Muffled gasps filtered through the courtroom. People whispered to one another, reporters scribbled on notepads, and the courtroom artist worked frantically. She was vaguely aware of members of the jury leaning forward to better hear her answer.
“Yes,” she said, meeting his gaze.
“You joined voluntarily?”
“Yes, at the time. I was—”
He cut her off before she could elaborate. “And you belonged to it for how long?”
“About two months.”
“Once again, do you think it made any rational sense for Sito to take you into his organization, knowing the trouble it would likely cause him?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I can’t speak to that, sir. I wasn’t exactly in my right mind myself.”
“I’d like to submit that Mr. Sito’s actions in regards to Ms. West speak toward an unstable state of mind, a personality more interested in chaos than in reason. His insanity compelled him to make unwise choices. If I may ask just a couple more questions.”
Please, Celia thought. It couldn’t get much worse.
“Do you regret that time you spent in Mr. Sito’s employ?”
He would undermine her involvement in the case. Every piece of evidence she’d touched would be tainted now. It didn’t matter what she said, how she answered. She could only be honest, because she had nothing to hide, right?
“Yes,” she said. “I do.”
“And how would you describe your feelings for Mr. Sito now?”
Burning, mind-numbing rage? “Dislike.”
Smiling, Sito watched her, his cuffed hands clasped before him, fingers tapping together. Don’t look at him, look at Arthur.
Arthur Mentis’s expression was neutral. Nonjudgmental. She just had to hang in there.
“Not resentment? Or even outright hatred?”
“Objection! Leading the witness.” Bronson, saving her again.
“Sustained.”
“Ms. West, wouldn’t you say your involvement with the prosecution’s case is a clear conflict of interest? That your attitude toward Mr. Sito is personal, not professional?”
“Objection!”
“Sustained.”
“Why are you assisting with this case?”
“It’s part of my job. I’m a forensic accountant with the firm of Smith and Kurchanski, which has a history of working with the DA’s office.”
“Did it ever occur to you to have yourself removed from the case because of a possible conflict of interest?”
“Yes. DA Bronson believed the conflict of interest didn’t exist.”
“Did he know about your prior involvement with Sito when he brought you in to work on this case?”
Her voice fell again. “Yes.”
“No further questions, your honor.”