Belinda’s eyes seemed to turn inside her. “That’s why he sought out Vuong at the Bluebell.”
“Right. She made him promise not to tell anyone, but he didn’t promise not to do anything about it. In his naivete, Vick tried to get Vuong to marry her, just so the baby wouldn’t be illegitimate. When he refused, Vick told Vuong he should at least give her some money. When Vuong refused that suggestion and laughed in his face, Vick blew up. That’s why he lashed into Vuong. That’s why he called Vuong perverted. He was referring to the beating and rape. And that’s why he got thrown out on his butt. He was looking after your sister.” Ben paused. “Just like you.”
The full horror of what he had said stabbed Belinda like a knife. She seemed frozen, transfixed.
“Even when he was on trial, Vick wouldn’t tell Cindy Jo’s secret, because he had promised not to, and because in his simple Southern way he thought an illegitimate pregnancy would ruin her reputation, if people found out. The fact is, the man you framed was the only man in this town who tried to help your sister.”
“Oh, my God,” Belinda said softly, over and over again. “I hated that man. I hated him.”
Ben clenched his eyelids shut. “More hate. And with the same result.”
Belinda looked up at him. “What are you going to do?”
Ben felt a clutching inside his chest. “You mean—about what I know? Belinda, I don’t think I have any choice.”
She took both of his hands and pressed her head against his chest. “Ben—if you talk, they’ll try me for murder!”
“And if I don’t, the jury that’s deliberating will probably sentence Vick to death. For a crime you committed.”
“Ben—” She threw her arms around him. “Please don’t do this to me!”
Ben felt a hollow aching in his heart more painful than any of the physical beatings he had endured. He didn’t answer her. He couldn’t.
A rapid, chopping noise slowly filtered into the barn.
“That’s Mike, isn’t it?” Belinda asked. She looked at him accusingly. “You’ve been waiting for him to return. That’s why you kept me here all this time. You’ve been waiting for him!”
“Belinda, I—”
She pushed herself away from him. “I can’t believe you would do this to me!”
“Belinda—”
“Is he going to arrest me? Is that it?”
“I was hoping you would turn yourself in. It’ll look better at trial.”
Her astonished expression slowly became one of horror and loathing. “After what we’ve shared. After all we’ve—You’re turning me in.” She whirled away from him.
Ben reached out and grabbed her hand.
She slapped him away “What do you want?” she said bitterly. “Did you think I was going to kiss you goodbye?” She glared at him, her eyes filled with contempt. “I thought you loved me.” She turned suddenly and raced out of the barn.
Ben heard the helicopter land, and then, a few moments later, he heard Mike emerge and talk briefly with Belinda. Then they both climbed into the copter.
Ben remained in the barn, standing motionless in the dark, as the helicopter bearing the two of them disappeared into the night.
“I do,” he whispered.
PART FOUR
THE REASONS OF THE HEART
69.
SWAIN WAS NOT HAPPY about trying a second defendant for the same murder. It proved he had made a mistake the first time; he had tried to execute an innocent man. Rather than making him more forgiving, however, this knowledge made him defensive, inflexible, and dogmatic. He insisted that this time around there would be no mistakes, and that he would seek nothing less than the maximum sentence.
He would seek the death penalty. For Belinda Hamilton.
Ben had refused to cooperate, had refused even to talk to the prosecution. So Swain subpoenaed him. He was going to be compelled to testify, whether he liked it or not.
After Ben returned to Silver Springs, he tried repeatedly to visit Belinda, who was out on bail and staying at Mary Sue’s under supervision.
She refused to see him.
Although the preliminary hearing went on for hours, Ben could only remember scattered incidents, fleeting images. A few high points. Far more low points.
He didn’t want to be here. No one did. Even Judge Tyler looked uncomfortable. He had tried to convince Swain to reduce the charge from first-degree murder to a lesser offense. Swain wasn’t listening. I’m the DA, he insisted, and the DA sets the charge. And so it went.
Ben had been trying to catch Belinda’s eye since she came into the courtroom. She wouldn’t even look at him.
The hearing began much like the trial Ben remembered so well. The coroner was called to establish that a death had occurred and that the death was caused by two crossbow bolts. After that, however, the shape of the trial began to change.
“The State calls John Pfeiffer to the stand.”
John walked hesitantly to the witness box. It was clear he didn’t want to testify.
After the preliminaries were completed and the foundations were laid, District Attorney Swain asked, “You and the defendant were at the Bluebell Bar when the fight between Donald Vick and Tommy Vuong occurred, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Can you tell the court what you were discussing?”
John regretfully answered the question. “When Vuong came into the bar, she became enraged. She told me how upset she was about what Vuong had done to her sister. How he shouldn’t be allowed to live.”
“And later, during the fight, Vick’s head smashed down on your table.”
“That’s correct.”
“Were any traces of blood, or perhaps, hair, left behind?”
“I’m not sure. I think so.”
Swain held a Ziploc bag in the air. “Have you ever seen a bag like this in the defendant’s possession?”
“Yes. She carries them all the time.”
“Did you ever leave her alone in the bar?”
“Yes, I believe I excused myself and went to the men’s room at one point.”
Swain smiled. “Thank you. No more questions.”
Frank Carroll wanted to testify even less than Pfeiffer. Ben was afraid Frank might lose his temper and give Swain a sharp poke in the eye.
“Have you ever seen documents such as the ones marked State’s Exhibit Six, which I just handed to you?”
“Sure. All the time.”
“And what are they?”
“Hate propaganda. ASP prints this junk. They hand it out on street corners, post it on bulletin boards, stick it under people’s windshield wipers.”
“And where were these particular documents printed?”
Carroll checked the small print. “Birmingham.”
“That’s interesting. Who at Hatewatch was involved in activities against ASP in Birmingham?”
“Many people.”
“Anyone who later came to Silver Springs?”
“Only myself. And Belinda.”
“Mr. Carroll, we had our dust man go over each and every one of these documents very carefully. I think whoever left these documents at the crime scene was very careful. But not careful enough. Would you be surprised to learn that we found the defendant’s thumbprint on one of the documents?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“We’ll bring that out later. Do you think the defendant might have had access to such documents?”
“I’m sure she did. We save it to use as evidence at future trials.”
“Thank you. No more questions.”
Slowly but surely Swain laid all the bricks into place. The case he made against Belinda was strong and certain. Unquestionably she would be bound over for trial.