Chapter 20 - Jessica’s Hearing
Jessica was not charged with fraud.
That was the good news.
The bad news was that “not charged with fraud” still left room for consequences.
Her failure to report the two-thousand-dollar payment had to be corrected.
Investigators also wanted her testimony about Grant’s behavior at Hartwell Filing Services.
The company itself had problems.
Its owner claimed employees were responsible for reviewing documents.
Employees said the owner discouraged questions because speed kept clients happy.
Nobody sounded proud.
Jessica was subpoenaed for a preliminary hearing related to Grant’s case.
She asked me to attend.
I was surprised.
“Why me?”
“Because I’m afraid.”
“You have Cedric.”
“I know.”
She twisted the strap of her purse.
“But I need to look at somebody who knows I did something wrong and still expects me to tell the truth.”
That sentence stayed with me.
I went.
Grant sat at the defense table wearing the same expression he had worn at family Christmas dinners when a restaurant forgot his reservation.
Offended that ordinary rules applied to him.
Jessica took the stand.
Her voice shook at first.
She described her job.
The late-recorded deed.
Grant’s explanation.
The payment.
Then the prosecutor asked:
“Why did you not question a document transferring property from your mother-in-law?”
Jessica looked toward me.
For one second, I wanted to disappear.
Then she answered.
“Because at the time, my husband and I were already treating her property like something that would eventually belong to us.”
The courtroom became unbearably quiet.
Cedric lowered his head.
Jessica continued.
“I told myself it wasn’t my business. The truth is, I didn’t want it to be my business because we were hoping to benefit later.”
Grant’s attorney stood.
“Mrs. Tatum, you benefited from my client’s payment, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And now, to avoid prosecution, you are blaming him?”
“No.”
“You expect this court to believe you accepted cash but knew nothing?”
“I expect the court to believe what happened.”
The attorney approached.
“You had financial problems.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to your family.”
“Yes.”
“You participated in misleading your mother-in-law regarding money.”
“Yes.”
Every admission seemed to strengthen her.
The lawyer wanted shame to make her evasive.
Instead, she handed it the truth until he had nowhere useful to put it.
Then he asked, “So you’re not exactly a reliable person, are you?”
Jessica paused.
“No. I wasn’t.”
The attorney smiled.
She continued.
“That’s why I kept records this time.”
His smile disappeared.
Jessica’s attorney had turned over an old cloud backup two days earlier.
Inside were emails from Grant.
One stated:
Don’t bother the old lady with this. Raymond already handled her years ago.
Another:
If she ever asks, say it came through the estate.
The hearing changed after that.
Grant’s bail conditions became stricter.
He was prohibited from contacting me, Cedric, Jessica, or the children directly or indirectly.
Outside the courthouse, Jessica sat on a stone bench.
Her hands shook.
Cedric sat beside her.
I remained standing.
She looked up.
“I’m sorry you had to hear me say that.”
“I already knew.”
“It sounded worse out loud.”
“Most truth does at first.”
She nodded.
Then Cedric said, “I’m angry with you.”
Jessica looked at him.
“I know.”
“I’m also proud of you.”
Her face crumpled.
He took her hand.
Marriage was not my department.
I had finally learned that too.
So I walked toward the parking lot.
Cedric caught up.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“You’re leaving?”
“You two should talk.”
“You’re not mad?”
“I’m furious about several things. I also have pottery at three.”
He laughed.
“You really changed.”
“No.”
I opened my car door.
“I finally got busy.”
That afternoon I made a bowl.
It was terrible.
Martha called it my courtroom bowl because one side leaned toward justice and the other toward a mistrial.
I brought it home anyway.
On Friday, Ruth called.
The land closing had been scheduled.
The proceeds would arrive the following week.
I thought the legal fight was nearly over.
Then she said, “There’s something else.”
Of course there was.
“What?”
“Grant’s attorney claims Cedric has an inheritance interest.”
I sat down.
“Through Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Does he?”
“Not in your share.”
“Then what are they doing?”
“Trying another angle.”
“What angle?”
Ruth sighed.
“They’ve produced a document they say is Daniel’s later will.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
May you like
“And?”
“It leaves the Dalton property directly to Cedric.”
