Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

When David returned to the courthouse, he met Ashley in her cell.She sat on the little cot and stared at the floor. "Ashley." She looked up, her eyes full of desperation. David sat next to her. "We need to talk." She looked at him, silent. "They're saying horrible things about you...none of them are true. But the jurors don't understand that, and we've got to show them what you're like." Ashley looked at him and said slowly, "What am I like?" "You're a decent man with a disease. They'll sympathize with that."

"what do you want me to do?" "I want you to testify on the witness stand." She was staring at him, terrified. "I...I can't. I don't know anything. I can't tell them anything." "Let me take care of that. All you have to do is answer my questions." A guard walked up to the cell. "The court is about to begin." David stood up and squeezed Ashley's hand, "It will work, just watch." ※※※ "All rise. The court is now in session. Your Honor Tessa Williams presides in 'The People of California v. Ashley Paterson.'"

Judge Williams took his seat on the bench. David said, "May I come to you?" "you can." Mitch Bly was able to walk up to the judge with David. "What is it, Mr. Singer?" "I would like to call a witness who is not on the witness list." "It's too late to bring in new witnesses at this point in the trial," Branen said. "I would like to call Ashley Paterson as my next witness." Judge Williams said: "I don't..." Mitch Blynon said quickly, "The prosecution has no objection, Your Honor." Judge Williams looked at the two lawyers. "Very well. You may call your witnesses, Mr. Singer."

"Thank you, Your Honor." He walked up to Ashley and held out his hand, "Ashley..." She sat there in panic. "You must testify." She stood up, her heart pounding, and she moved slowly, with difficulty, toward the witness stand. Mitch Blynon whispered to Arina, "I've been praying that he'd summon her." Alina nodded and said, "This case is over." Ashley Paterson was led by the clerk to take the oath, "Did you do solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing false, that God may bless you?" "I swear." Her voice was low as a whisper.Ashley took a seat in the witness box.

David walked up to her.He said softly: "I know this is very difficult for you. You have been accused of a horrific crime that you did not commit. All I want is for a jury to know the truth. Do you have the slightest memory of the Yizhu case?" Ashley shook her head: "No." David glanced at the jury, then went on to ask, "Do you know Dennis Tibble?" "Yes. We work together at Universal Computer Graphics." "Have you any reason to kill Dennis Tibble?" "No." It was painful for her to speak, "I... I went to his apartment to give him the advice he asked me to give, and that was the last time I saw him."

"Do you know Richard Melton?" "No……" "He was a painter. He was killed in San Francisco. The police found your DNA and fingerprints there." Ashley shook her head from side to side. "I... I don't know what to say. I don't know him!" "You know Adjutant Sam Black?" "Yes. He was helping me. I didn't kill him!" "Did you know you have two other personalities or alter-egos in you, Ashley?" "Yes." Her voice was tense. "When did you learn that?" "Before the trial. Dr. Salem told me this. I couldn't believe it at the time. I...I still can't believe it. It was...it was horrific."

"You didn't know these other selves at all before this?" "have no idea." "You've never heard of Toni Prescott or Aliette Peters?" "No!" "Do you now believe they exist inside you?" "Yes... I have to believe it. They must have done all these... these horrible things..." "Then you have no recollection of ever meeting Richard Melton, and you have no motive for killing Dennis Tibble or Sheriff Sam Black, who was in your apartment to protect you?" "Yes." Her eyes flicked to the crowded courtroom, and she felt a panic.

"One last question," said David, "have you ever broken a law?" "there has never been." David put his hands on hers. "That's it for now." He turned to Branen. "Go ahead and ask." Blaine stood up, all smiles on his face. "Okay, Miss Paterson, we can finally talk to all of you. When did you ever have sex with Dennis Tibble?" "No." "Have you ever had sex with Richard Melton?" "No." "At what point did you ever have sex with Adjutant Sam Black?" "No." "That would be interesting." Blaine glanced at the jury. "Because, traces of vaginal discharge were found on the bodies of three men. The DNA test results match your DNA."

"I... I don't know anything about it." "Maybe you were framed. Maybe some demon got it..." "No! It's debatable." "invalid objection." "And sprinkle it on the three mutilated bodies. Do you have any enemies that would do that to you?" "I have no idea." "The FBI's fingerprint lab examined the fingerprints found by the police at the crime scene. I'm sure this will surprise you..." "be opposed to." "The objection is valid. Take care, Mr. Brannan." "Yes, Your Honor."

David sat down slowly, satisfied. Ashley is on the verge of hysteria. "Those others I'm sure..." "The fingerprints at the scene of the three homicides are yours and yours only." Ashley sat there, silent. Bly can walk over to a table, pick up a butcher knife wrapped in cellophane, and hold it up. "Do you recognize this?" "It... it could be one of my... one..." "One of your knives? Yes, it's included in the exhibits. The blood on it is that of Sheriff Blake. Your fingerprints are on the murder weapon." Ashley was shaking her head blindly from side to side.

"I've never seen a more unmistakable case of cold-blooded murder or a more feeble defense. Hiding behind two imaginary characters that don't exist is the most..." David stood up again. "be opposed to." "The objection is valid. I have warned you, Mr. Brannan." "I'm sorry, Your Honor." Blaine continued, "I'm sure the jury wants to meet the characters you're talking about. You're Ashley Paterson, right?" "yes……" "Okay. I want to speak to Toni Prescott." "I...I can't let her out." Blaine looked at her in surprise. "You can't? Really? Well, what about Aliette Peters?" Ashley shook her head in despair. "I... I can't control them." "Miss Paterson, I'm trying to help you," said Branen, "find your alter ego who murdered and castrated three innocent men for the jury to see. Get them out!" "I...I can't." She was crying. "You can't, because they don't exist! You're hiding behind an avatar. You're the only one sitting in that seat, and you're the only one guilty. They don't exist, but you exist, and I'm going to tell you that you still exist What - irrefutable, indisputable evidence that you killed three men and castrated them in cold blood." He turned to Judge Williams. "Your Honor, the prosecutor's questioning is over." David turned to look at the jury.They were all glaring at Ashley, and their faces were filled with disgust. Judge Williams turned to David: "What question do you have, Mr. Singer?" David stood up. "Your Honor, I would like your permission to hypnotize the defendant so that..." Judge Williams brusquely said: "Mr Singer, I warned you before this that I would not turn this trial into a circus sideshow. You cannot hypnotize her in my courtroom. The answer is: No .” Davy said emotionally, "You have to make me do this. You don't know how important it is..." "Enough, Mr. Singer." Her voice was icy. "I've summoned you a second time for contempt of court. Do you want to question witnesses again or not?" David stood where he was, frustrated. "Yes, Your Honor." He went to the witness stand. "Ashley, do you understand that you took the oath?" "Yes." She was panting deeply, trying to control herself. "Then everything you've said is the truth as you know it?" "yes." "Did you know that you have two alter egos in your head and body and soul that you can't control?" "yes." "Toni and Elliott?" "yes." "You didn't commit any of those horrific murders?" "No." "One of them did it, and you're not responsible." Alina looked at Braneng inquiringly, but he smiled slightly and shook his head. "Let him hang himself," he whispered. "Helen..." David stopped talking, his face paled because of his slip of the tongue, "I mean, Ashley... I want you to let Toni out!" Ashley looked at David, shaking her head helplessly. "I...I can't," she whispered. David said, "No, you can. Toni's listening to us right now. She's having fun, why isn't she? She committed three murders and got away with it." He raised his voice. "You're smart, Toni. Come out and bow. No one can touch you. They can't punish you because Ashley is innocent and they have to punish her if they want to punish you." Everyone in the courtroom was staring at David.Ashley sat there stiffly. David moved closer to her. "Toni! Toni, can you hear me? I want you out. Now!" He waited for a while and nothing happened.He raises his voice. "Toni! Elliott! Come out! Come out. We all know you're there!" The courtroom was silent. David lost control.He was yelling, "Come out! Show your true colors...Damn it! Now! Now!" Ashley couldn't help but burst into tears. Judge Williams said furiously: "Come to me, Mr Singer." Slowly, David walked up to the judge. "Have you finished cross-examining your client, Mr. Singer? I am going to make a report on your conduct to the State Bar. You are a disgrace to your profession, and I will recommend that you be disbarred." David was speechless. "Do you have any witnesses to call?" David shook his head miserably. "No, Your Honor." it's over.He has lost. Ashley was about to be executed. "The witnesses for the defense have completed their testimony." ※※※ Joseph King sat in the back row of the courtroom listening, stern-faced.He turned to Harvey Udale. "Get rid of him." Jin Kai stood up and left. Udale stopped David as he left the courtroom. "David..." "Hello, Harvey." "Unfortunately, it turned out like this." "this is not……" "Mr. Kim would hate to do it, but, uh, he thinks it might be better if you don't come back to the company. Good luck." ※※※ As soon as David stepped out of the courtroom, he was surrounded by television cameras and shouting reporters. "Have you a statement, Mr. Singer?" "We heard Judge Williams say you're going to be disbarred..." "Judge Williams said she would detain you for contempt of court. Do you think you..." "The experts feel you've lost the case. Are you going to appeal?" "Our network legal experts say your client will be sentenced to death..." "What are your plans for the future?" David got into his car without a word and drove away.