Fallon arrived with Jasmine from the cleaning company.
Malik waited near the door, his association binder resting on his knees.
Elena sat beside Daniel and squeezed my hand before the judge entered.
The prosecutor introduced photographs, records, and testimony to support the charges.
Patricia’s lawyer challenged the reliability of certain account logs and the interpretation of several conversations.
Both sides asked detailed questions.
The judge interrupted whenever an argument strayed beyond what the evidence could support.
Fallon described the afternoon Patricia visited while she cleaned upstairs.
She did not claim to have seen the device installed.
She described the clock, the canvas bag, and the questions Patricia asked.
Helen identified the car from the night of the delivery.
She did not claim to know what was in the box.
Malik explained the limits of the neighborhood association’s authority.
Each witness provided only a piece of the story.
Together, the pieces offered a clearer picture than any angry speech on my porch ever could.
I had imagined the hearing as a moment when Patricia would finally understand.
Instead, I learned that truth in court was often built from people refusing to say more than they knew.
Chapter 71: My Turn to Speak
I testified about the discovery of the device and the events that followed.
I described the router notification and the reflection behind the mantel clock.
I identified the photographs I had taken before moving the device.
I explained why I disconnected it and how quickly Patricia called.
The prosecutor played her voicemail.
Patricia sat still as her own words filled the room.
My attorney had prepared me for cross-examination.
Patricia’s lawyer asked whether I was taking prescribed medication after surgery.
I answered yes.
He asked whether the medication could affect memory or alertness.
I said I had followed my doctor’s directions and had documented the device with photographs.
He asked whether I had ever permitted Patricia to help around the house.
I said I had permitted her to deliver food and recommend a cleaning service.
I had not agreed to surveillance.
He asked whether I allowed Patricia to straighten the mantel clock.
I said I might have made a casual remark about its placement.
I had not given her permission to hide a camera behind it.
He asked whether I hated Patricia and wanted revenge.
I said I wanted a truthful account of what happened and protection from further intrusion.
My voice shook once when I described the recording of my conversation with Elena.
