My son and daughter-in-law laughed when I walked into the courtroom. “Ha-ha, now we’re going to leave her with nothing,” Daniel whispered, certain the bruises they had put on my body would convince the judge I was confused, unstable, and hurting myself, but they had forgotten one important thing about me.

Their attorney noticed.

Curtis Hale immediately stood.

“Your Honor, if Mrs. Vance intends to introduce a recording, we would need to establish admissibility and—”

Judge Mercer raised one hand.

“You’ll have your opportunity, Mr. Hale.”

Then he looked at me.

“Mrs. Vance?”

I placed the recorder on the table in front of me.