Chapter 22 - MARCUS TESTIFIES
Marcus testified.
His lawyer had warned him.
He chose anyway.
His story began well.
After my pneumonia, he was scared.
He had watched his father decline before death? My husband died maybe heart attack. Let's say illness. Marcus feared being too late with me.
He moved in.
Saw me forget burner.
Saw me dizzy.
Managed bills.
Then his own debt.
He admitted.
“I was ashamed.”
Why alter POA?
He said:
“I thought Mom had verbally given me broad authority.”
Then why not ask?
“She hated paperwork.”
Then:
“I needed line to keep house repaired and keep us both stable.”
But first draw to divorce lawyer.
“I was drowning.”
There.
Then:
“Did you intend to repay?”
“Yes.”
“Did you think Helen would lose house?”
“No.”
Then guardianship.
“I was afraid she would sell impulsively and regret it.”
Why?
“She was talking about moving after living there thirty years.”
Reasonable? People move.
Then backyard.
He said I became “wild.”
Tried to drive.
He took keys.
I went outside.
Fell.
He tried to clean mud.
I moved toward cage because it was near shed.
He closed it.
“For how long did you intend?”
“A few minutes.”
“Why lock?”
“I was afraid she’d run through gate.”
“Why not call 911?”
“I thought police would scare her.”
Then prewritten draft.
He claimed he had been journaling possible scenarios as part of guardianship preparation.
The kennel line?
He said he had already considered using kennel as temporary barrier after I had tried to leave yard before.
Had I?
No evidence.
Then “if she signs, cancel guardianship.”
He said care agreement would show I accepted his help, reducing conflict.
Then prosecutor cross.
“Mr. Carter, was your mother competent when you opened HELOC?”
“Yes.”
“Your bank application said so.”
“Yes.”
“Was she competent to say no to adding you to title?”
He paused.
“She was emotional.”
“That was not my question.”
“Yes.”
“Did she say no?”
“Yes.”
“Was she competent to say no to paying you two thousand dollars monthly?”
“Yes.”
“Did she?”
“Yes.”
“So when did she become incompetent?”
Silence.
“After she decided to sell?”
“I noticed more problems.”
“After she questioned transfers?”
“Not exactly.”
“After she scheduled an attorney to revoke your authority?”
“No.”
Then draft.
Prosecutor displayed timestamp.
“4:14 p.m. You wrote she would fall.”
“I was anticipating.”
“5:03. You wrote you would secure kennel.”
“Yes.”
“5:11. ‘If asked, mother fell.’”
“I meant because she had fallen before.”
“6:40 approximately, neighbor asks what happened. What did you say?”
Video.
“She fell.”
Silence.
“Coincidence?”
“I panicked.”
Then:
“5:28. ‘Need her to say she is fine if neighbor notices.’ What did you tell your mother on video?”
Marcus closed eyes.
“Tell her you’re fine.”
No way around.
Then folder.
“Why were care agreement and deed beside cage?”
“To talk after she calmed.”
“Why pen?”
“To sign if she agreed.”
“While wet, muddy, after locked in cage?”
“I wasn’t thinking.”
Then:
“You wrote ‘Need control tonight.’”
“Control of situation.”
“‘If she signs, cancel guardianship.’”
“Yes.”
“‘If not, file after incident.’”
“Yes.”
The prosecutor paused.
“What incident?”
Marcus looked at me.
No answer.
That was it.
Not confession.
May you like
No villain speech.
Just a question his own documents had answered before he did.
