Chapter 24 - MASON TELLS THE TRUTH WITHOUT BECOMING A HERO
Mason appeared by closed-circuit video from another room because the court approved the arrangement.
I was not beside him.
A trained support person was nearby.
The prosecutor asked simple questions.
"Do you know Trent?"
"Yes."
"Who is he?"
"Dad’s cousin."
"What happened to your leg?"
"He hit it."
"With what?"
"The metal stick."
"Why were you near the table?"
"My football went there."
"Did you touch the brown bag?"
"No."
"Had you touched it before?"
"I touched the cards at Grandma Patricia’s."
"What happened then?"
"Trent said don’t."
Then defense.
"Mason, were you told not to touch Great-grandpa Dominic’s belongings?"
"Yes."
"Did you touch cards anyway?"
"Yes."
"Did Trent hit you that day?"
"No."
"At field day, did your ball go under the memorial table?"
"Yes."
"Could Trent have thought you were reaching for the bag?"
Mason thought.
"Maybe."
Good.
Then:
"Did Trent tell you before the strike that he was going to hit you?"
"No."
"Did you see him swing?"
"No. I was looking down."
"Then how do you know he did it on purpose?"
Mason frowned.
"Because he hit me."
The attorney tried again.
"Could it have been an accident?"
Mason looked offended.
"He said he’d break me."
No speech.
No precocious courtroom triumph.
May you like
A seven-year-old remembering the sentence attached to pain.
Enough.
