Chapter 22 - Lysandra and Ambrose
Lysandra testified first.
Old keys.
Her fear.
Her failure to call.
Old history.
Defense attacked:
“You are divorcing Ambrose.”
“Yes.”
“Angry?”
“Yes.”
“Financial dispute?”
“Ordinary divorce.”
“Motivated to make him look controlling?”
“No.”
“You searched his nightstand.”
“Yes.”
“Without permission.”
“Yes.”
“Removed keys.”
“Yes.”
“Did he ever tell you he intended to harm Callum?”
“No.”
“Did you believe he loved Callum?”
“Yes.”
Good.
Then:
“Why did you keep living with him after finding first key?”
“Cowardice.”
The room went silent.
No self-defense.
Then Ambrose testified.
He admitted everything physical.
Easier than denial.
“Yes, I put Callum in crate.”
“Yes, locked.”
“Yes, previous exercises.”
“Yes, keys.”
“Why?”
“Because he was becoming increasingly avoidant.”
Then:
“I read about graded exposure.”
“Are you a therapist?”
“No.”
“Did parents authorize locked exposure?”
“No.”
“Why tell Callum Rafferty knew?”
“Because Rafferty had asked me to help.”
“Did he know methods?”
“No.”
Then prosecutor:
“If Callum asked to leave, why not open?”
“Because the exercise would fail.”
“What exercise?”
“Learning fear could pass.”
“Could he choose to stop?”
“No.”
There.
“What made that different from punishment?”
“Purpose.”
That was his whole defense.
Purpose.
Then barbecue:
“He frightened Ranger.”
“So you used crate as consequence?”
“I used an opportunity.”
The prosecutor paused.
An opportunity.
Not good.
Then:
“Did Callum consent?”
“He's seven.”
“Exactly.”
Ambrose frowned.
He still did not understand that children can have limits even when adults make decisions.
Then one final:
“If you could do it again today, would you lock him?”
Long pause.
His lawyer looked at him.
Ambrose said:
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I understand now that he experienced it differently than I intended.”
Better.
Not perfect.
Then:
“Would you use locked exposure with another child?”
“No.”
Something had shifted.
Maybe trial.
Maybe losing wife.
Maybe seeing Rafferty.
May you like
The verdict would decide law.
His insight would decide future relationship.
