by Londyn Skye
“Yes!” J.R. barked, his respectful facade now completely gone.
“But just like those incriminating letters, you don’t have any spent shells here to prove it, do you?”
“No!”
“So, we just have to take your word for it, just like those imagin– incriminating letters.”
“I ain’t no goddamn liar!” J.R. spat.
“Of course you’re not,” Mason replied in his infamous condescending tone. “You also stated in your testimony that you wanted to immediately let your father know the content of these alleged letters, correct?”
“Of course.”
“Your brother, James, is a prominent town doctor who serves our community. With the content of those letters allegedly revealing his illegal conduct, why did you not report him to the sheriff first? If Mary Jo gave you those letters at Albert’s store, as you stated, you were no more than one-hundred yards from the sheriff’s office.”
“’Cause, Lily’s my fatha’s slave and James is his son. I wanted to know how he preferred to handle the situation,” J.R. replied, sitting up tall after thinking of his lie so quickly.
“As the firstborn son, your father chose you as his namesake. J.R. stands for Jesse Roscoe, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Despite being your father’s firstborn and his namesake, which of his three sons did your father decide would be the executor of his estate upon his passing?”
J.R. felt his blood start to boil over the question. “James,” J.R. answered, his irritation over that fact obvious in his tone.
“Did you agree with your father’s decision?”
“No!”
“OBJECTION!” Tobias yelled again.
“For what Mr. Crumwell?” the judge asked.
“I don’t see what this line of questionin’ has to do with this case.”
“There is indeed a point, one which I could get to if Mr. Crumwell wasn’t so impatient!” Mason replied, turning to burn Tobias with his eyes.
“Overruled … but this betta’ be goin’ somewhere.”
Mason nodded then turned his attention back to J.R. “Now, just who do you believe your father should’ve chosen to handle his estate upon his death?”
“I’ve clearly been my fatha’s most loyal son. That answer is obvious.”
“So, you felt as though it should’ve been you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think the illegal content in James and Lily’s alleged letters would have changed your father’s mind about who should be the executor of his estate?”
“If y’ur insinuatin’ that I concocted this story for that reason then y’ur outta y’ur damn mind!”
“I’m not insinuating anything about your lies … I mean your story. I’m simply asking if you believe such information might have persuaded your father to revoke James’s executorship?”
“OBJECTION!” Tobias interrupted again. “Your honor this witness is not a mind reader! He can’t possibly know what his father would have done.”
Mason glared at Tobias with annoyance beaming from his eyes. He then turned to the judge. “Your honor, it doesn’t matter how his father would have actually reacted to this news. I’m asking this witness what he thinks the outcome may have been. Such a question is fair in determining his motives for telling his father about these alleged letters first and not the sheriff.”
“Overruled. Answer the question Mr. Adams.”
Mason glared at Tobias again until he slowly stuffed his wide posterior back into his chair. He then turned back to J.R. with a look of annoyance still on his face. “Again, after your father learned of your brother’s illegal conduct, do you believe he would have changed his mind about who should be the executor of his estate?”
J.R. glared back at Mason with equal annoyance in his eyes. “No!” he replied, defiantly refusing to give him a true answer.
Mason let his glare of disdain linger on J.R. for a few seconds before changing the subject. “You claim that your brother, James, stole Lily from your father’s plantation hours after your altercation with her in the kitchen, correct?”
“Yes.”
“With your own eyes, did you see your brother take Lily off your father’s farm that night?”
“No.”
“If you did not see him, how do you know that he was the one who stole her?”
“Lily was unconscious the last time I saw her and James was there with her. Ain’t no way she could ‘a run off without his help.”
“Lily was unconscious?”
“Yes.”
“You claim that your father whipped Lily three or four times that evening for misbehaving, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Did your father also punch or kick her while punishing her?”
“He did what he had to do to correct her behavior!”
“I understand that. But I would like the court to have a clearer picture of the way you saw your father correcting Lily. So, did he also punch or kick her?”
“I don’t recall!”
“Well, how exactly did he break his hand during their altercation?”
“I don’t know!”
“If Lily was only whipped three or four times, as you testified, how did she end up completely unconscious as you just stated a moment ago?”
“My fatha’ was well within his rights to punish his property the way he saw fit! That’s all I have to say about that, now what’s y’ur next damn question?!” J.R. barked.
“Just hours after your father punished Lily, you admit that she gave birth, correct?”
“Yes!”
“You also admit that Lily couldn’t have been any further than six months along according to those letters, correct?”
“Yes! So?”
“Do you believe that the punishment your father inflicted might have possibly contributed to Lily giving birth early?”
“OBJECTION!” Tobias interjected again. “This witness is not a doctor or a midwife! He can’t adequately answer a question of that nature.”
“Sustained,” the judge replied.
“You testified that you think James killed Lily’s baby because he did not want your father to own it, correct?” Mason asked.
“Yes.”
“So, you did not actually see him kill the baby?”
“No.”
“In your lifetime, have you ever known of any woman who has given birth at six-months gestation and had the fetus survive?”
“Yes! Lily’s!” J.R. turned to glare at his brother. “The little mutt she gave birth to was alive until James smothered it!”
A low rumble of whispers suddenly rippled through the crowd. The judge lightly banged his gavel again. “Quiet down please!”
“Your brother is a doctor who swears an oath to save lives, but you still think he would be capable of smothering a baby that you claim is his?” Mason asked, sounding stunned by such a notion.
“So, what that he’s a goddamn doctor! He’s also a ragin’ lunatic who’s capable of any damn thing!” J.R. said, continuing to glare at James. “Looney fucker sat there cryin’ ova’ that damn dead baby afta’ he murdered it!”
“He was holding a dead baby. I think any normal human being would get emotional over such a thing … Caucasian, Negro, or otherwise, don’t you think?”
“Ain’t nothin’ but a goddamn piece ‘a property far as I’m concerned. I’d cry ova’ my dead horse ’fore I cry ova’ a worthless dead nigga’!” he said, still staring at his brother.
James used every ounce of his strength to resist the urge to snatch the pistol off the bailiff’s hip and shoot J.R. between the eyes.
“So, you admit that you never saw James murder Lily’s baby? And you also don’t have a confession from James or Lily about the baby’s paternity, nor do you have any letters to prove who the child’s father really was either?”
“I’m confident about what I read in them letta’s, so I’m convinced the mutt James murdered was his!”
“OBJECTION!” Tobias yelled, struggling to his feet.
“One more lewd innuendo and I’ll hold you in contempt of this court!” the judge warned, pointing his gavel at Mason.
“No need for that, your honor.” He glared harshly at J.R. “I’m finished with this witness.”
“Any follow-up questions for Mr. Adams,” the judge asked Tobias.
“No, your honor.”
“You may step down Mr. Adams.”
J.R. got up from the witness box and walked toward his seat in the crowd. Everyone in the courtroom could sense the extreme tension between brothers as J.R. made his way toward the gallery exit. All patrons watched his every step in total silence as J.R. got closer to James. Both glared at each other like two lions prepared to pounce. Sensing that a fury-driven explosive fight was on the horizon, the bailiff took a step closer to James, ready to intervene. The courtroom collectively exhaled when J.R. breezed out of the gallery and sat down in his reserved seat in the pews.
Tobias finally struggled to his feet after the staring war between the brothers finally ended without a bloodbath. “I’d like to call Carolyn Whitfield to the stand,” he announced to the court.
Meekly, Carolyn made her way from the witness holding room, through the gallery, and up to the stand. After being sworn in, she sat down, patted the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief, and took a deep breath to compose herself.
“Thank you for bein’ here today, Mrs. Whitfield,” Tobias began.
“You’re welcome,” she replied.
“You’re Dr. Gideon Whitfield’s wife, correct?”
“Yessa’, I am.”
“How long have you and Gideon been married?”
“Nearly six years.”
“And you have a son together, correct?”
“Yessa’, Brandon. He’s almost three-years-old.”
“And how do you know the defendant, Dr. James Adams.”
“Gideon introduced me to him when he first came back to Fayetteville nearly two years ago. He worked with Gideon in his medical practice for a while.”
“So, Gideon and James knew each otha’ well?”
“Yessa’. Gideon helped deliva’ James when he was born. He took care of him and his brotha’s as they grew up. Afta’ he came back from medical school, Gideon wanted James to take ova’ his medical practice and to be his successor as the town doctor.”
“Did the defendant, James Adams, come by your house the night of April seventeenth this year?”
“Yessa’.”
“Can you tell the court exactly what happened when he stopped by?”
“Gideon and I were both startled awake by James poundin’ on our door like a madman. Gideon was so startled by the way he was beatin’ on the door that he grabbed his shotgun before he answered it.”
“Do you know what James was there for?”
“No sa’. I’s at the top of the stairs when Gideon answered the door, but I could tell James seemed awfully panicked. Gideon settled him down, then he reassured me that it was okay for me to go on back to bed. Then he stepped outside to speak with James in private, so I neva’ got to hear what had him so frantic.”
“Did Gideon go back to bed with you afta’ James left?”
“No sa’. About twenty minutes lata’, Gideon came back in the house and told me that there was an emergency he was goin’ to tend to with James and that he’d be back in a few days. He said if anybody asked where he was, he wanted me to tell ’em that he’d gone on one of his usual medical mission trips to trade supplies and help otha’ doctors. Then he kissed me goodbye and left.”
“Did your husband eva’ return home in a few days as he stated he would?”
Carolyn lowered her head. “No sa’ … that was the l-last t-time I eva’ s-saw him,” she replied, her tears instantly returning.
“I know this is difficult Mrs. Whitfield. I’m sorry to put you through this. But do you think your husband would eva’ be the sort of man to suddenly abandon you?”
Carolyn immediately raised her head. “NO! NEVA’! He loves me and h-he especially l-loves Brandon! He would neva’ abandon his s-son!”
“What’s the longest stretch of time your husband has eva’ been gone on one of his medical mission trips?”
“On two occasions in the past, he was gone nearly four weeks. But he’d write to me at least once a week to let me know where he was and how he was doing and that he was thinking of me and Brandon. He’s neva’ been gone this long without communicatin’, so I know in my heart somethin’ ain’t right.”
“The night Gideon went with Dr. Adams is the same night that Willard McKinley, Jethro Blankenship, and Jeb McClintock were allegedly murdered by Dr. Adams, correct?”
“Yessa’.”
“When you discovered that information, you went to speak with Dr. Adams in prison, correct?”
“Yessa’.”
“What were you there to ask him?”
Carolyn suddenly turned toward James, her face red with anger. “I wanted to know if he murdered my husband too!” she screamed.
The crowd immediately erupted in low level chatter again. “QUIET!” Judge Lucifer warned, lightly banging his gavel.
“What was Dr. Adams’ response?” Tobias asked after the chatter ceased.
“He cowardly claims that h-he doesn’t know anything about my husband’s disappearance!”
“No furtha’ questions at this time, your honor,” Tobias said, waddling back to his seat.
“Mr. Rockefeller, any questions for this witness?”
“Yes, your honor.” Mason stood and strolled toward Carolyn, his confident bravado even more exaggerated in the presence of a woman. “Mrs. Whitfield, Dr. Adams was not the only person to come by your house on the night your husband disappeared, was he?”
“No sa’.”
“Just hours before that, is it true that Jesse, J.R. and Jacob Adams all stopped by seeking medical treatment from Gideon too?”
“Yessa’.”
“Were you nearby or assisting your husband in any way as he tended to them?”
“I was actually. I’s fetchin’ rags, wata’, and tincture, that kind of thing.”
“What was J.R. seeking medical attention for?”
“He had a stab wound in his arm that needed stitches.”
“Did he say how he had sustained his injury?”
“I ova’heard him say a slave had stabbed him.”
“Do you recall the name of the slave?”
“Yessa’. Said ’er name was Lily.”
“Do you recall the reason she stabbed J.R.?”
“He said he asked ’er for some lemonade and she attacked ’em for it.”
“Did J.R. mention anything about Lily snatching letters from him before the altercation?”
Carolyn shook her head. “No sa’. Not that I recall. He just kept sayin’ that she erupted ova’ somethin’ as ridiculous as lemonade.”
“Did J.R. mention anything about Lily being naked?”
Carolyn looked perplexed by the question. “Um, no sa’,” she replied, her face suddenly red with embarrassment. “He definitely neva’ said anything about her bein’ nude.”
“Do you recall the reason Jesse Adams needed medical attention?”
“Yessa’. Gideon said his hand was broken.”
“Did Jesse say exactly how he might have sustained that injury?”
“I rememba’ him sayin’ that he was punishin’ Lily for stabbin’ J.R.”
“Did he say that he punched her?”
“Not that I recall. He just said he was punishin’ her. He didn’t elaborate.”
“Did you see Jesse’s fist?”
“Yessa’, actually, I did.”
“Were there bruises or swelling on his knuckles?”
Carolyn swallowed hard. “Yessa’, his entire right fist was bruised a
nd swollen.”
“In your opinion, did the bruising and swelling look to you as if they could have been sustained from excessively punching someone?”
“OBJECTION! She’s no medical expert!” Tobias yelled.
“Sustained,” the judge replied calmly.
“When Dr. Adams stopped by later that evening, did you ever see Lily in his possession?” Mason continued.
“No sa’.”
“Did your husband ever mention that Lily was with James before he left with him that evening?”
“No sa’.”
“You said you have a three-year-old son named Brandon, correct?”
“Yessa’.”
“There was a time when your little boy was seriously ill back in January of last year. On the verge of death, actually, wasn’t he?”
“Y-yessa’. That’s true,” Carolyn replied, her heart suddenly picking up pace.
“Your husband, who has been a doctor in this town for over forty years, was unable to figure out what was wrong with Brandon, correct?”
“Yessa’.”
“Mrs. Whitfield, who was it that finally diagnosed your son’s bizarre ailment?”
Carolyn sheepishly looked over at James. “Dr. Adams.”
“And isn’t it true that Dr. Adams paid out of his own pocket to purchase the necessary drug cocktail to treat your son’s ailment?”
“Y-yessa’.”
“Isn’t it true that he mixed the drugs and administered it to your son as well?”
“Y-yessa’.”
“Is your son currently healthy, Mrs. Whitfield?”
“Yessa’.”
“Is it fair to say that you owe that fact to Dr. Adams?”
Carolyn swallowed hard. “Y-yessa’,” she replied sheepishly.
“You admitted in your earlier testimony that your husband wanted Dr. Adams to be his successor as the town’s doctor and to take over his medical practice, correct?”
“Yessa’.”
“So, Mrs. Whitfield, please answer this honestly. Do you really believe that a man who has exemplified such compassion and trustworthiness would then maliciously shatter the heart of the little boy he saved by murdering his father?”