How They Got Away With Murder | Book Two

Chapter Ten-Part Two

      The group walked through the hallway, Michaela complaining about being left out, until Laurel pointed something out to her. Caleb stood a few feet away, and Karmen muttered to the girl,

      "You got this."

      The rest of the law students entered the courtroom, and she caught Frank's eye. The man offered her a smile and nodded to the empty seat next to him. She accepted the silent gesture and slid into the chair.

      "Hey. You ready for this?"

      She shrugged. "I'm just hoping it works out."

      He acknowledged her response and then turned towards Bonnie to converse. Karmen fidgeted in her seat, her nerves getting the best of her. She kept peeking over her shoulder to look at the door, half expecting Annalise to march into the room, ready to testify.

      "What's the matter with you?"

      She switched her attention to Frank, who stared at her with a quirked brow.

      "Nothing, I'm fine." She lied, then faced straight ahead as the judge started the preliminary. After the introductions were made, the dispatch call Annalise made was shown to the people of the court.

     "911, what's your emergency?"

     "Help..."I've been shot." 

     Karmen's mind flashed back to that night when she made the phone call and then begged her own students to shoot her. When Alyssa jumped in front of Annalise as Connor held a gun to the woman's heart. When Wes shot Professor Keating and then aimed for the kill—

     "Your Honor," the lawyer's voice roped her back to reality, "in addition to Ms. Keating's phone call, the prosecution would like to submit a written testimony."

      Catherine Hapstall's new defense attorney stood. "Objection. Ms. Keating is supposed to be here to testify in person."

     "The witness is still recovering from her gunshot wound, and the 911 call alone is enough to send this to trial, judge." Prosecutor Denver argued.

     "I'm not so sure that's true. Mr. Denver. Objection sustained." Karmen's face fell at the judge's decision. They had failed.

     "E-excuse me—"

      Judge Sansbury interrupted the prosecutor, "If you want Ms. Keating's testimony in this hearing, she'll have to testify. Move on to your next witness, Mr. Denver." The man let out a huff, but did as the judge asked. Karmen hardly paid attention as a new witness was called, a doctor to be exact, and the Hapstall lawyer began her cross-examination.

     "Injuries like Ms. Sinclair's are consistent with a fall, but there are other points of impact in the evidence which lead me to conclude..." She stopped listening when she heard the door to the courtroom creak open, and she whirled her head around. Her eyes widened as she absorbed the sight of a dreary-looking Annalise hobbling down the aisle.

      "Did you call her?" Bonnie asked Frank, who replied with,

      "Hell no." Karmen's face contorted in confusion. If it wasn't those two, who was it that told her to come? Could it have been one of her peers?

      "I'm well enough to testify." Annalise said once the judge noticed her presence.

      "Judge, she's on mind-altering painkillers—" 

      "I'm not any longer." Keating shut down Denver's protest. "You could test my blood if you want to, but I'm fine to take the stand."

      Karmen didn't know what to think. Surely Annalise was lying. There was no way she'd be in the right mind state.