This court hearing is turning into a nightmare. It's bringing up so many unwanted memories.
"I have to ask this, are those girls Mr. O'Connell's?" She asked.
"Yes," I said.
"Did he know about the twins?" She asked.
"No, I knew of the one when he arrived at the ranch to threaten me to go back to him. That was when the gun was involved." I said looking down at my hands.
"I see, So the gun was used in self defense?" She asked.
"Yes, your honor." I said.
"This is absurd!" James shot up, "It's all lies!"
"Sit down, Mr. O'Connell!" The judge yelled. "Or I'll have you held in contempt."
After several more minutes of confessing the abuse James inflicted on me, I was finally able to sit down. The sheriff was called up to the stand.
"Did you see the bruises when you first met Alison
