The Innocent and the Psychopath, Part Four
Photo by Sebastian Pichler
When Jasmin’s attorney told the judge about the suit against her ex-boyfriend for unpaid money to her, Jasmin dabbed a tissue to her eyes.
Dear God! Here goes the theatrics. Helen murmured to herself then leaned into Will and whispered, “Do not look at her. She wants you to cave and feel sorry for her, just like the judge, but we both know it’s just an act, right?”
Will, staring straight ahead, nodded vigorously.
“Just keep that in mind as things progress because it will get worse.”
Will turned to look at his attorney with wide eyes, not liking those words and their possibilities.
When Jasmin’s attorney was finished presenting his supposed evidence to the judge, and the judge was finished making notes, Helen stood.
She told the judge about the woman’s scam, giving him the bank records of Will’s withdrawals to coincide with Jasmin’s credit card receipts to show his payback, and explained about Will’s inabilities to stand up for himself because of his learning disabilities, which were a hindrance to him, all of which Jasmin took full advantage of. Helen also showed the judge the warrant for her arrest from Arizona for starting the fire to her house. She left no stone unturned. She wanted this woman to pay.
Jasmin was fuming.
Unfortunately, anything outside the facts of the case at hand was inadmissible. Helen thought that might be the case but wanted it out there anyway.
The judge then asked Will to come forward so that he could ask him some questions. Will nearly fainted from fear. “What do I say?” he asked Helen.
“Just answer honestly, and whatever you do, don’t look at Jasmin, no matter what. You’ll be fine.”
Reluctantly, Will walked slowly toward the judge’s bench, as if this was his own judgment day. When passing by Jasmin, she whispered loudly, “I love you, Will. You know I do.”
He stopped. He wanted to look at her to see if she was sincere, but Helen’s words echoed in his head, “Don’t look at Jasmin, no matter what.”
He didn’t look. He continued forward.
Jasmin’s next words hit him hard, “You asshole.”
He felt relief, in a way, at hearing those words, because that meant she had lied to him about her love, as well as a lot of other things. That seemed to make him feel stronger when he approached the bench.
The judge asked him a lot of questions about his childhood, general conversation, really, to put him at ease, he thought, and then asked him questions about his life with Jasmin, which he answered honestly and straightforwardly.
Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan
He’d told the judge that he thought they were happy, but then she started acting mean and strange. She threw a heavy cup at his head and made a large bump on the side of his nose, which he showed the judge. He also said that every time Jasmin charged something for the house on her credit card, he would go to the bank and get the cash, as per her request.
Upon hearing his truths, Jasmin lost it. She stood and yelled, “You’re a liar!”
Rapping his gavel hard, the judge demanded that she shut up and sit down.
After more questions to Will and more eruptions from Jasmin, the judge finally said to her, “I am fining you $5,000 dollars for disrupting my courtroom, for disobeying my demands, and for lying under oath.” He then turned to the bailiff and said, “Take that woman out of here.”
He turned back to Will and said, “I am dismissing this case. You can go now.”
Will was so stunned he wasn’t sure he’d heard the man correctly. But the judge had already stood to turn and leave the room. Will looked back at his attorney for reassurance that he heard accurately and saw Helen beckoning him back.
Helen held out her hand to shake Will’s and said, “Congratulations! You have just made my day. My whole week, in fact. I’ve not been so happy to win a case in a long time. This was, indeed, true justice.”
Marta came up to hug Will at that moment, and to hug Helen also. “We are so grateful to you for your help and would like to repay you in some manner.”
“No need, winning was payment enough, but if you insist, we could go to lunch together. I have some ideas I’d like to talk to you about.”
Lunch sounded really good by then, and the offer of that being repayment was even better. But Marta was mainly curious about what the attorney wanted to talk about.
After ordering their meals, Helen said, “My detective has turned up some mighty incriminating evidence about that woman, and I want to do something about it.”
Looking at her expectantly, both Will and Marta were getting excited about this possible new turn of events. That kind of revenge would be sweet, but did they want to get embroiled in another lawsuit if that’s what it would take?
Helen saw the concern in their faces. “It wouldn’t involve you very much, except to provide answers and information, and I, personally, can’t do anything outside this state anyway, but the things Jasmin did in Arizona was not her first bit of mischief or what she’s done to you here, Will. There’ve been others she’s bilked before you. I have friends in high places and some who are willing to take on the task of getting her out of circulation to do any of her hanky-pankying again. I want her in jail. So, what do you say? Want to help put her there?”
Marta was all for it, but Will had a sad look on his face.
Photo by Jr Korpa
Helen saw Will’s reaction. He’s much too kindhearted, not wanting to hurt anyone in any way, no matter what they’ve done to him, she thought, and then said, “I know you don’t want to hurt her, even though she hurt you so much, Will, but think of it this way…do you want others to go through what you have just gone through?”
Will emphatically shook his head.
“Well then, think about your being able to help someone else, instead of thinking this might possibly hurt Jasmin. She’s a bad person and she needs to be held accountable, and not put anyone else through what she has put you through. It’s that simple. What do you say?”
Will nodded, then asked, “What do you want me to do?”
If you missed it, click to read Part One.