A New Beginning (Second Chance #1) (14 page)

The next couple of months passed quickly. Leslie landed an account to design a webpage for one of the radio stations in town and was working hard on that and Andrew had switched back to night rotations in the ER.

When Karla arrived home from school one afternoon a couple of weeks before Halloween Detective Greeves, Captain McGraw and Mr. Jennings were waiting for her. Leslie walked into the family room as Karla walked in the front door with Rylee, Callie and Conner right behind her.

“Karla, Detective Greeves, Captain McGraw and Mr. Jennings are here to speak with you about something. Why don’t you sit down and your friends can go upstairs and wait in your room for you.”

“No. I want them here, I want you here too. You all know about my past and I know this has something to do with that.”

“Alright. We’ll all hear what they have to say.”

Karla, Callie and Rylee sat on the couch and Conner sat on the floor at Karla’s feet. They all looked at Captain McGraw when he cleared his throat. “Karla, Garrett’s trial is in three days and the judge has granted ya the right to do your testimony through video. The only stipulation is that Garrett’s Public Defender must be present. Ya can have a lawyer there as well, but it isn’t necessary. The DA and Garrett’s PD will ask you some questions and all you have to do is answer them”

“I’ll be there with you,” Mr. Jennings spoke up, “and Leslie and Andrew will be there as well. I know the law and what the lawyers can and cannot ask you so there really isn’t a need for a lawyer.”

“Okay. When do I need to do this?”

“We have it set up for tomorrow at four-fifteen. We’ll do it right here so ya won’t have to go anywhere. Does that work for y’all?” Detective Greeves asked both Karla and Leslie.

“I’m good with it and I’ll make sure Andrew is awake by then. He’s back on nights and sleeps until about five, but I know he’ll want to be awake for this. Is that all you needed to discuss with us?”

“That’s it for now. Do you have any questions Karla?”

Karla nodded and took a deep breath before she started talking. “Do you have any idea what the lawyers are going to be asking?”

“The DA will ask you to tell the court what happened over the six weeks that Garrett lived with y’all and his lawyer is going to ask questions to try to get you to change your story and make you seem like a confused little girl. All you have to do is stick to the truth and you’ll be fine.” Mr. Jennings answered her. “Like I said. I’ll be here so they won’t ask anything they shouldn’t be asking.”

“Okay. One more question. Can my friends be here? Not in the room, but upstairs maybe? I’m going to need them when this is over.”

“Yes, honey, they can be here.” Leslie answered before she turned to the three men sitting on the couch across from Karla and her friends. “I don’t care if the DA objects to them being in the house. This is Karla’s home and if having them here makes it more comfortable for her then they’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it.”

“I think it’ll be alright as long as they aren’t in the room.” Mr. Jennings said as he stood up. “I have to get back to the office and make a couple phone calls. I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”

“We have to get back too.” Captain McGraw said. “We’re working on a big case and have a long night ahead of us. Karla, Mrs. Peterson, if y’all need anything just give me a call and I’ll be here.”

When they were gone Karla and her friends headed upstairs and did their homework, none of them spoke about what was going to happen the next day.

The next day passed in a blur for Karla. She was distracted at school thinking about what was going to happen that afternoon. She spaced out during the discussion of
Oliver Twist
in Lit and Conner had to poke her with his pencil to get her attention when the bell rang. During P.E. they were playing badminton and she completely missed the shuttle cock and hit Conner in the head with her racket.

On the bus ride home she sat quietly beside Conner and tried to calm down. She was scared to go into details about what Garrett did to her, but she was relieved it was him and not Tony. When the bus stopped at her stop, her friends had been getting off with her there too, they got off the bus and walked up the street to her house. There were two cars she didn’t recognize parked in the drive way and she stopped walking. “They’re already here.”

“We’re here with you Karla. We aren’t going to leave until you’re ready for us to.” Rylee reassured her before she grabbed her hand and started walking again. “The quicker you get this over with the quicker you can copy down all the stuff you missed today when you took your trips into space.”

Karla laughed a little at Rylee’s comment. “I have been spaced out today. I’m sorry for hitting you in the head Conner.”

“It’s okay. I think you may have knocked some sense into me.” Conner replied with a chuckle.

When they entered the house their laughter died instantly. Karla turned and hugged Rylee, then Callie, then Conner. “I’ll be up as soon as I’m finished. Thanks for being here.”

“We will always be here Karla. Always.” Conner said before he followed Callie and Rylee upstairs.

Karla took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. Everyone was gathered around the table and a small camera was set up in the corner. Leslie looked up as she entered. “Hey honey. You ready to get started?”

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Karla,” Mr. Jennings began. “I’d like you to meet ADA Hannah Marks and Public Defender Savannah Jenkins. Ms. Marks and Ms. Jenkins have some questions for you whenever you’re ready.”

“Let me get some water and I’ll answer whatever you need me to answer.”

As Karla got her water Ms. Marks walked over to the camera. Once Karla was seated at the table again she moved the camera to where it’d record Karla and pressed the record button.

“ADA Hannah Marks and PD Savannah Jenkins in questioning with Karla Hall for case number 14-596-08 The State of Tennessee vs. Garrett Kent. Karla, I’m going to place you under oath now okay?” When Karla nodded ADA Marks picked up a Bible from the table and placed it in front of Karla. “Place your left hand on the bible and raise your right hand please.” Karla did as she was asked. “Do you Karla Hall promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?”

“I do” Karla replied.

“Thank you Karla.” ADA Marks said with a soft smile. “Karla can you tell us about the day you and your mom first met Mr. Kent?”

“Sure. We had left Daytona earlier that day and headed toward Nashville. I went to sleep in the back seat and I guess she was tired and didn’t have money for a hotel room so she stopped at a rest area somewhere in Georgia. Garrett knocked on the car window while we were sleeping and woke us both up.” Karla paused and tried to remember everything from that night. “She got out of the car and talked to him for a minute before they both got back in the car and we left.”

“Do you recall what was said?”

“Not word for word, but he asked her where she was going. After she told him he said that he’d go with her. Then she pointed me out to him and he just looked at me. I remember that I thought it was starting all over again.”

“What was starting all over again?”

“My mom had a habit of picking up the kind of men that shouldn’t be around children. What made it worse was she always blamed me when something happened. I had a feeling that this was just going to be more of the same.”

“Okay Karla. Why don’t you tell the court what happened after that night?”

“Well, we made it to Nashville and slept in the car for a couple of nights before my mom and Garrett both found jobs in a bar. After the first night working mom used her tip money to rent a one room apartment over a free-lance recording studio. Everything was fine for about a week. Then one night when mom was working and Garrett wasn’t he came in drunk and had a woman with him. I was awake in my corner on the blanket I slept on and I saw them come in and start taking each other’s clothes off. I turned over so I couldn’t see them, but I could still hear them. By the time mom got home from work the woman was gone and Garrett was passed out on the bed. The next morning I tried to tell her what had happened, but she called me a liar and slapped me across the face.” She paused, took a deep breath and a sip of water. She knew she had to get it out so she continued. “When she told Garrett what I’d said he hit me. Not like the slap she’d given me, but he balled up his fist and punched me in the stomach. It hurt so bad I threw up. Then he hit me again and told me that I was a lying brat and didn’t deserve to live.”

“Take your time Karla. We’re not in a hurry here.”

“I was so scared that he would kill me, but he and mom both worked the next few nights, so I was alone. The next time she worked and he didn’t the same thing happened again. He came in drunk with another woman, a different woman than before. This time after she left, before mom came home, he pushed me against the wall and told me that if I said anything to her that he’d do to me everything he’d done to that woman. I was so scared that I didn’t say anything.”

“Thank you Karla. Can you tell us what happened the night before your mom got arrested and he disappeared?”

“The night before that was different. Mom was at work and Garrett had some friends over. They were all drinking and doing it. I was curled in my corner, hoping no one would see me. When one of Garrett’s female friends saw me she came over to me and asked me if I liked the show. When I didn’t respond she smacked me and asked again. I shook my head and buried my face in my knees. She grabbed my hair and jerked my head up and made me watch while Garrett did it with another woman. When they were done she let my hair go and walked away from me. I immediately turned over and forced myself to go to sleep.”

“When my mom came home it was about two-thirty in the morning and everyone was gone. As she and Garrett were getting ready for work that night I told her what had happened. She slapped my face and told me I was just jealous and lying about it all because I wanted Garrett for myself. Then she told Garrett and walked out the door. When she was gone he started hitting me and when I couldn’t stand anymore he kicked me. By the time he was done I couldn’t move. When he left for work I was able to crawl over to my blanket on the floor before I passed out from the pain.”

“Okay Karla. Thank you. That’s all the questions I have for you. Ms. Jenkins, do you have any questions for Karla?”

“I do ADA Marks, thank you.” She stood and walked over to Karla. “Miss Hall, are you telling me that your mother let Mr. Kent do this to you and didn’t try to stop it?”

“Yes. That’s what she always did. It’s how she was.”

“Mr. Kent claims that he never touched you. That he doesn’t know how you got the bruises and broken bones.”

“With all due respect ma’am, he’s lying.”

“I have a written statement from him that he left when your mother did that night. That they rode to work together and that he was with her up until the cops showed up. That’s when he grabbed her keys and took off in her car.”

“Have you verified that with the bar owner Ms. Jenkins?” ADA Marks asked from her seat at the table. “Because according to him, Mr. Kent was over an hour late that night and had cuts and scrapes on his knuckles. His exact words were, ‘It looked like he’d gone five rounds in the ring and won.’” She added, reading from her notebook.

After being put in her place Ms. Jenkins looked at Karla for a second before she said, “Well then I guess I have no further questions for you Miss Hall. Ms. Marks, I’ll be seeing you in court.”

“I look forward to it Ms. Jenkins.” ADA Marks said after she turned the camera off. “Thank you Karla. I’m sure your testimony will help us keep Mr. Kent off the streets for a long time.”

“I hope so Ms. Marks. Can I go now? I have homework to do.”

ADA Marks laughed. “Yes, Karla. You may go now. Thank you again.”

“You’re welcome.”

When Karla left the room ADA Marks turned to Andrew and Leslie. “That is one brave and intelligent young lady you have there. She didn’t back down when Ms. Jenkins applied a little pressure. She’d make an amazing lawyer someday. I must be going though. I have a trial to finish preparing for.” With that she grabbed the camera and was gone.

“Well Bob, would you like to stay for dinner? You can call Meghan and she can bring Harvey over. We’ll make a family dinner out of it. I think Karla could use that.”

“Sounds wonderful sis. I’m very proud of Karla and how she handled everything. ADA Marks was right, she is a very brave and intelligent young lady.” Bob smiled and called his wife as he thought to himself, she fits right in with them.

“Did you see the poster for the Halloween costume dance next Friday night?” Callie asked them all the next afternoon when she got on the bus and sat in her usual seat beside Rylee.

“Yes and I’m totally excited about it. I think we should all go shopping this weekend and get coordinating costumes.” Rylee said and bounced in her seat.

Conner groaned as Callie and Karla nodded their heads in excitement.

“You three are not going to make me dress up as something girly. I will refuse to go if you do.” Conner said and grinned at the three of them. He’d do anything they wanted if it meant making Karla smile.

“Oh, come on Con. You know us better than that.” Callie said to her brother as she batted her eyelashes and looked innocently at him. Karla and Rylee burst out laughing.

“Oh yeah, I know you three, that’s the problem.” Conner chuckled. “Karla, do you have any costume ideas?”

“Humm…. Let me think. Ohh.. I got it. Rylee, you can be Rosetta, Callie, you can be Silvermist, Conner, you can be Terence and I can be Fawn from Tinkerbell. It’ll be cute”

Conner groaned again, causing more laughter from the girls. When the bus stopped at Karla’s stop they all filed out, the driver didn’t try to stop them anymore, and walked up the sidewalk to the house. “Leslie I’m home.” Karla announced as she opened the front door.

“I’m in the kitchen” Leslie answered.

“Of course she is.” Karla said to her friends and they all started laughing again.

“What’s so funny?” Leslie asked as they entered the kitchen.

“We’ve been discussing Halloween costume ideas. Speaking of Halloween, there’s a costume dance at school next Friday night. I was wondering if I can go with Rylee, Callie and Conner.”

“Of course you can. I can give you all a ride if you want.”

“That’d be great.” Karla said and they all nodded in agreement. “We were also wondering if you could take us to pick out Halloween costumes Saturday.”

Conner groaned again and caused the girls to erupt into laughter once more.

“Conner I’m assuming from your reaction that they want matching or themed costumes.”

“Yeah. Tinkerbell.” Conner groaned again

Leslie’s laughter mixed with the girl’s and soon Conner was laughing too. When they were finally able to stop laughing Leslie got them all a snack and they went up to Karla’s room to do their homework and discuss costume ideas.

An hour later they were finished with their homework and were talking about super hero costumes when Callie’s phone signaled a text message. “OMG!!” She squealed in delight. “You will never guess who just texted me.”

“Who?” Rylee and Karla asked together.

“Chase Logan” Callie said and squealed again. “He just asked me if I wanted to go to the Halloween dance with him.”

“Yes..yes..YES!! You have got to tell him yes.” Rylee said with a huge grin. “You have liked him since seventh grade. There’s no way you can tell him no.”

Callie looked at her phone and smiled as she sent a message back to Chase. When she was finished she looked back at them and smiled. Within seconds her phone chimed again. “Yay! He sent me a winky face and a smile.”

“Cal you aren’t right.” Conner said with a grin as he turned to Karla. “She has liked Chase for two years and he’s always ignored her. She got her braces off and got contacts over the summer and BAM he’s suddenly asking her to the school dance. I’m happy for you sis.”

“Wow, two years? That’s a lot of time to spend crushing on a guy. Wait, that brings us to five now. I have the perfect costume idea.” Karla grinned before she continued. “X-Men.”

“That’s perfect, and not girly.”

“I love the idea. I’ll text Chase and see if it works for him.” Callie said and looked at her phone again.

“Karla, you can be Storm, Callie can be Mystique, Conner can be Wolverine, Chase can be Cyclopes and I can be Jean Grey. It’s perfect.”

“Chase doesn’t have a costume yet and he loves the X-Men idea. Do you all care if he goes shopping with us Saturday?”

“I definitely don’t care.” Conner spoke up quickly. “It’ll give me someone to talk to while you three take hours upon hours to find the perfect outfit.”

They all three through pillows at Conner and burst out laughing again.

****

The next day during lunch Chase sat with them and they discussed the costumes and where the best places to look for them would be. Right before the bell rang a boy named Dominic Lopez, who was in History and Lit with them, walked up to Rylee. “Rylee, can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure Dominic, but you can talk in front of my friends.”

“I..I..” He started then stopped and cleared his throat. “I was wondering if you’d go to the dance with me.” He finally asked in a rush.

Rylee smiled. “Sure I would, but I have a question for you. Do you like X-Men?”

“That’s a random question, but yes. Why?”

“Well we’re all coordinating our costumes and doing X-Men. I hope that’s okay with you.”

“That sounds good to me. I have no idea where I’m going to get an X-Men costume though.”

“Are you free tomorrow? If so you can meet us at the mall. We’re all going to find our costumes then.” Conner spoke up

“Sure. Sounds good. What time?”

“Dominic you have a lot to learn about these three. We’ll be there at nine when the mall opens and probably won’t leave until it closes at eleven.” Conner was going to enjoy getting to know Dominic and Chase better as his three favorite girls shopped for that perfect costume.