Chapter 6 - DEBORAH’S VERSION OF THE TRUTH
Deborah arrived at court in navy blue.
She wore pearls.
Of course she wore pearls.
Women like Deborah believed pearls could turn cruelty into respectability.
I was ten days postpartum.
My stitches still pulled when I walked.
My son, Noah, was still in the NICU.
My daughter, Emma, was staying with my aunt during the hearing.
And my husband’s family was asking a judge to decide I was unstable.
Travis sat beside his attorney.
He did not look at me.
Deborah did.
She smiled.
Just a tiny one.
I looked away.
My attorney, Dana Cole, leaned closer.
“Don’t react.”
“I know.”
“They want a reaction.”
“I know.”
“If Deborah says something outrageous—”
“She will.”
Dana almost smiled.
“Then let her.”
The hearing began.
Travis’s attorney painted him as a confused husband who made one foolish mistake.
Then they called Deborah.
She walked to the witness stand with the dignity of a woman accepting a humanitarian award.
“Mrs. Carter was very emotional during pregnancy,” she said.
Dana wrote something down.
Travis’s attorney continued.
“Did she often exaggerate physical symptoms?”
“Yes.”
I stared at Deborah.
“She would complain about headaches, back pain, nausea.”
Dana whispered, “Normal pregnancy symptoms.”
I nodded.
“Did your son believe she was in immediate danger on the day in question?”
“No.”
“What did he believe?”
“That she was experiencing early contractions and would be safer resting at home.”
I almost stood up.
Dana pressed a hand against my wrist.
Deborah continued.
“Rachel insisted on going out.”
My eyes narrowed.
“Going out?”
“To the hospital.”
“She was advised to remain home?”
“Yes.”
Travis’s attorney nodded solemnly.
“Did your son prevent her from seeking medical care?”
“No.”
I looked at Dana.
She looked pleased.
That surprised me.
Then Travis’s attorney asked:
“Did he lock her inside the residence?”
“No.”
And Dana smiled.
There it was.
Perjury.
When cross-examination began, Dana stood slowly.
“Mrs. Carter, you testified that your son did not lock Rachel inside the home.”
“That’s correct.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Dana walked toward the evidence table.
“Would you recognize your own voice?”
Deborah’s face changed.
Travis looked up.
The courtroom screen came alive.
Mrs. Hanley’s doorbell video played.
Travis walked back to the door.
Locked the exterior latch.
Martin asked what he was doing.
Then Deborah’s voice filled the courtroom.
That girl is stubborn.
A few people shifted.
Dana paused the video.
She faced Deborah.
“Still sure?”
Deborah swallowed.
“I meant he didn’t lock her in maliciously.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“He was protecting her.”
“From medical treatment?”
“No.”
“From leaving?”
“She was not thinking clearly.”
“Because she was in labor?”
“Yes.”
Dana nodded.
“Thank you.”
Deborah blinked.
She had walked into it.
Dana continued.
“You also testified Rachel exaggerates medical symptoms.”
“Yes.”
“Are you a doctor?”
“No.”
“Nurse?”
“No.”
“Midwife?”
“No.”
“No medical training?”
“No.”
“Yet when a woman carrying high-risk twins told you she was in labor, you decided she was exaggerating.”
Deborah’s jaw tightened.
“I knew her behavior.”
Dana picked up a document.
“Do you know Dr. Priya Patel?”
“No.”
“She performed Rachel’s emergency C-section.”
Deborah looked uncomfortable.
Dana read from the medical record.
“‘Patient arrived with significant placental abruption. Delay of approximately twenty to thirty additional minutes could reasonably have resulted in fetal or maternal death.’”
The room fell silent.
Dana looked up.
“Still think she was exaggerating?”
Travis’s attorney stood.
“Objection.”
“Sustained.”
Dana nodded.
“No further questions.”
Deborah stepped down.
Her face had gone gray.
I thought that was the worst thing coming.
It wasn’t.
Travis took the stand.
His lawyer asked gentle questions.
Did he love his children?
Yes.
Did he regret leaving?
Of course.
Did he intend harm?
Never.
Then Dana stood.
“Mr. Carter, did Rachel tell you she was in labor?”
“Yes.”
“Did she ask to go to the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Did she say she was scared?”
He hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Did she collapse?”
“I wouldn’t call it collapse.”
“What would you call it?”
“She crouched.”
Dana turned toward me briefly.
Then back to him.
“Did you catch her?”
“No.”
“Did you leave?”
“Yes.”
“Did you lock the exterior latch?”
“Yes.”
“Did you disable the garage?”
His lawyer objected.
Overruled.
“Yes.”
Dana nodded.
“Why?”
“To keep her safe.”
“Did you call her doctor?”
“No.”
“Call an ambulance?”
“No.”
“Call a nurse?”
“No.”
“Check on her?”
“I texted.”
Dana picked up a printout.
“You texted: ‘Stop calling.’”
Travis looked down.
She lifted another page.
“And when she called from the ambulance, you told her not to be dramatic.”
“I don’t remember exact words.”
“We have the paramedic’s statement.”
Travis’s face tightened.
Dana stepped closer.
“Mr. Carter, did you say to your wife yesterday, ‘If you leave me, I’ll make sure you regret it’?”
His head snapped up.
His lawyer stood.
Too late.
Dana held up her phone.
“We have the recording.”
The judge looked at Travis.
He looked at his lawyer.
May you like
His lawyer stopped speaking.
And for the first time since this nightmare started, Travis looked afraid.
