Page 52 of The 24th Hour
“Your Honor. The People call Ms. Mary Elena Hayes.”
CHAPTER 67
MARY ELENA, LOOKING smart and put together in cobalt blue, stepped out from behind the counsel table and set course for the witness stand. She put her left hand on the Bible, raised her right, and swore before God to tell only the truth. And that wouldn’t be hard for her. It had been well established that Mary Elena had no memory of being beaten and raped.
As late as last week, after another consultation with Parisi, Yuki and Nick Gaines were convinced that if they didn’t call Mary Elena to tell her story in her own words, the defense surely would aggressively present their side; namely,You asked Mr. Cates for sex, didn’t you? The sex was consensual, isn’t that right? You hold an important job, don’t you, Ms. Hayes? How is it that your psychological disorder hasn’t disrupted your job performance in the human resources department at Raymond James over, what is it, four years? Seems a little handy to have a breakdown at Xe Sogni, wouldn’t you say?
It was Schneider’s job to bury Mary Elena. When Yuki introduced Mary Elena, she’d present her as credible and thevictim of terrible crimes perpetrated by the defendant, Tyler Cates.
When Mary Elena had settled into the witness box, Yuki asked her to state her name, which she did. Then, “You feel comfortable testifying?”
“Perfectly. I could get used to all this attention,” Mary Elena said with a smile. She even got a few laughs from the gallery.
“Mary Elena, you remember what His Honor the judge asked me to tell you?”
“Sure. It’s about my alters. If they come out, each has to be sworn in individually.”
“That’s right,” Yuki said. “Okay, what do you remember about the afternoon when you entered a restaurant called Xe Sogni to use the ladies’ room?”
Mary Elena said, “Well, when I walked in, lunch was being served. I asked the maître d’ if I could use the ladies’ washroom.”
Yuki nodded and asked Mary Elena to go on.
“He pointed me to the stairs and when I got to the second floor, I was inside a locker room, and the ladies’ room was to my left. But there was a man near the lockers. I remember that he asked me my name and I didn’t like his tone of voice. I told him my name and kept walking toward the door marked ‘Ladies.’”
“What happened next?”
“This … this guy said he wanted to have sex with me—demanded it—and I just … freaked out. He had no right to come on to me like that, and he frightened me. One of my alters came forward and tried to protect me. I lost time. Idon’t know how much time or what was happening to me, but I’ve been told that when the police came, I was on the floor, mostly naked and quite bruised. And I do remember this: I hurt everywhere.”
Yuki stepped aside so that Mary Elena had full view of the courtroom and asked, “Do you see the man who attacked you?”
Mary Elena said, “There. He’s right there.” And she pointed to the defense table.
“Are you indicating the defendant?”
“Yes. Wearing a blue jacket.
Tyler Cates didn’t flinch.
Yuki asked, “He was a stranger to you, isn’t that right?”
“Yes. A large, aggressive stranger.”
Tyler Cates shot to his feet and shouted out, “Liar! You’re a stone liar!”
Mary Elena froze. The judge told Cates to sit down and for Schneider to restrain his client or the defendant would be removed from the courtroom and returned to lockup—indefinitely.
Yuki thought Mary Elena’s change of tone and expression were extreme as if one of her alters had taken her over. Her eyes were locked on Cates and she looked angry and afraid.
Yuki said gently, “Mary Elena, don’t answer him. Answer me.”
“Okay. The first. Andonly.Time in my life. I ever saw that man. Was in the restaurant changing room. Six months ago.”
Cates jumped to his feet again and yelled, “Pants on fire, Mary whatever your name is! Try telling the truth. Tell about Brookside Psychiatric!”
Yuki felt it. The case was falling apart. Mary Elena was nolonger Mary Elena. Now, she pulled her knees up to her chest, closed her eyes, and screamed. She took a breath and screamed again. Loudly. Painful to hear. She was Lily.
Yuki called up to the judge. “Your Honor, we need a recess, please.”