Killing Me Softly: A Thriller Romance Novel [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 31

As I listened to Donnie tell his side of the story in court, I was absolutely beside myself. I looked at Janice in complete surprise. She returned the look, shaking her head.

"So, what you're telling us is you lusted after your half-sister and sexually assaulted her that night?" The prosecutor, Mr. Tomlinson, asked Donnie on the stand. Everyone in the courtroom, including the jury, gasped.

"I loved her, okay? But I did not sexually assault anybody!" Donnie raised his voice, and the judge hit his gavel.

Donnie swiped his dark hair from his pale eyes and glared at everyone. His face was so red that he looked like the devil he was, as if the mask had fallen away.

"I...touched her, yes, but I did not get that far with her, I swear it," Donnie said, raising his hands.

"Uh huh. Then how do you explain the photos detectives retrieved from your phone prior to the incident? The ones you took of her while she was sleeping and attempted to delete from your phone after Theo confronted you about them?"

Donnie shoved a hand back against his hair. "I already told the detectives. I did not take those! Theo did!"

"Let's redirect, shall we? What did you do after you saw the headlights approaching?" Mr. Tomlinson asked.

"I got into my Beemer and hightailed it out of there. She was alive when I left her there. I swear it," Donnie said. "Get the Bible back out. I'll swear it on the Bible if I have to!"

There was a stir in the courtroom as everyone around us said something to each other about Donnie's confession.

"Delilah," Janice said and leaned into my ear, "Do you think he did it?"

I shrugged and gulped, feeling like I needed a drink of water. "I don't know."

"Order in my court, please!" The judge hit the gavel on his stand again, and everyone returned to silence. "Please continue, Mr. Tomlinson."

"So, you attempted to knock her out before you got into your car to leave. Is that correct?" Mr. Tomlinson asked.

"Yes."

"What did you hit her with?"

"I punched her."

"How many times?"

"I don't know. Maybe twice?" Donnie answered and shrugged with a forlorn look on his face.

"And you don't think those punches are what could have killed her, though it was your intention to kill her?"

"It wasn't my intention. I just...wanted to knock her out. That's all. I didn't want to kill her."

"But, you intended to kill her, did you not?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Donnie yelled then looked over at the judge who picked up his gavel. "Sorry, your honor."

"The problem we have here, Donnie, is that you cannot verify whether she was dead or alive before you fled the scene. She was severely wounded from you punching her in the back of the head. Correct?"

Donnie shifted in his seat and frowned at Mr. Tomlinson. "Look, I swear to you, to all of you, she was alive. She was not bleeding. She was unconscious, but she was breathing."

"But how could you be so sure when you knocked her out? She could been bleeding internally or had a traumatic brain injury. Whether you knew it or not, you ultimately left her for dead. Did you not?"

"No, I...I didn't!" Donnie cried out and threw his face into his hands to weep. "I should have stayed and protected her."

"No further questions. Thank you, your honor," said Mr. Tomlinson as he left the bench. "Thank you, Donnie."