My mother let out a shriek. “Arrest? You can’t! Elena, stop them!”
She ran over to me as I was packing my single folder into my bag. She grabbed my arm.
“Elena! You can’t let them do this! We’re your family! We’re your parents!”
I looked at her hand on my arm. I remembered all the times that hand had pushed me away. I remembered the funeral. I remembered the lies she told on the stand ten minutes ago.
I removed her hand gently but firmly.
“I’m an officer of the court, Mother,” I said coldly. “I cannot ignore a crime just because I’m related to the criminal. You swore an oath to tell the truth. You broke it.”
“But we’ll lose everything!” she sobbed.
“You lost everything the day you decided money was more important than your daughter,” I said.
I turned to my father, who was still sitting in the witness box, head in his hands.
