Page 77 of The Right to Remain

Bonnie gave him a high five. Even though she’d heard only one side of the conversation, it was enough to get the gist.

“This is big, right?” she asked. “If Elliott didn’t write the list, he probably isn’t the killer.”

“Yeah, it’s big,” said Jack. “But it raises an even bigger question.”

“What?”

“If Owen didn’t write it, and if Elliott didn’t write it, who did?”

Chapter 27

Helena walked straight from the courthouse to the building next door, the office of the state attorney. It took only a few minutes, but a gaggle of reporters followed her all the way to the entrance, peppering her with one question after another.

“Mrs. Pollard, what will your son say?”

“Is he too young to be a witness?”

“Are you worried about him?”

All good questions. She answered none of them, hoping that her sunglasses were enough to hide the worry in her eyes.

A lunchtime meeting with the prosecutorial team wasn’t something Helena had planned, but the surprise announcement of the state’s next witness changed everything. Helena took the elevator to the third floor and met with Julianna Weller in her office.

“You promised me you wouldn’t put Austen on the witness stand unless it was absolutely necessary,” said Helena, her voice quaking.

Weller was seated behind her desk. After several requests that Helena “calm down,” she had taken a seat in the armchair facing the prosecutor.

“I did make that promise,” said Weller. “Unfortunately, in my professional judgment, it is absolutely necessary.”

“What changed?”

“Swyteck is going after you. I understand that it’s a criminal lawyer’s job to create reasonable doubt, but he’s making a stronger case against you than I expected.”

“Let’s not make this aboutme,” said Helena.

“It alreadyisabout you. And the deeper we get into the evidence, the more it will become about you.”

Helena bristled. “What are you talking about?”

“We asked our forensics team to check for fingerprints on Owen’s purported list, as well as the entire notepad. I just received the analyst’s report, which I will have to share with Swyteck this afternoon.”

“What does it say?”

“Not a single print from Elliott Stafford. The only prints are from you and your husband.”

“That’s not surprising. Owen and I used that notepad every day to make our grocery list.”

“It may not be surprising, but it’s still exculpatory. If Elliott wrote that list, one would expect to find his prints somewhere on the pad. At least that’s what Swyteck will argue. Thelackof fingerprints can be powerful evidence.”

“The lack of Elliott’s prints doesn’t proveIwrote it.”

“True. But the presence of your prints only makes it easier for Swyteck to point the finger at you.”

“Let him do all the pointing he wants. But leave Austen out of this until you need him at the trial.”

“I can’t take the risk that Judge Garrison will make Elliott Stafford the rare exception to the rule that accused murderers don’t get out on bail. I need Austen now.”

Helena sighed in frustration. “You need him only because when you look at Elliott, all you can see is a trans man who gave up a baby for adoption when he was a teenage girl.”