Chapter 16 - MICHAEL TAKES THE STAND
Michael made the mistake every guilty narcissist eventually makes.
He testified.
His attorneys advised against it.
He insisted.
He believed he could explain everything.
He believed five years of manipulating me meant he could manipulate twelve strangers.
At first, he performed well.
He cried.
He described our early marriage.
He showed photographs of vacations.
He talked about preparing the nursery.
He said he loved me.
Then his attorney asked about the cliff.
Michael lowered his head.
"Emma slipped."
My entire body went cold.
"I tried to grab her."
Lie.
"I thought she was gone."
Lie.
"I've replayed that moment every night."
Lie.
Then came cross-examination.
The prosecutor was a woman named Helen Ward.
She spoke quietly.
That made her dangerous.
"Mr. Carter, you testified that you tried to grab your wife."
"Yes."
"With which hand?"
Michael hesitated.
"My right."
Helen showed the jury photographs from the overlook.
"Where were you standing?"
Michael pointed.
Helen displayed the interior vehicle recording showing him wearing thick black gloves.
Then she introduced forensic evidence from Ashley's coat.
Fibers.
Matching the gloves.
Blood.
Matching my DNA.
The pattern showed Ashley had come into direct contact with blood on the rock below.
Michael became nervous.
Helen moved closer.
"You told investigators you never looked over the cliff."
"I was in shock."
"Yet you knew your wife had fallen beyond the first visible ridge."
"I assumed."
"You also knew rescuers should search below the western ledge."
Michael froze.
That detail had come from an early police interview.
He had suggested where rescuers should search.
The exact ledge where I landed.
"How did you know?"
"I guessed."
Helen waited.
Jurors watched.
Michael's breathing changed.
Then Helen played the hotel recording.
I told you the cliff would solve everything.
Michael's attorney objected.
Overruled.
The words echoed through the courtroom.
Michael tried to explain.
"It was taken out of context."
Helen nodded.
"Let's add context."
The next portion played.
Ashley asked what about the baby.
Michael's recorded voice answered.
Dead before he ever became a problem.
Michael looked toward the jury.
One woman covered her mouth.
Helen stopped the recording.
"Was that also out of context?"
Michael's composure finally cracked.
"Ashley manipulated me."
"Into saying your unborn son was dead?"
"She was obsessed."
"With fifty million dollars?"
"Yes."
Helen leaned closer.
"The fifty million dollars where you were the beneficiary?"
Michael's jaw tightened.
"She wanted it."
"But it was your policy claim."
"She controlled me."
From behind me, Daniel whispered something almost too quiet to hear.
"Coward."
Michael heard.
He turned toward us.
The judge ordered him to face the attorney.
Then Helen asked one final question.
"When Emma disappeared over that cliff, why didn't you climb down?"
Michael snapped.
"Because she was already dead."
Silence.
Helen tilted her head.
"How did you know?"
May you like
Michael realized what he had said.
Too late.
