The Dark Side - Danielle Steel Page 0,101

in, reporters crowding around them. Austin and his family sat in the row behind the prosecutor’s table, the assistant district attorney was already there with an assistant with a stack of papers on his desk. Cathy arrived a few minutes later, touched Austin’s shoulder, and sat behind them, and Dan Knoll slid into a chair next to her.

Austin had already seen a lawyer about a divorce and sole custody. They were going to request termination of Zoe’s parental rights, and the lawyer said there would be no problem doing that, but he wanted to wait until after the hearing, and possibly the trial, or until after she pled guilty if she did. He said she’d be a fool to go to trial, given the solid evidence against her, and Cathy as an eyewitness who had seen the whole thing.

Brad and Pam were seated across the aisle behind the defense attorney he had hired for Zoe, and Brad looked old and pale, as Pam sat next to him, holding his hand. Austin acknowledged him, and Brad nodded, but it didn’t feel like the right time to go over to him. The tension was too high for all of them as they waited for the judge to step up to the bench.

He arrived a few minutes later, and asked the defense if they had anything to say.

“We’re waiting for your ruling on the competency of my client, Your Honor. My client will be here in a moment. She’s in custody. We’d like to set bail. Her parents are here. She’s not a flight risk.” The judge nodded and didn’t comment, as Austin realized that Beth hadn’t come. She just couldn’t do it. She couldn’t be there for anyone, not even her only child.

Zoe had called Beth once from jail, and her mother had been harsh with her and pointed out to Zoe that she had lost her child, and Zoe had tried to kill hers. Zoe wanted no contact with her after that.

They brought Zoe in, wearing black slacks and a white blouse. She looked faintly rumpled, her hair was neat, and she had on running shoes. They had her in handcuffs and leg shackles which they removed as she walked into court. Austin was watching her closely and wanted to see some sign of torment or remorse, but she looked calm and controlled, and looked at Austin as though she’d never seen him before. As she whispered to her lawyer, her father touched her shoulder, and Zoe turned and smiled at him. She looked calm, normal, and sane as she did.

The judge asked the state-appointed psychiatrist to take the stand then, which he did, and the bailiff swore him in. A female sheriff stood near Zoe in case she tried to make a run for it. The scene was sobering, and Cathy felt slightly dizzy as she watched.

The assistant district attorney rose from the prosecution table, and approached the expert witness, and asked him to state his credentials. It was a long list of schools and associations, which satisfied the court. And then the judge asked him simply if he felt that Zoe Morgan Roberts was competent to stand trial for the attempted murder of her daughter.

“Yes, I do, Your Honor,” he said in a strong clear voice. “We’ve evaluated the defendant for the past thirty days in a locked psychiatric ward. Three competent psychiatrists have seen her daily, and we all concur. She understands the crime she’s accused of, she’s fully conscious of what she did. She was fully aware of her daughter’s potentially fatal allergy at the time. We could find no reason for her not to stand trial. She is competent to stand trial and face the charges. She understands the gravity of the crime.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” the judge dismissed him, and addressed both attorneys. “The defendant will be held without bail until the trial. The arraignment is set for a week from tomorrow. There is no more heinous crime than the murder or attempted murder of a child, and even worse, one’s own. The defendant will remain in custody.” He rapped his gavel hard and left the bench as Zoe stood up and the deputy put the handcuffs and shackles back on. Zoe was expressionless as her father cried, and the lawyer spoke to him in a whisper. Austin stared at Zoe before they led her away. He was in the seat on the aisle, and their eyes met as she stood there.

“I love her