Page 22 of Twisted Salvation
Dominic nods, and I stand to join Andrew. “Good?” Andrew asks me. I nod my head, and he smiles softly.
“Mr. Heatherly, it is my understanding that you are requesting a dismissal of charges?” the judge asks.
“Yes, Sir. The charges were filed by someone connected to Ms. Carrington’s lawyer. We have no problem presenting evidence, but this was filed based on bias,” Leon says.
“Okay, are you prepared to present the evidence here today?” Judge Chambers asks. “I’d like to hear it first, and then I will either dismiss the charges or sign off on them.”
“We are,” Charles Jason says.
“Mr. Lincoln, is Ms. Carrington prepared to speak today on behalf of her statement?”
“Yes,” Andrew answers.
“Okay. Mr. Heatherly, I have read her statement. I’d like to hear your side of things,” Judge Chambers says.
“I returned home from work with her father, Walter. Myra had been struggling all day and had self-harmed in the bathroom of my office, where she works with me. She has a history of self-harm and suicidal attempts, so I brought her father to assist. She immediately became distraught and seemed to be in a manic state. We attempted to calm her down, but we didn’t want to hold her down. She was able to get a hold of my pistol on my waist and fired a round, trying to shoot me, but we were able to get it from her. She was harming herself, so we had to restrain her at one point. When she got away from us, she locked herself in the bathroom. That’s when she slit her wrists. She had destroyed our phones in the process of her manic episode, so we had to go and try to get help somewhere. We made the mistake of leaving her to get help. When we returneda few minutes later, she was gone. We called the police right away and found out that she was at a local hospital being treated by her psychiatrist's wife,” Leon says.
“That’s a lie,” I say to Andrew. “He lied. He can’t do that.”
“Shhh. Hold on,” Andrew says.
“She is going to have people say that it wasn’t self-inflicted, but she has a long history of suicide attempts and self-harm,” Leon adds. “I’m concerned that she is not receiving the care she needs away from her father and me.”
“And you witnessed this, Mr. Carrington?” Judge Chambers asks.
“Yes. I filed the paperwork this morning for her to be placed under a conservatorship,” Dad says. “I strongly feel like she is a danger to herself.”
“Ms. Carrington, Dominic Mercer was your old psychiatrist, but is it now Matthew Sharpe, yes?” the judge asks.
“Yeah, but…”
“Mr. Mercer. Your statement indicated that you did not see who harmed her, and no one was there when you arrived. Based on your professional opinion, is Ms. Carrington capable of having done this?” the judge asks.
“She does have a history of…”
“Yes or no, Mr. Mercer.”
“I… suppose. But…”
“Based on the statement Mr. Carrington and Mr. Heatherly made,” the judge says. “Could these injuries be self-inflicted?”
“That is not my specialty,” he seethes.
“Okay. I see we have her physician in court as well. Mrs. Sharpe. You treated Ms. Carrington, yes?”
“Yes,” she sighs.
“Could these injuries have been self-inflicted?” the judge asks.
“I mean, yes, but…”
“Mr. Carrington, I have your request for a conservatorship here. Are you prepared to take on all other needs, including mental health treatment?” Judge Chambers asks.
“Yes, sir,” Dad says.
“No. No. They can’t do that,” I say, panicking. “No, please. Please, don’t.”
“I am dismissing charges pending any new evidence and granting a temporary conservatorship,” Judge Chamber says, smacking his gavel.
