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Back Legacy of Lies Save as PDF
Chapters (88)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. PART ONE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. PART TWO
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. PART THREE
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. 59
  67. PART FOUR
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. 73
  82. 74
  83. 75
  84. 76
  85. 77
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  88. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mandy nodded and pointed to her left, which would be the direction of the defense table from the witness stand once they were in the courtroom. “Yes. He’s sitting right there. Michael Zannick.”

Helen gave her a swift fist pump and cleared her throat. “Let the record reflect that the witness has identified the defendant.”

For several seconds, there was silence in the office. Finally, Helen cleared her throat. “You know what’s coming on cross?”

Mandy nodded.

“You were drunk on the night of October 2, 2014, isn’t that correct?”

“Yes, I was.”

“And you admittedly don’t remember everything that happened that evening, correct?”

“That’s correct, but I do remember being raped. I’ll never forget that as long as I live.”

Helen flashed a thumbs-up sign and continued. “Now, Ms. Burks, you didn’t report what happened to you for over a month, isn’t that correct?” Helen mimicked Lou’s southern drawl.

“Yes, sir,” Mandy said. “I wish I had come forward sooner, but I was embarrassed and scared.”

“You were so embarrassed and scared that you waited thirty-six days from October 2, 2014, the night of the alleged rape, to November 7, 2014, to tell anyone about it.”

Mandy set her jaw and looked straight ahead where the jury would be sitting. “I wasn’t sure anyone would believe me and, yes . . . I was terrified. But, eventually, I realized that I didn’t want Mr. Zannick to do what he did to me to anyone else.”

Helen leaned back in her chair and extended both of her hands toward Mandy in a double thumbs-up gesture. “Great job. You may not get a sarcastic question like that at the end, but Lou is known for taking things too far. If he does, you shove that answer straight up his butt.”

Mandy managed a tentative smile. “Yes, ma’am.” Then, smiling, she added, “Thank you.”

Helen returned the smile and walked around the desk. She squatted and grabbed both of Mandy’s hands in her own. “Are you ready to put Michael Zannick where he belongs?”

“Yes, ma’am, I am.”

5

5

In the reception area of the district attorney general’s office, Helen exchanged hugs with Mandy and Lona and advised them both to get something to eat. “Two hours till go time,” she said. “I need you both to be strong and alert.”

“Will do,” Lona said, escorting her daughter out of the office. As they were walking out the door, Gloria Sanchez brushed past them. She looked at Helen as she placed several file folders on her desk. “I’ve talked to Jason Lightfoot and the high school, and he can be here to testify with thirty minutes’ notice.”

“How do you feel about him?” Helen asked, not hiding the challenge in her voice.