess's lips lightly with
her tongue, eliciting a groan of anticipation.

Chapter
Thirty-Eight

"ARE
YOU READY to call your first witness, Ms. Markham?" Judge Landers asked
the following morning as soon as the jury was reseated and settled.

"Yes,
your Honor," Harriett replied as she stood at the defense table. "The
defense calls Dr. Raymond Talbot to the stand."

As
soon as Dr. Talbot was sworn in and seated, Harriett addressed him.

"Dr.
Talbot, where did you receive your psychiatric training?"

"I
received my medical training at Columbia University. After I elected psychiatry
as a specialization, I did my residency at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in
Baltimore, Maryland."

"Did
your training acquaint you with a variety of mental problems?"

"Yes.
After my residency, I became a staff psychiatrist at Presbyterian Hospital in
Dallas."

"How
long have you been at Presbyterian Hospital, Doctor?"

"A
little over twenty years."

"Approximately
how many times have you testified in court concerning the mental status of
defendants?"

"Maybe
fifteen or twenty times counting testimony for both the State and the
defense."

"Then
the State has also asked you to perform independent psychiatric
evaluations?"

"Several
times."

"Do
you receive a fee for your services?"

"I
receive a standard consultation fee."

"Is
the fee the same when you testify for both the defense and the State?"

"Yes."

"Your
Honor, I request that Dr. Talbot be recognized as an expert witness in the
field of psychiatry for purposes of this trial."

"No
objection," Lassiter said.

"The
court recognizes Dr. Talbot as an expert in psychiatry. Continue Ms.
Markham," Judge Landers instructed.

"Dr.
Talbot, are you acquainted with the defendant, Sharon Collins Taggart?"

"Yes,
I am."

"Under
what circumstances did you meet Mrs. Taggart?"

"I
was contacted by your office to conduct a preliminary psychiatric evaluation of
her mental status."

"When
did you conduct your initial evaluation?"

"While
Mrs. Taggart was being detained in the Dallas County Jail approximately two and
a half months ago, in February."

"Can
you, in layman's terms if possible, tell the court the result of your
evaluation?"

Readjusting
himself in the witness chair, Talbot shifted his weight to allow him to look
easily at the jury.

"Sharon
Taggart is a thirty-year-old female who presented a variety of symptoms."

"What
symptoms did Mrs. Taggart present, Doctor?"

"She
appeared to suffer from a relatively mild form of depression, characterized by
self-deprecation and low self-esteem. In addition, she had periodic memory
losses that coincided with significant events in her life. She was reserved
when I first met with her, almost shy. Using common psychiatric questions, I
attempted to trace the root cause of her symptoms."

"Were
you able to do that?"

"Mrs.
Taggart's symptomatology became extremely complex during my meetings with her.
At our second meeting, I began to suspect that she might be suffering from
dissociative identity disorder."

"Would
you briefly explain what you mean by dissociative identity disorder, Dr.
Talbot?"

"At
one time, it was better known as multiple personality syndrome," Talbot
said to the jury. "The name of the illness was changed to dissociative
identity disorder in 1994 by the American Psychiatric Association."

"Were
you ever able to prove or disprove your suspicions about Mrs. Taggart?"

"Through
hypnosis, I was able to determine that Sharon has a second alter personality
who calls herself Jan."

"Were
you able to communicate with this second personality?"

"Only
with great difficulty, but that is the nature of the disorder. Jan, the alter
personality, is Mrs. Taggart's protector. Part of the protection she provides
actually involves preventing Sharon from doing anything that might make other
people believe she is what some would call crazy."

"Is
Sharon Taggart crazy, doctor?"

"Objection,"
Lassiter said. "Ms. Markham is leading the witness."

"Rephrase,
Ms. Markham," Landers said.

"What
can you tell this court about Sharon Taggart's mental state, doctor?"

"Sharon
Taggart is an extremely bright woman of above average intelligence. She
functions normally at a responsible job, is married, and has two children. She
absolutely is not a raving lunatic," Talbot said. "Nevertheless, she
does suffer from a dissociative identity disorder. The word 'crazy' wouldn't
apply concerning Mrs. Taggart or anyone else, however, since it has no standing
in either medical or legal terms."

"What
would the prognosis for her future be if she were to receive competent
psychiatric help?"

"DID
is one of the most treatable mental disorders if the treatment is long-term,
and the patient follows through with the entire treatment program."

"What
would cause a person to develop this particular disorder?"

"It's
generally accepted that the onset of the disorder occurs due to some type of
early childhood trauma. When children can't deal with whatever pain or grief or
terror they are confronting, they retreat into their own mind and create
another personality as a coping device."

"How
early in childhood would the trauma probably occur?"

"Certainly
during an early developmental period. Usually before the age of nine."

"Are
we talking about something like an automobile accident, or the death of a loved
one?"

"Those
things could lead to the creation of a separate personality. However, far and
away, the most common cause is some form of repetitive child abuse from which
the child cannot physically escape. Their reaction is to escape mentally. Some of
the patients I have treated refer to it as 'going away.'"

"What
does that mean?"

"It
means that the host personality takes a rest and allows the second, or alter
personality, to experience whatever pain was intended for the host."

"Seems
like this second personality would become a little hostile toward the host for
going away."

"Sometimes.
But if the alter personality's primary function is to protect the host, as in
Sharon's case, there wouldn't be much anger directed at the host. The alter is
simply doing its job."

"If
the alter personality were to become angry, whom would he or she direct the
anger at?"

"Anyone
who threatens the host in all likelihood."

"Is
Sharon Taggart's second personality a protector?"

"Yes,
and she's become quite bitter, especially recently."

"What,
if anything, in Mrs. Taggart's past could have led to the development of a
second personality?"

"From
my interviews with her, it is my opinion that Sharon Taggart was severely
abused as a child during her formative years."

"What
form of abuse was she subjected to, Dr. Talbot?"

"In
all the years I have been practicing psychiatry, I can't remember another
patient who was subjected to the varieties of abuse that Sharon Taggart was,
Ms. Markham. Sharon was sexually abused by a member of her own family as well
as by an array of strangers. In addition, she was verbally, and I suspect,
emotionally abused by her mother."

"Is
it your testimony that Sharon Taggart was the victim of incest?'

"Yes.
At the hands of her brother."

Murmurs
swept through the court spectators, as Harriett read looks of shock and disgust
on the faces of the jurors.

"But
Sharon Taggart loves her brother, doesn't she?" Harriett continued.

"Sharon
herself doesn't have a recollection of what happened to her. On the other hand,
Jan, the alter personality, is quite graphic in describing what happened."

"Can
you explain why Sharon isn't angry at her brother?"

"Sharon
was taught by her mother from a very young age that it was wrong to hurt
another member of her family. It's a deeply ingrained part of her personality.
Deeply ingrained enough that even the alter personality balks at hurting a
member of Sharon's family and turns her anger and aggression against others
outside the family as a substitute."

"Too
bad Sharon's mother didn't make as big an impression on her son," Harriett
said as she looked toward the jury box.

"Objection,"
Lassiter said. "Editorializing."

"Withdrawn.
Doctor, what would happen that could cause Sharon's alter personality to react
violently?"