What Happened That Night

“Yeah. Dottie said my mom and Cheryl hadn’t spoken for several years. They had a fight, so Aunt Ruthie missed my parents’ wedding. The first time she met me was when I was three, the day before my mom died.”

Troy sat on the armrest of the overstuffed chair that had been rejected by the donation truck. We listed it on a local giveaway website, but nobody seemed to want a much-loved chair, regardless of price.

“Dottie has known my father since they were kids. She told me that he loved my mom and me, and he just wasn’t capable of murder. Online, I read an article that said the entire community was shocked by my mom’s death and didn’t believe my father could do something like that.”

I knew I needed to stop talking and allow Troy a chance to respond, but I was on a roll, so I kept going. “My father was a football coach, and while some people didn’t like his style of coaching and thought he was too hard on the kids, most of the other coaches and parents supported him. The secretary at the school said he was always talking about how much he adored my mom and me. She said that my father knew about my mom’s affair, but they were trying to put it behind them and save their marriage.”

Troy held up his hands to stop me. I pressed my lips together and fell silent.

“Look, Brandy, I understand why you’re excited about the possibility of your father being innocent. I get it. I do. Nobody wants to believe their parent is capable of violence. But I have to tell you, nearly every criminal has at least one person who believes they didn’t do it.”

“But what about all the cases listed on the Innocence Project website? Countless people have been exonerated due to DNA evidence.”

Troy nodded. “You’re right. There have been several cases, but statistically, it’s still pretty rare. And your father’s DNA was already tested.”

Unease swept through me. “How do you know that?”

“Your aunt told me. She talks to me about the case from time to time.”

“She does? What does she say?”

“Just the same things you already know.”

I shook my head. “Until I met Dottie and until I started reading the online newspaper articles, I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know Aunt Ruthie had been the state’s key witness or that the scar along her jaw came from that night. And I definitely didn’t know that the two of you talked about the case. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Troy pushed out a slow breath. “I didn’t tell you because you don’t like talking about things like that. You don’t even like watching PG-rated detective shows with the kids.”

It was true. I’d always avoided anything too dark. Until I met Dottie, I’d blocked out any thoughts of my father because I assumed he was guilty. Now I didn’t know what to believe.

“Troy?”

“Brandy?”

“Well, it’s just that Dottie called to say she’s sending me a copy of the transcripts from the trial. When it comes, will you read it for me?”

“I already have.”

“What?” A knot hardened in my gut. “When?”

“Well, I read part of it. I never actually finished. It was during law school, and I just ran out of time.”

His admission felt like a violation of my privacy. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried. Remember? When we went snow skiing at Crystal Mountain?”

I vaguely remembered a conversation on the ski lift before we were married. Troy had asked me about my father’s conviction, but I’d changed the subject, not wanting to talk about it.

He’d let it go, but maybe he shouldn’t have. Maybe he should’ve told me what he was learning from reading the transcripts. Although in fairness to him, I probably wouldn’t have listened.

“Look, baby. When Dottie sends you the copy of the transcript, you should read it. You’ll be able to see what your aunt said at the trial. As I remember, she was quite confident with her testimony.”

“A lot of eyewitnesses are confident because they’ve had time to practice what they want to say on the stand. Plus, by the time the trial rolls around, they really believe their testimony. It’s not like they’re purposely trying to identify the wrong person. That’s just how human nature works sometimes. Memories are malleable. They can be unintentionally manipulated.”

“I know, sweetheart, but I don’t think that’s what happened in this case.”

“Why? Because there’s already been a conviction? I’ve read that DA’s are often reluctant to overturn convictions because they fear it undermines the justice system. They don’t want to look like they made a mistake.”

“I don’t think that’s fair.”