Page 68
Today, I am only calling Aiden and Director Jackson to the stand. I will call the rest of my witnesses at the next court day. I will use Aiden to show his good character. His passion for Eden and being a reaper. His careful mindfulness of the rules. Our case is a little shaky right now. Prosecution has a solid case, so I need to put a whole lot of cracks in it. I don’t know how yet, but I’ll figure it out. It’s what I do. Drink mimosas and figure things out.
“Defense may call its first witness,” the judge announces.
I stand and clear my throat. “Defense calls Aiden Kim to the stand.” Chris’ eyebrows jump up. Murmurs begin around the room. Everyone must be shocked by this, not expecting me to call him to the stand. Aiden stands and buttons his suit jacket. He strolls to the witness stand in that nonchalant, sexy way of his that I’m obsessed with.
The bailiff walks up to him. “Raise your right hand. Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you, Reaper?”
“I do,” he swears.
“Please, take a seat.”
I walk until I am at a decent distance from the witness stand.
“State your name for the record.”
“Aiden Kim,” he replies with ease.
“How long have you been a reaper?”
“Five years.”
I cock my head. “What made you want to work with the Collection department?”
He smiles. “There are many reasons. First, Director Taevian was the one who collected my soul. He helped me through many of the feelings and regrets I went through. I owe a lot to him.”
“What else?” I encourage him with a smile.
“I love that Collection reapers are the first ones to greet a soul. We are the beginning of the process. I take that responsibility seriously. I have always loved helping people in their vulnerable moments.” He shakes his head. “I would never intentionally, negligently, or knowingly take the wrong person’s life.”
“Did you deviate from normal procedures the day in question?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No. I did everything I was supposed to do.”
I nod, then direct my attention to the judge. “Your honor. That is all my questions.”
As I take a seat, Chris stands and walks to the witness stand. He immediately jumps into his questioning.
“You got into a lot of fights when you were younger, correct?” he asks. See, that’s the issue with putting your client on the stand. They testify to how good of a person they are and how they would never do what they are being accused of. It opens the door for opposing counsel to attack the character of the defendant with past incidents. Like how Chris is doing right now. That does not stop me from trying to prevent it.
I rise and slam my hands on the desk. “Objection! Your honor. Prejudicial and irrelevant.”
Judge Hobbs raises a hand. “I’ll allow it.” I sit back in my chair and cross my arms.
Aiden hesitates. “Yes…I was an angry child. But my parents—”
Chris cuts him off. “You also got into a fight during college, correct?
“Yes, but—”
“During your probation, you went to collect souls that escaped from Hell against court orders, correct?’
“Yes. I was trying to help Eden,” Aiden answers.
“You also collected a soul when the glitch in the system occurred. Correct?”
“Yes, but—” he stops and looks at me. “Yes.”
Shit. It was stupid of me to try to help with collecting souls. Now, it is affecting Aiden’s case, since he doesn’t want to tell Chris that he was actually saving his irresponsible lawyer’s ass.
